Dr. Creepen's Dungeon - S5 Ep227: Episode 227: Paranormal Horror Stories

Episode Date: March 18, 2025

Today’s fantastic opening story is ‘The Girl in the Cave’, an original work by the wonderful jak5467, kindly shared directly with me for the express purpose of having me exclusively narrate it here for you all.  https://www.reddit.com/user/jak5467/ Next up is ‘There's Something Lurking in the Caves of Mexico’, an original story by Nightnator; shared directly with me via my sub-reddit and read here with the author’s express permission: https://www.reddit.com/user/Nightnator/ Tonight’s final work of terrifying horror is ‘We discovered a new species of humans in Mammoth Cave’, an original story Bearded Veteran, kindly shared with me for the express purpose of having me narrate it here for you all: https://www.reddit.com/user/BeardedVeteran/

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BetMGM operates pursuant to an operating agreement with Eye Gaming Ontario. Welcome to Dr. Creepin's Dungeon. The gentle rhythm of raindrops tapping against rooftops and windows weaves a soothing melody that calms the mind and invites tranquility. There's something deeply comforting about the sound of rain. It taps into an instinctive connection with nature, wrapping us in a sense of peace and security. Each droplet creates a soft rhythmic symphony,

masking the distractions of the outside world and forming a cocoon of still-ne. This natural white noise Not only drowns out chaos But also evokes the warmth Of being safely tucked away from the storm Making it the perfect backdrop A relaxation and sleep

As we'll see in tonight's collection of stories Now as ever before we begin A word of caution Tonight's tales may contain strong language As well as descriptions of violence and horrific imagery Sounds like your kind of thing Then let's begin I checked into Hotel Zenith

To win one million dollar part one meet mr tanaka and the other participant there is no such thing as a free lunch all these tv shows and ads that you see or read are usually promising big money or luxury prizes to one lucky contestant call now and you can win a beautiful house in malibu or i can share this post and you can get your hands on the latest Lamborghini inventor door or if you manage to spend six nights at Hotel Zenith, you will win the grand prize of one million dollars. Call one eight two five six six three two two eight four right now. You could be the lucky winner. Well, that's what the guy on the street said when he approached me. Dear sir, this could be a once in a lifetime

opportunity, he shouted, tipping his bowler hat and raising his cane in the air. Imagine what you could do with all that money. You could have the life of your dream. dreams. Oh, think of all the possibility. He said, exulting, tapping his shoes on the concrete. Then he handed me the flyer. You seem like a brave man, sir. Maybe we'll see each other there tonight.

He told me, pointing and winking at me after he took a bow. Whatever, man, I replied, taking the flyer and stuffing it into my pocket. On my way home, I stared at the flyer and fantastic. about what I'd do with a million dollars. It had certainly helped my situation and improve my life in so many ways. I've spent all my life learning about new things, studying finance and business. I need to get a nine to five shitty job at a beat-up course center. I don't get a really good pay, but at least I can make it to the end of the month, you know. Although the one thing I hate the most about that place is the constant movement.

The phone's ringing and the operator's hanging up. It's like a constant factor of stress. A persecutor that's always present and always annoying me. And my boss? Oh my God. He's unbelievably stupid and every so often I imagine myself smashing his face with the telephone receiver, shoving it down his throat while it's still ringing. Anyways, enough talking about myself.

Let's get back to it. The flyer even said that the competition will be live on television, broadcast on a channel that was part of this new media distributing company, and, well, if well received, they were planning on renewing it for another two seasons. I tossed it aside on the table and then cook myself some dinner and watched Netflix. It was roughly 10pm, I was about to go to sleep when I saw that shiny, glittery flyer again. The writing was golden on a crimson background, and it screamed a scam, of course.

My bank account only had about 350 left that month. Maybe if I don't win the first place, maybe there's some prize for the second and third places. And so I decided to give it a go, and see what would happen. I dialed 1-825-663-2284, and listen to the robotic female voice on the other end of the line. Mr. Richardson, we've been expecting your call.

but we thought you'd never do it. Are you ready to check in to the Zenith Hotel for the chance to win one million dollars? For yes, press one. For no, press two. How the hell do they know my name? I asked myself, panicking over the situation, pressing one. The connection seemed to interrupt, and then another voice picked up the call. Ah, you know, I had faith in you from the moment you took that flyer, kind, sir.

You have the eyes of a winner. Yes, you do. You already look like a champion, so I can't wait to meet and greet you at the Zenit. He said in an old man's voice, somewhat raspy and compelling. He then said that a car would pick me up from my house and I should be out in five minutes. I hesitated, of course. But when I was I to sleep already gone, I decided to go and just check it out and see what I'd find that. You know, just out of curiosity. So I hopped in the car with a driver who looked like he just killed a lot of people.

I asked, what's the thing with this hotel? And he answered in a Russian accent. I don't know. Just sit back there and enjoy the ride. Bliet. I was thinking he was going to pull out a gun or something. I mean, the dude was huge. I could eat in three Arnold's in one meal.

We then exited the city. took a right turn and reached the destination where I saw what was indeed a hotel. I only counted six floors. He wasn't really big but not small either. I took my bag out of the trunk and headed inside. In the foyer, there was already a bunch of people present and the same man from the street. You standing behind the desk at the reception. Good evening. Welcome to Hotel Zenith. Are you checking in, sir? If he recognized me, clearly he wasn't showing it.

Yeah, I'm checking in for the competition. For six nights, please. I replied, refraining myself from further comments. Okay, sir, you're in room one, oh seven, on that right corner side over there. Your luggage will be taken care of. I hope you enjoy your stay, and maybe you'll leave this place not only with one million dollars, but also in one piece. said, grinning, looking at me like he'd had the funniest moment of his life.

Then he jumped out from behind the desk and shouted, his voice echoing through the corridors of the ground floor. Good evening, good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Let's get to know each other a little better, shall we? My name is Mr. Tanaka. I'm the clerk, the owner of the hotel, and the brilliant mind behind this competition that you've all signed in for. So before asking you if you're ready to face the difficult task ahead, let me read out loud all of your names, ages and occupations, after which I will tell

you the rules of the competition and what you're allowed and not allowed to do while staying here with us. So, without further ado, well, that's me. Mr. Ken Rogers, 38, business analyst. Ms. Sylvie Deschon, 35, former military, Mr. Zed Trutz, 41, university teacher, Mr. Dan Williams, 56, former farmer employee, Mrs. Elizabeth Warbur, 43, Warmark, Kishir. Mr. William, Death Viper, Daniels, 19, Hacker Extraordinaire. Mr. Ban Richardson, 27, call center operator. to Vance Jones. 47 unemployed. Now the rules are very simple. One, quitting before the competition ends is strictly forbidden. Two, social media interactions are not allowed.

Three, after finishing the stages of the competition, you are to return to your room where you will rest for eight hours and then proceed to the next stage. 4. If you hear knockings on your door, screams outside, a voice that says they can show you an easier way to beat the contest, do not exit the room and ignore everything. If you fail to comply, you will be disqualified and send home. And five, if two or more people reach the final stage of the competition, there will be a bonus round that will determine which contestant is fit to take home the prize. There are six floors of this hotel and each stage takes place on a different one. When you finish the challenge, you must return to your room immediately. Ladies and gentlemen, I wish you good luck and may the best contestant win. Oh, I almost forgot. Here in this suitcase I have the grand prize which I'll give to the winner at the end of the

competition. When he finally finished speaking, he opened his briefcase to show the hundred dollar bills in pristine condition. We were already looking at each other like we were the greatest enemies in history. Soon after that, the weird-looking dude, Vance, pulled out a gun and pointed at it to Mr. Tanaka. All right, old timer. End that shit over.

I'm leaving this dump of a hotel. Come on, hurry the fuck up. Push it over here, you old fuck. He said, angered and shooting one bullet at Tanaka's feet. "'Ah, why did you do that? "'This marble was new, Mr. Johnson. "'You shouldn't have done that,' Tanaka replied, "'and he went so fast behind Vance's back

"'that we didn't even see him. "'He pulled out a sword from his cane "'and slashed the guy, decapitating him first, "'cutting both his arms, "'and then he took a final swing of the sword "'to separate the torso from the legs. "'Mr. Tanaka whistled. Mr. Ocita and Mr. Senwell, please clean up this man.

You know it makes me sick when I see dismembered people. He ordered to two people who appeared out of nowhere. Do with him what you must, he added. I ruined my suit. What a shame. Now, settle down, everyone. There's no need to be scared. I might add this to the list of rules. attempted murder will not be tolerated.

How do you, you folks, say it? Is it not, um, LOL? He said, taking a handkerchief out of his pocket, and wipe the blood beads from his face. Now, if everyone can get to their rooms, that would be great. After that, I will lock each and every one of you inside the room, and you must find a key hidden there to get out and proceed to the first challenge on the first floor, all right?

He added, while straightening out his jacket. I'm in my room right now. Scared, shitless and completely afraid of what'll happen next. I just saw a crazy guy murdering another crazy guy. Well, they locked the door behind me, and I can tell you this is, in a standard hotel,

a closet, a coffee table, a desk, and the TV hanging on the wall. The bathroom's pretty normal. How am I supposed to find my way? way out of here nothing under or inside the desk now let me check the closet my god there's a human torso in the closet i think it's the guy that's narca killed except that his skin is sewn in a why feel like puking right now oh don't tell me he put the key in there and i have to open it part two the riddle in the elevator than the first challenge.

I felt my sense of humanity slowly leaving my body. I've seen a man killed and mutilated right in front of me. I didn't even blink or feel any slight trace of sadness or disgust. I just stood there, motionless and watched him being torn apart by the

owner of the hotel. Now I'm in my room, lying in bed and watching the ceiling above and asking myself if there's something wrong with me. I know now that I will not be leaving this hotel unless I'm dead or I win the competition. So, after thinking about it for over an hour, I decided to rip the threads that were keeping the skin of the torso together and see if the key was inside. As I heard the sounds of the internal organs scrouching in my hand, squishing some of them, I felt nauseous and instantly threw up.

My shirt was soaking wet and covered in blood, but still I didn't find the key. I took a break, threw up again, and while breathing heavily and sweating at the same time, I decided to search in the last place I could find the key. Inside the heart. I ripped the heart open, and in it was the key and one little note with the following message. Please take the elevator to the first floor. you have exactly 30 minutes to get back to the room if you meet the guardian of the first floor it's kill or be killed good luck well shit i was thinking that this was it i'm going to get out of this

hotel in a body bag and get thrown into a river or discarded in a dumpster or buried in a place where no one will ever find me i wondered what the hell the guardian of the floor was i don't believe in the supernatural, but this place had some sort of eerie aura that gave you the willies, you know. Kill or be killed. That means I need some sort of weapon to defend myself. There was nothing in the room I could have used. But then I saw a cup, which I broke into several pieces and I stuck the biggest one inside my pocket. I also had the belt of my pants which I could have used for choking anyone if I pushed came to shove. And I remember that I'd accidentally pocketed the pen I used. to sign the papers when I checked in, so I wasn't going to battle that guardian or whatever it was,

bare-handed. I took the key and placed it inside the lock, but then I heard a knock, then a frenzy of knocking starting. Hey, Sport, do you want to get out here? I know a guy on the third floor can get you to the prize faster. What do you say? Want to get a million bucks quick? Yeah, I bet you do. Come on, what do you say, open up and let's go. I ain't gonna hurt you, I promise. The fragile voice said from behind the door. Go away, man. I'm not supposed to open the door. I'll be fine. Try next door. Maybe they want to go. I said, trying to get him off my shit. Then he just left and didn't say anything. He knocked on the next door and I heard a man opening up. And he started screaming.

Get off. Get off of me. You're killing me. Oh God. He screamed. He screamed. died down into a gurgling as he choked on his own blood. In the silence that followed, I heard Tanaka in the distance. Settle down, boy. You got fed good. It was a fat one, wasn't he? The man that had knocked on my door began slurping on something. I didn't want to imagine what could make that kind of sound. I turned the key and went to the elevator. I walked through the ivory marble hall, following arrows that pointed to the elevator, on top of which a flashy light red.

Here is where your adventure begin. I pressed the button to call the elevator, and then I heard a ding, and the doors open to reveal a hunchback woman sitting on a small chair. I'm the elevator keeper. My name is Dimitran. I want you to answer me a rill before we go to the first floor. Keep in mind that you only have one chance,

and if you get it wrong, your time for getting the challenge completed will be reduced to 15 minutes. You have to be a superhuman to beat the demented harlequin got in the first floor. Let me tell you that. So, answer me this. And they salted and fermented. Inside a stump wrapped in a hundred clothes. The woman said.

Her hands were shaking, and her voice was trembling. That's a simple one. The answer's cabbage, and the final product is called Sourcrowns, I answered. I'm trusting myself a hundred percent. Very good, very good, she says, her grin revealing rotted yellow teeth that looked ancient. The elevator started ascending, but it was moving slow. The woman didn't say a single word after that, and I was under the impression the distance between floors was bigger than what I'd seen outside the hotel.

We finally arrived on the first floor. The doors opened, and this floor, was completely different from the ground floor. The walls were covered in purple and orange, checkered cloth, and there were seven doors, three on the left side of the corridor, and four on the right side, each one with purple and orange lights flickering above. At the end of the hallway was the exit door with a timer above. The countdown started and I had to move quickly even if I didn't know what I had to do. I was starting to feel like I was in one of those escape rooms, with the major difference that here if I didn't manage to complete the challenge, I'd be dead as disco.

I opened the first door and inside was only a chair between the four walls. That was it. I proceeded to open the second door to find another chair with a note on it simply saying, Hi. Behind door number three, there was a mask lying on the chair with a note attached saying, Put it on. door number four had a gun with a single bullet inside and the note said do it or else i opened door number five only to find a tape recorder i pressed play and carnival music started playing through the corridor door number six creaked a bit when i opened it and there was a note with blood stains on it saying goodbye you fuck and then i heard door number seven opening before i had door number seven opening before i even turned something jumped me trying to bite me i freed myself from its grip only to turn around to see a harlequin grinning at me blood dripping from his ugly razor-sharp tea he said hi now you die then he tried to attack me again i avoided him stepping aside while he started laughing uncontrollably he was dressed in a

checkered purple and orange costume. His face painted white with sprayed blood on it. He started laughing again while coming towards me. I avoided him, but he managed to scratch my left cheek with his metallic claws. Die, die, die, die, you fuck. He was constantly repeating, as I was getting fatigued. He wasn't big or strong, so I decided to save the bullets. Maybe I'd use it later. The timer said, Three minutes and twenty-five seconds left. Shit, I had to hurry. He then came towards me again, and I punched him in the face, and grabbed him by the neck, trying to choke him.

He scratched me again, this time on my belly, and blood started oozing out. He was laughing like crazy, like a demented harlequin. I briefly loosened my grip, but got it back as he seemed to suffocate. I pulled out the pen from my blazer, I stabbed him in his left eye. He fell to the ground, crying and laughing and screaming all together. He fell to the ground, and I ran to the exit.

In the upper part of the ceiling, I saw a camera zooming in on me. The music stopped, and Tanaka's voice filled the hallway. Ah, the other eye too, please. Hurry up, he said with genuine satisfaction in his voice, like he was pleased with what he'd witnessed. A truly sadistic motherfucker. I ran back and took the pen from his left eye and stabbed him in the right one. Afraid that the timer would run out when I heard the exit door unlocking behind me.

The timer stopped at 0.007. If I were seven seconds later, I'd have been dead. Behind the final door I saw another chair with an envelope on it. I opened it and it says congratulations on completing your first challenge now head back to your room for food and rest the next challenge begins after your eight hours sleep I'd just killed a psychopath and become a murder of myself and I'm fine with it after all there are so many things you can buy with a million dollar. Part 3. Enjoy your lunch, Mr. Richardson. You see, money rules the world. No matter what form or shape it comes in, here it's gold, coins or banknotes. It always was

like this, and it always will be like this. Some people steal it and become rich. Some people work hard and get to be successful entrepreneurs, business persons, CEOs of companies that worth billions of dollars and then there are people like me who believed it must just be an idiotic game where a guy is asking you questions or making you go through stupid challenges and then you'll be able to win a million bucks and go back home safe and sound with your mind intact well how this shit will play out i don't know what i know for sure is that the grand prize is blood money it is what it is and i just can't quit now i will not quit now I need it so I can leave that god-awful job and get away from all those

stupid and boring people but as the saying goes all the glitters is not gold so I must be extremely cautious keep my eyes open my ears peeled the last important aspect of the matter is that I should follow Tanaka's fricking rules just to be sure I can have a minor chance of staying alive and in the competition and maybe if I'm skilled or lucky enough I'll win that curse of briefcase filled with a catch I'm in my room right now scared and still bleeding from the cuts the harlequin decorated my skin with it's a good thing that I made it out alive after a fierce fight with that man or was it not a man I just don't know anything anymore this place

seems real and not real at the same time people here are not simply people I believe. Am I in hell? I'm going to sleep now. I'll update you in the morning. I hear knockings on the door in the middle of the night. I wake up and on the other side a child's crying. Help me. I can't find my mommy. Please, Mr. I'm cold and afraid. I want my mommy, she says. I check the time, and it's 3.33 I am. I can't open the door. It's against the rules.

Just go away. You're not real, or if you are, and you're just trying to get me to break the rules so I can get killed, I reply, sleepy and annoyed, while feeling a cold wind entering the room. As I start seeing vapours coming out of my mouth, and the temperature suddenly drops, the door is violently banged on,

with both hands and feet by whatever it is on the other side. Open the door, open the door, open the door. She kept on hitting the door, and I thought she was going to break it down. If you don't open up right now, my friend Hammerhead will get you on the fourth floor, mister. Oh, I'll tell him to get you good. Open up. I know my mommy's hiding under your bed. My daddy always catches her under the bed, and he has a knife.

She insisted, sounding very angry and dissatisfied with my reply. It suddenly stopped, and the temperature came back to normal. I guess I'm going back to bed now and hopefully nothing will interfere with my sleep as I need the rest and recovery for tomorrow morning. I wake up in the morning after my near eight-hour sleep, wondering what's happened with that little girl. Did I ever dream or was she real? I don't understand this place. It seems like it's fucking with your head constantly trying to get you to break the rules. The TV turns on by itself and Tanaka appeared.

Congratulations on completing your first challenge, Mr. Richardson. Talk about being on the etche. Please don't eat too much for breakfast. Take a shower and head to the elevator for the next challenge. I hope your stomach's ready because you'll have one of the best lunches you've ever had in your life. It's my favorite if you are, don't mind me saying, he says. Oh, and one more thing, he adds. I must inform you that Mr. Cairn, Rogers, sadly,

the rules and has left the competition. There's only five of you left. I wish you the best of luck. He finishes his intervention as the TV shuts itself off. Get out of bed and try to take a shower as best I can. The wounds from the encounter with the harlequin are still hurting, but I think I'll make it. I take a shower, grab a quick bite, and then change my clothes. I'll be trying to update you in real time as I move forward with hopefully completing the second challenge. I still have the shard from the broken cup. The pen, although let me rinse it a little. It's still stained with the harlegrins blood after poking his devil eyes out.

And the gun with one bullet inside. I get my blazer on and finally get my belt on my new pair of pants. I press my ear on the door and try to listen if there's any noise outside. And after approximately two minutes of not hearing anything that might disqualify me from the competition or worse get me killed I decide to unlock the door I go out of the room and head to the elevator and notice a new message above its door saying enjoy your lunch mr Richardson the elevator dings as the doors open and this time there's no one inside so I just push the button for the second floor but as opposed to last time this

time the elevator barely moves the doors open up again quickly and the scenery is completely changed. I'm still in the hotel, but the walls are covered in moss and there's grass on the grounds. I feel like they've grown a forest inside the hotel. It all feels so real. The hallway seems very long, so I start walking as I see trees in the distance and smoke coming out from behind them. I still walk and walk and then a green arrow appears, pointing forward. After ten minutes I start seeing the shape of a wooden hut and go towards it.

The smoke is coming from its chimney and as I enter I see the fire running with a cauldron boiling over it. I then catch sight of a few strange drawings on the walls depicting devils dancing and eating a very big feast together with their leader who is sitting in a throne made out of human bones. Then on the kitchen table I see raw meatballs on a wooden plate, probably waiting to be cooked. green mushrooms and some chopped leaf well i must tell you it smells really good and i'm starting to get hungry i haven't had some meatballs in quite a long time i then start hearing some noise coming from outside the shack and an old woman's voice starts whistling and then she starts saying one two your love my stew three four you'll ask for more five six you'll lick your lips seven eight eight

you'll celebrate. Nine, ten, you'll come again. I hear the door opening and as I turn around, an old hunchback woman is standing before me. She blows some dust in my face and sends me to sleep. I wake up, pinned to a chair at the eating table, but I can't move my body and accept my eyes. I see the woman stirring in the quadrant.

Lunch is ready. Oh, you'll love the meatballs, I'm sure of it. This is my special secret recipe. You won't find it anywhere in the world. The taste is so good and the texture is something else. But what makes it special is the meat. I have a special kind of meat that I'm always using for this challenge. The only person that knows the secret is Mr. Tanaka.

He loves it so much. He's now using it for all his meat-based foods made in the Zenith kitchen. she said in what seemed to be an unending monologue as i couldn't speak i feel my jaw slowly unclenching and the first words that come out of my mouth are i'm so hungry please give me something to eat i say hearing my stomach rumbling while i breathe in the amazing smell that fills the room she then gives me one serving of her stew as i feel my hands moving again i start eating it i feel like i'm in a sort of trance that my hunger is not my own. I finished the plate and asked for another.

This is so good. Can I have one more, please? I say. Do you remember me, Sonny? I'm Demetra from the elevator. I hope you'll like this final serving because you must go back to your room. Mr. Tanaka says there's something big coming for all the participants. She asks me, she gives me another serving. Her voice sounding like she's not one of the baggues.

guy's all girls yes i do i reply you're the riddle woman from the elevator what is this place i ask her back this is my home inside the hotel i created my world here and i'm responsible for the second challenge are you done she asked me i can feel my legs now as i look in the plate i see human eyeballs and ears teeth and fingers all mixed in with the meatballs I feel sick I throw up I start crying and yelling what's the matter mr Richardson too much salt in the saw she's asking me mocking me start running towards the door tears flowing down my cheeks as I look back she starts laughing while sucking on an eyeball you want dessert maybe some of this magnificent stew to go? She asked me, with her green eyes glowing in the darkness of the

forest. I reached the elevator, and finally I'm in my room again. I think that she cooked the remains of that guy next door to me, or what remained of him after you was eaten by whatever it was that ate him, that Ken Rogers guy. I feel sick to my stomach. All these people, or whatever they are, just playing crazy and sadistic. I can't leave though. I must remain calm and strong. But what the hell will I eat? What will the next challenge bring me?

What must I endure next for that fucking pride? Part four. I just attended the strangest masked masked ball. What should have been a refreshing eight-hour sleep beamed a constant twisting and tossing and turning around in my bed, followed by me feeling sick and getting up to go to the bathroom to throw up. My mind was filled with the images of what I'd last seen inside that stew that I'd eaten, and these thoughts became themselves nauseous.

I never thought I'd endure this much for what seems now like pocket change. I mean, given the choice again, I would take my physical and mental health over the million bucks any given day. For seven hours I felt sick to my stomach and mind, but I was able finally to catch one hour of sleep, one hour that seemed to be an eternity. Why? Well, let me elaborate a little. As soon as I drifted off to sleep, I felt myself leaving my body exiting the room and going straight to the elevator.

The hall lights were now dimmed and the arrows that pointed to the elevator weren't lit up. I pressed the button and there was no message for me on top of the doors this time. I then heard a muffled ding and the door was. open. The inside was pitch black darkness and the only thing I was able to see were the lights on the buttons. I instinctively pressed three and the elevator started ascending without the doors closing. I passed the first floor and I saw the harlequin waving at me with blood coming out from its now missing eyes. Then I passed the second floor and that witch, Demitra scared me when she almost came inside the elevator with me. Want another serving,

Benny, she said, a crazy laughing sending shivers down my spine. I arrived on the third floor, and all I saw was a big red door with a golden handle in the distance. It looked like it was far away and very close to me at the same time. It was standing there idly in the vast darkness of the third floor. I stepped off from the elevator, except I wasn't walking on marble or hard concrete floor. I felt like I was stepping on clouds, but with In every step I heard a different kind of sound coming out. I started running towards the door and the more I ran the farther the door was away. The more I slowed down, the closer the door was to me.

I decided to walk very slowly, thinking I might get the door to me instead of me going to it. I finally made it and then, out of the darkness, two statues erected, each pointing me to the door with their indexed. their voice is blended in some sort of low baritonal voice you're inside now but be careful all the glitters is not gold and you must resist emotions all they said while turning their head towards me what emotions love hate fear courage i thought to myself i turned the handle of the door and entered inside a room that looked like a big event hall the sort where rich people were people go to attend secret parties that you've probably read about online. There was classical music playing inside and people were chatting, their voices coming together as one. There was another big wooden door at the end of the room which was bolted shut so naturally I wondered what that was. When reaching it, I was approached by a masked waiter who asked me if I wanted a drink,

which I politely refused because all of this didn't seem real. I mean I only had human stew back on the second floor, I wouldn't want to be drinking human blood or something, you know. Something felt wrong with that door. It seemed like it hit something ugly behind it, like all hell would break loose if it was to be open. Was I the only one not wearing a mask? Or was I? I went to a big mirror that was placed on a wall to my right to see if I was still the same

because everything seemed wrong to my utmost surprise. I was masked like the rest of the attendants at this grandiose mask ball. I was wearing, out of nowhere, about a mask, the sort they used in Venice, Italy, for their masked balls or parties. It seemed glued to my face. It didn't come off. Why didn't it come off? What was that? Was I dreamy? Was I in the depths of my mind? Dreams or nightmares? love, hate, fear, courage, emotions old. Was I wearing the mask, or was the mask wearing me? The finishing decorations on the marble walls were made of gold.

The cutlery and platters were the same. Don't touch them, they're poison. Don't drink the champagne, it's poison. I remember, thinking to myself, God. The door I'd come through had disappeared. It wasn't there anymore. In its place there was now a double black door.

Two people came and opened it and at that point the music stopped and everyone watched some hooded figures wearing black robes coming from behind them wearing masks. They seemed to be some sort of initiators of this mask ball. They were simply the red on eye mask, the orange yellow sun and moon mask, the green woman with snakes in her hair mask, the blue faceless mask, the indigo shattered glass mask, the violet skull mask, the white happiness mask, and the black sadness mask. The red mask which appeared to be their leader started. We are the council of the nine masks, and we bid you welcome to the greatest Mars bore in the world. He said, clapping and while doing so, every other person attended started

choking and dying and then been sucked into the marble floor. Mr. Richardson, each of us will either ask you a question or ask you to do one thing. Depending on your answers and actions, you'll be able to open that wooden door over there and get back to your room. This is your third challenge. Let it begin. again the red mask said gravely i then realized that i was in fact on the third floor even if it didn't seem so at first when i first arrived and looked at the hotel the third floor was the only one that had no lights on it was just like it had never been used well i understand why that was it was because this floor was the contestant's mind and they've chosen to fuck with us using these abominations trying to make

us insane and make us quit so that we get killed and eaten by whatever it was that had eaten Rogers and then turned to stew. Dissgusting. I'd always had a strong mind, so I decided there and then, in the palace of my mind, that I would take up all their fucking challenges and questions and tricks and whatever the hell else they had for me. I was ready. This was what they required. of me. Red Mask. Where do you think you are right now? What is this? My answer. We're on the third floor and this challenge takes place while I'm sleeping. This is not a dream. This is real. It just happens while I sleep because that's what Mr. Tanaka thought would be good. Orange, yellow mask. If you could have the sun or the moon, which one would you choose and why?

My answer, I could only choose both. It's a natural cycle of the world. You can't have one without the other. It would break the natural order of things. Chaos would ensue and the world would end. Green mask. Have you ever heard of me and what I do to people that look at me? My answer, keeping my eyes closed upon hearing the snakes in her hair come to life.

Yes, I did. you're the Gorgon or Medusa and if I look at you I'll turn to stone I then heard her approaching me snakes caressing my face then she left his is filling the creeping silence of the room the blue mask

having produced a servietta out of nowhere here's five million in cash and another million in gold take it and leave this place I'm telling you it's no good My answer? I don't break the rules. That's not real money or gold.

I look back at the serviette and it turned to bugs and cockroaches and worms squirming in a trash bag, climbing over Blue Mask's arms and body, invading the Indigo mask. You wake up early and see me in the sky, and you fear me until the day you die. I promise things that should not be. You take it fast, too blind. to see you take the easy way and sell your soul but all the glitters is not gold who am i my answer morning star lucifer the fallen angel satan the violet mask finish this there's a lady who's sure all the glitters is gold my answer And she's buying a stairway to heaven.

This was easy. I know my Led Zeppelin. The black and white masks together. We get to ask you two questions. Be careful what you answer. You cannot have one without the other. They need each other to survive, and if you have one,

you can beat the other one. My answer. There's no love without hate, and you must have the courage to kill your fear. I then heard the wooden door open. and as I turned around, the red mask had fallen, revealing Mr. Tanaka's face. I knew why I picked you. You're not only smart and brave, but you resist temptation so well. Fine, so be it. I must warn you that these final challenges will be absolute hell,

and if two of you end up living after the final rounds, it'll be one hell of a bonus round. go through the door and remember the rules oh and before you go there's a token of my appreciation take this gold bar from me as a gift he finished his speech seemingly impressed with my performance of the greatest mass ball on earth um thank you but i'd rather not take it i replied why not he asked me confused all the glitters is not gold i finished with a grin heading back through the door, where Tanaka announced that Mrs. Elizabeth Warburg died in her sleep,

and that they'd found her full of bugs, cockroaches and worms. Well, there's four of us to go. Wish me good luck, part five. The fourth challenge, mess me up good. My head was buzzing after all that had happened the night before. So I was almost cured by a crazy harlequin. I ate human stew

I attended a mass ball inside my head while sleeping and I only slept one hour One strange thing though That crossed my mind earlier Was why did Tanaka say That there's only five of us left When there were still six people alive

Then on the last entry I told you that there were four of us Because I didn't think about it And went along with what he'd said Well The real number Should be five people left alive Right

Jones was killed by Tanaka, then Rogers was killed by, I don't know what, when he answered the door, and finally Warburg, probably killed in her version of the Maskball because she took the money from blue faceless mask. I haven't paid attention to this until now, but it kind of makes you wonder.

