Crimson Silence
Faster and faster I run through the darkened alleys and the abandoned streets as I try to escape my faceless pursuer. With only my instincts as a guide I travel down path after path in some strange effort to find another soul, find anyone who can help me. The more I search though the more my panic grows, for no one is around.
A sudden scream is forced from my lungs as movement from behind me tears through the shadows and reveals the fear from which I flee. Throughout the running and the horrifying ordeal there is a constant. There is a shattering noise, the screeching of metal on rock or on pavement, that seems to be endless and refusing to yield for even a moment.
With the threat of my pursuer closing in my pace quickens and my heart races. Somewhere there must be shelter; somewhere there must be safety from this creature. This is all that runs through my head as I cross street after street, pass building after building. But where is there to run? In this town, this desolate wasteland, where is there to hide from an unspeakable horror that seems to be relentless in its pursuit of me?
Then it hits me, like a hidden wave that was just waiting to be released on the first soul who dare brave such a place. At first nothing could come to mind what this wave of smell that so brutally attacked my sense could be. In a moment that passed though as I came to the realization of what it was, and it did nothing but bring me to the edge of fright. The smell was in fact flesh and other bodily things that were doing nothing but lay and rot. So potent, so strong was the smell, that all of my strength left was used to choke down the bile rising in my throat.
Fear for my life increased a hundred fold as I forced my aching body to continue, so as not to fall victim and join the silent people around me. What the hell happened here? What happened to this town and those who resided here? But most importantly what in God's name was that...thing that had hunted me down since my arrival? While these questions may be important to some, and more important to any outside observer of the situation, they held little relevance with me. For the moment only one thing was on my mind. That thing was of course continuing my trek in an attempt to find a safe harbor. Then perhaps would be the time to try and piece together the horror story to which I had stumbled into, but not before.
A safe harbor. Did such a thing exist in this nightmarish realm? One would assume that in a town of this size that safety from one being would be an easy find. The more I ran and the more places I passed the more I began to doubt that I would find that safety.
I continued to run with all my strength. Block after block, down road after road. From all around me the acrid smell continued to assault my being. Something odd suddenly struck my mind though. All this time while the smell was so constant and so obvious I had not once seen the body of a fallen resident. As strong as the scent was one would assume that the roads and walkways to be covered in the fetid corpses. This fact though was only another small mystery which was but part of a larger and horrifying one, and as such was refused a place in my thoughts for the time being.
My legs, my aching legs, finally win the argument which has been played out in my mind as they beg for a moments rest. With the grinding sound, and its soulless creator, sounding from many blocks behind me I decide to duck into a small flower shop's doorway to catch my breath. As I slowly let the frigid air into my lungs I turned my head, hoping to catch a glimpse of some blossoming flower residing within the shop. There isn't even a flicker of light within the shop, so in an attempt to see I cup my hands onto the glass door to try and capture what little light is available. My hope for one bright spot fades as the shop's interior comes into view though as nothing is present inside save for the wilted ruins of various flowers and a thick coating of dust.
After letting out a sigh of disappointment the ever-nearing threat of my pursuer suddenly jolts its self back into my memory. As I duck out of the small alcove which had hid me I frantically looked about as to get a bearing of where I was and of how near my pursuer was.
Something, whether it was instinct or just an odd feeling, suddenly took hold of me and urged me to look up at the moonlit sky. Another pause in the insanity came as I gazed at the pale and full moon. Somehow it appeared different though. Almost as if it was some menacing foe which glared at me from the heavens and scorned me for my sins.
Louder grew the horrible scraping noise as I realized that the creature had almost completely crossed the distance to me. With maybe only an ounce of added energy I took off once more into the haunted twilight. Even after my fleeting break my bones and muscles ached at my request that they move. There had to be somewhere in this town where I would be given the chance to rest. Somewhere I could hide while I partake in some much-needed calm. But where?
In the midst of an almost silent night a new, far off noise suddenly grabs my attention. Over the constant screeching and scraping the new noise rings out in an almost welcoming fashion. Rings. Yes, that was exactly how to describe the wonderfully inviting sound which nearly drowned out the contrasting one from behind me that had plagued me for so long. Almost instantly I recognized the sound to belong to some large bell that rang nearby. Church bells they were in fact.
