Serenity's Adventures: The House

“Excuse me. Which direction would Astoria Town be?” I ask a woman passing through a city’s gate.

“Over that way. About 100 miles away. Why? What brings you to Ketchikan?” the woman starts peppering me with questions.

“Ah. No, it was for a project. I came to Ketchikan to-to get some bread. I live a little bit into the farms you know?” I quickly think of a lie.

“Oh. Okay.” the woman stops herself short, but nods and continues on her way.

I guess a random 15 year old girl with torn up clothes and muddy clothes are not a usual sight here at Ketchikan.

I walk through the town, pausing at various restaurants to drink up the scent of food. When I reach the other side of town, a big building caught my eye.

‘Free lodgings’ it said. It was perfect. I needed some place to sleep tonight.

When I stepped into the building, a chill went through me, as if someone was holding a block of ice and had touched me with that hand. I sigh, walking in some more. It was dark inside, but as if someone had known I was there, candles lit up as I passed them. A sign lit up in white and black bright lights, causing me to shield my eyes. I glance at the sign after a few seconds.

‘Lobby’ it said. I follow the arrow and it leads me into a large room. A book was laid in the middle of the room, so I go towards it.

‘Write your name for a room number.’

I follow the prompt and write my name.

‘Serenity’

A number appears next to my name, glittering as if a glitter gel pen was used.

‘10’

I look around the room and notice room numbers on the doors a hallway. I head towards my room, which is at the end of the hall.

I passed the first room. I hear a bang from the other side. I pause, whipping my head to the direction of the room. A drop of sticky, gleaming, red liquid drops from the side of the door. Something wet touches my feet, causing me to jump out of the way. Blood pools from under the door. Click. The doorknob to Room 1 turns, inch by inch.

I start running towards my room. One by one, as I passed them, the rooms open up.

A man that looked like someone had god a fruit peeler and had peeled him reaches out to me and grabs my arm, which I yanked back. I feel a sickly slimy feeling at the place where the Flayed man had grabbed my arm.

A clown comes out of one room and starts running after me. Then, a dark figure. I keep running. When I reach the room that says ‘10’, I go inside the room and slammed the door, quickly locking it.

I slide down to a sitting position against the door, taking panicked breaths. Someone, or something, hits the door, sending a big noise and shaking the door.

Calm down! I slap myself. What am I doing? I’m supposed to stay calm. It’s what I learned after all that time in my camp.

Another slam hits the door so hard that it almost knocks the breath out of me. On the next hit, the door lock breaks and the Flayed man comes in. The Flayed man reaches out to me. I squeeze my eyes shut when his hand is an inch away from my face.