I either think that they drug one of them and turn them into that Harlegrin guy or that one of them works for Tanaka, and I'll face him or her later on. What do you think? Maybe you can help me out with some ideas on this one. Anyways, back to the regular schedule. The end of the competition was drawing nearer.

I was wondering what Tanaka would come up with next and how much more shit I'd have to endure to win that million bucks. Then I remembered the little girl who'd said that if I didn't open the door, she'd tell on me to her friend on the fourth floor. Hammerhead. Yeah, I think that was the name. This hotel is filled with temptations and crazy things. things that can fuck up your mind, body, your hand-soul.

I think what I did best until now is the fact that I kind of fought off anything they've offered me, and that I had this strong will to live and win this competition. You know, I want to go back home with my body intact, and with the grand prize in my hands. Anyways, I left the room to start the next challenge, and I noticed the arrows pointed to the elevator were now freshly redecorated with the hotel's logo, a big sea inside an upside down triangle. On top of the elevator door the following message was displayed. After the mast ball, the hammer will fall. I pondered a bit on the meaning of that, and I hope that I won't be up to some other crazy guy, but deep down I knew that would not be the case. I could only

defend myself by fighting whatever I'd encounter. I still had that glass shard, the pen, the belt, and a single bullet gun, and I hope to God I won't need them. The elevator dings. The door stood open, and I pressed the button for the fourth floor. As soon as I started ascending, a putrid smell of blood and dead things started to fill the air. The doors opened, and the smell became unbearable, and I immediately vomited in the elevator. At that point, I was asking myself if I had anything left in my stomach, you know. It seems like every little fucking thing, every goddamn challenge is supposed to make you feel sick to your stomach and take your sanity away a bit by bit.

The view was horrendous. The metallic walls were decorated with hammers in all sizes and shapes known to mankind. Sledge hammers, claw hammers, ball pin hammers, and even some powerhouse hammers. They were all on display encased in some sort of plexigars, like trophies. The glass was stained with blood droplets, which seemed to be fresh, as it was lingering down on it. The whole room was made of metal, and on the floor there was a blood trail, as if a body had been dragged out on it. I followed it, and soon after, I didn't know where I was anymore. I'd taken so many turns, so many left and right turns, that I didn't even know how to get back.

I soon felt like I was lost in a maze of death, and I'd. I soon felt like I was lost in a maze of death, and that I'd soon be hunted by whatever adversary may come my way. As I felt my heart starting to pound in my chest, an immense pressure invaded my head. I reached a metallic door, and had blood smeared on it, and dripping down from the handle. I opened it, and inside hooks were dangling from the ceiling with rotting animal carcasses hanging on them. I could see carcasses of cows, horses, goats, ready to be portioned and cooked. I made my way through them, and at the end of this room there was another door with an employee-only sign on it. I decided to slide it open, so I pushed it to the right side.

This wasn't against the rules, right? And I saw dead people hanging from the ceiling in hooks, blood dripping on the floor. and some of them were hung head down, probably to drain the blood faster. There were even bodies on the floor, one resting on another, as if they were resting after the fight they'd put up with their killer. What the fuck is going on here? Upon closer inspection, I could see that two of the dead guys were Zed, Truds, and that farmer guy, Dan Williams. Both were dead as disco, and they were probably killed by whatever it is that guards this door. I heard the door behind me opening, and I quickly decided to hide between the cadavers lying

on the floor, myself pretending to be dead. I had my gun ready in one hand and the pen in the other, and maybe later I'd be given the chance to put it through the skull of whoever was coming. I heard the entrance door opening, and then some clinks and clanks on the metal table at the far end of the room. Probably the weapons used for killing them. Then I heard him speak. Right, you're all drained up.

Little hell will love drinking your blood when I get bad. You look so much better when you stay still, you know. Why do you cause all that fuss before you die? I don't know. Right, wonderful. Let me get you down from here and place the next lot of these shiny hooks. He said, his voice resembling that of an evil Gordon Ramsey. Shit, shit, what the fuck am I going to do when...

Oh, the fuck is little hell, I thought to myself, almost pissing my pants. I peaked a little from behind the two dead bodies I was hiding behind, and I saw a large, approximately six-foot-five tall guy. His shiny hair slicked back nicely. He then turned around, and I saw he had one glass eye, a large scar on his face, and he was wearing a black leather apron with hammers attached to his belt, encircling his weight. He then took the bodies down one by one and placed each on a metal.

table and I managed to see what he was doing. He was hammering whatever joints and articulations he could, ankles, wrists, knees, elbows, and then he smashed a final blow in the center of the foreheads. The sound was sickening as I heard the hammer dropping and the bones cracking. It made me feel like my own bones were made of rubber. He then turned towards me and started grabbing bodies to put them on the hooks. It was two bodies away from the body. It was two bodies away from me and it was there and then I decided to try and stab him in the temple with a pen and shoot him in the head good I'd never used a gun before in my life so the probability of me missing was very very high I jumped when he was grabbing the body next to me and shot first but I only managed to hit him in the

shoulder ah you mother fuck you're so fucking dead you don't fucking mess with hammerhead head. Don't you know that? He yelled in pain. Fortunately I was faster than him and more important was the fact that the hammer he wanted to take out from his belt that got stuck. I jumped over him and grabbed a hammer from the table quickly and hit him in the head, knocking him out cold. My heart was racing, so I decided the best thing to do was finish him off for good, maybe give him a taste of his own medicine, in the same way he killed those innocent folks. I turned him around and decided I should bash his wrists with the hammer so he wouldn't be able to use his hands. But before doing that, I decided to do something that I'd gotten very good at.

I stabbed him in the eye with my pen so he couldn't see me. He let out a huge scream and tried to find my throat before raising himself from the floor. He was blindly searching for me. Where are you, you fucking son of a bitch, he said. I'll fucking kill you He added While walking around Like a drunk man

Inside that human Abattoir I'm right behind you I added while hitting him in the side of his right knee He let out a huge scream Nailed And I did the same

With his left one He liked killing innocent people Piece of shit I said while pressing on the bullet Well I'd say to look me in the eyes Before I fucking kill you But you can't do that now can you Stay still you psycho

let me take your fucking eye out I want a souvenir from you I'll teach you to kill innocent people I finally added before swinging the hammer to his right temple after I heard a popping sound blood started coming out

the hammer got stuck in his skull and I wasn't able to pull it out so the hunter became the hunted the adrenaline rush was huge I know you might think I'm a psycho myself but I did what needed to be done to save my life. I then got out of the abattoir, but the corridors I came through had changed,

and the scenery wasn't the same. Instead of those cold metallic walls with hammers on them, they were now decorated with the musical instruments placed on red velvet tapestry. Violins, guitars, flutes, cellos were all displayed on the walls, but the blood was still there. I walked and walked. Then I arrived in front of a big wall on which, a painting of Tanaka was hanging, his hands pointing to the left and right sides. A voice started out of nowhere. Congratulations once again, Mr. Richardson. Now, as a token of my appreciation for your hard work efforts and dedication,

I'll be given you a choice. On your left is the way back to your room, where you'll be resting for the next eight hours, as per agreement. On your right side, however, you'll be able to be. he had to go straight to the next challenge, thus gaining a considerable advantage in the competition. I can give you my word of honour that there's no trick here this time. So, what's your choice going to be? He added before the corridor was lit up with a powerful bright light to my right and with a dark and bluish light to my left. Now I've been standing here for the past 15 minutes,

thinking of what I should do and thinking of how many people are still in the still in the competition is it two or three of us left so should I take the left or the right side part six I heard what nightmares sound like one thing I learned while staying at this hotel is that you shouldn't trust anyone so I went back to my room to get the sleep by so much need it after all there were only two or three of us left and I didn't know anything about the progress the others have made so far how and why should I trust a voice telling me that I get to have an advantage over other participants I didn't seem fair to the competition I didn't even know if it was Tanaka's

voice or not it seemed too convenient to fall for you know so anyways I finally got to sleep a full eight hours without any disturbances interferences or crazy people banging on my door after I woke up I had something to eat to get my energy levels back up although the food had no meat in it because you know shit happened while I was on the second floor I went to the elevator locked loaded and ready for my next challenge at that point I felt that nothing could stop me I mean I'd gone through so much since coming here that I now felt unstoppable with only two challenges left I told myself that I won't believe in this place in a body bag but simply with a briefcase full of money oh those pristine hundred dollars

I've noticed that the arrows pointing to the elevator remain the same as last time, but the message hanging on top of the elevator's door stated, The symphony speaks the truth, It will never lie, just let it carry you, or else you all done. The elevator door dinged, and I pressed the button for the fifth floor. As I was going up, I started hearing strange music in my head all of a sudden. I didn't know where it was coming from, but I can honestly swear, that it was the most beautiful music I've ever heard in my entire life. Then as the elevator door stood open, it all stopped. And the view in front of me was, well, let's say, unusual.

It seemed that the floor, walls and ceiling were made out of human flesh, but with no skin attached. I saw muscle fibres, tissues and even blood vessels that were somehow alive like a person was trapped in those walls. And I started one. watching me, blinking rapidly, following my every move as I was slowly going forward into the unknown. I was wondering what the challenge on this floor could be. I wasn't terrified necessarily by the fact that it looked like that, but because I felt that I was constantly being watched and observed by some force that was planning how to kill

me. The sense of dread and the terror that followed were unbearable. Faded violin music started playing throughout these flesh halls. The notes, the symphonies and the melodies were slowly flooding my brain with all their enticing heavenly touch. Or was it a hellish touch? I started feeling sick and nauseous because stepping on human flesh was gross. Blood was jumping everywhere, so I decided to run towards whatever I was running to.

I then reached a red door that had a human face etched on it. It was gross and terrifying because it was just the left side of the face. Its mouth opened wide in horror like it wanted to scream, its eye constantly twitching and moving in agony. As my sight went down to see the full image, I noticed its hand was broken into several spots, in a zigzag fashion with the index finger pointed to the handle, as if it was inviting me to go in. I stepped inside a concert hall where Debussy's Claire de Loon played in the speakers that hung all over its corners. The red velvet curtains were drawn,

I saw approximately one hundred skeletons all looking to the stage as if they were waiting for the concert to start. The music shifted to Rachmaninov's Isle of the Dead, and then the skeletons started turning to ash, leaving all the seats empty. I heard the door opening behind me, and I saw that hacker kid. Oh, he was as pale as a ghost's house, probably stricken with fear. He glanced at me, nodded his head, and took a seat somewhere, twenty-year. empty chairs to my left. Then, after a while, I heard the announcement that came through the speakers. This evening's lovely, hellish and heavenly concert will begin in five minutes. Please take your seats and turn off your mobile devices. Enjoy the show. The door creaked open again and the

military lady came in, running and panting. Probably she didn't want to be late for the show. She passed me, not even noticing that I was there. She was shaking and was. She was shaking and fear sweat dripping down from her hands and neck the final announcement was repeated the lights were dimmed and the curtains drawn to the sides revealing a skinless scarlet woman who started playing a violin made of human bones the strings and stick made of human hair i don't know why but they started feeling sad for her her movement seemed disjointed and there was something off about her it didn't look like she wanted to be here like she was trapped into someone else's flesh and muscles.

But the music, the music turned my mind into something that I'll never want to see ever again. The notes morphed inside my head into desperate screams, echoing into oblivion as I started having visions of a woman who was

burning inside a concert hall, screaming for help but playing the violin nonetheless, not stopping the concert even though she was dying. Then I heard a phone ringing. It was the kids. She stopped playing and went to the kid who became unable to move. Tears of blood started flowing from his eyes as she kissed her finger and gently pressed it onto the kid's lips.

She then pinched the skin on the centre of his forehead, and like through magic she ripped all of his skin and started eating it. That poor guy was still alive and he was watching as she was devouring what was once a part of his body. She then repeated the procedure with his flesh, leaving that kid only a skeleton. The military lady and I stood motionless in horror, and watched this grandiose violin concert resume, one that became a feast for the skinless scarlet woman. Then she continued her concert, and music began slashing and screaming and creeping in my skin, as I felt a strange tickling sensation that went up to the base of my skull. Then I felt like I was tied to that chair, and the music became so sad that I too started crying.

I started seeing strange shapes and colors. I was having visions of a place that seemed to be far away, desolate and deserted. A realm filled with the music of the dead where skinless people were roaming free in those arid lands, seemingly headed to nowhere. Of course I didn't understand any of it. why this was happening to me i felt like this was some sort of hell made exclusively out of people who had no skin on them were they some sort of distant relatives of ours were they angels or demons nephalims i honestly can't tell you what they were but i felt like it was very real in the sense that it

existed 100 percent as i came back to my senses the skinless scarlet woman who played the violin finally finished her concert she took a bow and the military lady and i stood up out of applause but we never stopped crying i honestly can't tell you why i was crying but what i can tell you is that it wasn't out of fear it felt like that music i'd heard made us feel that way but what i felt was alien because it was a whole new emotion for me then i felt a sharp pain on my left arm and when i looked i saw that a piece of my skin was missing and a bloody two-inch diameter circle appeared in the upper part of my forearm she probably didn't want to kill me too because she already ate that kid but she did want to take a souvenir as she finally left the stage mr tanarker emerged from the side clapping ah what a beautiful violin

concerts miss scarlet always fascinates us with her unique style that allows her to create a distant world through her music wonderful wonderful yikes that poor kid well they told you to turn off your phones didn't they sylvie thanks for being my observer until now i'd say this young man standing here in front of us acted in such a great way that we could give in the prize now don't you agree he said as i realized that sylvie de shamps was his liaison his mole in this context yes we could mr tanaka but he still has the last challenge she needs to complete. He was good until now. He's the only one left in the competition, but the hardest challenge is yet to come. Let's not hurry with assumptions, shall we?

Another thing, though, I just found out before coming here that someone's been interfering with the hotel sound system, and that someone was the hacker kids. So even if he didn't die right now, he would have been disqualified. She replied to him, looking like she finally was at ease with the whole thing they both wish me good luck as they left the scene and instructed me to go back to my room to rest properly for the final challenge well i must win this part seven it didn't go as plan win a winner chicken dinner that's what they say when you win something big right when you're so close to winning the goddamn grand prize you start asking yourself what you're going to do with all the money will you buy a new house a new car a small island in the pacific ocean where you're going to

party for the rest of your life with beautiful ladies and expensive cocktails but then again will material wealth bring you happiness and peace of mind especially after knowing how you'd come up with that money blood money you had to kill people beings or whatever it was just so you can win it. I asked myself these questions, but the thing I wanted the most was to make it out alive from there. I mean, I would have given that money away just to make sure that I'd go back to my shitty job and apartment in one piece.

Back to the fucking fuss and the stupid people always asking me, Hey Ben, how's your weekend? Or, hey, Benny, have you seen the new TV series airing right now on the TV where they make people kill each other for one million bucks? Or, man, you son of a gun. You won that shit, didn't you? You won a million bucks, my man. You killed those freaks and got away, and you're a millionaire.

I legit thought that, if I ever go back there, and ask me a whole bunch of stupid questions, because I remember Tanaka saying that this show will be broadcast on the TV. How could it air with all the violence and all the killing? All these crazy things going on inside this cursed hotel. Would the people at home watch it in cheer when seeing violence, blood and people killing each other, like it was some kind of sick fucking joke? And all for one million dollars.

After surviving the violin concerts, I went back to my room and slept for almost five hours straight, up until the point I was awakened by some strange barkings I'd heard in the distance of the hallway outside my room. Although at times muffled, it was still one of the most horrific sounds I've ever heard. The barking then turned into howlings, and it seemed that they were getting closer and closer to my door. They reached the door of my room and whatever was out there started scratching it rapidly.

Then it started banging on my door and I heard a voice from the other side. I'll be waiting for you up there on that sixth floor. I'm starting to get hungry again. You'll make a nice meal. I know you can hear me right now, but you don't have to say in it. enjoy your final hours of sleep then you'll get to sleep forever it whispered with a raspy voice making me understand that I was talking to whatever the hell was waiting for me on my last challenge why was it here though did that thing want to personally come near me before the

final confrontation just to scare me or was it scared of me killing it as I did with the rest of them I decided and I'll worry about it in the morning because I need to get my strength back up for the end that was to come it was only a matter of whose end mine or that thing I woke up in the morning

I was feeling really good yet anxious I ate some fruit and a bunch of vegan dishes I got out of the room and headed to the elevator the message on top of the elevator doors now said welcome to the final challenge

we wish you good luck I thought it to be a bland message for a man who endured so much and risked his goddamn life for a petty prize. At this point, I just wanted it to be over. I pressed the six button, and the elevator started ascending. With each passing floor, I was having flashbacks of my life, as uninteresting as it was. I still had them. I think I was afraid of dying, yet my will to stay alive grew even stronger.

I knew I had to kill whatever the fuck was guarding the last floor As the door stood open I Saw a maze in front of me A maze made out of barbed wire with shiny white and red arrows Pointing to different directions on liquids dripping from Fucking gross Started hearing a voice in the speakers I very well knew this was the real deal now because the hacker kid was dead and gone

Oh, I hope you won't die on us now, Mr. Richardson. That'd be such a pity. Let me introduce you to our very own, amazing, beautiful, and skilled elite hunter. Little Hal, the guardian of Hotel Zenith. Wonderful. All you have to do is run as fast as you can until you see the exit sign where I'll be waiting for you

with a grand prize. Best of love. Tanaka said enthusiastically from wherever you, was at the time and then it began the howling the barking and an evil laugh were resounding through the maze I decided that I would run towards a path with the white arrow simply because red was the color of blood and I was sick of seeing so much blood in a short space of time I started running like crazy and I felt a sort of creature taking shape out of nowhere behind me I turned and I saw my

saw the horror following me. It was some sort of a dog. All its legs were made out of metal. It had long, sharp, bony teeth with spit dripping down on the ground. I only had one red eye that looked like it was enraged with hunger. It started stampeding towards me. And as I ran and ran, as fast as I could, I heard the dog from hell saying, I'll get you, human. I can't wait to eat your flesh and drink your blood. As he was half. howling, barking, growling and speaking all at the same time. He charged towards me, took a leap, and he scratched my right leg with his metallic paw. I had a scream. I tripped, and I rapidly got back up, and to my surprise, I wasn't limping.

I looked back and the dog was gone. Was it playing with its prey? I remembered I had that shard of glass in my pocket. I took it out and squeezed. it in my hand in so much fear that I almost cut the inside of my path. I took some left and right turns and when I look back, little hell wasn't there anymore. I saw a block of barbed wire, so I decided to shelter there and evaluate my options. I ran for at least 10 to 15 minutes, and I felt like the end of me was getting nearer. What if I tried to trick the dog? It only had one eye, so if I tried to stick the glass in his eye, that'd be it. couldn't see me anymore of course he could have smelled me but it'd been a whole lot easier to get to the exit

wherever that exit may have been i took out some barbed wire and while having the shirt wrapped around my hand i bent until it looked like i could hold my shirt so it would resemble a human body i then place the shirt my pants and shoes onto that barbed wire it looked like a bad attempt at making a scarecrow I'd cut my hand and splashed my clothes with it. Maybe I'd lure that fucking dog there. I did so, letting out a huge scream and kept hiding behind that barbed wire block. I heard the beast coming, laughing mockingly, asking me if I was all right. I peaked and I saw it as it said.

There you are. My main cause. Come here. As it was charging towards the fake me. He started chewing on my clothes and got itself entangled in the barbed wire. I came out of hiding and went straight to him. Here little doggie, take this you little shit, I said as I stabbed its eye with the glass shard. I then took it out of its eye and slashed its throat.

It let out a huge scream and started rubbing itself on the barbed wire, eventually getting stuck. I took my ripped clothes and shoes, dressed up, and resumed running. After taking, I don't know how many turns of direction, I finally came to the exit sign, where I saw an intercom. I pressed the button, and a voice on the other side said, Yes, to which I replied,

Tanaka, I won you a game. I've beaten all the challenges. Open up and give me the money. I want to go home. I was panting, breathing. heavily and in so much mental stress and physical pain that the thought of going home seemed the best thing then yep my shitty little home at least i had a bed to sleep in every night tanaka opened oh you're alive i see very good here's your prize ben he said as he handed me the

prize um thanks i guess i wouldn't do that again fucks sake I said while opening the briefcase and seeing the money inside. All right. Can I go now? I asked him. Just a moment. Where's little hell? He asked me, concerned.

Really, Tanaka? Really? I don't fucking know. I stabbed its eye and slashed his throat. And then I ran like crazy. I replied, visibly irritated. You did want. You stabbed my dog in that.

eye and slashed his throat. Are you insane? You burst out in anger. What the hell did I tell you? Did I tell you you can hurt or kill it? No, I didn't. I only said you should run as fast as you care, he said. Well, I had to do it or else it would have killed me, I exclaimed in utter disgust. Then Tanaka rubbed his chin, thought about the situation for a minute and said, I can't allow this. Even if you were absolutely spot on with everything, you followed all the rules. Well, you killed my dog and that's a no-no. Nobody kills my fucking dog. You didn't pay attention to what I've said, and there are consequences for that, Ben.

Don't worry, I won't kill you. I'll even let you keep the money. You can spend it any way you see fit. Booze, drugs, hookers, I don't give a shit about your earthly sin. Looking me straight in the eyes. I need a new right hand now. I choose you. If you refuse, I will kill you.

I need someone to help me with the hotel and make with the next edition of this contest. Well, you'll get good pay. It's going to be like a normal job except your boss won't be a scumbag. You start one week from now. I'll send the driver to get you. He concluded. I got out of the hotel, and I saw the same driver waiting. for me outside. I handed him a thousand bucks to push the pedal to the metal. As I look back,

Hotel Zenith was gone, like it didn't even exist. Well, I guess I'll start a new job one week from now, wherever that job may be. Alive and kicking. The wasting room. There is an unspoken rule that dictates that all stories, regardless of intent and genre, must be satisfying. So I'll start by telling you right now that my tale won't be abiding by that rule. So I'll start by telling you that right now my tale won't abide by that rule. My tale isn't some leisurely read, not if I'm to be faithful to what occurred. I'll have to tell my story as it happened. The slow, drawn out death.

No lesson, no closure, no reason, nothing to justify what happened to my friends and me. If you're looking for answers, leave. Turn away, shut the door. You won't find them here. Nightmares, like all sickly malformed children, have a point of conception and birth. Mine was birthed in my elementary school, vile and costing. I like to think every school has them, little rumours and myths about the place. Ours just happened to be the wasting room. In the centre of the east wing of the school was a brick building, about the size of a small garage. When I was in third grade, I walked past it and was immediately entranced by it.

I went up to it and ran my fingers along the surface of the weathered brick, revelling in the amalgamation of strange textures, spongy patches of moss, brick and mortar rough as sandpaper, the deep crevices and cracks, all perfect contrast bound to a single surface. I circled the building running my fingers alongside it until I stood in front of the door. Impulsively I reached for the doorknob and rested my hand on the cold, rusted brass door handle. Energy seat from it to me, the transferring of an idea and instant. Calling to me, I now know that's what it was doing.

My hand tightened around the handle, and it was starting to twist open, when the harsh reprimands of a woman's voice, froze me in place. Christopher, what are you doing? asked my teacher, Mrs. Liori. She gave me a mild scolding before telling me that that room was off limits and to run along and get to class. Later that day at recess, I asked my friends, Danny and Leah, about the mysterious red brick building. That's the wasting room.

My older brother says that's where they take the back kids, answered Danny. I heard a witch lives there. Leah added. Well, I pondered it for a moment, and just like most kids my age, accepted both answers as true. I learned more about that forsaken room. The rumor goes that back when teachers were allowed to hit students, they'd do it in that brick room.

One day an exceptionally cruel principal took a third grader named Lily into the brick room and beat her so savagely he thought he'd killed her. In his panic, he sealed the room and forbade anyone from entering. Unfortunately, Lily hadn't died. That would have been a mercy. She was just knocked unconscious. When she finally woke up and saw that she was trapped inside the brick room, she tried everything

she could to break out, but being so young, her meek voice was never heard. Instead she slowly rotted away for a few weeks, wasting away from the inside out. When they finally found her years later, her remains were mummified. her face contorted in eternal anguish her little fingers whittled away to the bone fragments of her nails embedded into the brick walls dried blood stained the floor and walls ever since then the room has been permanently locked a gruesome tale told to children living in a gruesome world of course as all kids do with myths and urban legends we embellished them Danny would tell us that Lily was still alive, that she'd survived off of rats and a leaky water pipe. Leah thought that the teachers still used the room to punish the worst students. I made up a story of how I once saw Mrs. Liori open the door,

and I was able to see the dusty skeleton of Lily still inside. Danny and Leah didn't believe me, of course, but the mystery surrounding the room still intrigued us. My favourite rumour was that the ghost of Little Lily wandered the halls of the East Wing. And on lonely, dreary days or dark starless nights, she would drag anyone caught alone into the wasting room to suffer the same fate that she did. It wasn't until the beginning of the sixth grade when we invested in getting inside the room and seeing if any of the rumors were true. I was the one that pushed our trio towards that insidious red brick building.

It was our final year before we'd be ushered into the ever awkward and painful stage known as adolescence. Danny was an early bloomer, and as the first way to be usher, we'd be ushered into the ever awkward and first wave of hormonal changes hit, he changed drastically. He was no longer interested in running around with Lear and me, as we chased small animals and hit trees with sticks. That was kid stuff, and if his own growth spurt was any indicator, Danny wasn't a kid like us, not anymore. The night I decided we needed to make one last chance at recapturing that childhood sense of adventure was the night Danny pulled out a crinkled magazine from under his bed and flash me

the cover. It was a playboy, a busty scantily glad model on its cover. When he opened the magazine and tried to show me, I turned away as if it was a photo of a crime scene. I didn't want to see it. I knew if I did that would be the death of the child that still existed within me. I didn't want to leave that stage of my life behind. Not yet. Danny briefly berated me, asking me if I was gay saying that that was the only reason someone would be scared of boobs. I ignored him and asked my mum to pick me up early. I knew then that the only way to reel Danny back in would be with something that could still spark childish fear and wonder. The room. I knew even back then that after the summer our trio's dynamic would never be the same. It was Leah. Danny and I had been

suddenly vying for her attention. We both looked at her through different lenses. and I guess I just wanted to have one last adventure before our biology tore us apart. I was initially met with hesitation when I brought up the room, but after a bit of badgering, they were on board. How are you going to do it? The teachers keep the doors locked, you know, Leah said. That proves that they're hiding something, doesn't it? Danny added.

Maybe we can steal a key from one of the teachers, I said. Leah scrunched her face at the suggestion. she warned us about how that would only cause more trouble. Danny interrupted to inform us of a secret entrance to the room his brother told him about. Lear and I were both skeptical at that claim, but Danny was insistent that there was a secret underground entrance. My brother says that he found it one time. Says there's a basement in the back of the school.

Dan insisted. Well, then he's just going to have to show it to us then, Lear replied. But we'd settled on trying to convince Danny's brother to guide us to this so-called secret entrance, we still made an effort to locate it on our own. Lear got picked up as soon as school was out, but Danny and I had about 30 minutes before his dad picked both of us up. We snucked to the field in the back of the school

and poked around for a few minutes, but found nothing but rocks and dirt. We gave up after a while and headed back towards the front of the school to wait for Mr. Powell to pick us up. I hadn't thought about the plausibility of the school having multiple sealed exits and entrances. Up until the mid-60s, my school was a hospital. It was too small and outdated, having first been built in the 30s to be of much use to a rapidly

changing area. It was abandoned in the early 70s when it was renovated and repurposed into a school. Of course, as naive kids, we never connected the dots. This place had seen much more death and suffering within its walls than anyone was willing to acknowledge. I spent the same. that night at Danny's house, annoying his older brother David, asking him to show us the location of the hidden passage. It took only a few minutes to get him talking about his time spent at that school. It's sealed up, you know, they buried it, and it's not a basement, it's a cellar. I found it one day with Jimmy while we were goofing off. He had a rusty lock, of course, but I just broke it with a rock. We never actually made it to the wasting room. I don't even know if the cellar leads

to it. That's just something Jimmy says, his teacher told him. Well, inside that cellar was a tunnel that ran under the school. Old rusty pipes ran along the walls and ceiling, twisting like intestines. Yeah, that's what it was. We were like inside some metal giant's guts. David then jumped up, trying to scare us. Well, the only reaction he got from us was a unified, gross. David's face scrunched up into an annoyed half-frown before he continued anyways there was something wrong with this place not only was it ancient rusty and dark but something felt off like something was in there with us or like the tunnel itself was alive oh i swear i thought i saw the pipes twitch sometimes and the whole shaft was subtly shifting

like it was breathing i don't know but it was weird man we walked a few feet further into this tunnel We had a clang and we just froze. I tried to act tough, so I caught out like an idiot. I heard it before I saw it. This figure just darted out of the darkness. It was small, but it was on all fours, and it was fast. That's when Jimmy and I started running, screaming our heads off. When we reached the cellar door, we just scrambled up and turned around long enough

to see this decayed little girl just on all fours, glaring back up at us, absolutely. rage in her eyes. I don't think I've ever slammed a door that hard since then. What happened after that? I asked. Well, we ran screaming and crying to the principal's office and told him all about what had happened. Of course they didn't believe us, but they were upset we'd found the cellar entrance. So the next day they shuffled dirt over it and told us not to go near it ever again. You know, sometimes I still get nightmares about that little girl. Her pale skin covered in run of her hateful eyes. Maybe it's that Lily Girl they talk about.

