The only thing that kept me from screaming was the sole drop of crimson, sliding tauntingly down the wall. The red line across the pristine white wall screamed so loud, it gave me a headache. All the way up to the ceiling it went, accompanied with a slight red stain on the crease between wall and ceiling.

The drop showed no mercy as it kept sliding down. I wished it to be my imagination, I willed it to disappear. It had not yet been spotted by X, but X would. And when X did, I was screwed.

It was not hard to think it was something else than what I knew it was. It was such a vivid, bright red that it looked fake. But I knew it wasn't.

I also knew that my chances of getting out of here were as slim as it was for a dead guy not to be dead. Okay, maybe not the best analogy, but my death is almost certain. I will not see sunlight again. I won't be able to see my family, my loved ones. I would die here, in these dark, cold chambers and hallways, because that's how the game works.

Only one chance of getting out and that one torturing drop of crimson on the wall was about to ruin it. By now it was a fair ten centimeters above the floor. But the lowest part of the walls sloped backwards; creating a dent. This meant that the little drop would dangle of the edge and then fall off. And X would hear it.

If X would find that I knew there was no escape, that I could, no would, be causing a similar fault in his perfect house, then the game was over.

Bye bye, Fred.

It might be the better way out, though. No more hauntings throughout the night, no endless days without food or water. It might be a quicker, better death.

But I knew better. X loved doing this, there was no way X gave anyone a quick death. And besides, I am a proud man. I don't give up, I won't give up.

Slow, barely there thuds sounded from above me, as if an old person was walking around with a cane. Immediately my eyes refocused on the red drop. It had slid down only a little and for once luck seemed on my side. The thuds from above didn't affect the little thing.

I closed my eyes and drew in a big breath. I pictured the most beautiful face, my wife, but I couldn't contain the scream of pure agony I let loose. I could handle many things, but seeing her angelic face the way I pictured myself ending up here, it terrified me more than anything that could happen to me.

A low chuckle ghosted across the hallway. A shiver crawled up my spine and every hair stood on end. X was back.

I have never seen X before and I couldn't picture a face to anyone or anything that could be like X. The tortures nights of near death, the endless days in this creepy mansion. And the sick collections he kept of his victims. The unlucky participants of his game, like me.

Why I stayed seated, I don't know. The little devilish drop was now ghosting across the edge. It did not occur to me to catch it before it fell, though I would not have done so, even if I could've reacted like that. I had no desire to have it stain me.

The thuds of earlier became heavier, louder. Whether it was X or not, it would still be something to avoid. It was time to run, to get away from the lethal drop that was now dangling on the edge, just waiting to fall. Time to run, to try and outsmart whatever lived here. But I couldn't move. Everything was frozen and my blood slowed. I stopped breathing.

Plop

The little crimson dot was airborne. Falling steadily to the ground. Until it landed.

Thud

Dead silence was what followed. Not even the littlest sound was there and it hurt my ears. It was only so long before true chaos erupted from every corner of the house. No mortal words could describe the pure terror that ran through me. There was not a single cell in my body that would hesitate to kill it self before I was found.

The house that had seemed so lifeless and cold for so long was now alive. The walls, the ceiling, the floor, doors everything seemed to vibrate with energy. Sounds were everywhere, hurting my ears. It felt as if the whole house moved beneath me. And I wasn't moving with it, I was going to be a part of it.

Apparently my body had finally gotten the message that moving would be best right now, because the next thing I know I'm running through the house. Walls moved before me, blocking paths, creating new hallways. Herding me. The fucking house was fucking herding me!

Vaguely I heard terrifying sounds from behind me. My legs pushed harder, I willed myself to be faster, but the evil cackling laughs and cold, blood-freezing screams only became louder and louder. The screams were something new. In all the nights and days I've been trapped in this house from hell and beyond I had been alone. No sounds of any other life form, except maybe X, but I just couldn't be sure if X was 'alive'.

And so, for maybe just a millisecond, I stopped and turned around.

In that short millisecond I saw all the horror, all the fear and all the evil that was X. Every inch of flesh of him was drenched in the smell of fear, mixed with an icy, nose burning scent that was not, could not, be a natural scent from our world.

It was only a glance, but it was enough for me to completely lose my rational mind and run on pure survival instincts. And it got me exactly where X wanted me.

My heart pounding in my ears was all I could here. The movement of my legs, as they pushed me forward without me realizing it, was all I felt. There was a strange serenity in my body, as if I had already given up. I already knew I was going to die, I was going to be another collecters item, on display somewhere in this house. I just knew it, so.. why did I run?

Because I was a man, a human being. It was ingrained in my genes to run when I was scared. Flee if you can't fight. And I had a lot to fight for, my wife, kids. I would not give up , I would die a proud man. For my family.

Thanks for reading :D It's not finished, but I wanted to post SOMETHING. This because I am in search of a story I once read and therefor I am appealing to the good side of lovely readers!

The only thing I remember of the story is that Bella and Jasper (possibly Alice) had History together and Bella had a lot of knowledge, therefor 'competing' with Jasper during discussions. Bella is possible a supernatural creature.. unfortunately that's all I remember.

If any kind soul has any idea, it would be super awesome!