The Mansion
Hey all, it's been a long time. I was/am on a road trip, and decided to write this up when it wasn't my turn driving. I actually have another one on the way that I'll probably finish sometime tomorrow shrugs a little It's different from my usual writing, but it's still something that I am proud of ^.^
"Welcome, welcome," came an ethereal voice from the dark further in the room you are in.
Glancing around curiously, cautiously, you swallow as a sense of dread fills your soul. The entranceway to the large building you had found no longer was filled with the sense of wonder and mystery; now it was filled with trepidation and fear. Slowly you pull out a flashlight, clicking it on as you give a quiet, nervous, "h-hello?"
As soon as you flash the light though, the main hall was filled with light, burning white of florescent bulbs blinding you for a moment. Holding up a hand to cover your eyes, your keen hearing picks up the soft click, click, click, click, of feet padding towards you. After a moment, your eyes finally adjust, and you lower your hand to see the small butler before you.
He's a black lab, although much of his fur was grey from age. Standing just up to your chest, he seemed to give an aura of being much larger as he gazed up at you with a piercing gaze, the color of his eyes hidden by the shadow cast on his face because of the way he was standing. "Master was expecting you," he said darkly, clearly the same voice that you had first heard. "Please, this way," he said, gesturing towards a door directly across from the two of you, his tone leaving no doubt that it was not a request.
With a nervous nod, you click your flashlight off, slipping it back into your pocket as you stammer out a quick "alright." The Labrador did not wait for you, turning on his heel and padding away with that same maddening click of his heels. With a catch of your heart, you quickly jog up to keep up with him, noting how the large double-doors seemed to open just before he reached them.
Keeping close to your guide, a pace behind him and to the right, you continued to follow down the dark passageway, trying to ignore the way that the suits of European armor seemed to follow your movements. Your heart rate never seemed to slow down as you continued, the light of the chandeliers overhead seeming to dim as you reached another set of double-doors, about halfway down the total length of the hallway and to the left.
The butler simply turned on his heel and strode forward, bowing as he pushed open the doors without any sign of effort. "Master, your guest is here," the Labrador said, eyes lowered to the floor, one paw on his chest and the other gesturing towards you as you stopped just inside of the doorway.
"Excellent," came the response from the other side of a massive throne-like chair, shadows cast over the room from the large fireplace that was burning in front of it. "Leave us," the voice then commanded, the sound sending the hairs on the back of your head on end, and making you swallow heavily.
"Of course," the butler said with another deep bow before he stood up straight, that hunch in his form still apparent. Without another word, he turned again, hands clasping behind his back as he strode out behind you, before he turned once more and grasped the doors and pulled them closed behind you.
With a startled blink, you realized that you had stepped further into the room without realizing it. Turning your body, you give a partial callout to the Labrador, only to be cut off as the butler shuts the doors, leaving you in the room with the mysterious person in the chair in front of you.
Letting out a shuddering breath, you gather yourself and go to take a step forward before the voice suddenly says "Stop." With the command in the voice, you cease all movement, fear coursing through your body once again, legs trembling as you obey.
"Why did you come here?" The voice asks in its dark voice, the sound of the male seeming to run through your mind again and again. You can see as his hand comes over the edge of the chair, burning cigar in his fingers as he taps it over an ashtray that is there. "Well?" The voice says, as if urging you to speak.
You find it impossible to, though. You're scared, trembling without knowing why.
Every fiber of your being is screaming at you to run; run far and run fast.
Run for your life.
Without a word you turn and leap at the door, pulling one open and turning to the right down the hallway, sprinting towards the second set of doors. Darkness seems to be following you, snuffing each bit of light that you see as it comes in contact with it, the very shadows seeming to have form.
As you burst through the double doors into the main entranceway, you find to your horror that the lights there had been turned off. Fumbling in your pocket for a second, you turn to look over your shoulder, and choose to stop looking for your flashlight, and instead make a break for the door.
Charging at full speed, you burst through the main doorway and into the dark yard, car keys in your hand suddenly as you sprint for all your worth down the dark driveway, a dark and echoing laugh seeming to follow you down the path.
As you rip open the doors, you leap into the driver's seat. Breathing heavily from the long sprint, you jab the keys into the ignition and turn over the engine, heart fluttering in terror as there was a sputter, a cry of triumph leaving you as the engine starts. Slamming the vehicle into gear, you put the gas down all the way, accelerating down the rocky driveway with a rev of your engine.
Behind you that you can't see, a single form stands in the window of the mansion, smiling darkly. "Next time, maybe they'll stay," he says, vanishing.