I don't know. So, um, you'll show us where it is, Danny asked in an excited voice. Hell no. If you kids know what's good for you, you'll stay away from the door and from the wasting room. Nothing good will come of it. David replied. Disappointed, but not disheartened.

We went back to Danny's room to play video games. and David didn't know it at the time, but his warning might have saved us from what was about to come. If only, we'd listen. We told Lear all about David experienced the following Monday. Oh, that's scary. I don't think we should go out looking for that door. What if Lily really is down there, and we let her out? She asked.

Don't be dumb, Leah. My brother was just trying to scare us. Besides, I've got a plan on how to find it. Oh, yeah? "'Hell?' I asked. "'Next time you spend the night, we'll sneak out "'and hide my dad's shovel in the trees in the field. "'And after school we can go digging around and see if we find it.'

"'Danny said, with a grin. "'What about me? "'You know my mum picks me up as soon as school's out? "'I'll just ask her if you can hang out with us for a little bit,' he responded. "'Lia just sighed and said she'd try. "'Danny's plan, like most of the plans children make, never came to fruition. Sneaking out at night and carrying a shovel wasn't going to happen.

So Danny modified his plan and instead snuck three garden trows in his backpack to school every day until Lear was able to convince her mum to let her stay after school. It took three weeks of Lear's whining, but she finally caved in after Danny's father gave her a verbal confirmation that he'd drop Lear off at her house. It was a warm summer day when we made the trek to the back of the school to search for the cellar door. Sixth grade graduation was near, and I knew that these Halcyon days were nearing their end. This would be our last great childhood adventure, and I wanted to make this one the one to remember for the rest of my life.

The greatest knife twist of irony, that wish came true. We spent only a few minutes stabbing the ground nearest to the school building before Leah hits something with her trowel. She shouted for us to check it out. was always eager when it came to being the first at things. Daly and I started digging, and sure enough, we heard and felt our trails scrape against metal buried only three to four inches deep. The three of us ran over and started scraping away

until a rusty metal cellar door lay before us. Dan let out an excited yell and did a little half dance. Oh, I hadn't seen him act so goofy in months. I was starting to reach for the handle of the door to throw it open, when I felt a firm, icy grip on my wrist, freeze me in place. I jerked around in a panic to try and get a glimpse of the figure towering over me. What are you children doing? asked Mrs. Liori in a calm but cold toe. Nothing, we were just playing around, digging for rocks and stuff. Danny answered.

Oh, explain why you're in a strictly off-limid area, eh? Mrs. Liori pointed an accusatory, finger at Leah. Lear looked down at her feet for a moment and let a few tears fall. The poor girl was always frightened by authority figures. We were looking for a way to get into the wasting room, Leah said, tears slowly falling from her face. Oh, that persistent rumor.

I can show it to you if you want, Mrs. Leari said with a slight laugh. Wait, really? Danny asked. Yes, if it'll be able to. put these silly rumors to rest. Come, follow me, Mrs. Liori said. The walk to the eastern wing was punctuated by an anxious undercurrent. The various rumors surrounding that room, its nefarious purpose and origins cycle through

my mind. My anxiety peaked as we stood in front of that red brick building. Mrs. Liori took out a lanyard with a single base key, gave us one final look, and inserted the key into the rusted. aging long. The sound of the lock turning sent a jolt of paralytic fear through my body. Something about the faint grin Mrs. Liori gave her seemed sinister. As she creaked the door open, I started urging myself to take hold of my friend's hands and just run, but every command I internally screamed at my body was ignored. Mrs. Liori straightened her back and flung the door

open, the screeching of its ancient hinges cut through the silence and echoed off of concrete and linoleum. Danny jumped back. Leah gasped, and I broke out of my stunned silence to make a diminutive sound at the sight of what lay behind the door. Nothing. No skeleton, no bodies, no little girl withered and broken seeking revenge on the world that condemned her to a fate worse than death. Just dust, some shelves, and old furniture. Want to know why it was called the wasting room? This little room was once used as a pantry back when this school was still a hospital. When the teachers first opened it up after its conversion, they found it full of spoiled food. Guess the name got out to the students, and they ran with it made up all sorts of

ridiculous things. We only use it for storage these days. Nothing to fear. "'But what about Lily?' I blurted out. "'Alyly Teresa, Esther, that was her name. "'The police determined that she was abducted by her estranged father "'and was never seen again. "'The last time she was seen was at this campus. "'But she didn't die here. "'The investigation was thorough, and nothing was ever found.

"'We stood dumbfounded by these sudden revelations. "'Good enough for you, kids?' she asked. "'Yeah, I guess,' Leah answered. good i've got things to attend to she said locking the room and stuffing the lanyard into her back pocket as she was getting ready to leave danny ran up and hugged her thanking her for solving the mystery for us she let out an exaggerated sigh let him know that it was no big deal and turned to leave as soon as she was out of earshot danny spoke up hey did you see it see what lea and i asked in unison you didn't see it well i guess i'll have to show you danny said as he dangled the land yard in front of us

danny we're going to be in so much trouble you need to give that back well you said yeah danny look your dad's going to be here any minute i said ah just enough time to take a quick peek he replied danny took a quick look to make sure no one else was around and quickly unlocked the door and opened it wide. He walked in a motion for us to do the same. Ah, don't be babies. Don't you guys want to see it? I took a nervous step inside the room. Leah close behind me. Danny walked towards an old, filthy dresser. Hey, help me move this thing. All three of us worked to push the thing a few feet and revealed that directly underneath it was a rusty cellar door. See, I told you guys, Danny said.

I don't think this is a good idea, Danny. We don't know what's down there. Your dad's probably waiting for us, I said. Yeah, and we already saw that the wasting room is nothing to be scared of. Danny tugged on the cellar door's handle and slowly raised it until it stood open. Did you guys ever think that maybe this isn't the wasting room? Danny asked. What do you mean?

I asked. David said that he saw Lily in some. tunnel in the cellar. We should check it out at least. I peered down the cellar and saw a ladder leading to a smaller chamber inside. There was a corridor attached to it, and at the edge of it I saw several pipes. Danny was onto something, and with my curiosity peaked, I agreed that it would be worth taking a look. What about your dad? Oh, my mom will kill me if we're late. Leah whined. It'll only be a second, just to see if the wasting room is down there, Danny said.

I gave Leah's hand a quick squeeze and a reassuring look before she nodded slight. Reluctantly, she joined us as we climbed down into the summer. The chamber was surprisingly well lit. Light bulbs lined the ceiling. They were far enough apart that pockets of darkness existed in between each one. But the most substantial oddity in the room, was a profound lack of dust on anything. Sure, rust lined the pipes,

but the dust was nowhere to be seen. I should have seen this as a warning sign, a tell that the place had been inhabited for years. Lear pressed closer to me as Danny led Atrio towards the pipeline corridor. The moment we crossed the threshold into it, we had a loud slam that caused the lights to flicker. In the brief moment of darkness,

I swore I could see movement. We screamed, loud and piercing, our collective shriek reached a siren-lau crescendo, but quieted as the lights returned to their usual stable illumination. We was gripping my hand so tightly it hurt, and she was openly sobbing. I want to go home, she said in between sobs. Yeah, Danny agreed. We turned to run back towards the ladder, and saw that. the cellar door had been what had slammed shut.

I scrambled up the ladder and tried to throw the doors open, but no matter how hard had pushed and hit it, it made no signs of budging. I started screaming for help, hoping someone would hear and let us out. Shit, Danny cursed. What are we going to do? I yelled. Leo was now hysterical, pleading for us to get out of there. Danny stared at both of us, face paler,

than I'd ever seen it. This tunnel has to lead somewhere. I bet that it'll be the cellar on the other side of the school. We should... No, we have to wait here. Wait here for help, Leah yelled. Leah's right. If we stay here, someone's bound to find us, I said.

Well, Danny nodded and joined us in calling out for help and occasionally pounding at the cellar door. Hours seemed to pass by, and when we'd screamed our voice's hoarse, and worked our hands roar, we knew that no one was coming. We have to look for a way out, Danny said in a dry whisper. I nodded meekly and tried to help a near-catotonic Leah stand to her feet. She was responsive despite her silence. Walk into the edge of the room and peering down that ancient corridor, I saw that it stretched on as far as the eye could see,

the light bulbs illuminating as much as they possibly could before blinking out of existence. I took a precarious step into the tunnel, expecting something to happen, but when nothing did, I took another. Danny walked ahead in feigned bravado, and Leah followed close behind me. We walked until we hit the first light bulb above our heads, like a spotlight it shone in disorienting brilliance, giving us a clear view of the rusted and flake metal pipes running alongside us. Some had built up condensation and dripped cold.

droplets. Others leaked a dubious black fluid, and some occasionally shot a jet of steam through cracks and holes. I had the slightest inclination to reach out and touch them, but I caught myself halfway through the thought. I looked ahead and saw the murky darkness we had to cross before reaching the next light bulb lit beacon. Grab my hand and run, I said. Leah took my right hand, and Danny my left, and we sprinted as a linked unit into the next spotlight. We repeated this five or six more times before I noticed a change in scenery. The number of pipes running alongside are quadrupled, crowding the walls and ceiling and leaving no space at all. The size and variations of the pipes had also increased.

Some so rusted that they seemed on the verge of bursting, while others seemed almost new, until closer inspection revealed the layers of grime that coated their surfaces. Some pipes were as wide as my head, while others were as thin as wires. I was also beginning to see that some of them were very subtly vibrating. I tried to pick up the pace, but after passing eight more light bulbs, my foot caught on something, and I fell hard. I was plunged into darkness, unable to see what had tripped me. the floor no longer felt like concrete it was lumpy and harsh covered in strange groves and valleys dread formed in my stomach as i tried to imagine what it could be get up danny shouted he hoisted me up and we ran into the safety of the light it was there when i finally got a good look at the floor pipes the floor was made up of pipes

They lined every inch of space. I wondered if they rested on any concrete or if we were walking in a hallway of suspended pipes. An unusually large pipe above our heads lightly showered us in a clear liquid I hoped was water. Leia looked at me with fear in her eyes. Danny saw it too. He turned away and stared at what lay ahead.

The pipes beneath were now noticeably undulating, not constantly, but a wave of motion came and went in forty-second intervals. No one spoke up about the phenomena. Instead, we rested for a bit before we continued our trek down the pipe-filled tunnel, silent and no longer holding each other's hands. I lost track of how many light bulbs we'd passed and how long we'd been down here. We collapsed in exhaustion under the glow of a light bulb. The pipes were now undeniably in constant shifting motion.

an industrial and intestinal tract. The hallway itself, pushing us forward ever so slightly. The pipes now had multiple facets, spigots and knobs, some leaking foul, inky liquids, while some spewed a steady steam of vetted water. An amalgamation of fungus grew from most pipes. Psychedelic, multicolored, multi-textured moulds, oddly shaped luminescent mushrooms and pulsating slides.

The putrid scent of decay, spores, rust, metal and death filled my lungs with every heaving breath. I stood up and propped myself against a pipe, wincing at the gelatinous sensation of the fungal organisms living on it. How much longer could I bear this? The sound of clanking and twisting pipes caught my attention. I looked up to see what was making the sound. It was a pale. withered hand poking out from the tangle of pipes directly above us i stood frozen in place unable to shout as a second hand slipped through and pushed the metal pipes apart as easily as if they were

rubber the sound the pipes made as they were forced apart caught the attention of both leah and danny and they looked up directly above their heads as the hands pushed the pipes further apart We all saw what it was, and we let out a collective shriek. The weathered visage of Lily peered back at us, hateful and coiled with malevolent intent. Where her eyes had once been now grew pale, table-cap mushrooms, the inside of her mouth was stained black, and its putrid stench overpowered that of the pipe corridor. From her long mummified skin, with a long mummified skin, with a little bit of her. the rips and tears, some fungus grew and dangled down, or stood erect, vile, defiling fallacies taking root in her child-long death. I saw the mycelium through her translucent

papery skin. It throbbed, ached, and the morbid thought that the fungus was puppeteering, poor old Lily Teresa Esther, briefly materialized in my mind. It was dispelled, though, by the shuddering sound she made, something between a wheeze and a scream. She lunged wildly as soon as it escaped from the rotting pit of her mouth. "'What is that?' we screamed. "'Just run.' Littlely was on all fours then, facing us. A swollen purple tongue fell out of that black pit, and she flicked it suggestively at us. I saw little white postules lining the size of her tongue and recognized with horror what they were, tiny mushroom caps. We ran faster than we had ever run in our lives.

Lily led out another wheezing shriek and was at our heels. My chest burned with every breath, nearing exhaustion. I dared to look behind them. Lily was now on the ceiling, clinging on the pipes like some hellish gecko, and she was closing the gap between us. In moments she would be directly over over our heads. There, it's right there, Leah shouted. She was pointing at an object just a few light bulbs away. I stood up to take a closer look and was shocked to see that it was a door, a rusted metal door. With newfound determination I picked up speed and ran with all my might towards the promise of safety. I outpaced both Leah and Danny and threw myself at the door,

and with a single push I forced it wide open. Danny drove in, but Laya was a second too late. Lily dropped down from the ceiling and pounced. She succeeded in grabbing hold of one Leah's ankles and grabbed the girl to the floor. Leah let out a scream and took hold of my hand. With a free leg she kicked at Lily and landed a direct hit. I heard the sickening crunch of ancient bones and frail skin shattering it, and Lily's head lulled back.

Danny took hold of Leah's other hand and we pulled her out of Lily's grass. As we pulled her inside the room, Lily's head snapped forward, and we saw the kick had unhinged her jaw. It was now dangling from thin strips of skin. The fat purple slug of a tongue hung out thick, inky fluid pouring from its length. As soon as the liquid made contact with the pipes, thin white cap sprouted and grew. I slammed the door before she could make another move, stealing myself. I then turned around to see just where, in God's name, we'd ended up. The inside of the room was huge, far too big.

Its dimensions were a spatial impossibility. The expanse of the room was physically impossible to house just beneath the school. The ceiling was at least three stories tall, and its sheer size dwarfed the school several times over. There was no visible end. It was just a jumbled mess of pipes, ladders, drains, vents, grates, elevated metal walkways. It was a maddening, industrial hellscape. On some fixtures the fungus was fused so seamlessly. It was as if the pipes and all its attachments were made of fungal chitin and mycelium,

grown together in a blasphemous fusion of rust, metal and fungus. Testaments to the gods of rot and decay. "'Where are we?' Danny said unsteadily. "'No one answered because no one knew. "'Somehow we had just crossed some unspoken boundary "'that divided our mundane little world, "'and this world ruled by atrophy. "'It came to me then, the answer to Danny's questions,

"'and thus I spoke. "'The wasting room, a brief silence fell upon us. "'From the pipeline walls, something important. emerged, an enormous mass was birthed. It dwarfed us in all its unholy glory. It was somewhat humanoid and comprised entirely of the same metal fixtures and fungus that made up everything else. Long rusty pipes and vents ran along its entire body, steam and fluid leaking from them. I could see multiple giant gears embedded in its chest, turning constantly with no signs of slowing. Hollypore mushrooms, over a dozen feet in length, made up the organic majority of its mass.

They grew along with its limbs and chest, a dozen other varieties made up the rest of its weight. They were the medium for which the biological and industrial conjoined and merged. Bioluminescent blue caps, bright red spotted amonitas, wrinkled morales, gelatinous wood ears, basket stinkles and bleeders. devils tooth all there thriving and festering the being's head was one giant flat fungal shield frowned it had many points ending in a pipe vents multiple coloured smog spewing from them it was like some grotesque lion's mane in the centre of its face sat two dark beady eyes they seemed out of place far too human I knew at a glance what this being was

It could be nothing else but some long-forgotten lord of decay, the god of rot. It didn't need to speak to convey the hatred and pain it felt. It was all in its eyes, but regardless it did speak. Cast yourselves unto me and my domain, and ye shall be gifted the fruit of immortality, for death is merely the beginning. Be immortalized in the mycelium and rust, that which we will be immortalized in the mycelium and rust, that which with countless eons will always fester. As soon as the words were spoken, they rose,

an army of humanoid pipe fungus amalgamations, taking form before our very eyes. They took slow, strained steps towards us, meddle and steam screeched with every movement they made, and we ran. There has to be an exit, Leah yelled. How do you know? Danny asked, because if this place has an entrance, it means that there must be some other way to enter and leave.

I don't know if this place follows the rules of the outside world, Leah, I said. It follows some of them, though, she said, unstebbily. We scrambled up a flight of stairs into an elevated walkway. It was one thing that caught my attention. Following Leah's reasoning, I noticed that this place was illuminated by rays of light peeking in from overhead window. If we could just reach them, then maybe we could escape. There, I shouted. I pointed at a ladder leading up towards the ceiling.

Danny was the first one to start ascending it. I helped Lear up before I took my place and climbed for my life. Looking down, I could see the army of bio-industrial humans convening at the base of the ladder. Danny, Lear, hurry, I shouted. Danny struggled to pick up the pace and make his way towards the now visible door at the end of the ladder. I felt the weight of the first creature start its climb. I felt the vibrations of every step it climbed. And it informed me that it was fast, way too quick for us to outpace it for long.

Almost there, Danny shouted. He was about a foot or two from the door, where his hand launched out to push it open. I saw the glare of a bright summer sun just beyond the door. Danny hoisted himself up and had his upper torso through the door when the sound of a wheezing scream cut through instilling that familiar paralytic fear. The dangling pipe directly behind Danny burst open. Vile black fluid spilled out in a torrential flood,

drenching Danny. The reanimated corpse of Lily leaped out from the shattering pipe and clung on to Danny's lower half, and they both came tumbling down. There was no time to scream or even react, as they were both in freefall. Lily took most of the impact, the tiny, frail, rotting body bursting as soon as it made contact with the cold, hard floor, long-rotted organs and violet fluid splattering across the room. Danny's head still smacked the ground hard enough to lock him unconscious, though. The creatures on the ladder jumped down onto the floor, they quickly gathered around Danny.

We have to help him, I screamed. Leah, poor, shy, meek Leah, with eyes full of grief, made the final steps and climbed out into the world outside. I stood in shock, taking a glance back down at Danny and back again at Lee. I realized I had a choice to make. I could leave the Lear right now, or I could stay down here with the rowdy boy I'd known since the first grade, dark-eyed and all too excitable, slowly maturing into a young man at the peak of his youth. Well, how much longer would our friendship last? Danny, who once chased wild animals and built boxfalls. Danny who played pranks on girls to scare them away and taught loud on purpose to annoy adults.

Danny, who now rarely played with us and said our adventures were childish. Danny, who I now preferred to look at magazines full of women splayed out naked, instead of reading the latest Spider-Man comics with me. Danny had made his choice, and Leah had made hers. I reached out to her, and she took hold of my hands. Wait, please, Danny shouted, now conscious. I turned to look one final time. Danny was being carried away by the creatures. The black liquid that stained him had begun sprouting little mushroom caps. I'm sure if he was closer, I would

have seen the thin mycelium growing into his skin. I watched as they carried Danny to a nearby pipe jutting from the wall. It ended in an open spout and a familiar black liquid dripped from it. Oh, please, help me. His final cry for help was cut off by the creatures ramming and impaling him into the pipe. Danny went limp and let himself clap. His body twitched once, as I heard the pipe groan and creaked. I saw his eyes and mouth start leaking the black fluid. As the inky tears ran streaks down his cheeks, little mushroom caps began sprouting from it.

Hot tears ran down my cheeks. They cut a path through my dirt-stained face, fell onto the floor. I'd made my choice. I let out a heaving sob as I turned and stepped out into our world. A janitor found us at the back of the school, next to the cellar door where Mrs. Leori had scolded us. The police were called, as we'd been missing for three days at that point.

We pointed meekly at the now closed door. The questions of what had happened, where we were and Danny were asked non-stop for the first and we could only point them towards the cellar in the brick room we told them of the wasting room and the hallway of pipes they said it was trauma and we created false memories to help us cope they never found anything in the brick room in the cellar doors and danny was assumed dead by the end of the summer danny's parents didn't invite me to the funeral

i saw in their eyes that they blame me with no one else to blame they turned their ire towards me Maybe they could see the guilt in my eyes. Maybe they knew that, on some level, I had abandoned their son. They weren't wrong. David, Danny's older brother, killed himself in the following weeks, as if the power family hadn't lost enough. My parents blamed me too. I never said it, but it always treated me differently, as if I was some wild animal that could snap at any moment.

Leah and I drifted apart The last time I heard from her Was in freshman year of high school I found a note slipped in my locker It wasn't signed but I recognised her immaculate tiny script All it said was that she was going back for Danny That the door of the wasting room would be open for her Leah went missing that day

And I never saw her again It's been six years since I first stepped foot in the wasting room I tried to do some digging, but what I found doesn't solve all or answer anything. I know that when the school was still a hospital, the terminal patients were assigned that cold brick room, left there to waste away slowly. That's how it got its morbid moniker. My small, unassuming school was a place for the sick

to come and spend their final days in cold, milgery hospital rooms. Maybe, just maybe a place can only experience so much death, So much suffering and grief before some outside forces start to take notice. Or maybe those who slowly rotted away hauled out to some higher power. Maybe after so much tragedy a physical location can become linked to some outer realm ruled by that tragedy, by that decay. Maybe Mrs. Leory and the other teachers knew of the horrible domain beneath their very feet, and they played along with its whims and demands. Like I said at the beginning, I don't know.

There is no answer, no clean, tightly wrapped ribbon that holds it all together. All I know is that I can't go on like this. Danny and Leah consume my every waking fault. God, I miss them. The God of Rot promised me immortality once. I'm sure if I go back to that place, back to that red-bricked abyss, The wasting room would still be there, waiting for me. I had not touched my journal in all the years since my life was ripped asunder.

For the very sight of it, the sole remaining article of evidence of what I experienced on that wretched rock that only I remember as Yila Serena brings those sorrows crashing back upon me like waves from the vengeful sea. But as I, Daniel Kipling, feel the strength leaving my aging bones, I commit the tale of horror from its weathered and faded pages to new ones, so that it may carry on the stories of the people that survive through me. I write for my father, for my sister, and for my beautiful wife, the love of my life.

For these words will be all that remains of them, aside from the memories, both horrid and joyful, but weigh heavy on my heart. It feels like centuries past when, in the year of our Lord, 1731, I was a bright-eyed, dark head, lad, seated near the bow of an English sailing ship. My nobly knees hugged on my chest against the stiffening breeze caused by the frigid Atlantic and the brisk pace of the vessel. It feels like centuries ago when my mind raced with the adventure of the voyage and the excitement of landing at my new home, our new home.

It once struck me as strange, being a well-learned boy, or at least as well-learned as one could, be born to a shop owner situated in a Whitechapel street that I had never heard of Ila Serena. My twin sister, Ariel, my junior by mere moments, told me it was Spanish for the island of the Sirens. It was a place wrapped in mystery, having supposedly been discovered only two years before, and having been settled by the empire mere months after its founding. The schools in Whitechapel were poor at best, but my father always pushed us to me. make the best of it at great cost to himself. Ever since our mother had died shortly after bringing us into the world, it always put

us before himself. It was this selfless love that made him accept the offer of service for his majesty, King George II. In exchange for his service and the donning of the scarlet uniform, our family was guaranteed a place in a new home with a fresh start. I still remember my father. just like that day when I spotted him making toward me across the deck, how splendid the man looked in the colours of the Eastborough expeditionary force,

bound for Ila Serena, and us alongside him. As I've said, I nor any of the children at school, or even any of the adults that shared the crowded slums of Whitechap with us, had ever heard of this new land. Normally, at home, the boys in red would brag to no end of the might of our empire and the acquisition of new territories. Not a word of the island had gotten out, and now I wonder if it were not a guarded secret rather than true ignorance.

But at that moment it was of no consequence to me. We were on a new adventure, and a new home awaited us. My father stood next to me, as my sister and I leaned against the railing of the ship, a tall and stately man with just the faintest hint of a grey in his brain. A smile crossed his face as he stooped down to drape an arm around me, who, on that day, had become a young man of sixteen years. Together we gazed out on the featureless ocean and the horizon just now dying down to an orange tint with the falling sun.

He surprised me that day, coming to find me aboard our cramped vessel where I was playing with some of the other lads. He had a smile on his face when he produced a journal from his satchel. which now bears the wretched tale of those who undertook that doomed voyage. Bound in leather and brass, with a small belt to secure it shut, I remember no greater moment of joy and contentment as I held the gift to my chest. My father put a hand on my shoulder, sharing my joy, and he said, "'Someday, someone will read that book and marvel at our accomplishments here.

amaze them and fill that book. The next day I took my father's advice and said about filling my new journal. At supper time I would write what had happened during the day unless something really needed to be added it before then. It had been almost a week since the first entry,

and nothing worthy of note had yet happened. We were all insufferably bored, as anyone would be when confined to the cramped quarters of a ship for months on end. Fortunately, the favourable weather allowed the passengers' free reign of the deck during the daylight hours, and I played with the several other adolescents on board, which helped to pass the time. One of these others was a young man, my senior by two years, named Rudiger Albrecht, or, as he wanted to be known, Roger, a tall, thin lad with a long ponytail of fair hair,

and a pronounced Germanic cadence that called from his Saxon homeland. I do not recall how he found himself on a voyage flying his majesty's flag, but his sharp wit endeared him to me. He knew even better than I the use of pen and parchment, and in exchange for the use of his treasure of books, which sharpened my thirst for knowledge and helped alleviate the oppressive banality, I taught him much of the English he came to speak. There was one whose company I came by far to enjoy the most. Abigail Braddock. a girl of my age with almost crimson hair, skin like marble, and silver eyes that outshone the sun on the water. It was no secret why she was there. Her family was incredibly wealthy,

hailing from Mayfair, where a mere peasant such as myself would only dream to call home. Her kind never set foot in the likes of Whitechapel. I breathed a sigh of relief when I found that her parents had gone ahead of her on a different voyage, for I believe they would scorn my being in her presence. It was common knowledge that the Braddock family was funding the entirety of this voyage, and even much of the construction that had already taken place on the island. What was less spoken of, were the rumours that the Braddocks had, in fact, bought the newly christened island from the crown itself, in hopes of starting another tobacco plantation there to add to their own small but growing empire of commerce. This was all of little consequence,

For Abby, as she implored me to address her by, dreaded talking of her family. She welcomed the trip across the Atlantic, even if only to give her a respite from the dreadful life of boarding school and endless, tedious social events that her parents subjected her to. We were of similar age, and she took great interest in my journaling, being perhaps the most well-educated person aboard the ship. We often talk for hours in the clear air of the open deck. about such a myriad of subjects that I cannot remember. It was during one of these discussions, the day after I'd received the journal from my father,

but one of the first signs of the oncoming darkness that we careened unknowingly towards made itself known. Myself and Roger were propped against the forward portside railing, while Abbey was seated beside us on a barrel, looking for some change on the horizon. Her eyes widened, and she jumped up, pointing down at the water line below. Wait a moment.

Did one of you drop something? I patted my pockets and was relieved to find that my writing nibs were still there. He'd be surprised at how one had to bargain to find such menial things during a month-long voyage. As were the five-pence I kept from my last work back in Whitechapel. Roger also searched his person, and nothing was missing aside from the watch he kept on a chain, but she often nervously ran his fingers across and, thankfully, was still on his person. The watch was a gift from his own father, and fumbling it seemed to comfort him, as he was often of a nervous disposition. Neither of us was missing anything.

Abby insisted that something was in the water, and us boys both leaned over and immediately caught sight of what she was referring to. something small and dark floated in the water slowly moving away from where the hull met the surf i immediately recognized it as a common sight in a slum like our old home abby squealed in surprise pointing to a port-hole in the ship's side look there are more i felt my stomach squirm as i saw more shapes now dozens of them falling from the porthole into the frigid atlantic each hitting the water and slowly but frantically puttering away from the ship i turned to exclaim to roger but was struck silent when i saw his face his already fair skin had gone deathly white and his mouth hung agate His fingers clutched the railing as if he were about to collapse to the deck, and one word escaped his mouth. Rats, having never seen a sea before, and having very little to do with men of the oceanic life, I'd never come to know about the many rampant superstitions amongst such men. Roger, however, came from a long line of Germanic seafarers, and this was far from being

his first voyage. His fingers disengaged from the railing, as he stumbled backwards and began to babble, trying to control what was obviously an intense fear boiling over in him. Abbey leapt up and took a hold of his arm. Roger, whatever has come over you? The poor boy's haggard glare remained fixed on nothing as he continued to mutter. They only leave a doomed ship. They know when danger approaches.

Abbey seated the shaken Saxon boy on the barrel and massaged his back, one of her many little skills. Roger began to calm. I patted his shoulder as he breathed deeply, the pale leaving his cheeks. Whatever was that about, Roger? I spoke softly, afraid that a Ray's voice would agitate his condition further. He gulped and hesitated, but then began to regale us in a hushed, shaking voice. Rats have sailed alongside men for as long as we have taken to the sea.

They hide in luggage, provisions, and even run up the gangplank on the day of departure. Wherever we go, they follow. But some places wreak of doom that only their noses can sense. Sometimes they catch wind of it, and deem it wiser to brave the open sea than whatever is to come. I look to Abbey, who seemed to show discomfort. at such talk, and she voiced the query at the front of my mind. Roger, we're months from the side of land, perhaps weeks from landfall. Whatever could drive rats to such fear as to risk the certain death of drowning at sea

than reaching land with us? Roger looked right into her eyes, the fear darkening his own hazel ones. Why is it that no one has ever heard of this place? why have the French not spoken of it, or is a Spanish? I fear that we are sailing into darkness, my friends. We sat silent for some time, an odd feeling in my belly, but I gave Roger a hearty slap to the shoulder and put on my best smile. Oh, come now, Roger, those are stories.