A church. Hope swelled in me as I made the obvious conclusion. What better place would there be for me to hide from the pursuing abomination? What better place was there to rest than in a church? My new destination became so suddenly clear. I had to reach the church, and reach it quickly. From everywhere on my body pain ached and demanded that I acknowledge it and let my body rest. Not much longer until you will get your so badly needed rest.
With the hope of salvation and the promise of what my body so desperately needed I found a new burst of energy surge from somewhere deep inside me. My quickened walk suddenly exploded into a sprint, and then a full-fledged run. All the pain was ignored and my entire focus gravitated to the prospect of rest, and the determination of reaching my newfound haven. Slowly the noise behind me faded into the dark, until it became almost silent. Using the new constant of the ringing bells I guided myself down the streets toward the promised salvation. A splash through some puddles and a touch of wetness on my lower legs distracted me for only a moment before the church regained my thoughts once more.
Finally, after an endless run, I found the source of my hopeful ringing. With my last drop of energy I ran to the large, metal, double doors and thrust them open. There was no hint that the creature was anywhere near me, and yet I couldn't help one last look around the darkened town before slipping into my safe harbor. Weariness apparent, I closed the doors behind me and turned to once again gaze upon horror; to which I could do nothing but scream.
Bodies. Dead, rotting bodies. Why I had not smelled the rotten stench on my approach I couldn't say, but with as many corpses as were present anyone would of thought I should have. Everywhere they were. Hanging from the ceiling, dripping blood and gore onto the plush carpet and wood crafted seating. I couldn't count how many there were. Hell, I didn't WANT to count. Easily though I figured that the entire town's populace was here. All dead, all rotting. Killed in apparently the same fashion too before being strewn up like some sort of twisted gallery of fetid trophies.
Again I forced down a wave of rising bile and stomach contents. With so much rot around me it was near impossible to stop from throwing up all over the place, yet I still tried. The sight of it all was too much for me and my thoughts now begged for me to leave. Bodies or not I was still determined that this be my place of rest. There must be some room, some cut-off section where I could find that touch of rest which I was in so dire need.
Slowly I made my way down the aisle, making sure to duck and weave around the lifeless corpses. As I did so I noticed that all of them were tied by their feet, which made their dangling arms appear to be reaching downwards toward the ground. Another thing was that whatever had done this to them had not been choosey. From what I could make out all sorts of people had been slain, even the youngest of the young. What supreme being would condone such a slaughter? Add to the fact that they were displayed in a church of all places.
While approaching the altar at the head of the church something else hit me. At that moment I didn't know whether to let forth another scream or to curse at my stupidity. There had to be someone still alive, some cruel being still drawing breath. If not, then how was it that so many bodies had been strung up? How was it that the bells way up in the tower had suddenly sprung to life? And how was the church illuminated by a thousand flickering candles if not for someone still alive?
Terror gripped at my very soul as a possibility came charging into my tired and horrified mind. The creature which had hunted me down since my arrival. No. That thing couldn't possible be the creator of this Hell, could it? Then, as if on cue my fearful fantasy became a horrific reality as my nightmare stepped out from it's hiding spot behind a huge cross.
It came at me, ever so slowly. With its withered and rotten body, draped in a pale and tattered cloth, it came towards me. I looked up, up at to what was its head if you would choose to call it that. Instead of what would be considered a head there was a large, crimson triangle set onto its shoulders. The scraping noise once again flooded my ears as I saw a large and bloody knife which the creature dragged.
As the creature continued to make its way toward me I could do nothing save for collapse before the altar onto my knees. Such a tiring experience, such a frightening thing to which I had just experienced. Now all I wanted was rest. Tears slowly came down my face as I realized that my end was only moments away. Part of me was glad though. Glad to be rid of the pain, the fear, the uncertainty to which I had constantly faced.
Finally, after the endless wait, I sensed the great knife being lifted into the air by its wielder. Quietly to myself I whispered a prayer from long ago; be all my sins remembered. Then my crimson judge brought the knife down upon me. I could hear the whoosh it made as it tore through the air that lay between it and its target. I felt the sudden pain as it cut itself deep into my left shoulder. I even saw the river of blood that gushed from my wound through teary eyes. At that moment everything darkened and dimmed around me, until finally nothing existed at all.