The Twelve Chimes of Maligna Manor

Blind Man's Bluff in the Cellar

"Oh, you have got to be kidding me," said Sara as they stared down into the newly opened room.

Ben had to agree. What lay before the trio was a staircase into nowhere. Ben had never liked the dark. He had slept with some form of light for as long as he could remember, and for all the teasing he got from his sister about it, there was no forthcoming change.

All the rooms had been intimidating in some way, but at least they had been well-lit. Down those stairs could well have been anything, quite literally, and as he looked within, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was looking back at him.

Green eyes from under the Bed.

Ben felt he might be sick.

Jamie took the lead as they descended the stairs. Sara followed close Behind, and it was only by taking her hand that Ben was able to follow. The light from the hallway filtered down into the abyss and gave them a few feet of visible staircase. Jamie went right up to the limits of this Before stopping and peering within.

"What do you see?" asked Sara.

"Nothing," said Jamie, "I'm pretty used to the Dark, but this...?"

Jamie wretched out into the darkness, and as he did so, his long arm disappeared within. He quickly pulled back into the light.

"This is something different." He concluded.

"So, what do we do?" Said Sara.

"One of us could stay on the stairs," said Ben, "That way, they can call the others back if they get lost."

"And who might that be?" Asked Sara.

Ben gave a weak smile.

"I mean, it could be anyone, I suppose..." Ben stammered.

"Don't sweat it, little Bro," Said Sara, "It's probably better that you stay up here anyway".

She indicated to his bandaged leg. Ben hadn't been thinking of that, but he was willing to take the excuse.

"Okay," he said.

"I once saw a YouTube video of this guy trying to survive in the woods," Said Sara, "he said if you get disoriented, you should move in bigger and bigger circles till you find your way."

"Sounds good," said Jamie, "Take my hand."

"Bit forward," said Sara.

It was actually a little distressing seeing Jamie's ghostly pale face suddenly turn bright red.

"I just... I meant so we wouldn't get..." he stammered.

"I'm just messing with you, Jeez," said Sara.

Ben and Jamie's eyes meet for a second in shared exacerbation. Then something in Jamie's face shifted as his eyes drifted down to Ben's leg.

Ben had just enough time to glance down and see darkness beginning to form itself around his lower body before being suddenly pulled through the gaps in the bannister. Whatever Sara and Jamie's reaction might have been, it was unknown to Ben as his world turned to obscurity.

Ben felt the rush of motion but could see nothing, leaving him sickeningly disorientated as a fire burned from his wounded leg. Even when he felt the harsh impact of the ground, it was a while before Ben felt confident that he had actually stopped. He blinked, but beyond the flexing of the muscles, there was no sensory difference. He began to move his body cautiously around his immediate area, desperate to gain some kind of awareness of his surroundings whilst terrified of what he might find. After a few moments, though, he found he could feel nothing but the floor.