Rats are no smarter than any vermin. Besides, they're probably as tiresome of the food on this ship as we have. We all had a merry laugh at this, and Roger seemed to feel better. We spent the rest of the day at the front of the ship, looking onwards in hopes of being the first to see our new home, although Rogers' mood never fully brightened from that moment on. To be truthful, I was merry for I would lay myself to rest a little easier that night without a rat trying to eat the hammock away from under me. Abigail, much to my joy, shook me away.

the next morning, two hours past the watch, to the sight of land. Shaking the sleep from my eyes, we ran to the front of the ship, where we stood next to the night watchman and ship lookout. Abe. He never gave his full name, if Abe was even his true name. A lithe and grizzled man, his skin tough and tan like belt leather, two extremely sharp eyes that twinkled with the sunlight. Much of the time he could be seen dancing amongst the lines of the ship like an acrobat, hinting that he was far younger and his peppered beard and hair told the eye. Although rarely seen without his signature grimace and squinting glare, he was very cordial, more so than most of the passengers. I got the sense that he was a solitary

yet lonely man, not prone to many words, to sort to listen and watch rather than talk. With what time he had to himself, he enjoyed conversing with us youngans, and spent little time with anyone else. As we came to the front of the ship, Abe swung down to the deck from aloft and stood alongside us in the warmth of the rising sun, pointing a calloused hand towards a darkened shape on the horizon. Ah, there she is, young manse, Ely Serena, or, as we Britain say, Siren-Iron.

Roger visibly gonged, but silence. As a member of a long line of sailors in his family, Roger knew of such myths, beautiful women of the sea who lured unfortunate souls into the deep with their enchanting voices, only to drown them for their troubles. Abe took notice of Roger's disturbance,

chuckling, drily, and clapped the young Saxon on the back. Ah, fear not, my lad. Such things are mere legend. I caught notice of a strange look across his face, however, one that seemed to not exude the confidence of his words. unclasping a leather cylinder that hung from his belt,

he withdrew a polished brass telescope, which he passed to me first, giving me a look that said, hold on to that, lad. I opened it and saw the rock did not look like much more than just that. The landmass was wide and flat, and at this distance all I could see was simply an unassuming black void on the horizon. I passed the telescope to my shipmates,

and they too cast unimpressed glances at it. However, some hours later, close to sunset, hour jaws fell. The still distant island can now be seen more clearly, and would best be described as an ominous-looking pedestal, looking as if it had suddenly risen out of the ocean. The edges of the island, wreathed in fog, were nearly perfect vertical surfaces, black as pitch and menacing as cannons. Abe told me that, according to scout ships, the entire perimeter of the island was like this, no shore whatsoever, no beach, not even shallows. It was as if the island were more like the tower of a fortress, erected upon the bosom of the ocean itself. Ah, there'd be but one point of entry, lads and last.

On the far side of the island, facing the north starboardite, is Narber, an inlet with cliffs slow enough to disembark from a tall ship. The inlet is also only wide enough to allow one ship to pass. What is that wrong? The kind the cliffs are made of. Abby spoke up, clearly excited. Abe gave a shrug, still staring landward. No one knows.

Supposedly it's almost like flint, sharp, brittle stuff, and smooth as church glass. They call those cliffs the teeth. Roger murmured something under his breath that I could not make out. We soon lost interest in looking at the island, and Abe soon ceased talking, thought there was little left to do. We've also grown colder on deck as we approached the island, a mist appearing to hide anything worth seeing.

Abe told us that it would be best if we retreated below. The going would be sluggish, as now our vision was limited to a matter of one hundred metres. It was not until we had been below deck, in the warmth of the hold, that I noticed that Roger was shivering, and his eye was twitching. I put a hand on his shoulder, and then he jumped and uttered a guttural shriek, the likes of which I'd never heard him uttered before. Heavens, Roger, I exclaimed, what's gotten into you? He seemed not to hear me.

In fact, he did not even look at me, or anything else, but instead seemed to stare into some invisible beyond. Abigail put a hand to his forehead, then to his neck, and made to sit him down. Daniel, his skin's cold as stone. Roger, you must be ill. Come, lie down here. Her voice had taken on that soothing, motherly tone that one can hardly speak against, and Roger obliged, lying down on the straw-filled sacks.

He stared at the ceiling, silently, scared out of his wing. He finally spoke, slurring as if his fear had cost him proper control of his time. He should never have come. After this, no matter how hard I or Abigail pressed him, he would not say anything else. It seemed as if he closed his ears to us. Abigail went and brought Peg, the ship's doctor. I saw the stern old man give Roger a spoonful of something dark, likely laudanum and roger was asleep within the hour

Abigail and I were both thoroughly disturbed by Roger's sudden illness and we sat by a portal looking out over the darkening sea as darkness fell we sat together in silence for hours staring out into the featureless fog that surrounded the ship the only sounds the creek of the hull Roger I started but realized that I had little to say She nodded, a smooth growl furrowing the hint of a tear glinting from the corners of her eyes as they fell to the floor. I instinctively reached out and touched her hand, taking it in mind and her eyes met.

We held each other's gaze for some time before her eyes drooped, a sleepy smile crossing her face. I helped her to bed and retired that night, after recording the day's events in my journal, wishing to be well-rested for our arrival in the morning. My hopes for rest that night proved to be wishful thinking, as the entirety of the following few hours were spent tossing and turning in my hammock, unable to sleep all in my mind to rest. Everyone else in the hall slept peacefully around me. Their lanterns all doused, and only the dim light of the moonlight

through the portholes to light the room. Stiff and restless, I decided to enjoy a breath of fresh air on deck, alone in the late night hour. The sea was calm, like the surface of a mirror, and all was silent as the grave. The air was cold, urging me to pull my jacket a little closer, and yet did not feel very refreshing at all.

To this day, I remember the stench in the rank of Whitechapel streets and alleys, yet it occurred to me as more pleasant than whatever lay on the air that night. of a strange taint to it, an impurity, a slight, subtle stain that I could only just taste. It was like no one thing, but made me think of copper, rotting wood and the slightest odour of old meat. Then, somewhere I could not determine, I swore that I could hear the sound of someone singing the softest, sweetest, most haunting melody I'd ever heard.

Just like it came, it passed, and I inhaled pure, slightly salty night air over a calm and once again silent ocean. It did relax me, and I leaned onto the rail, looking out onto the water. This soon proved useless as the mist had barely thinned at all, allowing only a bit of the moonlight through. Then I noticed the orange glow of a lantern on my left, far above my head. I looked up and smiled. It was Abe, as usual, always watching, Always awake and always alert.

Thinking of nothing better to do, I grabbed the rope ladder and heaved myself upwards. Look out, oh! I called out in a hoarse whisper, as I'd sometimes heard him call down to the captain. He twisted about to look down and chuckled. Ah, Daniel, you know us is a good face to see. Come, join me.

I was never the strongest end, even with recent practice, It was some minutes before I'd scaled the ladder and seated myself next to the wisen sailor on the spa, catching my breath. The sail rolled up beneath us. I sat with my back against the mast to keep my balance, but he simply sat on the spar itself, perfectly upright and still, his hand gripping the wood softly. I was surprised at how much more the ship seemed to rock up there than down on the deck.

As he often did, he spoke without facing me. His eyes fixed forward. Yeah, a corner of the sea keeping you up, lad. I shrugged. Something like that, I suppose. He gave a gravelly chuckle. Well, if you need to Earl, please aim it overboard. They have pity on the swabs.

I chuckled back. I'd worry more for Roger, Abe. He nodded, still looking out into the night. Aye. How is the last? I worry when I see the skin turn pale. I knew Abe was sharp as flint, but this observation struck me as odd. What do you mean? I asked.

I've seen my share of land lovers giving in to the sea and surrendering their dinner to the deep. Face turns an odd tinge green when that happens. But Roger, his skin was pale and his eyes. They were wide, weren't they? Abe said this more matter-of-factly than is a question. He continued talking. No offence to you, my boy, for I do old you to be a smart lad, but you're a bone-and-bred land-lover, aren't you not? I nodded.

There's nothing wrong to keep your land. The sea's not for all men. Aye, you'd be right there. But no matter what size your fever, each side garner has its share of tall tales and titles. You stay on the land, think of us sailors as unruly, unclassed and superstitious. Abe trowed off again, seemingly waiting for a response. But as I open my mouth to speak, he continued.

But we all fear the sea-lard. Look at her. She covers the world, rules the world, and knows no master but the good lord. We know more of the stars that guide us by night, and we do are the depths that have claimed so many, "'Tis that fear that makes us superstitious that, "'because out here to fear nothing is to be a fool.' "'I now saw, to my surprise,

"'that in his other hand he grasped a tall green bottle of ale, "'from which he now tossed back a deep swig. "'This explained his sudden torpidiveness. "'I'd never suspected him to be a drinker, "'for while this was a common characteristic of men of his trade, I'd never seen him with a bottle before. When you travel, as much as I have, your life being at the mercy of the sea,

nature decided who lives and who dies, well, you see things, things that no one should see, things that I wish I could unsee. His voice had taken on a slight tremor, as if holding back a bottled up emotion I had not yet seen. He drank again, shaking his head vigorously as he threw the now empty,

down to the sea with a dull splash that shattered the deathly silence. In the dim moonlight, I could see something in his eyes as, for the first time since we'd met, he looked into mine. It was a look I'd seen in Roger's eyes only hours past. In that moment, I saw pure, unbridled fear in Abe. And, just like that, the moment seemed to pass. Abe returned to his taciturned self, staring intently out into the mist. It's late, boy. You should rest.

Unnerved at the sight of the near breakdown of this hardened sailor, I quickly began to scale back down the ladder. Daniel? I heard him mutter. I looked back up at him and was relieved to see a small, genuine smile on his lips as he looked down at me. I'd be in your favour. if you didn't tell the captain about the gin. I couldn't help but grin and bid him good night. Falling back into my hammock, Rillow deck, Sleep finally overtook me. Before I could do so,

Abe's words rang through my head, as clear as if he now knelt beside me as my conscience ebbed away. You see things, things that no one should see, things that I wish I could unsee I woke to Ariel

leaning over me prodding me awake softly but persistently and the moment my eyes opened she hauled me to my feet she talked excitedly Dan Dan we're finally here

it's amazing I was still sleepy as the cold morning air off of the ocean hit my face causing my eyes to dash open I was very irritable and grumbled in protest But Ariel was obviously excited beyond belief as she lead me against the railing and pointed a head into the mist, which to me seemed more like a very low-lying cloud.

As we looked, along with the other passengers, the mist seemed to peel back like a stage curtain, and how jaws dropped as a spectacular set showed itself. The ship passed through the mouth of the inlet to show a huge, yet somehow hidden, lagoon. The teeth towered over a still, but this time in shelves, and at several locations I saw a palisade towers manned by familiar red uniforms. Ramparts of sharpened palisade were built all over the tiers of stone, built right into the cliffs, leading up out of sight into the hanging mist. At the back of the inlet was the largest structure of all, with a wide dock and ramp stood a small form.

This one made of stone, and to my suppose, surprise, even a small number of cannons. It stood like a guard-dog. Anything entering the inlet could immediately be fired upon, as if on cue of thought, my father sidled up next to me, dressed in his full uniform and his musket across his back. He grinned at the look of awe in my eyes and draped an arm over each of us. Devil of a spot, isn't it? We could be attacked by all the fleets of the world and come out smiling. I cannot think of a safer spot for us than here. He smiled and gave each of us a squeeze.

I want you each to know. I do not regret to think. I would have given up that little shop a dozen times if it meant a better place for us. I saw a look come into his eyes. If only your mother were here as well. We shared his sadness, but like the kippling he is, he shook it off and held us close.

If Margaret had survived, perhaps I would not have my two wonderful children. Now that I do not regret. Our ship came smoothly into port. The water of the inlet smooth is still as glass. My father embraced each of us and went to join the other soldiers going ashore first. Ariel and I watch proudly as he and the other redcoats file smartly onto the dock to go into the fort. Not everyone was as happy as we were. Roger, who had recovered from his feverish bout on arrival,

now sat with his back to the main mast, his arms crossed, and his eyes staring at nothing. Abigail tried to get his notice, to get his mind off of this imagined trouble, but his gaze was occupied trying to bore a hole into the deck floor. Ariel, myself, Abigail and the other passengers gathered our things and we began to file onto the pier, down the gambank, but a firm hand held me back as the others left the ship first.

I turned to greet a steely pair of eyes. It was Abe, and he looked deathly series. Deep in his eyes, I could just see that look that he'd gotten when he'd been drinking. Daniel, you best take care of yourself in this place. His look softened for a moment, a kind of twinkle revealing itself in his eyes. I'll miss watching you from the mast. I gave him a look of surprise. Would he not be coming a shore with us? He lowered his head and ran his fingers through his slightly dishevelled hair.

Ah, my place is on the ship, my young friend. Tis my curse to bear. I need not take on another. I was about to ask what he meant when he looked me in the eyes again. watch your loved ones carefully. I do not know what it is about this place that your friend Roodigua fears, but it's gotten me too. I tried to laugh nervously, rolling my eyes to the overhead mist. What are you afraid of, old man? It's just an island. His voice faltered as he fought for words. I wish I could explain it. Just remember what I told you, boy, to fear nothing

is to be a fool. Watch your back. Always. And with that, he gestured for me to take myself down the gangplank. Slightly unnerved, I now stepped tentatively onto the solid pier as the ship cast off behind me. Joining the others, we all walked to the end of the pier to be processed by the soldiers. However, I felt eyes on me, and I stopped the chance to look back. As the mist came down, to hide the ship once more the last thing I saw was the leaned figure with a peppered beard and sharp eyes watching me from his place up upon the lookout that haunting look upon his face and then he was gone never to be seen again I did not fear this place as Abe the sailor had but for the rest of my day after our

disembarkment from the ship there were many strange things about this rock that I would, from that day call home. After we all were recorded, and my father was sent off to the barracks, I was given instructions to where we would be staying. The path leading out of the inlet was a long, winding path up the cliffs, so high that we were now up in the low-lying fog. It was eerie, and Ariel held my hand as we marched up in complete silence. Finally, we came across what looked like yet another fortress with six meter high walls of wooden palisade with towers and one extremely heavy gate you were allowed in by the gatekeeper a grave-faced soldier whose name was never given

we were now in the main town his majesty's newest territory it was not a hideous place there was certainly more charming the fortress than in a place like whitechapel back in england although that perhaps does not say much the building's here are most mostly wood with a few larger stone builds, all with thatched roofs and sturdy oak doors. Abigail's family seemed to have spared no expense in the buildings here. In fact, the street was even cobbled with stone, swept clean of dust and rubble, and lamp-posts stand dormant until their appointed time to light the streets. I was astonished, as were Abigail and Roger.

Even with the Braddock's backing, how had this all been established in so short a a time. How would it be maintained so well, and how would they be able to maintain such a sizable garrison? I will admit, it filled me with pride to see the hard work and determination of the British people. I was surprised to find that my family was to have a house of our own. I found later that if a soldier brought his family, they would be accommodated as such. Not far from the main gate, but off the main street, it was a humble but clean affair with three rooms, a larger living space, furnished with the fireplace, table, and a place to prepare dinner. The two small rooms had simple bunk beds with straw mattresses, with two beds per room.

The house had no windows, just a solid, oaken door with a sturdy lock. These were the features I would find to be uniform among almost every house on the island. Ariel was dancing about the place, as I wrote in my journal. Our meager belongings having been quick. to unpack. I'd never seen her so happy. She was so young then, we both were of course, and must have seen this as such a grand adventure. I had as well, or at least I had until Abe the sailor had acted so strangely. It was as if the old Merlin had cast a spell over this place, and now I was unable to see it for the wonder that my young sister could see. Father had not yet returned from the barracks, and I imagined he maybe later still,

so I decided to rest, the excitement of our first day in our new home, leaving me, not to mention my rudely awakening this morning, significantly tired. The mattress felt incredible after months of being curled up into a hammock. I worked the next day to find father was home, working at the table, cleaning his brown best musket. He smiled at me. brushing back his long, dark hair. Oh, morning, Danny.

It was the one person I allowed to call me, Danny. Our mother, in that final month of her life after our birth, used to call me Danny when she would sit beside my bed as an infant, her having to be carried there by father in her ever-weakening state. It was his way, and mine as well, of remembering her. You would often state how clearly I resembled her. Arian and I spent most of the first day exploring the new colony. There were only 400 souls there,

including 50-odd red-coat soldiers reinforced by father and ten others from the ship. The streets bustled as people moved about, and we discovered that everyone had a task to help maintain the colony. Father told us that we would have our work by tomorrow, but for today to simply enjoy the new surroundings. As we walk the streets, with Ariel sacheting about to my annoyance. It occurred to me that I'd not seen Abigail

since we'd disembarked the previous day, so I plotted to try and excuse myself from my sister to look for her. Her being my sister, Ariel saw through my excuses and immediately fell to teasing me. Oh, don't we all get a little close cooped up on the ship for months, eh? Some closer than others? I folded my arms and rebuffed her.

Yes, and don't believe for a moment that I haven't seen you with that fair-haired boy from Hyde Park. You know, the one with a little isp like this. That was all it took. Her face turned a livid red, and, with a loud huff, she went her own way. Slightly ashamed of my jime. I tried to console her, but she'd already disappeared around a corner. She knew my weaknesses, and I knew hers. We were siblings, after all.

In a moment, I was alone in a small alley between two larger buildings. I realized that a mist was forming around me, and the air had gone a bit colder. I looked around and decided to investigate the wall before the sun could set. From the outside, the colony could be assumed to be a fortress, with high walls and towers. Divided into three concentric circles, the main fort and harbour in the innermost circle, surrounded by the inner town where my homes located and then the outer town. Having lived in a dense city all of my life, the colony felt so wide, so open, mostly because of the bulk of the inhabitants actually lived outside of the main fort,

which has an outside wall with two gates. I soon found a ladder, and casting a look-about went up, certain that no one was around, now atop the wall my curiosity was not so satisfied as I'd hoped I could see all the houses in the outer town as well as many small gardens for vegetables and then the outer wall

which while shorter than the inner wall was made entirely out of stone but past that all one could see is a tall screen of trees wreathed in the mist like a beard concealing a face the trees on the island were most peculiar

They seemed huge, but I suppose I'd never seen a big tree in my life. Their bark was smooth, pitch black, and had a strange sheen. Their bark was not unlike the strata that made up the teeth. Then, as my mind wandered, a strangely familiar sound drifted across the scenery to my ear. Something sweet, soft, a melody I could not quite place that sent a small shiver up my spine. I leaned over the battlement with my head tilted towards the woods, trying to ascertain whether it came from the colony grounds or from further away, for it seemed to be both near and far at once.

And then it was gone, swallowed up by the mist. I barely hid a surprised yelp as a strong hand grabbed the nape of my shirt, and yanked me back with the strength of a cart-horse. I nearly fell off the wall, but the same hand grabbed my cachet. and stood me on my feet. Taring over me with a sour glare on his face stood an immense man in a dark coat. One bright eye glinted in the dusk light from under a worn black three-cornered hat. I was riveted by two very pronounced features that made him the most intimidating man I'd ever seen. The three parallel scars running across his face and his

right eye, which was white and milky as a full moon. Suddenly his chest began to shake with a deep chuckle. He released me and I nearly stumbled again. My knees weakened to the consistency of jelly. The glare was gone from his face, replaced by a jolly smile, and he removed his hat, revealing long black hair tied back in a braid. Lord above, what do you think you're looking for up here, boy? He spoke with the unmistakable dialect of eastern London,

most certainly a cocky man. The sternness was gone, a grin now crossing his scarred face, revealing a set of bright teeth. I could almost forget what had made him so frightening in the first place. God, you could have fallen and hurt your head. Best day down here where you belong, laddie, eh?

I gulped, and unable to conjure words, pointed wildly towards the woods beyond the wall. He glanced, and then looked back at me, slapping me firmly on the shoulder. Blimey, don't you worry about the outside today, sonny. You best be getting yourself home. Go on, git. Enough said, eh?

He spoke quickly and very amicably. He then turned and began to walk away from me along the ramparts, and I too turned to leave. Then I called to him. Wait, who are you? He swiveled on one boot to face me. me, and I now had a good look at him. His coat was dark, and the hemline came down to the ankles of his tall boots. His clothes looked slightly worn and well used. His braid came down to his waist,

and he seemed to bristle with arms. Arge knife and hatchet at one hip, a pistol on the other, and a fowling piece across his back, not to mention a powder-horn and pouch. I'd ever met a huntsman before, but I will never forget the look of the kind of man who hunts in the wild. He gave a small bow like a grand stage actor, sweeping the band bearing his hat, which I saw had a long green feather in it. Friends of mine call me Lobo. Pleasure meeting you, Daniel. Get yourself below. It'll be dark soon. Before I could ask how he knew me, he strode off with the swiftness of a breeze and was out of earshot in a moment. thoroughly flabbergasted by this brief but overwhelming encounter with such an outstanding individual.

It took me a moment to collect my thoughts before I could find my way back home, Lobo's countenance running through my mind the whole way home. I reached my door and entered my home, not looking up as I discarded my coat. Ariel, I've returned. You best be home, your father will have... Hello, Dan. My cheeks burst with... the redness as I snapped my gaze up. Ariel was indeed home. But to my surprise, Abigail Braddock

herself stood by the table, having risen to meet me. She looked even fresh and more radiant than I'd ever seen her on the ship, and I found myself standing dumb found him. Ariel, who still sat at the table, giggled and rested her chin in her hands, her eyes glancing cheekily between me and Abby. I'd say Daniel is pleasantly surprised, aren't you, Dan? Look at those cheeks of his. I snorted in annoyance, doing my best to ignore the warmth spreading across my face. It's cold out. Ariel, have you nothing better to do?

Must you refuse to act your age? I must have glared daggers at her, because she rolled her eyes and retreated into our room, leaving the two of us standing alone in the sitting room. An awkward silence hung on the air Until I cleared my throat So Father's is not home yet, it seems She nodded and walked slowly

To within short range of myself I just thought it best to welcome you and your family in person She spoke so softly So delicately It broke almost all of my resolve I gave her a weak smile Struggling to meet her gaze I am greatly a pretty

appreciate the sentiment, is Braddock. Abby immediately burst into giggles, a smile on her face. Oh, Daniel Kippling, since when did we fall on formalities? I did not know just how red in the face a lad could become. Of course, Abby, of course. It's good to see you. Still smiling widely, she curtsied and bade me good night, excusing herself to return home. Once I shut the door behind, Abbey, exhaustion came over me. I entered my room, greeted by Ariel, playfully jabbing her tongue at me, which I gladly returned. I collapsed onto my bed, thoughts of Abbey, Mr. Lobo and that strange tune that I swore I'd heard somewhere before. Back in Whitechapel, most children and young adults spend much of their time playing in the dirty streets, making fools of the adults for a little fun

at someone else's expense. Ariel was one such urgent, the spirit of a boy while still very much a girl. I, however, had no such endless liberties, for being the oldest, I always seemed to have some task at hand. Father's bookshop was always enough to get by on, but I was never happy with just getting by. Few of my jobs, of which I had many, never paid much. A farthing here, a penny there. usually enough to help with food for a day or two. I was raised to believe that idle hands were the devil's workshop. To let my family starve or not earn our keep would be a great dishonour. Of course, such principles only seemed to apply to me and father,

while Ariel had all the responsibilities of some fairy creature. But it was a burden we happily bore. The day after our arrival, I started my work. Everyone was given a task to fulfil. to help maintain the colony. Mine was simple enough. Mine the fort physician's shop, whenever he had to go out and to keep the place tidy while he worked.

It was a quiet enough place, small, musty, carried the distinct floral odor of poppies. The doctor, Edouard, an amiable and energetic Frenchman with unkempt red hair, a monocle and an always firmly clutching a cane, if not the strongest grasp of English. It goes out often, as in a new place people are always ill or getting injured somehow, and since I can only sweep so much of my time is spent sitting behind the counter, bantering amiably

with the cat, who dutifully keeps her paws clean when not prowling for non-existent rats. One day, some weeks past our arrival, Edouard was obliged to go and attend to a pair of badly broken legs, some dreadful accident that had happened in the lower town. Before he went, as he always did, he alerted me to the list of prescriptions in the form of a row of bottles behind the counter. For the most part, they're all the same at some point, mostly opium, alcohol and a few herbs. Someone would often come in to claim, but at some point or another I would have to leave the shop to deliver the drugs. That day I was to bring medicine to one of the soldiers who was posted on the southern inner wall. The fox seemed to hang thick that day, as in fact

it always seemed to. Not once in all my days on that rock did I ever see the sun, and almost never could I gaze farther than a hundred paces. Views to the thick blanket of mist, I closed the shop, my satchel of tinctures over my shoulder, and made me. made my way on my rounds. I soon found the stairs up onto the wall, now familiar with my surroundings, and found the grey-haired man at his post, who, wincing as he stood at his feet, happily accepted the medicine. He was not alone, however.

Two other men conversed with him, and among them I immediately recognised the unmistakable form of lowball. He seemed to be in the same attire as the day prior, although missing his hand. In one hand, nearly as tall as himself, was what was unmistakably a Germanic long rifle, the weapon for skilled marksman rather than a rank-and-file soldier. He would repeatedly thump it softly on the rampart, like the rhythm of a drum. When I saw him, he was staring out over the wall, bearing that brief scowl, but his face instantly lightened on sighting me, and he waved me over with his wide grin.

well what's you doing there daniel come on over tis good to see you i joined him as he leaned jauntily on the wall pulling out a heavy pipe hand carved out of cherry wooden iron looked like it weighed at least a kilogram He held it to me, but I declined, which he accepted with a knowing smile. Aye, tis a bit and all strong for a lad anyhow. With flint and steel, he showered some sparks onto the bowl and puffed out a little cloud over the ramparts, watching it leave like an old friend. He seemed deep in thought, as if not even there any more. How goes, Mr. Loper? He chortled a bit, blowing smoke through his nose.

Oh, that'd be my father, and he ain't here. Just call me Lobo. He gave me a wide grin past his scars, clear to sea without whiskers. How do you know my name? Oh, I know many things, boyo. Why aren't you in uniform? What are you, then? A policeman.

He shook back his head and held a single, booming laugh. Me, a blue coat. Oh, wow, you do. do joke so, little Daniel. He puffed out a bit more from his pipe, then tapped the still glowing embers onto the ground, stifling them beneath the heel of his boot. Nah, I don't even bunk in the inner city. Too stifling in these ear-walls.

Know what I mean? I confessed that I did not. Where do you live then? Down there, I asked, pointed towards the lesser houses of the outer wall. He shook his head. and gestured towards the trees, with almost a braggart attitude to his point. See them trees? Beyond them is a clearing. That's where I built my cabin. Today I had to come into town, though, since the soldiers need me out. I know a lot more about

the outside than they do. Like what? I saw a strange look across his face, the sort of weariness. He pursed his lips. Ah, to a fellow like me, taint much that strange. no more, but this island. It's not something I can explain. The trees, rocks, the very grass, feels like everything has its eyes on you out here. He grinned and slapped me on the shoulder. You'll see sometime soon, lad. I'd better be going along to the fort. Colonel Brannett's waiting on me. He turned and began to walk quickly away, and without breaking stride, he turned and called out. Oh, Daniel, he perhaps says, take care of things. He ain't going to be home for a while.

My heart was heavy to learn of this. Father's long absence had been taking its toll upon my soul. It was often my soul's source of guidance, and after so long without him, I'd fallen to feeling rudderless. I returned home to find one lantern left burning, and the fire nearly dead. hanging my coat and stoking the fire, I checked our room to find Ariel fast asleep. I sat beside her a while, stroking around.

She was still a child, a child having grown up without a mother, and our journey had taken its toll on her. I went to douse the lantern in preparation for sleep and found, next to the lantern, a note with our names upon it. Dear Danny and Ariel, I am sorry, but I have to do that. learned of this moments before writing. I have been assigned to a long-range patrol which will be scouting the island for two weeks. Please, Danny, watch your sister. Ariel, mind your brother. Both of you make sure the fort is still standing when I return. With love, your father, Peter Kipplin.

I yawned deeply, finding myself far too tired to mind life. Father has spent much of his time wrapped up in his work back in England, leaving me to almost raise Ari on myself, often for days on end. It was certainly harder. At least it was on me, that she was a grown girl, but I was not worried. As I darkened the house and drifted away to sleep in the comfort of my bed, as did happen every night, thoughts of the strange qualities of the island flooded my mind, thoughts of Roger falling ill, of Abe's cryptic warnings, of Lobo's strange observations. It was in the following week that events went from curious and odd to something far more sinister. My workload increased, forcing me to spend more and more time away from home,

as Eduardo had taken his leave from the shop indefinitely to care for an ill relative in the lower town. The medicine, at least, was not very complex in nature, mostly opiates. I knew it was rather helpful to those in pain, but the regulars around the shop were much too akin to regulars at a tavern. In the time I was at home, I was often the sole caretaker, as Ariel had begun to act out in full abandon. Tried my hardest of the understanding, for the relocation to the island had been hard for all of us, but I feared her behaviour had become disgraceful. She was always off with some boy or another, what few others there were in the colony. out at all times of the day and night seemingly refusing to tend to any of her chores one day around noon i was sweeping up the sitting-room floor to my liking when they came through the door none other than abbey

i quickly leaned the broom against the wall standing straight and wiping the dampness from my brow my welcoming if not boyish smile quickly disappeared when i saw the dreary look on her lovely face and the tip of her lovely face and the tip of her little bit of her little face and the tip of her. tears welling in her eyes. Abby, like a jolt, taking her arms and guiding her to sit at our table. Whatever is the matter? She was hesitant to speak, obviously trying to control herself. She looked deep into my eyes, like she often did, with her gentle yet scathing gaze, as if her very eyes were trying to explain her inner sorrows to me. Having made her some tea on the fire, she began to tell me of a series of very unfortunate events.

