The Horror

As I turn the doorknob, my fingers tickling at the touch of the cobwebs—and is that a spider crawling up? — I feel a shiver creep up my spine, and then bury itself into my neck. When I feel the sharp, pointed ends of the spider prick on my index finger, I shake it off, catching just a glimpse of its six bloody red, blinking, lusting eyes. It gives me an odd feeling, and I stop for a second, breathe out heavily, and continue to creak open the door. The creak seems almost stretched and more echoing once we step inside the house. Lucy quickly rushes to my side, burying her face into my chest, shivering in fear. I spare one glance at Susan who has shifted closer to our younger brother. But Ed seems completely unconcerned, still joking with Dracus, laughing heartily. I shake my head once and then turn back to the long, misty hallway. It's filled with shadows that seem irrationally big.

The length of the hallway extends at least thirty meters in front of us—although guessing in the dark is pointless. From the outside, I did not expect the house to be that large. There is an bizzare green lighting. Throwing dancing, laughing circles on the walls, and I'm inclined to suspect someone lives here. At the thought, my mind cheers up. But not my heart, which still sees only the cobwebbed corners. The sneers that the darkness seems to be giving me. The two gleaming teeth protruding out. I sigh. It seems the dark has scared me, too. Lucy nuzzles even closer and I shush her. My heart pounds as I step in, earning another creak from the floor. It's almost as if it's complaining. I look down and have another odd shiver crawl up my neck. I clear my throat. For the first time, I feel grateful for my brother's stupid jokes and his laughs. They lighten the atmosphere. Assuring me that there might not be any ghosts here after all.

I take another small step, and Lucy walks with me, still shivering. Behind me, I see Susan link her arm with Edmund's, whispering something indistinct in his ear. And I can only assume he answered back because I don't have the time to observe. My head turns instinctively to the sound of whoosh! A transcending fear dawns on me.

The others seem oblivious to this. I gulp. On my left and right side, corridors extend also, just as eerie and dark and alive as the one we're heading in. The left one is so dark I can't possibly determine how long it is. How far into the hellish darkness it stretches. Its wooden, tiled floor spreads into the black, and it seems to stare back at me. I'm relieved that's not where we're heading. The green circles suddenly appear there, too, dancing on the black, grinning walls. Some parts are burned, some showing odd patches. I don't dare assume it's anything other than algae. I turn back to my brother. He, finally, has stopped to look around, taking in the apparitional image.

"Ed?"

Edmund casually quirks his eyebrows at me. "Yeah?"

I stare once out of the open door and frown to see that dusk has already crept through the land, rendering it dark. The sky was pinkish when we entered but it was twinkling with stars now. "You didn't happen to bring a torch with you? Or a lantern?" I add, though I notice that his hands are empty. Unless he can magically make the items appear, I doubt his answer would be positive. He shakes his head to effectively confirm my suspicion. And I turn back. The green circles have disappeared, and I wonder if it was only a trick of the moon's light reflecting. Or my mind's. I look back, all eyes turn to me. I shake my head, dismissing the idea, and turn to face the corridor stretching in front of us. Without the dull, green light, the place is even darker, the shadows even bigger, almost appearing to mock me. Hands rubbing. Growing bigger. Stretching up to the wall. Blanketed by the darkness. Red eyes jeering. And wrinkled mouths curled into menacing grins. I blink. It's only the dark now. I feel embarrassed all of a sudden. It seems that the High King of Narnia is afraid of the dark.

"You know, Pete, we could always go back. If you're scared," my brother says and I feel the urge to throttle him. Thankfully, the fear dissolves in the anger and I give him a glare. I can't be sure he noticed it in the dark. I can hardly see him myself. Susan's voice echoes from my left. And I'm startled.

"Maybe we should turn back. It's dark already."

I pull Lucy a little closer, caressing the back of her hair, and reply, "There's nothing to be scared of, Su."

"Just the dark," Lucy mutters, hiding her face into my side again.

Edmund's giggles echo off the black walls, and I'm horrified to even think what could amuse him at such a time. "And the Princess' ghost."

"Edmund!" Susan and Dracus both scold. I don't bother.

"Let's go," I say.

And we begin to venture deeper.

The walls are doorless, or if there are some doors that we may have missed, we can blame that on the darkness. The wind howls in my ears as it coldly soughs past. And I almost panic when I hear the door bolt shut behind me. None of the others seems remotely concerned. They seem to think we can always open it again. But I, not knowing why, am not so sure. No windows line the walls either. And with the door shut, it is almost completely dark. But since I can see my brother's grinning mouth, I have to wonder where the moonlight is coming from. From the roof, my mind whispers. And I gaze up. An almost divine, little squared window allows the moon to spill in, and light the dark house, brighten the walls, that I dare not look at, afraid that I might find out what the red patches really are. Deathlike silence stretches between us, and my heart thumps in my chest.

Eager to make some conversation, I say in rhythm with my creaking steps, "So, what's the plan?"

I hear my brother huff. I can almost imagine the amused look he gives Dracus. I can hear the shoulder bump. Lucy whispers something to me, but I can't make out her words with the anger seething in me. "You're the High King, Peter, aren't you? You should know. You're the one who led us out here."

I can hear the unsaid words, "And it'll be your fault if something happens."

Susan's calm words snap me out of my thoughts. "We just search the house, if we find something threatening, we neutralize it, and if something friendly, we can shake hands, and thank the Lion."

