Nights of Horror

Bone Whistle

"What do you mean 'Can't return'?" I asked the gatekeeper. He sighed flicking through the thin pages on his clipboard, his finger coming to rest on a light red page with white writing. 

"It would appear that you died six seconds ago." He stated while giving me a look of pity. My grandfather's hand rested on my shoulder. 

"Let's go get some tea with Grandma." He tried to pull me out of my shock. How could I have died? Wasn't there a protection clause in the contract? 

"Damn Demon tricked me again.." I mumbled quietly under my breath. 

"Watch your mouth young lady!" My grandpa snapped. I ducked my head walking off toward the entrance to the living. 

"There has to be a way back to my body." I begged the gatekeeper. He shrugged at me with a smirk on his face when a little girl skipped through swirling portal. He waved his cloaked arm in front of it turning it a solid slick silver, carvings of ancient writing appeared as I stared at it helplessly.

"Good luck…" laughed the gatekeeper as he walked through a black hole, vanishing from sight. Thanks for the help. I thought gazing back to the glowing green writing on the wall. 

I tapped my chin thinking about what Theo had said. What had he said about the beast like creature…

THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! A long drawn out angry growl came from behind me.

"Fuck!" I murmured, turning slowly to face a ghastly looking beast of a thing. Its snarling yellow teeth baring down at me, black beady eyes with a hint of red bore deep into my soul, while other souls screamed from behind its black pupils. Grandpa disappeared into thin air, his mouth forming the word 'RUN' before he completely dissolved. 

"The beast will claim you if you linger upon the gateway. Find the spirit that holds the Old tale whistle…" 

I didn't have time to complete that thought. The beast swiped at me with its sharp nails, ripping my shirt, crimson jagged cuts drenched the shredded cloth, as I stumbled back towards the black hole. Oh please no! My chest was on fire from the cuts my breathing became labored. My hands raked across the ground behind me searching for the doorway careful not to take my eyes off the foul thing towering over me. 

I never made it to the doorway…

I fell through cobwebs to clear blue pond below, my shoulder catching a rock when I landed. Now, here I lay in knee deep water holding my breath staring up at its snarling face. 

"If you cannot make it to the door… seek out the blue water that is illuminated by stars."

Stars? I don't see any...

From where I am, the creature would be the moon, and the ceiling had tiny white lights shining down. It was beautiful and eerie at the same time.

The creature sat at the edge of the hole digging vigorously and whining when it made no progress. It wanted to devour my undying soul. Not today Mr. Beastie I have a life to live.
 My lungs began to burn from lack of oxygen, so I reluctantly came up for air.  That was about the time splashing came from the other side of the pond. Tiny little hands cut through the water at lightning speed towards me.

I sat there frozen, I couldn't move. When it got to me it shot out the air landing on top of the water. It's cute little bunny face and human body made me feel calm. 

"Uh...hi"

It chirped like a bird tilting its head sideways its eyes opening and closing much like one as well. 

How peculiar. "Grandpa says go home." Its small voice whispered handing me a whistle made of bone. I stared at the small being not thinking twice. I blew the whistle and woke up in my bedroom lights.