I came to find that my troubles were by far the least severe. Three people, a woman and two men, had disappeared seemingly without trace. The news had spread fast, and people had already searched the colony grounds high and low for the missing persons, but not a single sign of any of them had been uncovered. There had been rumours spread in the void of information, she explained. One speculation is that they were murdered. and the body's hidden in the wood beyond the wall. After all, their homes hadn't been broken into.

Some of their things in a struggle smashed, but nothing taken. Oh, Dan, how I'd hope we'd left such violence and beastly behaviour behind us. I nodded solemnly. Have there been search parties sent beyond the wall? Perhaps father and his soldiers will turn something up. She shook her head, dabbing a tear from the corner of her eye. No, the Sentinels will not let anyone leave the grounds. The only ones who come and go are their soldiers, and one other man, some hunter.

Lobo, I interjected. Yeah, we've met. He's an interesting character. Perhaps he may know something of the matter. Her lip quivered, and her eyes fell to gaze on the embers in the fireplace. There's more, I asked, my stomach clenching softly. She took my hand in hers, as the tears now flowed unguarded down her cheek. It's Roger.

What of him? I've not seen him since we disembarked from the ship weeks ago. He's fallen ill. My heart sank with this grim revelation. What are the signs? I don't know, but Dan, his eyes, they've lost all colour. darker than the night, and he will not move from his bed. He won't speak, eat.

I swear upon my life at moments. He does not even breathe. I stood up and grabbed my coat. Take me to him. I'm a sea for myself. Abby leapt up faster than anyone would expect of such an elegant creature, taking my arm with an even more surprisingly firm grip. No, no, Daniel.

Perhaps I can help him, I reasoned. Something from the shop may... She immediately cut me off. I won't allow it. I don't know what I would do if the same ailment were to before you. I worried deeply for my friend, but something in her pleading voice warned against pursuing the matter any further. Very well.

But it is getting doubt. I must get you home. You should stay and wait for your sister, she reasoned. That urchin has been trying my patience, and she often does not come home at all. Besides, what gentleman would let a lady in distress walk alone? She agreed, her cheeks reddening the slightest bit at my overly shiverous behaviour, and we walked, her arm around mine, to her home. The Braddock's were housed in the fort proper itself, behind the thickest gates and highest walls.

I left her at the gate, watching her as she disappeared. behind the solid oak which boomed shut behind her. With Abby gone, my mind wandered to worry about Roger's sudden illness. Never had I heard of catatonia accompanied by darkening of the eyes and even apparent halting of life functions themselves. And what of the vanished colony members? Who could possibly be behind it all? I returned home, finding with little surprise that Ariel had not returned.

I cursed under my breath, but left the door unlocked when I retired to bed, hoping to wake and find her having returned in the morning. In the next few days, the already sinister events became even more severe. Four more disappearances followed, all during the darkest hours of the night. No traces found, houses ransacked. The tension among the populace had risen to something more akin to hysteria. Everyone cried out to know what had happened to their loved ones, demanding answers, only to be left with nothing but their own words seemingly falling on deaf ears. The soldiers not only refused to provide any tangible effort to calm the people, but they also seem strangely nonchalant about the events of the past weeks. Abby came by once again, this time making no effort to conceal her tears, as no sooner had I opened the door to her knocks, and she threw her.

through her arms around me, weeping openly like a child. I hesitantly wrap my arms around her, softly caressing her shoulders as they heaved with her racking sobs. Oh, Daniel, she choked out between fits of tears. Roger's gone. He's not breathing. His eyes have closed. His cold is stone. My heart fell and my belly became cold. Not Roger, I thought.

Not my brother, the young man of many books, my tireless companion for the months aboard the ship. I quickly threw on my coat and demanded that Abbey take me to where his body lay. She resisted, but I was stubborn, so we walked quickly to a rather decrepit tavern in the lower town. He worked here, you see, she explained to me. He boarded in one of the rooms upstairs. We went inside, the place smelling of sweat and bitter ale. no one was about except a round man tending the bar who eyed us with a fearful glance before returning to his work he walked up to a set of creaky steps and abby pointed me to the first door on our left when she reached her a key in her pockets i reached out and pushed on the door which swung open it had been standing ajar abby's already porcelain face paled even further

I swear on my life, Dan, I locked this door when I left. I tentatively stepped inside. The small room musty and dark. The curtains having been drawn and the shutters barbed. The latch upon the door was broken, clearly forced. Clothes and other meagre possessions lay strewn across the floor, and a candle stood unlit on a small table. Taking my tinderbox, I lit it.

The weak light revealing the surroundings. was clear enough to notice one thing. Roger, or his corpse, was nowhere to be found. I turned to Abbey, who stood with her mouth again. What do you make of this? I left him right there, covered in a sheet. I touched the bed, which was depressed where someone had clearly laid down recently. It was cold, as was the bed sheet. A pair of shoes lay by the floor. a coat hung on a nail in the wall. Well, he must not have left on his own.

His shoes and coat were left behind. Tell you, he was dead as a stone. I shrugged my shoulders. Dead men do not get up on walk, Abby. Perhaps someone came and collected him. Closing the door, we returned to the downstairs area and asked the bartender if he'd seen anything. He shook his head,

clearly wanting us to leave without asking questions. questions. Abby and I suspected him to be hiding something, but exactly what that was we could only venture to guess. Having walked her home, Abby stood with me by the gate, staring out into nothing, clearly dazed by the day's events. Something is afoot, Daniel, but something dark. I, I agreed, and how dear Rogers fall in afoul of it. So wrapped up in my thoughts I was that Upon returning home, I almost did not notice that my door swung freely as I absently pushed it aside. Snap from my days, I was horrified to find that my door had been forced as well. This was all the more shocking, for my door was not held shut with a mere latch, but a fairly sturdy iron lock.

I looked about and saw nobody, and moaned in despair to know that likely no one had seen the culprit. I moaned once again to see the state of the place. Everything seemed to have been tipped over, thrown about, scattered as if a great wind had come down the chimney. My blood boiled when I saw that even Father's Room had been forced into. Calming myself, I set about taking stock of our things and cleaning up the mess. I cursed to myself, wherever is Ariel when one needs her. I prayed that night for Father Swift returned. Surely he would make everything right again.

Perhaps he could tame Ariel. In the meantime, whatever goblin that had violated what little sanctuary I had left would get a taste of the fowling piece I always kept loaded above the fireplace. By the next day, even more people had gone missing, all in the same fashion. But this time I had not learned it from Abbey. A crier passed through the streets, followed closely by a crowd of desperate faces. McCurphy had been put in place.

No one, by any exceptions, was to be out between the hours of dusk and sun up, as it had been surmised that it was during these hours when there now almost fifty people had vanished. All doors were locked, and all windows, what few there were, were to be barred. I saw remaining hope in these increasingly dark times was dashed when a young soldier knocked at the door, delivering a message written in my father's hand. Dear Daniel, I wish it were not so, but now I must go again. I do not know for how long, but my company has been repurposed as a search and rescue troop.

We are trying to find if we can pick up the tracks of the missing people from the colony. Please, be patient while I do this necessary task, and I have to do this necessary task, and I have will be home before you know it. Love, Peter Kipplin. I crumbled the missive into the tightest ball I could and threw it into the flames, exhaustion of both mind and body quickly washing over me. I retired early that day, but not before taking precautions against another intrusion. As promised, I locked the door, having fixed the bolt of the lock earlier. If Ariel wants to be elsewhere, she can be elsewhere, I grumbled to myself. I wish I'd I had not been so careless, so cruel even towards my dear sister. For the next day it came to my

mind that she could be amongst the missing. My aggravation towards her quickly became sincere anxiety. And to this day, I wish I had searched harder. It is a regret that I carry in my heart to this very day. Events elsewhere seem little more hopeful. Now nearly 100 people have been listed as missing, a fifth of the entire colony. The hysteria had now bored over into madness, fights broke out in the street, and a group of fellow colonists marched over to the fort to Colonel Braddock to demand passage off of the island. I heard they were driven back by the flash of bayonets. My heart leaped to my throat when I heard the thunderous boom of a musket in the afternoon. By that night my eyes were deeply red from weeping for my lost sister.

My search having turned up no trace of her, and the tightly-knicked community of this colony had, at this point, severed itself, everyone having locked themselves indoors as if a plague roamed the streets. I lay draped over the table, staring at the door, praying for Ariel to return, for father, for an angel to end all of our suffering. I suppose something had heard my prayer, for a knock came at the door. I leapt at the door and flung it open to find Abbey standing there, carrying a small bag and wearing a hood. I quickly inducted her into the house.

Daniel, has everyone gone mad in this place? Even with the door bolted behind us, she spoke in a whisper. It would certainly seem so. What are you doing here? The streets are far from safe now. My home is no safer. Someone fired a musket through our window. I swiftly and instinctively wrapped my arms around Abbey, the fear of her in such danger, overwhelming

all decorum. She laughed softly as I ashamedly let her go. No one was hurt, Daniel. Everyone was fine. My parents were very shaken up, of course. They forbade me to go out and tried to lock me in my room, but I escaped out the window, came here. No one saw you, I asked.

Even in the midst of all the madness, I fear. the consequences of the Braddock's finding that their daughter had defied them and hidden in my home. Not a soul. No one dares be out here after dark. For your sake, as well as mine, I hope that you're right. I bade her to take her things into my own room, which she hesitated to accept, but agreed to nonetheless. I instead elected to sleep in a comfortable chair father had made for resting upon by the fire, turning it to face the locked front door. I slept poorly that night, my finger constantly caressing the trigger of a shortened fouling piece I always kept loaded with pistol bolts. Not long after I'd finally managed to fall asleep,

the sun already peeking under the crack of the door, there came a pounding that nearly startled me into discharging my weapon. Composing myself, I answered the door to sea, at long last, father had returned. I immediately flew into his embrace, clutching him so tightly that I suddenly noticed he felt somehow smaller than when I'd last seen him. However, once I looked up into his eyes from so close to him, I almost gasped in horror. My father, once a muscular, virile man for his age, was not the man I remembered from mere weeks before. Standing tall and strong at six feet, he now stooped slightly, and his once dark but

peppered hair now had stark white streaks like veins of silver coursing through stone. His cheeks had hollowed, his once square jaw now looking pointed and gone, and his skin had paled to an almost sickly greenish white. By far the most haunting new features were his once bright, sharp eyes, now dark, watery, and significantly sunk them back into his skull. Red and black rings encircled them, red from apparently crying, and black from some unknown torment that I could only imagine. He took my shoulders,

holding me so firmly I could feel the steely muscles in each finger like claws. He stared into my eyes, a glare so serious it almost hurts. Damn, this is important. He spoke in a hoarse voice, gravely and tired. I... I heard about Arian. His voice trailed off. His jaw clenched in an attempt to hold back a supply of tears long since exhausted. You must listen to me, Danny.

You are all I have left. I cut him off, half defensively, but also in an attempt to console him. Father, please, I'm sure we'll find her. Listen to me. The familiar boom of his voice had momentarily returned. I said no more. You watch your back from now on, and get someone to watch your front. When the sky starts to darken, you must lock yourself inside and open it for no one.

You must stay safe in the house until noon the next day. Do you understand? I nodded. Are you sure, Danny, you must never leave the house in the night, absolutely never. ever your life depends on it. I promised him, but before another word could leave my lips, he grabbed me into another hug, and I held him back. I could hear his heart beating and his ragged breathing through the pronounced hardness of his ribs

beneath his uniform. Suddenly, an officer on a horse came riding through, shouting his name, and my father left with him. I stared after him as he went. frozen, shocked that this mere corpse of a man was what remained of my father, Peter Kipplin. By the time the sun had risen to its zenith in the sky later that day, what little of it that shone through the ever-present fog, I learned that now nearly ten score people had been reported to have been missing.

However, a strange calm of resignation had fallen over the colony. I believe that they, like myself, had surrendered to the fact that there was no where to go. Not until the next ship was to arrive. It was little left to do, but wait. I resolved to resume my duties at the medicine shop, despite protest from Abbey. She even softly took a hold of my arm in an attempt to keep me from leaving. Her eyes widened with fear. Whether she was more afraid of being alone or more afraid for my safety, I was uncertain, but I told her to lock the door and open it only for me. Surprisingly, the shop was still intact.

The door stood firm and nothing had been taken. I sighed, taking out my key, wondering when Edouard would return, if he ever would, when something caught my attention out of the corner of my eye. I froze in place, trying not to turn in surprise. There, leaning against an abandoned cart, was a dark figure, staring at me, as if daring me to run or react. I exhaled aloud, however, when it revealed itself to be Mr. Lobo,

who for all the madness surrounding us still wore that grin on his face. He still appeared as heavily armed and untouchable as ever. He stepped up to me as I nervously fumbled the key, trying to get into the lock. Leaning against the doorframe, he removed his hat and scratched his head. "'Daniel, how's it being?'

"'I sighed aloud, clenching my shaking hands. "'I'm still alive, sir. Still here. "'All that matters, kid.' "'You put a hand on my shoulder, gently, "'although his callous hands felt like bark. "'How's your family holding up?' "'I felt my shoulders twitch as I told him about my missing sister, "'and I gulp down the emotion that I'd been restraining

"'in an attempt to remain calm and composed. His hand ripped my shoulder and softly rocked me in a soothing, fatherly gesture, not unlike what father used to do when I became upset. I can't all be rosy if I'd be in a way. Boy should not have to be a man so soon. I gulped, licking my dried lips. I suppose. Lobo released my shoulder and withdrew his pipe.

I, by now, would cease trying to unlock the store and simply stood there. staring at the lock as if my will and anguish would force it to open. He offered the pipe to me, but my lack of response made him frown, and he emptied the bowl with a flick. Hey, listen, I know you've got questions, lad. I nodded. What in the hell is going on here? What are the soldiers doing?

What's father doing? Where have they all gone? He hung his head, as if tired. Listen, I know I ain't a friend, or even a child. chum of yours. I know it may be hard to trust me, but can you try? The forward manner of this question got my attention. I looked him in the eye. He looked deadly serious, his eyes steady as a stone. What do you mean? He looked about, a fruitless gesture as the streets were as empty as a church on Monday. Tonight, come either to the southern outer gate. You got a piece.

I knew he was asking if I had a firearm in the house. Yes, just one. A bird gun loaded with pistol walls. Very good. Bring it along. Is anyone else at home with you? I told him about Abby staying with me, and he scratched his chin. After some thought, he withdrew one of his pistols and held it out to me.

Leave this with her, and tell her to be ready to use it. I took the gun as he continued. Now, here's the rub. You must come at night, just after sunset. I was about to tell him what father said, but he seemed to have read me completely as he kept talking. Yeah, I know. Your par said this was bad poised,

but I can see you need in answers. You meet me there tonight. You may get some answers. Best if you keep to the lip as you walk, laddie. He started to walk away, and I turned to dash away. And I turned to dash home before he faced me again and called me. Hey, you got a stiff belly lad.

I won't force you to come if you don't think you can tackle it. I nodded feebly. I was not sure what I would see, but I knew that I did want answers. The soldiers would not give them. The braddox would not give them. Only this odd man seemed willing to shed any light on the current events. I walked home briskly, entering the house with my key to find Abbey a slid. in my chair. She'd slept poorly the previous night, and must have dozed off with a little else

to do in the house. Without waking her, I placed her in my bed and sat beside her. I watched her shoulder fall and rise with a steady, soft breath of sleep. I envied the serenity of her face, for my sleep, what little I was able to achieve had been restless. I took up my place in my chair and dozed off myself, hoping to have as much strength in preparation of whatever would happen come nightfall. When I awoke, the sun had already gone down, checking my fowling piece once more to make sure it was primed and loaded, throwing on my heaviest coat, I threw open the door to step out into the night. Suddenly, a surprisingly strong force took a hold of my arm and yanked me back over the threshold into the house, and I whirled around to see Abbey look up at me with a look of indescribable

panic on her face. Daniel, you can't. I tried to shake loose, but her grip of desperation did not abate. This has to be done, Abby. I must get to the bottom of this, or we'll all be next. She moved her hands from my elbow and took my hand in both of hers. I felt the strength went to her grip by fear. Please, Daniel, only evil lurks about this place after nightfall. I withdrew the pistol Lobo had given me. this will keep you safe until I return. Here, take it. The look did not leave her face as she shook her head,

tears glistening in the corners of her eyes. Daniel Kipling, what if you do not return? Tell me, what will I do then? What will I do without you? I yearned to heed her warning, to stay and protect her, to give her the courage to make it through the night. So, remove my hat.

I do the only thing I could think to do, something I had desired doing since the day I'd met her aboard the ship bound for Iila Selina. I kissed her. She went still when our lips met, her trembling seeming to cease. My hand cut the smoothness of her cheek, and her hand came up to my chest. I released her, and the look in her eyes had changed to something new. Do you trust me? I asked her softly. She wordlessly nodded.

I love you, Abigail Brannett, and as God is my witness, I will return to you. That is a promise. I placed the pistol into her hands and closed her fingers around the handle. It's loaded and ready to fire, I told her. Use it only if you must. She wrapped her arms around me one more time. Daniel Kipling,

You'd best keep that promise, she whispered into my chest. I let her go, and once more stepped boldly out into the night, closing the door and waiting until I heard the lock click into place. I followed Lobo's advice and kept to the brighter streets. I'm sure the bird gone on my shoulder would have scared away all but the maddest fool who'd be roaming the abandoned streets. Oddly enough, no soldiers were about to enforce the curfew, for indeed people seemed all too willing to stay indoors.

As I walked, I saw with a sinking heart just how few houses still had lights in them. I saw torchlight ahead as I approached the southern gate. Lobo stood in plain sight, but looked a much more powerful figure in the stark light of a fiery torch. He did not smile when he saw me, but locked on to me with those steely eyes. You sure about this, Daniel?

The way he said this was not so much to warm me off, but to be sure that I knew what I was getting into. To be truthful, I still was not, but I had to know something. I nodded, which he returned. With two hands he shoved the gate open, just enough for him to slip through. On the voyage over, on a very hot day with a little wind, the ship had been slowed to a crawl. Some of the boys decided to take a swim into the deep to keep cool. I joined in, but before I jumped, I stopped to think of what I was about to do. Below me was the deepest depths of the ocean.

Endless darkness, cold, unknown darkness. As I stood before that open gate, I was, for a moment, that boy on the ship. In front of me was the unknown, where anything could be. lurking. However, I overcame this, thanks to confidence instilled in me by Lobo's presence, and I dived into the darkness, setting one foot in front of the other, one step at a time. No matter how fast I walked, Lobo seemed to glide on ahead of me with sweeping strides. He looked straight ahead, the torch held before him, as if nothing were wrong. But as I struggled to keep up with him, my trembling fingers grasping the weapon tightly,

everything felt wrong, like something unseen was crawling ever so softly over my skin like a snake. As I walked, my ragged breaths turned to clouds of mist like gunsmoke from a musket. A twig broke in the darkness, the negligible noise booming through the void like a cannon blast, and I stopped dead in my tracks. The light of the torch faded into the distance. Lobo had not noticed the sound. It seemed that he was used to whatever crawled about in the night. I, however, was completely in the dark.

I felt like I was submerged in freezing water. All my hackles were raised as I looked about into the inky blackness. I was aware of several things. The light was completely gone. The temperature was dropping quickly, and there was not a single sound. Even my heart seemed to have stopped beating as if it too were intently listening for something. What I heard next was the last thing I could ever have wished for, and a sound that haunts me to this day.

It started soft, so soft that I first thought it had come from far away, like the distant sound of a bird. But as it grew louder, my stomach shriveled, as I could clearly recognize it as a sound of humming, a sweet but chilling tune that could only be made by a fellow human being. It was closer than I thought, encircling me from somewhere to my right.

The strange beauty of the song left me frozen in place, but my heart raced like I'd run several miles. Something flashed in the side of my vision and I slowly swiveled my head to look for fear that even the grinding of my neckbones would draw unwelcome attention. finally my eyes rested on what I saw it was then that all will to move gave way to the paralysis of fear the only thing I could see in the darkness were two red orbs glowing brightly as coals in

a blacksmith's furnace they were so brightly cast a weak beam of light I felt a sudden heat waft over me like a blast from the fireplace they seemed to hold a hover, fixed upon me. I swear that even the blood in my veins ran cold and stopped moving. My whole body sharing this unearthly terror, after what felt like hours, but could only have been a few moments. The two orb suddenly moved off to my right and blinked out, swallowing everything in darkness again. I needed no further opportunity to move, and I flew down what I hoped was the path. Branches slashed my face, and I was the path. Branches slashed my face, and I was the path. I was and stones hampered my feet, and only keeping my hands in front of myself prevented me from knocking

myself unconscious against the trees. Finally, what felt like a rope successfully halted me so suddenly that I fell to the ground and rolled for several paces. I could only shut my eyes as I tumbled further and further, until, finally, I came to a stop on what felt like grass. I did not dare move for several minutes until I opened my eyes to see that I was in a clearing illuminated by torchlight. I stood up and saw that I was now in a perfect circle of a clearing, flawed with grass, but torches stood on poles like sentinels, lighting up the whole area. Several sets of sharpened stakes were set into the ground, all facing the outside of the clearing, as if guarding against the entire forest. I turned, and there, in the same. There, in the air, in the

In the centre was a small log cabin. I saw that I grievously strayed from the path, having fought through the thickest part of the trees. The path led from the door to the cabin into the forest, and Lobo soon appeared, socketing his torch into a vacant pole. He stopped, staring at me with mild amusement. He ran over to me and brushed the leaves and thorns from my battered coat. Lord a buff, Daniel!

thought you'd given up and gone home or something. Where the devil'd you go? I'm sorry, sir. I was spooked by something in the trees. You had the torch, but went on without me. I ran for my life, but nearly killed myself running like a mad fool through the woods. His brow folded at the mention of what I'd seen, but before I could explain it, a familiar horror overtook me.

The crawling sensation filled me. We froze for a moment, and exhaled gun. sun smoke. It was getting colder once again. Suddenly one of the torches near the edge of the forest just hissed out, not flickered out, not blown out by the wind, but hissed like red, hot steel submerged in water. They did not move, but Lobo swung to view the event. Another torch went out, this time closer to us, and another, and another, and another, and the darkness was rapidly engulfing the clearing. In my paralysis, I felt a strong hand to take my arm, and I was yanked towards the cabin. Mary Mother and Joseph, move your ass, Daniel.

Before I could speak, I was dropped by the door, but only for a moment as Lobo opened it, and, grabbing me again, he flung me through the threshold like a mere dog. I skidded to a stop and looked up. The cabin seemed much larger on the inside, but was a single room. It was indeed a hunter's lodge. Strange firs and bones covered the walls, as well as several muskets, a pike and a wood axe occupied the corner by the doorway. This was all illuminated by a blazing fire. Lobo slammed the thick door and threw a large iron bolt into the lock. Breathing heavily for the first time since I knew him, he swept up his rifle and backed away. from the door. He stared towards it like a guard dog. I was still lying on the floor, too shocked to move.

With a wush, a great wind came down the chimney and scattered the fire like a kick from an enormous foot, blowing ashes across the floor. Curled into a ball, eyes closed in reflex as small cinders reigned upon me. I heard Lobo's rifle clattered to the floor, his hand thumping against my body. "'Lands, Daniel. "'You'll catch a blaze. "'Role over, would you?' "'The cabin had descended into darkness, "' barely lit by the embers of the fire.

"'And once I'd been saved from catching on fire, "'I realised it had all gone quiet, "'so quiet that I could make out sounds "'coming from outside the cabin. "'That chilling song was back, "'but louder than I'd ever heard it before. "'And it was no longer the soul voice, "'an the entire chorus of the...

now emanated from all directions, even from above, pouring into the room through the walls like water into a breached ship's hull. The hymns penetrated my very heart, chilling me to the bone and leaving me still as a stone. I screamed silently, begging with all of my heart for the ghostly songs to stop. For a moment, all suddenly fell silent. The silence was not long lived. For a familiar, childish giggle rang through, one that nearly drove me to tears, one that I had begged to hear again for days past. It can't be her, I thought. Ariel's voice could be heard outside, cajoling me, calling me by name. Something took a hold of me, and before I knew what I was doing, before Lobo could react, I lunged for the door, screaming for my sister. I threw back the bolt and opened the door.

The door opened merely a crack before a hand thrust itself inside, immediately latching itself onto my throat. I felt long, sharp nails digging into my neck and stars appeared before my eyes. I clutched at the arm, the skin feeling cold, clammy and rough as a grind-stop. Every bit of my strength tried to force the door shut,

but the strength of whatever happened, its hand around my throat was incredible. It was a sickening, tearing sound and a thunk, and the grip immediately loosened from my throat. An agonized screech assaulted my ears before the door slammed back into closed position. The bolt immediately thrown shut once more. I fell to the floor,

catching my breath in gulps, trying to make sense of what had just happened. Lobo now stood braced against the door, It shook with the booming thunder of dozens, maybe hundreds of hands, brutally pounding against its sturdy timbre. An axe was in his right hand. The blade coated with something dark and thick like tar. What nearly made me wretch was what sat on the floor by the doorway.

It was a hand, writhing on the ground like a pinned spider. It looks human and had five fingers, but the fingers were long and bony, tipped with claws and gray as the island sky at noon the grotesque object finally stopped moving and began to crumble into dust before my very eyes the banging having slowly stopped Lobo turned to stare at me a strange look on his face they can only come in if you let them in he muttered what the devil was that i asked him massaging my throat boat, now encircled with what I was certain were bruises.

Lord, if I only knew, Daniel. They don't come out during the day, and they can only enter a house or a gate if it's open for them. I ain't got a good look at them, as they always attack at night. But... His voice trailed off. But I finished his thought. They sound like us, don't they?

He grimly nodded. Aye, there'd be something afooty here with those vanishes. The soldiers keep leaving the colony to go into the woods, but they won't let no one ask questions about it. I felt confused, still days from nearly being choked unconscious. I thought you knew these woods. Oh, I know the way about. Don't mean I know all's going on round here.

The soldier boys have me find pass from through the trees. It ain't stopped me from snooping around. bit on my own though. He waited for me to ask him to elaborate, but when I said nothing, he turned his gaze back to the door. You ever noticed how bloody quiet this place is? Not a cricket, not a bird. The only thing I've ever heard is there. You've heard them before, I asked. His gaze never left the door, and Lobo said nothing more. I was overtaken with fatigue, and I fell asleep in moments, the night's events having taken all the fight from my body.

Lobo woke me some hours later as the glow of the dawn crept over the fog, barely illuminating the gloom that had always covered the island. Together we walked back through the woods in silence. Nothing needed to be said. Somehow the huntsmen managed to help me slip past the watch of the guards upon the wall and saw me to my door. I knocked on the door and called out to out.

Abby to let me in, which she did in what seemed to be mere moments. She swiftly embraced me with a strength that I didn't know she had. I turned to bid Lobo a good night, despite it being morning, but he had already disappeared into the gloom. Abby quickly pulled me back into my home and bade me lie down. Where in God's name did you go? You had me worried sick. I drowsily smiled at her. Miss Braddock, you are radiant when you're angry. She swatted me on the shoulder, not too hard. She applied a cool, damp rag to the tender marks around my throat. Please do not do that again. She spoke softly. Her fear and anger had abated, and her voice soft as down. Affairs are dreadful enough without my

worrying for you. As I drifted to sleep, I chuckled. Worry not, Abby. I don't believe things can possibly get worse. The next day, I was proven wrong. Oh, how wrong I was. That day, a world fell apart and descended from madness to true terror. I was walking in the lower town. As much as she detested being left alone, it was unsafe for Abby to be out and about, while I still had my duty as the town's de facto doctor.

As I was finishing my rounds, a commotion drew my attention. I heard much shouting, one voice loudest of all. Rushing to the scene, I saw Lobo having wrestled a young soldier to the ground. The boy could not have been older than me. He seemed afraid and frail next to the indomitable figure of the huntsman. Lobo spat with fury, addressing the gathering crowd of curious onlookers. God, ain't it been all too interesting? these redcoats have stood about and done nothing to protect you lot from the darkness,

eh? The king's finest, rather the devil's worse. He glared at the soldier lying prostrate on the cobblestone, paralysed with fear. Tell him. The boy hesitated until Lobo viciously gave him a boot to the ribs. His voice trembled as he cried aloud. We did what we were bade to do. They would not take no for an answer. It was either sacrificed some of us or all of us. Who? cried someone in the crown. This island, the Spaniard explorers who told the crown of its location,

they chose the name well, the sirens, voices as old as time, whispers from the deepest pit of hell. They spoke to us. They implored us for food, for people, for hosts. There are things on this island that bow to know God. We tried everything to persuade them to leave us alone, but they wanted bodies. He broke down weeping until Lobo kicked him once again. We resisted, so the voices came in the night and took those they wanted, in spite of our pleas.

Those they took became husks, silent, unbreathing, and their eyes pools of darkness. We were forced to oust those pools. souls from the walls, hoping the sirens would be satisfied. Every day they wanted more, so we surrendered what they asked for. I didn't want to obey, but those who refused to carry orders would be shot, or worse. The soldier curled up into a miserable ball on the ground, his breath hitching. We're all going to die on this godless island. Lobo and I stood silent, as did the crowd, aghast at what had just been revealed. Suddenly, seemingly from nowhere,

a squad of soldiers rushed into the area, dispersing the crowd and training their weapons on Lobo. Unfazed, the hunter put himself between me in the ring of shining steel. An officer stepped forward, sword drawn. You've meddled where you should not have. You both shall come with us. I've seen you for what you really.

are now. You're not soldiers. You're cowards. Each of you. Lobo spat at the officer's feet. The man glared coldly and raised his sabre into the air. Lobo did not flinch, but I could not help but despair as I waited for the order to fire. Cries were heard from the wall, drawing the officer's attention. I saw a guard waving frantically to the soldiers in the street, who disregarded Lobo and I, and ran towards the commotion. Soldiers were piling onto the walls, all gazing in horror out beyond. So transfixed were they that Lobo and I, as well as several onlookers, joined them on the rampart to take in the most horrid sight I had ever and will ever lay eyes upon. At the edge of the trees still a group of people, standing motionless, all staring

towards us on the wall. Even from this distance, I could see their eyes, black as the night. By God, murmured Lobo, who, in spite of his sturdy demeanour, was clearly shaken at what was unfolding. I noticed more of the things emerging from the tree-line, forming ranks, the group growing into an entire crowd of spectators. Onlookers gasped, cried out, and wept as they recognized the husk of their former loved ones, now shambling into view.

