From the Edges of the Mirror

Chapter 6, The Darke

Knock. Knock. Knock. There was a loud knocking at the door, making me jump. Though I had thought that the footsteps belonged to Angelo, I must've been mistaken, for Angelo did not knock. Peering through the peephole, I couldn't see anything. Not anyone, but nothing. A shimmery blackness covered the hole, as though an eye, of sorts, was trying to peer through.

Panicked and afraid, I backed up, looking for something to hurt the thing with. Nothing. Nothing vaguely hard, or sharp, was lying around the room. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed something sparkling, and as I grabbed it out of the stack of books it was hidden in, the little light in the room, emanating from the thing, showed it was a beautiful pendant, made of pearl and ruby, set into a golden flower, laced onto a delicate golden chain.

KNOCK. KNOCK. KNOCK. The knocking grew louder, and more insistent.

Not wanting to leave the beautiful amulet behind, whatever happens next, I slid the chain over my head, and it glowed a comforting red, giving my entire body a warming sensation, as though I were a small child, in my mother's arms. At that moment, the knocking stopped. I held my breath, in building terror, as I heard the lock being picked, ever so slowly.

As the door creaked open, my voice rose, from ragged breaths, to horrified screaming, straining my throat to the point where it died down to a painful silence, as I awaited my certain doom.

The thing crept in the rooms, passing through the living area, making slithering and soft popping sounds. Each rhythmic string of sounds, it got closer. Menacing and dark, the creature was covered in scales, oozing slime along its tentacles. It was huge, the size of a bear, with a huge tail, like that of a lizard.

It navigated by touch, letting its' tentacles wander, before setting them down to take another step. My heart pounded, the silence only interrupted by the creature's ragged breaths, and the popping of the suction cupped tentacles.

At last, it had paused in its motions. Right before the dresser in which I hid, the popping stopped, the breathing the only sound within range. Then it began again.

Knock, knock, knock, an insistent rhythm played against the dresser door. The creature's breathing picked up pace, in time with the knocking. KNOCK breath, KNOCK breath, KNOCK breath.

At last, it relented. The knocking stopped, only to be replaced by the sickening groan of wood, the dresser doors resisting being torn open. They remained for only a few seconds of this, before being ripped off their hinges.

The creature's tentacles wrapped around my waist, pulling me from my hiding place. The red glow from the amulet illuminated the creature, detailing each of the gruesome features it possessed; a sickening jaw, that was covered in hideous scabs, razor-sharp teeth showing, in a frightening grin. Mangled horns, curling up out of its' skull, nearly scraped the ceiling

Unable to bear looking at it much longer, I squeezed my eyes shut, and screamed as loud as my throat could allow, and in that moment, a flash of brightness lit against my eyelids, and the sounds returned, hundreds of footsteps, came rushing towards me, and I opened my eyes.

"EMMA! Emma, what's wrong?!" Demanded Angelo, shaking me, roughly. I looked around, frightfully, taking in every person peering through the open door and windows.

"I-I-I... What..." I caught my breath, shaking my head slowly, I was in the living room... "Nobody was here, the tunnels were deserted... The monster-"

"What bloody monster, Emma? You were in here alone." Angelo's grip intensified, making me wince.

"'Ey now, Angelo, let go o' her, she's hurtin'." Ragde said, coming up behind him. Angelo swirled around, and threw his arm out across me, until he realized who had spoken.