I smile at my sister, turning to my left. But my smile vanishes. Fear creeps up. It's a nail. A black claw. Long. Wiggling in anticipation. Creeping up her silken shoulder. Brushing past her hair. Crawling beneath it. Scratching the fabric in a rustle, rustle. Time slows. And another one reveals itself. Longer than the first one. Darker. Wrinkled and scratched. It joins its friend and continues the grating. I only blink. Feeling trapped in a trance. I expect another finger, another pointed, black nail. But white shines in the grey light. It's raising up, slowly. A circle. Imperfect around the edges. Red and bulgy. Popped out of its socket. The red nerves seeming to spread nearer and nearer to the darkest pupil. It rises above her shoulder. And the grinning mouth comes into view. The half-torn lips move.

I can hear it sing, Suuuusaaaan.

I blink. Someone is shaking my shoulder, giving it a gentle shove. I blink twice more, tracing the arm to find its owner's face. I flinch away from Dracus. I turn to Susan. She's frowning at me, looking unsettled and perturbed. "Are you alright? You phased out there."

I blink again, not understanding what had happened. Lucy tugs at my sleeve. I glance down at her. "Peter? Did you…did you see it, too?"

Oh, Aslan, no. I would rather be mad than have a real threat dangling over my siblings. Because I led them here. My lungs ache for air as I forget to breathe in my panic. But Edmund's warm hand on my shoulder is enough to bring me back, keep me from drowning. No matter how annoyed I am with my brother at the moment, I cannot deny only he can calm me at such a time. "Peter? You should go back. Really, not as a joke. If you think there's a ghost hovering around, I and Dracus could—"

I whip around, ready to really throttle him this time. "Listen here, you—"

"Peter!" Susan yells. I turn to her. Her face has gone pale, not an ounce of colour, white like the eyeball. I shake myself and quirk an eyebrow at her. In a quavering voice, she asks, "Where's Lucy?"

I instinctively look down, where I held her only seconds ago. But the warm presence beside me is gone. I begin panicking again.

"Lucy!" Edmund bellows, cupping his mouth. He turns to me once, yanking Dracus ahead by his arm. "She can't have gone far; we'll search for her."

It takes my mind time to understand what he says, and as they begin trekking forward, Susan grabs his wrist, bringing him to a halt. "We can't split up. Please, Edmund, we can't."

Edmund looks ready to argue. I stand frozen in my place, still recovering from the shock that I had lost my littlest sister. Oh, Lucy. But before Ed can say anything, Dracus comes up beside him, his silhouette gliding past my brother. "She's right. Queen Susan, but maybe I could go. We can't risk your safety but—"

Susan holds up her hand. "No. We go together. Come on." She looks at me. "Peter?" I stand frozen. I feel sweat drip down my temple. But my feet are unmovable. "Peter!" I can't. I can't have lost her. A slap echoes. And I blink, realizing my cheek is burning. "Listen to me. It wasn't your fault. We'll find her. We will."

I wipe my eyes and nod.

It could have been Aslan's grace. Or just dumb luck. But before we can even start moving, I hear, "Peter!"

And oh, that sweet, golden voice is music to my ears. A heavenly tune. Seraphic. I want her to keep saying my name. Keep telling me she's there. "Peter! Peter!"

And her shadow glows in the moonlight. And I feel her crash into my chest, her arms wrapped around my waist. I hug her back, trying to still my shaking hands. "Lu—Lucy?"

"I saw her!" she bellows. "I saw the Princess!"

Before I can comfort her, assure myself further she's really there, Edmund begins laughing. It's a small snicker. Just a chuckle. But anger still fills me to the brim. "Lucy, oh Lu, it was just a story. I really think you and Peter should head back. You don't have the—"

His words are cut off and my sisters gasp as I yank him back by his collar, throwing him against the wall. Enough is enough. I throw him again, mentally wincing to hear the loud thump. He groans and I crash him once more against the black wall, feeling the dark patch burst open. But I pin him there with my arm against his throat, and spit out, "Something is wrong with you."

He only groans.

"She's your sister!" I grab his face, forcing him to look at me. "Was it me? What did I do? How can you? You little brat, you're going back to your real self, aren't you? You tra—"

"Peter!" Lucy stops me before I can utter the one horrible word.

What I had almost said…

I release my brother, making him groan even more. I cannot hold back my tears. I had hurt him. I had hurt my little brother. He drops to the ground. I try to reach for him, but he flinches away. It hurts me tremendously to see Dracus finally help him to his feet; he gives me a look. Edmund doesn't meet my eyes after that.

"Peter, please," Lucy sobs, clutching to me. I'd scared her. I'd scared myself.

I close my eyes, breathing heavily. Apparitional silence stretches, phantom-like whispers echo in my ears as I try to force my thoughts into some semblance of order. My throat goes dry. My eyes are almost reluctant to open. But I force them to. I glance around. Lucy is still clutching to me. Edmund is conversing in hushed tones with Dracus who seems worried. My little brother never looks at me. I wince internally. Then I furrow my brows, looking around.

The whisper leaves me terrified, but I say, "Where's Susan?"

A singing voice answers me, Suuuusaaaan. No, no, no.

"Susan!"

It mocks, Suuuusaaaan.

Edmund finally looks at me, concern evident on his face.

I'm sobbing. But it sings again, Suuuusaaaan.

I feel utterly lost.

OOOOO

Response to P: I'm really glad you like Dracus. I like him, too! I hope this wasn't too much. Because this is only the first level. Tell me if you're going to continue reading. :-)