My breath caught in my chest when I recognised two familiar forms appear at the centre of their ranks, Roger and Ariel. Their skin as pain as the rest. Their eyes dark, standing motionless as statues. Not a shred of their humanity remain

and felt suddenly cold as a soft wind picked up catching the tears on my cheeks. I felt a firm grasp on my shoulder and turned to see Lobo beside me, clasping his hands on the side of his head. Cover your ears, Daniel, for God's sake, cover him, he growled. The husk's mouths all fell open at once, stretching wider than I thought one's mouth could, and outpoured that same chilling soul.

Even muffled as it was by my fingers jammed into my ears. it was overwhelming, strong and overpowering like honeyed liquor. My legs became weak, and I fell to my knees, screaming in agony. My scream, and those of the others, was unheard over the hellish cacophony. One of the soldiers struggled to his feet, and, steadying himself against the ramparts, took aim at the figures. The report of the musket could only just be heard, and I saw one of the figures fall to the ground. All fell silent, and my ears rang in the sudden void.

I unsteadily got to my feet, and we all stared in horror outwards. My God, what has he done? I gasped. Lobo merely shook his head. Poor fools only wasted a bullet. Look! The figure struck by the soldier's discharge was slowly getting back up, seemingly unfazed by the large hole now gaping in its chest that ooze blackness to match its eyes all was silent once more as we waited to see what would happen next the husk that was ariel was the first to start walking towards us then roger then another they shambled towards us in a wave an army of the dead on the attack lobo turned to me once more and for the first time since I'd met him, I saw true fear in his stoic face. He barked just one word to me.

Run! An officer spluttered some panicked order, and the other soldiers took aim at the approaching assembly. Muskets thundered, several of the abominations fell to the ground, catapulted backward by the force of the rounds, only to gain their footing again with sickening somersaults. The creatures, not even slowed by the volley, now fell to all fours like walks, and broke into a sprint, covering the distance with horrifying speed. I took Lobo's advice, and we escaped the wall as the screams of the soldiers could be heard behind us. I looked back, and saw the creatures had somehow scaled the wall like spiders, their clawed hands tearing into the redcoats and onlookers-like sides.

Bayonets and gunfire went unnoticed. screams for mercy and for help went unheeded as the monsters cruelly savaged everyone in sight ripping them limb from limb i could only hope that the massacre would allow me to escape unseen having lost sight of lobo i broke into a sprint of my own towards my home as i ran saw people trying to escape their homes being ambushed in the streets and the creatures effortlessly smashed their way into the homes of those who did not dare take their chance outside. Blood ran across the cobblestone like water. My shot left me numb and focused on finding Abbey. In the street by my house, one of the creatures cut off my escape. Several holes in its body leaked an evil black ooze, and blood dripped from its mouth and claws. I gritted my teeth as I waited for it to pounce and render me to pieces. It leapt at me and I shut my eyes. I heard a clap of thunder and opened my eyes as the hush shot to the side,

its head exploding into a disgusting dark mess. Standing in the doorway of my home was Abbey, the pistol smoking in her shaking hand. I rushed over to her, grabbed her arm, yanking her away, as the now sightless but enraged creature flailed about. She went with no resistance, and we quickly made our way towards the Braddock House, away from the carnage that had now overtaken the upper town.

Short of breath, we took refuge behind the gates. I looked back towards the lower town to see that some of the houses in the distance have caught fire and towers of thick black smoke were beginning to rise into the air. I still heard gunshots and screams, all growing closer. We were running out of places to hide.

Abby, is there any way you know half of this cursed place. I don't. She hesitated, clearly trying to think, and then snapped her finger. Yes, Father has a small boat secured in an alcove down at the dock. He keeps it supplied and ready to push off. Then a look of despair crossed her face.

But it only has room for three people. We'll worry about that when we get down there, but now we must run. No, she protested, trying to run towards her restains. I must find my mother, my father, I can't leave them. At just that moment, several of the abominations appeared over the wall, over our heads and leapt like cats, crashing their ways into the windows of the Braddock House.

Screams came from within, and Abbey fell to her knees. Daddy, Mom! She screamed, her voice breaking with complete. despair. A head appeared in one of the windows and out jumped one of the creatures. It crouched low on all falls, encircling us, clearly toying with us in some sick game. I jump between the thing and Abbey as it tensed for an attack. Before it could jump, a figure in red dashed from out of sight and plunged a bayonet into the creature's side, knocking it off its feet and pinning it to the ground. The figure thrust all of his weight into the musket and screamed,

Run, Danny! I stood transfixed, as my heroic father struggled to restrain the abomination that furiously hissed in anger, cloring and writhing. The sickly husk of my father had transformed into a ferocious lion defending its cub, and that familiar vigor and strength I thought lost, blazed in his eyes. He turned to him. to me one last time. I love you, Danny. I'm proud of you. Now, run! The creature took of my father's musket and ripped it from his grass, almost disemboweling itself with a bayonet in the process. He delivered a savage backhand that knocked him to the ground. Straddling him, it tore at his defenseless flesh, filleting him like a fish as I watched the life drain

from my father's eyes. His jaw was set in defiance to the end. He never screamed once. I was yanked back to reality by Lobo's firm hand, taking my arm and dragging me elsewhere, and Abigail along with us. Together, the three of us ran all the way down to the dock where, sure enough, a small boat was docked. It was a little bigger than a ship's longboat, had a collapsible mast and sail, and a sealed box at the stern. Before I could think about what to do, Lobo shoved Abby and myself into the craft, and, before I could react, grabbed a long pole and shoved its clear. I last saw that great man standing stoically on that dock, that old grin back where it belonged.

He drew two hatchets and clutched one in each hand. Behind him I could see a wave of bodies flooding down the cliffside path towards us, towards Lobo, who now stood alone. as the distance grew between us fear never once showed on his face if anything i saw a sort of peace come across him lobo i caught out to him as our boat drew further and further away from the dock with about fifteen yards between us what are you doing you fool you could have saved yourself he shook his head softly the grin not leaving him "'No, Danny boy, it is my curse to bear, not yours.' And with that he twirled his weapons in his hands and turned to face the oncoming monsters. I saw him raise his hatchets and roar in defiance as the mist swallowed them all. I was so dumbstruck that I almost didn't notice Abbey clutching onto my arm from behind for dear life.

The boat seemed to continue away on its own, out of the cove, crawling past the sheer rocks of the teeth at the cove's mouth. I looked up at their tops one last time, and finally the shock wore off and allowed the tears to stream from my eyes. Hundreds of faces, just visible in the mist, stared down at us from the head

of the unscaleable cliffs. Faces I come to know, some more than others, and some had even come to love. Father was there. Ariel, Roger, Edouard, soldiers, women, children. They all had no expression, were as pale as the fog itself,

and stared with unblinking, soulless black eyes. I heard a rumble built beneath the boats, far beneath us in those lightless depths of the ocean, casting ripples outwards as something began to emerge from the waters. They chad and frothed as something immeasurably big, smooth and almost flesh-like rows from the depths, coated with scales like those of a fish, and then another object just like it, with ten altogether. Then I saw they were joined in what can only be described as two massive black, scaly hands.

They placed themselves on the teeth, so big that they must have wrapped around the entire island itself, gripping them so firmly crack spread in the brittle, unknown strata. With that, Ila Serena began to sink. No, not sink. It was borne down into the bosom of the sea by those Leviathan hands, as if it were a cool pie merely been taken off the shelf. The whole ocean seemed to bubble and froth like it was boiling. Finally, the tallest height of the teeth,

along with all of its spectre-like onlookers, vanished below the surface with a colossal splash. creating a wave that exploded outwards. Instinctively, I covered Abbey with my body in the bottom of the boat as the wave lifted us like a child's toy. I felt a skim along at a growing speed, and we were tossed around against the gunwells. I thought it would never end,

until my head collided with the sturdy wooden hull, and I knew no more for several hours. I woke to the sun in my eyes, an alien sight after all those months on the overcast island. Indeed, I felt as if I were in another world altogether. Abby creled of my head in her lap, looking down at me with a strange look on her face. It was not shock or relief, hopelessness or fear. It was the look of one who was being broken. I'm sure. When my eyes opened, I shared the same look with her. Lobo's sacrifice ended up being our saving grace.

The ship had been stocked for a speedy departure. This was true, but our rations may not have lasted with three of us on board for as long as we were. I lost count of the days, but in all that time I do not believe either of us shared a word. We barely ate or drank. We slept every night with Abbey in my arms as we waited for whatever fate allotted us. Weeks, perhaps even months after. our flight from the accursed land, we were rescued by a British ship on route home from the Americans. It had only spotted us by chance, but swiftly came to our rescue.

We saw the sailors turn white at the look in our eyes, and although they pried us with questions to no avail, they could tell we had been through the worst. They bore us home without a bother. The crew seemed to think our presence was one of bad luck. No sooner had Abbey's feet touched the dock finally back on British soil and she broke down weeping curling into a tight ball as the many tenants of the dock looked on with confusion in truth I wept as well but it was not tears of joy that street down our faces I suppose that now that we are back in reality it had all become far too clear what we had suffered fortunately Abigail and I still had each other now she managed to obtain

some of her family's wealth in the aftermath of their obliteration, we moved as far inland as we could find and away from all human contact. She had a comfortable cottage built in a remote section of an inland moor, far away from trees or the sight of the ocean, and there we stayed the rest of our lives. Ever since we arrived back home from that hellish venture, Abigail and I swore to never again speak of what had happened, not to anyone else and not between the two of us. However, ever since our return, the events of Ila Serena began to blur in our minds, to fade away as if slowly dissolving into nothingness. Honestly, as I copy over the entries from my old journal, which had fortunately been in my satchel that day, we almost find those events unbelievable.

And yet, as I read them over, every now, and again throughout our lives, something moved in me, like a bit of metal left lodged under my skin, a vestigial reminder of what had happened. Abby must have remembered as well, but the very sight of the article's worn leather covers would set her in a frightful panic until I would lock it away in a box beneath our bed. In all those years, many of which hold happy, peaceful memories. I kept my promise to Abby. However, her recent passing prompted me to break my oath of silence. Oh, Abigail, my beautiful Abby, I loved you and you loved me. That much I know. I only pray that this nightmare of our past did not come to you as you drew your last breath. I feel the life

eb from my body as I finish this account. I rejoice in going to rejoin my one. My one, wonderful wife. Maybe my mother will be there as well, but I wonder if my father and sister, or Roger, will greet me at the gates, given their unfortunate event. The ocean, to this day, harbours more darknics than I believe could ever be catalogued in all of the future years of mankind's reign over the land. It is the one place, truly, we cannot ever tame. I dare say it is the one place where God turns a blind eye. Please, be cautious on the high seas. My tale is but one of countless others,

stories that assert that mankind does indeed not rule this earth. There are things that prey upon us from under the waves, things we will never understand, things we cannot plead with, things that view us as mere toys, insects even. I know not exactly what happened. to my fellow colonists on Ila Salina, but I pray that whatever took them to have mercy on their songs. These are the year of our Lord, 1,750. My name is Daniel Kippen. My father was Peter Kipplin.

My sister was Ariel Kippling, and my wife was Abigail Kipplin, once Braddock. Now I know that, in a way, they all live on, as will I. do with our story as you will, but take heed. Man does not and never will rule the seas. Once in a while something rises up from the godless darkness below to remind us of that inexorable, unbending, eternal truth. Let me start off by saying that I joined the experiment a while ago. I've tried to talk before to people about it, but nobody believes me and I can't exactly blame them. I haven't been out of properly sleep, eat, or live, since I made it back home. Played by feelings of tremendous guilt.

I hope sharing this will help ease my conscience. Day one. The apartment looked pretty decent. It was small, but had everything I needed. One room with a bed, although pillow and blanket were missing. In the middle of the room was a table with two chairs. Not sure I would need two, as the main part of this experiment was me being alone in the room, isolated from the outside world.

In the back was a small food elevator, like the ones you see in old movies. Well, that's how I'd receive my meals. There were big abstract paintings. I had a shortboard to write on, and of course there was a laptop so I could communicate with... with who exactly.

I opened the laptop. Everything was wiped away. No internet access, no apps or programs. Only one little icon in the middle of the screen. Social. I double-clicked it, thinking it might provide some more information. Social will start soon. Make sure a laptop is charged at all times.

All right, I guess I have to wait. I walked over to the chalkboard. Somebody must have been in this room before because it said days, written on top with white chalk. Underneath there were ten strokes. I drew a circle around the seven strokes instead of wiping them away. Next to it, I drew one stroke for my first day. I took away my phone. I had no calendar or even clock,

so I figured it could get difficult to keep the days in check. I realized I didn't remember if they told me how long I'd be staying. My window view didn't offer much. All I could see were empty fields, and I could tell that I was pretty high up. I tried opening the window to let in some friends. fresh air, but it was blocked. Probably so no one could jump out after going crazy from the solitude. I was the kind of person that loved being alone, though. I had a pretty apartment, food being provided for me, decent payment, and I'm living my dream. That would have been dumb

not to participate. Ding, ding. The laptop was lighting up in neon green lights. I guess things were getting started. The social app was running and the former screen had turned into something that look like a chat screen. Welcome, John. You're very excited that you're participating in this real-life experiment. I am Social. Everything you need or what we need from you

will be communicated through me. You will not directly talk to anyone else during your time here. Make sure that your laptop is charged at all times. Do you have any questions so far? Hello, Social. I'm also excited. I haven't received any sheets, pillows or blankets

from my bed yet could those be sent over please that will be up to the other participants as you will soon learn are you ready for the first round yes as you know you'll be receiving all your food and drinks from us what exactly that will be however will be chosen by another participant for the first round you can choose a meal combination for participant julie well i was actually pretty excited about this. I was awful at making the right decisions. Probably one of the reasons I changed my major three times. It might be interesting to put my fate into someone else's hands. I scroll down the list of food and drink items, wondering what Julia might enjoy. There are a number of breakfast items such as pancakes, eggs, bacon, but also a lot of random, disgusting sounding stuff. Raw liver,

bull testicles, sausage water, pretty nasty. You'd really have to hate the other participants to send any of that, except if you were into power moves. Eventually I picked toast with jam, scrambled eggs and cheese with a cup of coffee and a glass of orange juice. Happy with my choice, I sent it in. A minute later, the laptop started ringing again.

Julia has chosen your breakfast. Walk to the food elevator now to pick it up. I wasn't too hungry just yet, but I was hoping for something nice to drink. They opened the small gap of the elevator and got the tray out. A piece of bread with something green on it. I picked it up just to realize that the stuff on top was mold. I gagged and let it fall back on the plate. I guess Julia was one of those people that liked power plates.

I grabbed the glass next to it. At least you sent me some water. My throat felt extremely. extremely dry so I started chugging right away. I really should have smelled it first. While I was drinking there wasn't water, it was vinegar. As the acidity taste filled up my mouth, I couldn't keep it in anymore. I ran to the bathroom and started puking into the toilet. The bitter taste of vial made me feel even worse, but I had no toothbrush or toothpaste either.

I wanted to rinse out my mouth but there was no water. couldn't even flush the freaking toilet. Well, this experiment was starting off pretty badly. It was just about to ask social about this when I heard another ringing noise. You just lost 50 social points. What the hell? What are social points? During your participation, you collect points. More points equal more power and more accents.

During this experiment, you have to make many decisions. One of them on who you want to want to do. on who you want to be. Do you want to be nice or gain power? I'm not sure I understand, but I'm really not feeling great. Is there any way I can get some water? That's not up to me, John. You have another decision to me. This time you'll be sending an item to Manuel. Please select one item out of this list. Toothpace. A shock collar. A knife. This list seemed even more random, but this time I really had to think this through. If I sent toothpaste, I'd probably get even more negative points,

although at that point I wasn't sure what exactly that meant. The knife sounded like a terrible idea. I figured if I picked the shot color, he could just decide not to wear it. Congratulations. You just received 30 social points. Walk over to the elevator now to see what Manuel sent you. It was a blanket. Oh, I felt like a real dick, but I kept telling myself that this was part of the experiment. Maybe those people didn't even exist.

My laptop let out another sound. There was a new icon on the screen. A green circle with a smiley face on it. I pressed it, but nothing happened. Manuel has received and attached the shock collar around his neck. Press green circle to send over shocks. Shit. And I just shocked him without even knowing.

That couldn't be true. They can't purposefully hurt participants. I grabbed my blanket and took a nap. The experiment had only just begun and I was already exhausted. The taste of vinegar and puk in my mouth wasn't helping either. When I woke up again, it was already getting dark outside. And I missed lunch. I walked over to the laptop, but there were no missed messages.

I was really getting fed up with his experiments, when my laptop made another sound. Dinner time. Pick one meal for Jackie. I scrolled through the list again, but I had no idea what to do. Should I go with something decent and risk losing points? I went with a safe choice and sent a cup of vegetable broth, something I was really craving myself after throwing up. It wasn't a real meal, but it wouldn't make them sick either.

After my choice was sent over, I went to the elevator to see what Jackie had sent me. It was a BLT and a bottle of Coke. Oh, thank you, Jackie, I shouted out that. I felt a little bad for only sending her broth, but at the same time I was so happy to have something decent to eat and drink that would also kill the terrible taste in my mouth. Day two, the sound of an alarm blasting through the apartment poured me out of sleep. I had no idea where it came from, but it wasn't.

from the laptop. The sound was followed by a robotic voice. Score too low. Wake up immediately. It was still dark outside. It felt like it was the middle of the night. I got up from my bed which felt like pure concrete. My head was aching from not having a pillow, but I was grateful that I had least received a blanket. It was freezing cold. I realized then that I didn't have any spare clothes. Hadn't I brought any? As I walked over to the laptop, a loud alarm finally stopped. Good morning, John.

Your social score has gotten dangerously low. Increased score now by pressing shock button. No. As a negative player, you will lose all perks, including nutrition. Remember, more social points equal more power. I don't care. I don't want more power. The music started blasting again.

I felt like my eardrums would explode. Shooting them with my hands wasn't helping. As if this wasn't bad enough, a foul smell filled up the room. I thought I'd throw up again. Oh, fuck this. This isn't real. I said out loud and pressed the shock icon.

I took a deep breath and pressed it two more times. Finally, the siren stopped. Congratulations, John. you are now the highest ranking participant well yeah because you freaking force me to it is now time to pick a meal for jackie I felt bad for only sending her broth last night so I chose pancakes and orange juice

after a few minutes I went to pick up my meal from the elevator this time I almost threw up by just looking at it on the plate I found the head of a chicken raw and bloody Next to it was a glass of what I can only imagine was blood as well I guess I deserved that I was really fed up with this whole operation I was hungry tired and sad

no money was worth this torture I want to get out of this experiment now I'm done you can't leave you will stay until the experiment is finished what the fuck you can't force me to stay I never consent to any of this? Yes, you did, and you will stay until the experiment is finished. I started thinking about her. Did they give me a contract? As much as I tried to remember, I couldn't. I couldn't even remember what day it was today. Do you remember how you came here, John? I didn't. Do you remember what you did before you came here? I was so certain that I had joined. I was so certain that I had,

an experiment they'd offered me payment but as much as I tried I couldn't recall how or when that had happened I remembered things as to who my family and friends were I remembered what my home looks like but not what I've been doing lately I'd started studying psychology after giving up on coding but when was that my mind was blank what the fuck did you do to me we do not make any decisions for you play the game right and you will be leaving the experiment happy and healthy. Who are you? What is this?

I am social. Time for another decision. You can send something to a participant of your choice. Pick from one of the following items. Be gun. A bottle of water. A death threat. I decided to send a bottle of water to Manuel.

It might cost me some points, but if I'd really, shocked him he deserved this after what must have been an hour the laptop started ringing again you just received a video press play now it was a video of a shirtless man maybe in his mid-thirties he stared right into the camera I could see the shot collar around his neck without a word he picked up a knife and cut into his palm with his other hand he dipped his index finger into the blood and started writing something on his chest. Mary.

No way, I thought. This must be a coincidence. I think he tried writing something else underneath. It would have been really hard to recognize what it was with the smudge blood, but I knew exactly what it said. It was an address, one that I recognized very well. It was the address of Mary. My mother.

Day three. I hardly slept through the night. I wasn't too afraid what Manuel might do just yet, considering he was locked in here as well. What scared me, however, was that whatever these people were, they knew where my mother lives, and I had no way to warn her. I needed to talk to social, figure out if they were a real person. Maybe I could somehow level with them. I couldn't contact social if they didn't initiate the conversation, and I didn't know how long it would be

until it messaged me about breakfast, so I impulsively walked over to the laptop and removed the charger. The laptop needs to be charged at all times. The robotic voice filled up the room again. I ignored it. I ignored the sirens and the smell and stared at the laptop. In hindsight, I was a pretty big idiot. Instead of going through this in a clever way, I just tried to force a reaction out of it. The smell got stronger and I started feeling weaker.

I could hardly think anymore or move. Everything turned dark. I woke up on the bed. My head was hurting like crazy. It took me a little while to get back to my senses, but I noticed that a laptop was attached to the charger again. Somebody had been in here. Suddenly an excretiating pain went through my entire body.

I felt like somebody was charged. choking me. Panting and shaking, I slowly reached over to my neck where my fingers touched the metal. Not only had someone been in here, they had given me a shock card. I slowly walked over to the laptop. Social had been messaging me. I have received information that your laptop isn't attached to the charger. Somebody is on their way to fix the issue. Breakfast time. Please choose one of the following items on the list for participants. Josh. Josh, is there a new person? Josh has selected your items. Go to elevator now to pick up your meal. Please choose one of the following items to send a participant, Julia, a book, a gun, five minutes of fresh air.

The item that Julia selected for you will arrive soon and will be attached by one of our workers. I didn't even get the chance to send anything because I'd been past down. A shock went through my body. Even more painful this time. I picked myself up from the ground and got back to my laptop. I hadn't noticed before, but the shock icon was gone. At least the chat was still open. This was my chance to contact social.

Social, are you there? Hello, John. You've been very quiet today. Remember less activity equals less social points. Were you inside my room? I never visit the participants. I thought about what to say. I had to be more careful. Social.

Are you a real person? I am social. I started to think that I was talking to a bot. If that was true, I could get some answers out of it as long as I asked the right question. What's my current social school? Your social score is plus ten. You are now the second lowest ranking participant.

Who's on top? I am not allowed to share this information with you. I figured it must be either Julie or Emmanuel. Josh or Jackie would be the lowest ranking. Why is it beneficial to have many points? Higher points equal more power. Define power. In this experiment, we want to see how much it will take someone to get to the top.

Being on top means more options for decisions. Decisions such as getting food, comfort and freedom. Freedom, as in being able to leave. Dinner time, you may now choose a meal for participant, Julia. I was about to pick bald testicles when another shock went through my body. My hands were shaking, and I could hardly breathe anymore. She was sending me a member. message. I had to be careful. She had total control over me at the moment. I picked steak, potatoes,

beans, and a bottle of wine. The best options I could find. It felt awful sending someone that was torturing me these things, especially while I felt like I was starving, but I didn't want to risk getting another shot. I was still hurting from the last one. After a moment I went to pick up my dinner for the night. A chicken sandwich, coffee and a bottle of water. The coffee was cold, but I didn't care. I hadn't eaten anything decent since that BLT, and I was even happier about that water. I took a few sips and decided to ration the rest.

I honestly couldn't believe that Julia had sent me something decent. If it hadn't been for the shock collar around my neck, I would have thought that she was actually starting to be nice. At least she didn't shock me again for the rest of the evening. I spent the rest of the evening making up a game plan. I was done just playing it safe. If I wanted any chance of getting out of here, I had to make it to the top. I still wasn't sure if social was trustworthy.

Okay, oh my kidding, it definitely wasn't trustworthy, but it felt too calculated in a sense. I don't think it wanted to torture me. It wanted to see how I would get through this. Well, the meal gave me some new energy. I went to the chalkboard and started writing down the info that I had, so far, together with things about myself, things I didn't want to forget, that would remind me that I had a life outside of this. I made sure to keep it vague just in case they came back here. 25, my age. Kiwi, the name of my cat. Syke, my major, K and F, the first letters of my two

best friends. Julia, bitch. Manuel. has leverage and a knife. Jackie, neutral so far. Josh, question mark. Well, my thoughts were interrupted by the ringing of the laptop. Time for another decision. Pick something from this list to be sent to a participant of your choice. A towel, a death threat, a bracelet keeping the participant from sleeping. I'm not sure what that last thing was supposed to be, but I guess it was another form

torture. I decided for the death threats. If I got the same chance to take a video then maybe this could be my way to communicate with Manuel. Either way, if he sees that I'm wearing the shot collar now, he might go milder on me. I want to send a death threat to Manuel. Great choice. Would you like to receive leverage information? Yes. The most important person in the life of Manuel is Sabrina, currently working in as a nurse at Central Hospital, always takes a bicycle to work. Oh, fucking hell, Social. A video recording app open.

The microphone was blocked. Well, that was shit. I was planning on speaking. I had to get creative and fast. Social would probably check the video and make sure it's an actual threat. Well, I grabbed the glass of blood that Jackie had sent me the day before. smelling horribly but I kept it just in case I started filling up my mouth with the blood I really had to fight not to vomit

I pressed play got up to the middle of the room looking straight into the camera I started spitting out the blood trying to be as theatrical as possible choking myself coughing with a freakish look on my face recording complete video will now be sent to participant and Manuel. I could only hope that he understood what I'd done. You just received an item from participant, Jackie. Walk up to the elevator now to pick it out. Hmm, a pack of cigarettes. Day four. The day started off with another lovely shock from Julie. I started cursing this person

and her evil fucking mind. She was in here to win, showing no remorse. She had to be on top at this point. What reason could she have to shock me even more? I tried to get up from bed. I was feeling extremely weak at this point. My legs were shaking. I was smelling horribly, and I was starving after only having one meal yesterday. Walking around the dry blood on the ground,

I made my way to the table. I picked up the pack of cigarettes that I got yesterday. I usually don't smoke, but I thought it could distract me a little. I opened the pack and noticed that it was. also contained a lighter. Obviously you'd need one, but I didn't think about it until then. The lighter could get really fucking useful. I left the cigarettes where they were and put the lighter in my pocket. Social opened the chat to inform me that I could choose breakfast for Manuel. I was already dreading what he'd send me. At least, this was my chance to talk to Social some

more. Social, is there a way to remove the shock? Oh, I was. Is there a way to remove the shock? Only if another participant decides to send it to someone else. All right, that's new info. Is there only one of each item, like the knife and cigarettes? Correct. Choose food combination for Manuel now. Oatmeal and tea. Social.

How long have the other participants been here for? Manuel has chosen your breakfast. Walt to the elevator now to pick it up. I had to be more precise with my questions. It only gives me a really short time frame. I walked over to the elevator, expecting something smelly or rotten. I almost cried when I saw what was sitting on that train. Three Kiwis.

While I was going crazy in the middle of the room last night, I'd made sure that my chalkboard would be in the picture, just enough for someone to notice if they really paid attention. And he did. why did he pick three though did this mean he'd been here for three days just like me i spent most of the day thinking of other ways to send messages well of course this could all still be part of the experiment that thought was always in the back of my mind but somehow i felt sure that manuel and the other participants were just that participants somehow tricked into this nightmare just like me

Another alarm went off. My room turned red and sirens started blasting. Suicide attempt. Suicide attempt. Suicide attempt. What the hell? I definitely wasn't trying anything like that. I walked to the laptop but there was no information.

And just like that, the alarm stopped again. You are now free to send another item to a player of your choice. Bandage? shock collar death threat this is where I made another foolish mistake guided by pettiness not logic I should have tried to send another message

or at least get someone the bandage maybe there really was a suicide attempt but even if that's true I wouldn't know who in the end the hate and pain ruled over me and I sent Julia the shocker as I logged in my choice the collar around my neck snapped open it must be ought to me

to move shock carl into the elevator now, at least a better option than being drugged again. I don't think everyone gets the same options because I was sent a book from Jackie. I was so happy that I'd finally have some form of entertainment, but that's before I realized that the entire text was nonsense. I spent a long time going through every single page to see if maybe there was some secret message in there, but I couldn't find anything. Eventually, I gave up. Congratulations, John. You have received 200 social points. Tonight you may pick your own dinner.

Under normal circumstances, I would have been ecstatic about this. Finally, I could get some decent food, some vitamin, some protein, and more water. Under normal circumstances, I would have been proud. But how could I be proud if I got all these points through letting out my anger and frustration like this? A shiver went down my spine when I thought about how painful four shocks in a row must have felt for Julian. That night I couldn't fall asleep as much as I tried. I get thinking about everything that had happened. I jumped up from bed as a thought struck me.

Oh, please, please let this be true, I mumbled to myself. Jackie had sent me two items today. That couldn't be a coincidence. I opened the first page of the book and held the lighter underneath it. Oh God, I remember doing this when I was younger. She must have somehow gotten lemon juice. I opened another page. This was extremely weird.

The message said, I'm John. Are you real? Day five. I know that many of the choices that either I or the others made during this experiment seemed questionable. Malicious or, just occasionally pathetic. This is no excuse.

