Scare Tactics

The same as that first night, I ended up in the dim passageway, trailing my fingers over the wall as I walked. I encountered no doors, no windows or breaks in the wall to indicate anything other than hallway surrounded me. I turned a corner, unconsciously following the path I had seen the creature begin that morning. I hummed softly to myself as I walked, my fingers tapping out the beat lightly on the wall.

Out of nowhere, a furry...thing brushed my bare shoulder, making me jump and press back against the wall, staring up at the ceiling. Nothing. I breathed out a sigh and turned to resume my wanderings only to be confronted by a pair of glowing crimson eyes. I screamed – I couldn't help it. The eyes flinched back and narrowed, a low growling noise coming from the shadows. I clamped my mouth shut, clapping my hands over it for good measure.

I heard it sigh in relief and the eyes again came closer, tilting as it climbed the wall. Slowly, I dropped my hands to my sides, toying with the silky material of my pyjama pants. "Good evening, creature." The eyes bobbed as though it nodded or bowed and it returned my greeting, "Greetings, little one. You have returned."

I smiles and leaned against the wall, crossing my arms across my stomach. "Yes. I thought that perhaps I had dreamed you. I do that sometimes."

The eyes tilted in seeming curiousity. "The little one dreams of us?" I blinked and tilted my own head, thinking. It's eyes did seem rather familiar to me. I shook my head slightly and looked up at it. "Not sure if it is you yet. But I dream of someone with your eyes. I have since I was small."

It drew in a short breath, then moved closer to me. I fought the nearly overwhelming urge to step back from what was obviously a predator of some kind and failed, my feet shuffling over the carpet. Its tail again came out and poked me in the side. "You dream of us? We have dreamed of you since our creation several years ago." One of my hands dropped to catch the furry thing, holding it gently as I studied it.

"Have you? Strange..." I stroked the tail with my fingers, only to have it snatched back quickly as the creature moved away, muttering under its breath. Startled, I stepped back more and watched with wide eyes as it paced on the ceiling, growling and talking to itself in some strange language I did not understand.

I leaned against the wall again, my fingers toying with the end of my braid. I watched its dark shadow move and pace above me until it became nearly hypnotic, my eyes growing heavy as I slid down the wall. The thump of my body hitting the floor must have knocked it from its growling monologue, because the next thing I knew, it was in front of me, crouched on the floor to look at me.

I jumped with a sharp gasp. Really, it had to stop doing that to me! "Honestly! If you expect me to stop screaming like a banshee, you need to stop doing that! I am only human, you know." I clutched a hand to my chest, rubbing lightly to calm my racing heart.

Its eyes flickered and I saw a clawed hand reach out to touch mine. I squeaked and shot backwards, scrambling into a corner. "What..what the hell?! What are you?!"

It rumbled softly and I watched its eyes move higher, as though it were standing up very slowly. A flicker of light began and as I watched, its body and face were illuminated by what looked like lightning coming from its hands. I followed the path of the strangely dark light from its clawed hands to its scarred chest, and then back down. The soft jingle of metal hitting metal caught my attention, drawing my eyes to the thick collar wrapped around his neck. A tail twitched in and out of my view but as the rumble changed and grew far more menacing, my eyes finally came to rest on his face.

“It seems you did not listen to us before. We are a monster. And though we have enjoyed your company for this brief time but you cannot return to this place ever again, little one. Only monsters are allowed here.”

My heart leapt into my throat, blocking the scream in my throat. The heavy snarl distorted his face and revealed a mouth full of fangs and an inhuman tongue. The thought struck me as I fell back against the wall, my vision darkening. ’If he wasn’t so angry, he could almost be…beautiful.’

Unable to help myself, I passed out cold on the floor, my last conscious thought being that my creature was, most definitely, a male.

_____

Teaser of a story being made currently by Kimmi

Sin belongs to me

The girl, Kaida, belongs to Kimmi