I'm just asking you to, Keep in mind that we've spent days in solitude, hardly sleeping or eating. Physically and mentally at the limit. Or at a certain point, all you care about is survival, no matter what the call. Breakfast time. Please choose something out of the list for participant, George. Breakfast. Apparently the new day had already begun.

It was still dark outside. I hadn't been able to sleep at all. I kept thinking about everything. Why was there a message with my name in the book? Had I been here before, or was it a way to mind-fuck me again? After everything that had just happened last night, I decided both Manuel and Jackie would trust were. I didn't trust Julia.

She was my strongest competitor, and she was ruthless. I want all of us to get out of here safe and sound, but if I wanted to have any choice of getting control, I needed to play smart and gain points. At first, I had to pick breakfast for Josh. This was good, I hadn't had any interaction with him so far. I needed to figure out if he was an ally or a competitor. Social, before I picked Josh's meal,

could you inform me about my ranking? You are currently the highest ranking participant, John. Can you tell me how many other participants there are? you have had interaction with every object that is participating in this round this round pick a meal for Josh now I went with a safe choice and sent him oatmeal and water nutritious but not luxurious

I was really curious what he would get me or if I get any breakfast at all yesterday I wasn't able to send him anything because I'd passed out Hmm A chicken sandwich, coffee and a bottle of water That's strange This is exactly what I got yesterday Except this time the coffee was hot

So Julia probably skipped giving me dinner yesterday And the things I'd found were from lunch That Josh had sent me I sent a steak dinner And she decided to give me nothing I felt a deep urge to shock her again Something inside of me was changing

And it scared me It's as if I was just realizing that I had a dark side, a revengeful side. I was hateful. I'd never talked to this person or even seen them, and still I wanted to torture them, just because I could. I stopped myself before actually pressing the button. These people were playing with my mind, and I let them. This is probably what they wanted, for me to stop caring, to abuse my power.

I was at the top. that should be enough for now. It is time to make another decision. You can now choose to send out one of the following items to a participant of your choice. Headphones, bandages, razor blade. I decided to send Manuel bandages. I had no gameplay here. It just seemed like the safest move.

Suicide attempt. Suicide attempt. Suicide attempt. The siren and robotic voice filled up the room. Just the mention of suicide sent a shiver down my spine. My heart didn't stop racing until the siren stopped again. You received a video from participant Julia. It was a young woman.

Her clothes were dirty and bloody. Manuel had made a rough impression as well, but Julia looked like she'd been here for a long time. She looked tired, but her eyes were. filled with rage. This didn't look like the decoy rage that I had acted out in my video. A shot collar was gone, but I saw the bruises around her neck. That's when I noticed she had a knife. She slowly moved it towards her throat. Her eyes never left the camera. I thought it was her way of threatening me until I saw the blood. She was actually cutting herself. That's where the video paused.

I hadn't noticed it before, but I saw it in that moment. She was sitting in front of a chalkboard, and there was something written on it. Die, John. I felt frozen to the screen, even after the video had disappeared. Tears came to my face. Oh, this was all so much. Not knowing whether this was just a trick, a mind-game, or whether this girl had been pushed over the edge was ripping me apart.

Had I given her the push? Was she really in danger? Was it too late? After a few hours of internalised terror, I calmed myself again. This could, or be just a trick. If it was, then it was working. I spent the entire day just jumping around in my room. No decent thought coming out. Eventually the ringing of my laptop got me back to reality. Hello, John. I want to personally congratulate you on how well you're doing. in this experiment. I'm impressed by your score and the choices you are making. You are constantly improving and if you keep going strong, you will be successfully completing the experiment soon. We're proud of you here at the social team. As a special treat, you'll be having dinner together

with the second highest ranking participant today. Enjoy. Who is this? Social? Hi John. This was a personal message sent to you by our head of research. Can I message them as well? I am afraid not. Today participant Josh will be joining you for dinner. The meal will be picked by social. Join me, as in face to face. Yeah. I thought I'm not allowed to know how other participants rank. I am not allowed to share information with you. Hmm. All right social. Try to give up the illusion that this is a legit experiment with all your freaking loopholes. I almost typed that but decided to delete it. It might just cost me points again.

I really didn't trust any of this, but if it meant that I was actually meeting a real human being, I was all for it. I wished it was Julia, just so I could set things straight, but maybe it would be good to meet Josh, figure out who this mysterious new person was. Pick up dinner from me. elevator now. Where's Josh? The other participant will be joining soon. I picked up my meal, steak, jacket potato, greens and champagne. This looked pretty great, though I only had one of each.

As I walked back to my laptop, I realized what social had really meant by face-to-face. It was a video chat. On his side it was still buffering. I made sure to turn my lap. I made sure to turn my lap, in such a way that the chalkboard would somehow be visible when I sat down. Josh looked like he was about my age. You could see that he was mentally exhausted, but not as bad as with Manuel or Julia. So, are you, John? I was surprised to hear a voice, for some reason I thought this would be muted. I had to be careful with what I said, though. First of all, I didn't know if I could trust him. Second, social was probably recording all of this. I had to keep him. I had to keep up the illusion that I was still trying that I was a good participant so you're my

strongest competitor pretty good for someone who just joined last I said I had no idea if this was actually true but maybe this would get me some more answers huh forced out a smile minus one he said and nodded over I think he was hinting at the strokes on my board so I was right about that I was really nervous. I wish I'd had time to prepare for this. I did something pretty intense to get this high. He looked to the ground.

Some participant hasn't been sleeping in days because of me. I could really hear the remorse in his voice. But then he continued. He must have made some even stronger decisions to be the one on top, I guess. He was trying to get information from me. Guess we both know how to play the game, I said, and swallowed. I still felt the guilt deep inside of me. I took a big gulp from the champagne.

I guess so. Well, we're not of a loser dinner, he whispered. Do you mean the others are talking as well? He nodded. How do you know? I asked. Social. Which one of them is the lowest?

He shrugged. I guess social really does keep the other ranking secrets. I was about to ask. him something but the connection was already gone at least I'd gotten some information if Josh could be trusted I know that some of the other players probably talked today as well I'd have to ask social about this see if I can get more insight and I knew that Josh probably gave someone that bracelet that keeps you from sleeping I started feeling woozy they put something in the drink I somehow carry

myself to the bed then everything went dark again. Day six. The morning had started off with the usual breakfast routine. I sent Manuel oatmeal and water. He sent me a glass of blood. Delicious. I haven't had one of those in days. I didn't know how to feel about Josh after last night. He seemed somehow calculated, but he made a genuine impression. So far, he'd always sent me decent food. The sleeping bracelet feels like something social pressured him to do. He was playing the game to win, but he wasn't extremely evil. He was smart, though. He'd figured things out pretty quickly, and he wanted to have control, just like I did, as that was the only chance to get out, presumably. It also meant that he would probably be coming

for me now. I'd been here for five full days already, and day six was starting off as awful as always. I tried to look for the book to figure out a way to send a message, but it was gone, so were the cigarettes. They must have taken them last night. Luckily, I'd put the lighter in my pocket. My hopes of getting out of here in a healthy way were getting smaller by the second. I couldn't let this get to me down.

If I started losing hope now, I'd probably die in here. I had to get into survival mode. Ding, ding. Hello, John. Today we have a very special assignment on the planet. You'll be live streaming the other participants and play a game of choices. There are many points to be gained here. So do your best.

Go sit down in your bed with the wall behind you. Four video screens opened up. I recognised Manuel and Josh. Julia was there as well. Alive. I thought a feeling of relief wash over me. I didn't trust her, but I didn't want her dead either. The last one must have been Jackie.

She looked a little older. than the rest of the group. The bags under her eyes let me assume that she was probably the one that hadn't slept in days. That must really screw with your mind. Welcome participants. All of you have been doing well so far. Some did better than others, but don't worry, this game is a chance to change everything. Let's get started. Josh, choose a participant to fulfill the following task. eat a raw deer heart. He didn't even seem to think about it. He responded right away.

Manuel. Manwell, what did the elevator and pick up the heart now? If you choose not to, you will not receive any food or beverages for the rest of the experiment. I could see him struggle. His eyes were filled with hatred. Eventually he got up. Look into the camera with tears in his heart. He bit into the dark red.

Orban, finishing it off piece by piece. Josh didn't even flinch, and Julia looked more confused than revolted. Next round, John and Josh. You can both decide to either remove a tooth or a fingernail. Choice must be unanimous. What do you choose? Tooth. Tooth. I sighed. If he'd pick nails, we probably would have had to do both. Josh wrapped his shirt around one of his teeth, closed his eyes and abruptly pulled it out. Blood filled his mouth. He held the tooth to the camera.

I followed. Normally your mind tries to protect you. Hurting yourself like this takes a lot of willpower. For me, it wasn't willpower though. It was fear. Fear of whatever the alternative to this, might be. It was painful as fuck, but still felt harmless compared to what came next. We all went through the game. No questions asked. Nobody dared to disobey. Julia can have a broken nose or all

hair burned off their scalp. Manuel, decide which option. Manuel was just shaking his head. His face was still red from the blood and his eyes were full of tears. He was. He was, he was was genuinely scared. Julia showed almost no reaction. Something had really broken her spirit. Manuel, send your choice now or lose all your privileges. Finally, he typed. No. Just like that, Julia turned towards the wall and repeatedly banged her face against it. As she turned around, blood ran all over her face. Her nose was completely out of place. Still, she was calm, not a single tear. John, it is time for you to decide. Will Jackie cut off one of her fingers, or be prohibited from sleeping for the rest of her

timing? I could see the desperation in her eyes. How long can one survive without any sleep? A week? Two. I knew what she would choose if she could. Finger. As Jackie is not in possession of a knife at the moment. One of our helpers will arrive soon to fulfill the time. Jackie looked at her arm and smiled. You all did very well so far. Your wounds will be treated by one of our doctors shortly.

Only one question read. One of the participants has to die. Majority wins. Who do you choose? This couldn't be real. This was a whole new level of fucked up. Well, I hesitated. How could I possibly answer this question? Manuel seemed to think the same because neither of us answered.

We didn't have to, as the majority had already made the decision. John. John. John! Participant files, round four. Participant John. Rounds, four. Ranking. Not applicable.

obedience level, strong. Subject went through significant growth. But the start decisions were of pure altruistic nature. As personal gain was made transparent, change of tactics. At the end of the round, signs of resignation had become evident. A need for power and authority was established. After rising to the top on score level, participant John had given up own will entirely.

made deathly choices for a number of participants without signs of remorse. Participant Julia. Rounds three. Ranking, two. Obedience level, intermediate. The subject showed resilience and willpower all throughout rounds two and three. Inconsistent emotional state. Was almost removed due to repeated suicide attempts.

Strong determination to eliminate participant John. At the end of round four, Participants showed signs of apathy. Level of obedience is stable at this point. Participant Jackie. Rounds one, ranking three. Obedience level, strong. The subject showed occasional competent decision-making skills.

Started off with a subjectively altruistic mindset. However, would let other participants influence their choices. Interest of future testing. Participant Manuel. Round. Rounds, one. Ranking 4. Obedience level.

We. The subject has poor decision-making skills. Let's actions be guided by emotions. Has no explicit benefit for the experiment at this point, and will therefore be eliminated. Participant, George. Rounds, one. Ranking, one.

Obedience level, intermediate. The subject has passed expectations. They grew fast and showed remarkable pattern in decision-making. However, level of loyalty needs to be further examined. Day seven. I don't even know how to put into words how I was feeling last night. I didn't sleep at all. For hours I was sitting on the bed, staring towards the door, waiting for my end.

Of course, I didn't know if I would actually die or not, but in that moment the adrenaline was flowing through my entire body. fear can be a real rush my mind was not ready to die I thought about Kiwi had been left alone for days thought about my mother hoping she'd be safe thought about my friends about my childhood about the summers we went swimming in the lake about the Sunday mornings watching cartoons with my dad I was not ready to die I felt hate pure revengeful bitter hate for social for the experiment for the other participants this entire situation was just so fucked up i wondered if i'd done the same as josh had he been the highest ranking player part of me was scared to admit i probably would have if it meant that i was free thought about the

other two and felt especially betrayed by jacky they couldn't have known that i was the highest ranking player I kept staring at the door waiting patiently but nobody came maybe it had just been a mind game after all maybe last night was just a far ding ding breakfast time today you will not have to choose go to elevator now to pick up your meal prisoners on the death penalty usually get to choose their last meal no answer I walked over to see what would be on the tray Maybe it was some sort of clue. It was a finger.

Was this a sign from Jackie? Was the reason she picked me to die because of the choice I'd made for her? I let it fall to the ground and broke down in tears. I lost all hope of ever getting out of this place. The chat window was still open. Social, am I still the highest-ranking player? Currently the highest ranking participant is John. Wait, it's social just given me a name.

I never answer questions on the rankings of other participants. Hello, John. I want you to know that I'm very impressed with your progress. I understand that it must feel surprising to see the other participants turn on you. Remember, the only reason they want you dead is because you are a threat. Wouldn't you murder someone if it meant getting your freedom back? We are sad that it had to come to this point, but we have provided something for you to make this a little easier. Make the right decisions.

Who is this? Hello, John. You just received another personal message from my head of research. You get to make another decision there. Do you want to continue and accept your destiny or put fate into your own hands? Go to elevator now to pick up the items sent to you by the head of research. A bottle of vodka and a gun, one bullet. Last night the majority decided for the death of participant John.

If this was making things easier, what was the alternative? What kind of gruesome death that they planned for me? I took a big gulp of the vodka. I didn't even have to think about this. Hey, social. Come and get me. Bring the head of research as well. love to meet them. They could go fuck themselves if they thought I was going to make things easy for

them. I grabbed the bottle of vodka and poured it out in front of the door, making a trowel towards the bed where I sat down. I held the gun towards the door. If someone came in, I had one chance to shoot them. My chances weren't great, especially as I doubt only one person would come, so I kept the light at work. If I had to go, I wouldn't do this on my own. I would take them with me. I waited for what must have been hours, but nothing happened. Every time I thought I'd figure them out, every time I thought things were ending,

they just pulled another trick. They must have cameras everywhere. How could I have believed that this was it? The laptop started ringing again, the sound of pure misery. Hello, John. We see that you did not decide to use the gun. You just gained a hundred social points.

We do not appreciate suicide attempts. What is this? Why are you doing this to me? Please just give me answers. If I have to die, at least let me know what the purpose of all this is. With a majority of three votes, the death of participant John was decided. Do you agree with this choice? No, no, I do not.

Adding your social score with the one of participant Manuel, you could overrule the majority. What does this mean? What's going to happen now? You have two choices. Team up with participant Manuel. If you can agree on another participant's death without discussion, it will be executed. Keep in mind, participant Manuel could choose John. Well, this was no option. it was too much of a gamble

but what's the other choice you can join another round of decisions this time you'll be making them on your own if you gain a thousand points in this game the life of participant John will be spared this could only be another round of torture but at this point what did I have to lose

first round give gun to participant Julia 200 points or to participant But George. Fifty points. Oh, she'd tried to kill herself before. If I send the gun, this could end fatal.

But then again, I'd just send it right. The decision was all hers. Two hundred points. I moved the gun to the elevator. I hated giving it away, but I doubt it would have been much use anyway. Participant Manuel is free to leave and go home. Minus 200 points. Or he will stay indefinitely.

200 points I've really really wanted him to get out of him to get back to Sabrina but even more than that I wanted to live make him stay 400 points I felt like such a dick

I just get the only person from freedom that had spared my life Jackie will lose the rest of their hand 200 or John will lose a finger three hundred this was a really awful decision a finger was nothing compared to a whole hand and it will give me more points but was i ready to sacrifice something for someone who'd wanted my death jack six hundred points well if i hadn't realized it before this game really showed me how weak the human mind is you do anything some authority

asked you to do as long as it perks for yourself I felt like such a horrible human being. And it got even worse. Josh gets to speak to head of research. Minus a hundred. Or Manuel loses one toe. Two hundred. God, I couldn't harm him even more.

Josh. Five hundred points. I hoped I wouldn't regret this decision. You can end it all now. Julia will be kept from all benefits including sleep and nutrition for one week. 500 points. Do you accept? Would she survive at?

I didn't know. All I could hope was that she had something to drink saved in her room. Who cares? She wanted me dead. She didn't even flints when she typed in my name. You'd have to do anything to survive. Yes. Would you like to spare that?

the life of John. Minus 1,000 points. Yes. Right after I typed it in, I ran to the bathroom to throw up. This had been the hardest moment of the experiment so far. I'd never hated myself as much as I did in this moment. I hope survival was worth this. Day 8. I woke up lying next to the toilet. The memories of yesterday came back to me, and I felt like throwing. up again. Finally I got up to see if there were any new messages from social. Any sign that this misery would end soon. Dinner time? You may now choose a meal for participant John. Why did this say my own name? Maybe they wanted me to pick my own dinner last night. I didn't care. I mean, I should have felt hungry, but the guilt kept me from even thinking about food. What time was it? I hadn't

got a breakfast message here. As if social could read my mind, the laptop started ringing again. The text was not from social, though. Good morning. Social. No, I would like to ask a few questions if that's all right. Does it matter what I say? It always matters. Your decisions are what brought you this far. I don't ever remember accepting to come to this hell. What do you remember? If I answer your questions, you let me go. Yes, Josh. After this conversation, you are free to go home.

Do you remember your home? Did they just mix up my name? I did vote for Josh to have a conversation with the head of research. I just decided to go with her then. Yeah, I do. I have a little apartment where I live with my cat, but you probably know all about that. and you think the cat is called Kiwi?

Yes, I can see that shortboard. How do they know the name of my cat? Um, yes, Kiwi. What does Kiwi look like? I couldn't remember. There are also letters on there. K and F. Kristen and Finn, right?

How do you know that? Do you remember what they look like? Or what Mary looks like? Do you remember your childhood home? tried to think of my mum. Blonde hair, brown eyes. She was about fifty. For some reason, I didn't remember more.

What did she look like when I was younger? Why did my memory feel frozen? It was as if I was thinking of a photo, not a real person. Keep thinking. The image shifted. It was a woman with short hair, a kind smile. The hair was black when I was little, but now it had turned grey.

A name came to my mind. Margaret? Who was this woman? Do you know who Margaret is? I believe that is your mother. Who's Mary? That must be the mother of John. I am John.

Are you sure about that? More memories came up. Kiwi, my dad, my friends, the lake. Everything was wrong. They were simply images. They'd morphed into something else. college, a woman, blood, a girl, she had a tattoo on her arm, a hospital. I started remembering more.

I had joined an experiment once at college. I didn't remember much, except that the research was corrupt and evil. After I left that experiment, terrible things happened to me, to everyone around me. I decided to leave and I travelled around Europe for a while, but wherever I went, things went bad for me. He must have found me. What did I find then? They wiped away everything and gave me false memories. Josh, you did really well here.

I realised this experiment has its ups and downs, but eventually you grew to the top. You showed no remorse. You are a true leader. Josh. Social kept calling me John and I just accepted it. How did I forget about my own name? No, I did.

I only did what you made me do. I did what I had to do. Because of points, numbers on a laptop. You decided to shock both Manuel and Julia. You sacrificed Jackie's hand. You gave Julia a gun even though you knew she was suicidal. Although you did spare John's life. Who is John? You got to know him as Josh. We swapped your identity with his and added him as an addition. variable. He's on his way to become part of our team. Before this he'd been torturing Julia, and it worked. That's why she wanted me dead. And she probably convinced Jackie too. Why? Why did you do all this? All these people were normal human beings living their lives. Keep them in a room alone, give them power to make decisions, and they will lose all sense of humanity. They are no exception. We have tested this in many settings already.

Some humans grow above, however. A very select number get to make rules, not follow them. And John is one of them? No. He had potential, but he is nothing like you. You're the only person that could remotely come close to me, and that is why I need you. You are always one step behind me.

I had to make sure you were strong enough to be part of this. be part of the new life and now i know you have everything in that it takes i'm extremely proud of you you want me to start doing these sick experiments on innocent people this is happening there's no way for you to change any of this our institution is far more powerful than you might believe and giving you the option to be on the side that makes the decision i am not forcing you to do anything just think about you are free to go home now but we will see each other again soon goodbye nine that was the last thing I remember I woke up in my apartment my real apartment not the one from my memories Johns or whatever they made me believe my memories my memories

slowly came back and I wish they had thought about running away starting over somewhere far away but for some reason I think they'd find me. And for the same reason that the authorities weren't listened to me. They are powerful. They're not just doing experiments. They're planning to take control over humanity or something. Yesterday, I received an envelope of the patient files, as well as this postcard.

The next round of the social experiment will start soon. Do you want to be an object or a leader? I thought about this a lot. about joining them not as a test subject but as a researcher thought about this a lot since I've been back home I don't know what'll happen

next but this study did teach me a lot about human nature and my own mind how arbitrary freedom and choice were I followed them blindly followed some authority for made up points and false promises I know I have to get back there not to become part of the research

team but to save the ones I left behind. I will not accept being this terrible person. I can do better with the knowledge I've gained. The envelope has no return address. So for now, all I can do is wait. Bloodsuckers. The college senior suspects that vampires are behind the recent disappearances, but his roommate is too busy with his girlfriend to pay attention, so he decides to solve the mystery by himself. October had arrived. The wind had a hint of the approaching winter. The days had started to fall short. People had not yet started to react to this change, but the sun went down as early as five o'clock, and it was almost at the horizon that day when Ahmed Vikram and Nina were sitting in a restaurant killing their time. Ahmed Kareishi and Vikram Singh were

college seniors, roommates and best friends. They're going to be graduates that year. Nina Kravoski was Vikram's girlfriend. She wasn't from college. Vikram had met her in a club that Ahmed had to take it into. Vikram was an orphan. He'd managed to get a scholarship to go to college, but there was no way he could afford a livelihood like that, but Ahmed always forced him to come with him. He had his parents' money, so he didn't care. He just didn't want to be alone. But first Nina was not so interested in Vikram, but the fact that he was an orphan brought them together. Nina didn't have a father. She lived with a mother and aunt.

That bonded Nina and Vikram together very soon. Ahmed always just tagged along. All three of them enjoyed each other's company. They were talking about the upcoming Halloween party. So, who are you two going as? Nina asked in her squeaky voice, flipping her shiny dark hair and looking at Vikram and Ahmed with her small black eyes.

I haven't decided yet, I still have my costume from last year. I'll trade it off with someone. Vickram replied in his heavy voice. He sat right beside, Nina. No, you are not, Ahmed interrupted. You're not wearing someone's old costume. We're going shopping next Sunday.

Why, it's just for one night and everyone's going to be too drunk to notice anyway, Vikram argued. Yeah, I mean, it isn't just like every day for you guys. You guys are drunk after sundown anyway. This one evening you're going to be in costumes. I mean, it's Halloween, Nina added. Oh, you take that back. Ahmed pretended to be offended.

What? Oh, you hurt his feelings. Halloween night is probably his favorite night. Vikram said, smiling. He's into ghosts, horror, and stuff like that. Oh, I'm sorry. What I'm trying to say is Vikram is right. No, he doesn't say it.

He doesn't like it when you spend too much money on him. It makes him feel like he's in your debt. What? Come on, man. You're not in debt. You don't have to pay me back. You're my brother. But, okay, I get it. Oh, well, that's settled. Yeah, yeah, I wish I could come to the party, Nina said, hopefully.

Maybe you can, Ahmed replied. I guess it's allowed on campus. No, but we can sneak you in. Yeah, I mean, everybody's going to be dressed, nobody will find out, Vicromantic. Are you guys sure? Yeah, yeah, don't worry. Okay, great. Nina looked at her watch and turned to Vikram.

We should get going. Already, Vikram asked. What are you guys going? asked Ahmed. We've decided to have dinner with Nina's parents. It means my mom and my aunt, my two moms. Yeah, they're your parents, sweetheart. Come on, let's go, shall we? They paid the bill and walked out of it.

the restaurant. It wasn't very cold, but still it made Vikram shiver even though he was wearing a jacket. Ahmed was wearing a long-sleeved shirt, but still he put his hands in his pockets to shield them from the cold. I, uh, might be late. Vikran started. Yeah, I'll leave the door unlocked and don't worry, I'll probably be awake by then, Mark made interjectives. Oh, please don't waste your time on these chat rooms again, Vikram said. What chat rooms? Niener. asked. She was listening in. I want to be Detective Ahmed here. Waste his time chatting with others like him trying to solve unsolved cases.

What, that's, um... Yeah, I know right. Some of them even believe that they're a vampire. Vikram, can I talk to you for a moment? Ahmed dragged Vikram aside. Isn't I? No, you don't take this seriously, but it's not a joke. Okay, I'll admit some of these people are crazy. It's probably nothing unnatural going on, but those disappearances are real. I'm worried.

So, don't walk alone, okay. Take a cab. Here, keep this money. Ahmed tried to hand him a few hundred, and Vickram made a face that reminded Ahmed of what Nina had said earlier. Come on, you're my brother. Take care. Remember, don't walk, take a cat. Anyway, good-bye to Vikram and Nina, and came back to his room when the camera.

tempest dormitory. The very first thing he did as he entered is the same thing that Vikram had told him not to do. He switched on his computer and logged into the chat room. As expected, a discussion was already going on. He scrolled up to read some of the unread messages. Most of them were just greetings and unimportant. A few of the important ones read. So how do they survive subtropical cities like ours? Or maybe they've adapted to this climate. It's not like they have to come out in the sun. They could just stay hidden. Right, and if they're masquerading as humans,

they'd probably be doing it at some place more similar to their natural habitat, like an ice cream factory or any other place like that. Hmm, makes sense. If there are many of them, they could all easily cover for each other. Ahmed read all those messages, and they made infuriates. He typed. Hey, guys, so you've straighted up his stoutive. that vampires are behind these disappearances.

I mean, it could be a serial killer. Could be an underground network harvesting human organs. We have to look into every possibility. You guys are just making up stories to thrill yourself. Someone replied to Arnett. I thought we already discussed that. Someone else had it. We are looking at every possibility.

Right now we're discussing this one. And the message is kept on coming one after another. after another. Armad read silently for a minute. And the FBI did find some bodies early on and they were intact. I know it could still be a serial killer, but there's no underground network harvesting human organs. Yeah, my dad's in the force. He said even the blood was removed surgically, you know, with a syringenol. That, Ahmed quickly typed him. So, if they are vampires, can't they just directly suck the blood from the victim's body? Why would they use a syringe?

Isn't it clear? They want to throw the police off their trail. God, are you even thinking? Someone replied. Are you? Man, it typed again. Why would they care about that? The police at most would think it was done by some animal.

They don't know about vampires. They do? The kid whose father was in the police replies. My dad said there's a rumor that some... people in the department know about that stuff. He said they're a hidden organisation or something, which asks these people to work on these cases. But it's just a rumor. Even I don't believe it. You said police found some bodies. Where did they find them? My dad said they found them by the river in the old city. They must have washed up on the shore. Yeah, old city. That's the perfect

dumping round. They probably don't even have to throw them in the river. Well, where he could find a body in those streets even if it started to smell. Wait, there's no factory in the old city, is there? No, Ahmed replied. Some small-scale setups, but no factory. Guys, we're getting nowhere with this. We need more information, more clue. I have an idea.

Why don't we go look by the river? There must be some clue or evidence. What do you guys say? I'm on board. We'll finally meet up. I'm not sure. up a we've got to do something. Amit waited a few seconds and then he typed in. Yeah, okay, let's do this. They all decided to meet up next Saturday and looked by the river for glues.

Amit went to bed about half an hour before Vikram came back. He was still at Nina's place finishing up his dinner. Thank you for the delicious food, Mrs. Crohossos. Vikram said to Nina's mother just before leaving. Oh, well. Thank you for coming, she replied. It was lovely to meet you. Nina's mother was probably in her 40s, but she still looked just as young as Nina, and so did her sister, Nina's aunt,

who looked at Nina and said, Nina, I love this boy, even though he didn't take his jacket off after I asked him three times. I wanted to see his biceps. But that, Vickram's cheeks went red. Oh, they're not great. I don't work out, and I didn't feel like taking my jacket off.

I wasn't feeling that hot. Of course you weren't. You were sitting with Nina. You should have sat next to me. And she laughed her lungs off. Okay. Nina's mother started speaking. It was a wonderful evening.

You should come more often. What are you doing Saturday nights? Nothing. Nina spoke up before of Ikron. Perfect. Nina, honey, bring him home on Saturday. Okay. Done.

Well, Vikram couldn't handle that amount of love. He'd grown up in an orphanage and wasn't used to this. He could barely speak up. Um, uh, thank you, Mrs. Cervosus. I can't say, Mom, help him. Oh, don't mention it, dear. Now you should head back.

It's getting late. And Vikram said good night to everyone, promised to come on Saturday and left. The moment he left, Nina hopefully looked at her. mother and her aunt. So, what do you think? Nina's aunt hopped to her feet, clapping her hands. Oh, he's perfect. I love him. The next morning Ahmed got up early. He was making coffee when he saw Vikram's bed was empty, but it looked like he'd slept there. Ahmed was just wondering where he'd go so early in the morning when Vikram walked in, still sleepy and with a handbag which

was probably Nina's. Where have you been to? Ahmed said, looking at the handbag. It's neatness. She lifted at the restaurant yesterday. My phone was in there too, Vikram replied. He put the handbag on the table right next to the entrance and went back to his bed and fell onto it. Within minutes, he was snoring.

Ahmed took his cup of coffee and switched on the computer again. He logged in to the chat room and found a few more unread messages. He started reading them while drinking his coffee. Hey, did someone say the police have found some bodies? Do we know who they were? No, the police couldn't identify them, but they looked like they were homeless people living on the streets. Ah, that's perfect. Whoever's behind this, they're targeting people who nobody will miss, nobody would look for.

Yeah, they're taking the poor homeless or orphans. We don't even know how many they've taken already. Oh, maybe we'll find something on Saturday. Yeah, see you guys then. When it was time to go to college, Ahmed switched off the computer and went to get ready. Vikram woke up and got ready too. They both left the college together. In the evening, Ahmed was again on the computer, but nobody had come online or left any messages.

Vikram, who was out, came back so Ahmed quickly switched the tab. Hey, what's up? Ahmed asked. Nothing. Vickram said exhaustively and plunged into a chair. I was waiting for you. I got you something. Ahmed picked up a package and threw it towards Vikram, who caught it and began opening us.

What is it? Did you get me a costume already? No, we're going to go for that on Sunday, remember? Vickram opened the package and saw a pair of blue sneakers fall out. What? I was feeling bad about you losing your shirt. that night so I got you a new pair. You didn't have to. Those were already worn out. I was going to buy a new pair anyway. Well, now you don't have to. Thanks, man. Yeah, and you don't have to pay me back.

I know. You think I can't appreciate a gift? Okay, then. Come on, I'm starving. Let's go eat. When Saturday arrived, most of the students had left for the holidays. The festival of lights was approaching, only a few of them had stayed for the Halloween party, and Ahmed and Vigran were among them. Ahmed logged into the chat room every day, but no one else had said anything. They were all offline since the last time. Ahmed was furious. They were all just pretending to be worried about the disappearances, wanting to solve it. They must have left for the holidays too, bailed on the chance that they got. That evening, Ahmed was sitting in the room thinking about going to the river alone, when Vikram walked him.

Dude, put on a shirt. Nina's coming. So what? Nothing is just... It's not good manners. Ahmed put on a shirt. Hey, Nina, Ahmed said as soon as she walked in. She was wearing an overcoat,

but her heels implied that she must have been wearing a dress underneath. Hey, what's up there? Hi, sweetie, said Vikram and pecked her on the cheek. Here's your handbag. Oh, thanks, and can I borrow your phone? Mine's dead again. Again, did you try charging it sometimes? Vikram said, playfully handing over his phone.

Okay, you go ahead, I'll be right there. I just have to wear the shoes. Ahmed, I was waiting for Nina to go out. Looked to Vikram mysteriously. Ooh, someone's going to be lucky tonight. Nothing like that. I'm having dinner with her family. Vickram replied, while putting on his new sneakers.

Oh, you poor guy. I don't want to leave you alone for the holidays, but that's the only way you'll have the room to yourself. Don't worry about it. Besides, I like her. I don't want to rush. Okay, see you later. Vickram waved goodbye and walked out.

Little did he know that he would never see Armit again. Let's go, he said to Nina. who was waiting for him outside. Wait, you got your handbag on my phone right? Yeah, Nina said, patting the pocket of her overcoat. Ahmed was just waiting for Vikram to leave. He quickly dressed and left the room. On his way out he saw Nina's handbag on the table.

Ah, that girl is dumb as hell, he said. It was a good thing she's pretty. He reached the river in the old city. It was dark, which hadn't been his plan. but he had to wait for Vikram to leave. He started walking in the marks. It looked like a waste management site. It was so much garbage it was impossible to see anything, especially in the dark.

And the stench almost made him throw up. He kept looking in the light of his phone's flash. He was also scared. If it was the dumping site, there was a slight chance that whoever was behind all this could show up to dump another body. He soon realized that one person couldn't look. through the miles of garbage alone but he didn't realize that he wasn't the one in danger even though he was scared oh the one who wasn't scared at all and was

in grave danger was Vikram. He was sitting on the couch with Nina in her living room while her mother and aunt were in the kitchen preparing the dinner. Nina was playing with Vikram. He was a little nervous but was still responding. Are you sure we can't help them? he asked. Don't worry about it. Nina replied. replied, pulling herself closer to him, and before Vickram could say anything else, she kissed it. Well, Vickram was worried that her mother and aunt could walk in on them at any second, but after a few seconds of Nina's lips passionately pressing against his, he gave up.

Nina was now nibbling in his ear. Nina was now nibbling in his ear. She made her way down his neck, on his left side, and... Vickram felt an intense wave of pain spreading through his body from two fresh wounds. on his neck. Then he screamed. Vickram tried to scream, but no sound came out. He was out of breath. He tried to stand up, but he couldn't move his muscles. Ne'er then let go of his neck, and Vickram saw her face. She had been completely transformed. She was staring at Vickram with her red eyes, with elliptical pupils, and was flickering her forked tongue. Vickrude was,

and felt a wave of terror travel through his body. That was the last thing he felt because his whole body then went now. Nina saw this and smiled. She knew that her prey wasn't going anywhere, Nett. She turned her head towards the kitchen and hiss. Her mother and aunt came, flickering their tarts. One of them, Frickham couldn't tell which one, pushed a needle into his vein. He saw blood running out of his body through a tube with the corner of his.

his eye he didn't feel anything and certainly couldn't do anything to stop it he was just praying that someone would come and save him there was nobody to save him he soon started to lose consciousness it's almost done sweetheart Nina began I know you must be thinking what's happening right now perhaps you should have listened to your friend Vickram couldn't see anything darkness it filled his vision and his mind he could only hear Nina's voice, which felt like it was coming from afar. She was laughing. It's been a long time since we had a good meal. I mean those malnutrition homeless scum and barely any blood in their bodies. We had to take extra care with your case. That damned phone of yours could have

gotten us in trouble. I had to make sure you could never bring that thing here. I had to lose my favorite handbag for it, but it was worth it. The remaining blood and life. drained out of Vikram's body soon enough. The last thing he could think of was Ahmed. He hoped with his dying breath that maybe he would figure it out somehow. He would do something, but Ahmed had no clue. That night when Ahmed returned to his room, Vikram still hadn't come back. He thought that maybe Vikram was staying at Nina's.

The next morning Ahmed tried calling him, but found out that he'd left his phone there in Nina's handbag. He waited all day for him to return. When night approached, he started getting worried, and by Monday morning when he was sitting in the police station he realized that he might never see his friend again. The police couldn't find him. I tried looking for a girl named Nina, but he couldn't find anyone. He also tried tracing Vikram's location history by his phone, but the phone had never been

to Nina's plane. The case turned cold just like all the other cases of disappearance. The police weren't even convinced that anything. had happened to Vikran who was to say that he hadn't just left everything behind to start a new life after all wouldn't be the first orphan to do so Ahmed didn't go home for the hard days he spent his days and nights scrutinizing the riverside he couldn't sleep he couldn't eat he couldn't think about anything else except that if he'd just been a little more cautious if he just paid attention he

could have saved his friend it was all his mistake He wanted him to get away so he could play the little game of investigation, his fantasy. He was now sure that there weren't any vampires in the city. How could he have thought something crazy like that? He knew that his best friend must have fallen prey to the foul ways with a crime well. There was nothing he could do about it. After about two weeks, Ahmed was finally ready to go home. There was still a few days left for the festival and his parents had kept on insisting.

He agreed to go just because of him. because he didn't want to be alone. He was just wandering by the riverside. He was leaving the next day, but he couldn't stop himself from going there one last time. He was just walking aimlessly around when he spotted something in the pile of garbage. He jumped at him.

He was now literally rolling in the mud, but he didn't care. It was stuck in the mud. Karmie dug around it and pulled it out. And when he realized what it was, he started crying. Tears streamed from his eyes. The pain was unbearable.

He was wailing like a wounded animal. He picked it up in his mug-covered hands and kept looking at it with tears in his eyes. It was a blue sneaker, the Krovosos family. Arjan tries to solve the mystery of bloodless bodies which everyone at first thought was the work of vampires, but turns out to be something. else. It was a serene night, calm, peaceful and lonely. It was a beautiful night to go out.

There was no traffic or pollution, no honking of the loudhorns, no smoke polluting the air. It was a fresh, healthy and clear night. It was a night to take a walk on a lonely, long road, dimly lit by dingy streetlights and the clear sky filled with hundreds and thousands of stars. Drinkling as if they were giggling. It was a lovely romantic. night I had a great time tonight said Nina who was half drunk and was leaning on Raj's shoulder Raj was looking at both of Nina's stuffed into high heels feet to make sure she didn't trip or something was talking to her me too thank you for walking me home well I wasn't going to let you walk by yourself they were walking to Nina's home after a dinner date they'd met each other in a bar

just a couple of days ago. Raj was a businessman. He ran a small business in Metro City, and he was really handsome and quite wealthy, but that wasn't the reason why Nina had decided to go out with him. Well, Raj lived alone. He'd walked out of his parents' house after they'd had a huge fight. He'd never tried to contact them after that, nor did his parents.

He'd been living all by himself for the past five years. Well, he rarely made any friends, and that's why Nina chose him. Nobody knew that Raj was out on a date tonight. Nobody Raj worked with knew anything about a girl named Nina, and most importantly, nobody would look for him if he went missing tonight. A few days later, Dr. Guartan Vishwaz was about to finish his shift in the mortuary. He was writing the report on the post-mortem examination of the body of a young man that was discovered a day before near the riverbank.

It was late at night, and there was rarely anyone there. The doctor was busy in his work when somebody entered the office. It was a man, tall, square-faced with small eyes, wearing a blue-green, white, chequered shirt and jeans with leather shoes. The doctor stopped working and looked at the man who walked up to his desk. He was about a foot taller than the doctor, because he had to lift his head up to make eye contact. The doctor wasish was, he asked.

Yes, who was asking? The doctor wasn't sure if he was an official, because honestly he didn't look like one man had a very kind but soothing strong voice names arjun i am i've come from the library to it's okay uh we're alone you can talk oh good um mancy sent me arjun seemed relieved yeah she called um come with me the doctor took arjun to the morgue as they entered the cold prompted Arjan to go for his salt bomb, but then he realized it was just normal cold. He looked away to try and hide his embarrassment, but the doctor wasn't even looking. He was busy putting on gloves, and then he pulled a body out.

It was Raj, pale, cold, and dead. Male, 27, been dead for a few days. The blood was removed surgically with a syringe. I found a needle mark on his right arm. Arjun clenched his jaws. But you said to Manzi it was a vampire's jaw. Yeah, I mean, I think so, as well I found this. The doctor pointed towards two small puncture wounds on Raj's neck.

At first it looked like a snake bite or something like that, but the distance between them suggested a wider jaw. Arjan leaned in to take a closer look. He'd barely even looked at it when he pulled himself up, looked at the doctor and asked tell me doctor how much do you know about vampire not much they hate sunlight and they drink human blood and them yeah that's about it why do you ask it wasn't a vampire the daughter looked confused what but then yeah they don't bite they rip their victims throat apart They have a different set of about a hundred teeth, maybe more.

This was not a vampire, and clearly whoever did this doesn't know about vampires either. Maybe they're trying to pass it off as a vampire. The doctor looked away in the air, thinking, Then this must be it, he said to himself. I'm sorry, what? I also found traces of a chemical. I'm not sure what it is. I've sent it to the lab.

Arjan nodded and then pointed at the body. What do we know about him? Not much. He lived alone. No friends. Families are away too. Hmm. You said he was found in the river.

So he tried to get rid of him. He wasn't meant to be found. The doctor thought this Arjun guy was pretty dumb, but he didn't say it. Instead, well, obviously. Why would they want him found? No, I mean, what if he isn't the only victim? Maybe he's just the one that we found. The doctor was now thinking that maybe he wasn't that stupid.

He was the one feeling foolish, so he tried to distract himself from that thought. Oh no, there had been others before. What? Yes, these bloodless bodies have been washing up on the shore for quite a time. They could not be identified. Oh, wait. He went and came back with a few folders. He showed Arjan the pictures.

of the other bodies. They all had the same marks on their neck. I don't get it. Why are we only hearing about this now? Arjan asked. Because I wasn't working here. I was just transferred here a few weeks ago. When this one arrived, they said, oh, there's another one. I asked and they told me they'd found bloodless bodies before, but they could never identify them. Arjan must have come to a conclusion because he sighed and said, Okay, thanks for your help. He extended his hand. The doctor quickly removed the right glove and shook Arjun's hand.

I'm sorry I couldn't help more. I didn't know about vampires. Manzi never tells me anything. Oh, yeah, she does that. Arjun snicket. I mean, don't get me wrong, she's a gentle soul, but she loves to play Dumbledore. Never tells anyone anything.

I didn't know. about you until she told me. Don't think about it too much. Now you do know about vampires. You smile. They both left the morgue. The doctor went back to his desk and arched into the door where he'd stopped. He turned back and said, oh, one more thing. Vampires don't hate sunlight. I mean, it's not the light. It's the heat they despise. And then he left the mortuary. When he walked out, he took out his phone and dialed a number. It rang and Manzi answered. Hey, she said.

Hey there, um, I just came back from the mall. I looked at the bodies. And? They drain the blood, but with a syringe. Oh, I did find bite marks on the bodies, but, um... But what? She asked. Well, they are not the bite marks of a vampire.

So, what do you think? Um, who's working the missing person's case? Why'd you ask? and there might be others whose bodies we never found might give us a clue a link between the victims a pattern oh call dev he'll help you okay i'll call you back if i find something arjun hanged up and dialed another number he had urgency in his nerves he wanted to do this before anyone else went missing but he didn't know he was already very late not very far from where arjun stood in the street outside the mortuary making a call to inspector Dev, Nina and her family's next victim were playing with each other on the couch in their living room. Ah, where's your mum and aunt? he asked, looking around, hoping for something. They're out.

We're all alone, Nina grinned. Oh, great. He smiled too because that's exactly what he'd been hoping for. He pushed Nina down on her back and started kissing her. Nina tried to push him away, but not too hard. Oh, what's your hurry, cowboy? But he wasn't even listening. He'd already started pulling Nina's dress down,

so she went along. She moved her lips down his neck, and... He screamed. At first he didn't realize what was happening to him. He thought that Nina was just being too aggressive, but then he felt it. He felt the venom spreading through his veins and his muscles going stiff.

He tried to move them, but couldn't. Nina pushed him on the floor, and he dropped like a mannequin. He heard a hissing, and then he saw two older women coming out of the kitchen, and the last thing he felt was the needle pushing through his arm. The last thing he saw was their smiling faces, their elliptical pupils, and their forked tongue. The next day Arjun went to Metro City College. He had already been to a few missing persons' houses in the list that Inspector Dev had given him. It was a scrimp warm noon,

late November he knocked on the door of a room of a college dormitory someone opened the door and Arjan looked to see who it was the boy must have been in his early twenties but his beard was so thick he looked 40 his eyes were red as if he hadn't slept in forever Arjan could smell alcohol in his breath and the boy looked miserable I looked at him in pity um I met Arjna asked. The boy didn't answer. He left the door open and walked in. Arjan didn't know what to do, so he followed and closed the door behind him. Are you Hamid Qureshi? Arjun asked again. The boy snapped. And who are you? Another reporter? Come here to help me. You're going to run too after listening to my story. Just leave faster than you arrived. Arjan calmly listened to him.

When he was finished and was staring at him, grinding his teeth, he softly, slowly said, I'm not a reporter. My name is Arjun Warrior. Warrior? Ahmed startled upon hearing his name. Are you related to? Yes. Arjun spoke before Ahmed could even finish his question.

I'm his son. That's why I don't usually give out my last name. Well, what are you doing here? What do you want? I'm searching for whoever took your friend. Oh, I may pretend it to look amazed. So you are a vampire hunter. Look at you, look at the great Arjun warrior,

son of the richest man in the country, bored of his life, his luxury, a freaking vampire hunter, leaves at night to kill the bloodsuckers. Well, boo-hoo. Sorry to burst your bubble, Bruce Wayne, but there are no vampire. Ahmed had lost it. He was enraged by the fact that Arjun had come here hoping he could actually play his game,

but he had decided to ignore the fact that Ahmed had lost his best friend, his brother. He was also angry at himself to ever believe in such nonsense. He was angry because he saw himself in Arjun. They're not real. They never have been. Only if I could have brought myself to believe this earlier, my friend might still be alive. Leave Arjun warrior. Leave the way you came, leave before I'd call the police.

Arjan silently watched Ahmed break down. He watched him crash to the floor. He watched him sob. He knew, however, that he could not feel his pain because he had never lost someone so close to him. Not like this, but he could understand his pain. He could understand that he had to be more than himself at this point. He had to be a brother.

Ahmed. Arjun grabbed his arm, pulled him up and sat him down on the bed. Then he took a seat on a chair and held Arnette's face straight with his hands. Ahmed, look at me. Look at me. Ahmed looked into his small, fiery eyes. You were right. Vampires didn't take your brother, yes. No, he was like a brother to you. They weren't vampires, but it doesn't mean that they were not real.

Yes, he went on reading his expressions. They are real, and not just vampires, everything you will. have or haven't heard about is real. Vampires, werewolves, ghosts, witches, monsters, everything, everything is real. The world is covered in so much darkness, it's impossible to see them.

There is so much evil in the world that no one can ever imagine. But it doesn't mean that you would throw away a beautiful thing. The only thing we have let they don't. Life. A beautiful gift of life. Faith, a noble cause.

love, compassion, a sense of being part of something bigger than us, a bond that ties us all. I know you've lost your best friend, I can never even begin to imagine what it feels like. Only you do, and if you don't want someone else to go through that, what you're going through right now. If you don't want someone else to lose their friend or family, please, please tell me everything you know and help me find who did this. I'll just let go of Ahmed's face, which was blank for another minute, but then, an expression of disgust appeared on it. You don't have to find out who did it. I know already.

It was that bitch. You just have to find out where she is. Who? Who was it? Nina Kravosos. And then he went on to tell Arjan how he and his friend Vikram had met her in a club, how they became friends,

how she took Vikram to have dinner with her mother and her aunt. He told him how she always purposely left Victim's phone behind. when she took him to her house, so its location history couldn't be traced to her house. He told him what happened the night he last saw his friend, and after that. He told him how no one had believed him and how the only thing he ever found

was a shoe that he'd given him as a present. When Arjun left, he didn't have any answers, but he had a name, Cravosso. The sun retired of the day, and the moon took its place in the black-purple sky. A few patches of clouds covered it as if it was a canvas and they were trying to complete the painting, adding in more beautiful details. It was a pleasant evening. Mancey didn't look happy at all.

She was tired and still working. She had a bunch of books opened on her desk and she was scrutinizing them, looking for something. She only looked up because she heard someone on the front stairs. It was Arsham. He too was very tired, but not as much as Mancy and he was about to see that. He climbed the stairs and entered through the huge door. He didn't have to struggle to find Mancy, which was usually the case because she was always somewhere in the basement, but not this time. The whole library was deserted, as usual.

Only a few lights were on. It was awfully quiet. He looked to his right, and there she was. She had a small face, but a long furrowed forehead, long black hair which was tied up in a ponytail with a hairband. Arjun knew that she did that when she was a little. working she'd also rolled up the sleeves of her top and she was looking at him but with big tired eyes they had dark circles below them now the thing with ajourn was that wherever he went he always had his authoritarian look on his face like he was in charge that's just how he worked but as soon as he

laid eyes upon mansey that look vanished from his face because now mansey had that look on her As soon as Mancy saw who it was on the stairs, she lay her soft, oh, it's you, and buried her head back into the books. Arjan slowly approached her desk. He opened his mouth to say something, but... So, did you find anything? Mancy asked. Yeah, Arjun began, but he looked at the books on the desk. Are you working a different case?

He asked, pointing at the pictures of the creatures on the book. Manzi looked up and sighed. She ran her hands down her face, and that's when Arjun saw her eyes, and he understood why she was avoiding eye contact. Oh, when was the last time you... Arjun flicked his palm and bent his lips, slept. Oh, God, I'm called. The chemical found in the victim's body was a venom. A... Oh, yeah, that makes sense since it's not a vampire, so I'd been looking at...

of every venomous blood-sucking creature. No luck yet. Well, you have to look. I thought you'd memorized every book in your library. Mancy narrowed her brows. Funny, there are thousands of books, centuries of knowledge. Nobody could memorize it all. I only memorized the event law.

Yes, of course you did. Hmm, venom, huh? That doesn't really go with my theory. You have a theory? Yeah, I mean, the way the blood was removed from the bodies, I thought maybe they're trying to preserve it for, you know. You think it's a drug cartel from Crime City? Yeah, why not? Arjun asked upon seeing the reaction on Mansi's face.

Well, it could have been true, but there's one thing. We found the body's intact. Even if they are selling human blood to vampires, why would they throw away a perfectly good body full of healthy organs? and I have a man there. Also, there's venom. Yeah, I see that now. Arjun did not look disappointed. It wasn't the first time his theory turned out to be wrong. In fact, that happened more often, but he always had something else, and something more.

And so was the case this time, too. I, um, I've got something else. Yeah? Just a name. Krovosos. Manzi's face fell so quickly that Arjun didn't have time to wait for an answer. What? He asked.

No, it can't be. It's not possible. What? Why is it not possible? Manci was thinking rapidly. Her pupils were moving left and right so fast Arjan thought she was having a seizure. Then she hurried back towards the door that led to the basement. Arjun followed.

He was one of the few. few who were allowed to go down there. The basement was huge, and the insufficient lighting made it look even larger because some dark corners didn't seem to have an end wall. He climbed down the stairs right behind Manci who, as she was looking for the right shelf, spoke. Kravosos literally means bloodsucker in Russian. She brought out a book once she figured out which shelf it was on, and then she turned pages

with an electric speed that Arjun started to worry that she might even rip a page or two. When she found the page, she put the book on one of the many wooden tables which practically filled the remaining space that was left by the ceiling touching bookshelves and turned on the lamp that sat on there covered in dust. She pointed to an event long. On January 16, 1998, my father exterminated a family of dark wizards in Siberia. They were practicing dark magic with human blood and snake venom. My father wrote they were trying to remain young forever.

they killed humans and drained their blood which they would later drink after a ritual the locals there called them grovosos which translates to bloodsucker that's why i didn't think of it it has no mention of themselves being venomous and i thought they were all dead arjun read the log and then he looked at manzi who was already waiting for him to finish reading you think they succeeded he asked even if they did doesn't make any sense. My father killed them all. It says here, the head of the family, their two sons and his brother. Arjun remembered the name, Nina Kravossos. Only males. What about the females? It doesn't say. Arjun closed his eyes, sighed and walked in a circle. He then looked at Manzi and said, it's the remaining females of the family. They're practically mocking us by calling themselves Krovosos. Then he told her everything he'd learned from Ahmed, everything about Nina Kravosos, her mother and her aunt. When he finished, they stood in silence for a full

minute. Okay, good job, Arjun, really well done, like always. I'll take it from here. What? What do you mean you'll take it? It's my case. No, your job was just to find out who did this. I'll handle it now. I have trained exterminators. They were not born trained. I could train too if you just take everything away. Mancey stared at him for a second. Do you remember what happened last time? Well, Arjun looked embarrassed. I took care of it. You burned its whole body. I needed its skin. Okay, but you don't need anything this time.

They were throwing remark after remark on each other, one after another, without stopping. I do. I need their venom to make an antidote for the other creature's venom. So I'll bring some venom for you. Don't be stupid, Arjan. They have super-hidden senses. Arjun had already opened his mouth to say something, but he stopped, and then, after several seconds he said, do they now. Yes. they'd hear your heartbeat from a kilometer away and they'd smell you from even farther arjun contemplated

this situation and in that case you take care of it thank you said mansey with a relief they both climbed the stairs back to the level arjun asked mansey to get some rest which he agreed to he wished a good night was about to leave when mansey said to his back don't worry arjun we'll get them we will she said the last bit with a smile she never did that to arjun but she considered him a friend unlike others who were just colleagues to her look i know i just arjun stopped to say one last thing i just hope you get them before they get anyone else and then he walked out manzi sent some of her best exterminators to the block where they'd pinpointed the location of the crevorsosos family based on the clubs where the victims were last seen and the riverbank where they were found.

They scoured the block for about a week. They easily blended in with the people. They carry their equipment and weapons in normal looking backpacks. Sometimes they would pretend to look for an address asking people and local vendors, but they weren't even close enough. About a week later, they brought in another one. It was a rather noisy evening, maybe because it was Friday, and everyone was rushing to get it.

home faster. She unlocked the door of her apartment a few blocks away from where the exterminators were patrolling, turned the lights on and welcomed in a young and tall but very shy boy. Come on, Nick. You can leave your backpack by the door, or if you'd like, you can put it by the couch. Nick hesitated to come in, standing by the door. Oh, come on, I didn't know you were this shy, Nina chuckled. You're very sweet. Oh, come on. Nick finally. entered he just stepped into the living room when oh my god he said gaping at the stereo in the corner you have the bay ring at ms 20 wow this one's so much bigger than mine he went on to unpack his backpack and reveal a smaller stereo set can i place something on it please Nina smiled

be my guest can i get you something to drink when she turned she said no under her breath. A few minutes later, a piece of nice romantic music was playing on the stereo when Nina pushed Nick onto the couch, the death seat. She was being impatient. She pulled him in closer to her and leaned in to kiss, but Nick pulled his head back. Um, I... Oh, come on. No need to be shy.

No, it's not that, it's just... Before we do this, shouldn't we... Uh... What? Come on, say it, don't be shy. Nina said, smiling at him. Okay. Nick dropped the act.

Shouldn't we call your mum and Gerard? Nina's smile vanished. She quickly threw herself away from the couch to a safe distance. Nick too stood up and smiled cheerfully. I mean, isn't it rude just to leave them behind? Nina made a hissing noise and her face transformed. She now had elliptical pupils in a forked tongue. Her mother and her aunt came out too.

While they were said, quick, close the door. Oh, don't worry about it. Nick showed them a small shiny key and then put it back into his jeans, still smiling as wide as he could. Who are you? One of the older women asked. Names Arjun. He finally reached.

revealed he couldn't control his smile because everything had worked out exactly as he had planned do you remember the keeper that killed your family i'm friends with his daughter oh and uh she didn't say hello so you were one of them so today after all these years i'll finally avenge my husband and my sons i don't think so kill him nina step forward cautiously. Arjan took a step back and... Oh, come on, Nina. I thought we were having a moment.

I even brought a present for you. He said, and reached into his pocket and poured out what looked like a smoke bomb, but it wasn't one. He threw it on the floor, and a blinding flash of bright white light shot out of it. Arjan turned his back just in time and closed his eyes. Well, the Kravososso's family wasn't prepared for this.

They all screamed as the light was much too much for their eyes. They put the hands in front of their faces, rubbed their eyes, but nothing helped them to see again. You think you've got us? Well, I could still smell you from kilometres away. Ah, of course, replied Arjan, who was now looking for something in his backpan. But you don't think I only brought a present for Nina, D. I mean, that would be rude. He pulled out an automatic fragrance dispenser and turned it on.

It started spraying rose fragrance everywhere, and within seconds the whole apartment started to smell of roses. Well, the three women were trying to find their way around in the living room. Nina's mother tripped once. The other woman, however, was trying to listen to Arjun breathe, or the beating of his heart. Arjun knew he didn't have long before they'd start to see again. Oh, don't struggle Nina's arms. I did bring something for you too, but Nina already had so much bigger and better. He said as he turned the volume of the stereo to the top.

The Gravoso's family now didn't have a chance. They put their hands to their ears. The attacks on their senses were unbearable. They all started crying and begging Arjun to stop. Arjun on the other hand, put on headphones and was now dancing in the living room with an imaginary partner. Soon the smile on his face disappeared though and he channeled rage in his eyes He reached in his backpack once more and pulled out a machete He pulled it out of its sheath with a clenched jaw not because it was difficult to pull it out

He clenched his jaw because he knew what he had to do next The music stopped the effect of the flash also started to wear off The only thing left though was the rose fragrance just as the Krovisos family open their eyes, they saw the grim reaper in the form of a tall young man holding a machete in his hand and rage in his eyes. They all heard the machete slashing through the air. Only Nina heard it three times. It was not as serene a night, not calm or peaceful or lonely, but it was still a beautiful night. It was still a fresh, healthy and clear night. It was now really a night to take a walk on a long lonely road dimly lit by dingy street lights in the sky filled with

hundreds of thousands of stars twinkling as if they were giggling maybe this time with a few patches of clouds it was a lovely night manse was waiting still awake in her pajamas in the library when arjun wot in happy cheerful smiling and maybe taunting mansey but before she could say anything before she she could burst and take it all out on him. He showed her a duffel bag, which probably contained the severed heads of the Croviso's family. Got your venom, he declared. How in the bloody hell did you find them?

Um, you're welcome. How? My exterminators were looking for them for an entire week. A pattern, Mancy, pattern. I mean, nothing against him. He raised his hands to do air quotes. your exterminators, but they are not detectives. I looked for a pattern and I found one. They were targeting loners, orphans, people who lived alone, people who not.

No one would look for. Mancey completed Arjun's sentence. Exactly. I just went outside each of those bars and clubs and asked for donations for an orphanage. And she fell right for it. no one manzi no one donated as much as a rupee and she donated five hundred mansey was nodding without even realising it well done you did great you proved yourself i'm sorry that i doubted you well you had your reasons i couldn't bring that damn skin to make into your handbag mansey looked guilty how did you oh come on

Don't pretend like I haven't seen your collection. To be honest, I burned it partially on purpose. It was horrific skin. It would have looked awful as a handbag. They both let her a small burst of laughter. Then Manzi's phone started to ring. I'll see you later. Good night, said Arjun.

Yes. Mancy replied and went on to answer her phone. Arjun walked out into the intoxicating night. He took a moment to look at the crescent moon. appreciating its aura. Some things are still beautiful, despite being incomplete, he thought. Arjun. Arjun will turn back. It was Manzi. She was climbing down the front stairs. New case, he asked. Yeah. What is it this time? By the looks of it, Mancy paused and said, shape-shifting. And so once again, reach the end of tonight's podcast.

My thanks as always to the authors of those wonderful stories and to you for taking the time to listen. Now, I'd ask one small favor of you. Wherever you get your podcast wrong, please write a few nice words and leave a five-star review as it really helps the podcast. That's it for this week, but I'll be back again, same time, same place, and I do so hope you'll join me once more. Until next time, sweet dreams and bye-bye.