The House in the Forest
Finally got chapter 3 up! Enjoy! :D
~Mikayla~
"Michelle!" I shouted, banging on the wall.
"Mikayla, it's useless." Ed said, "Let's just keep going down this hall."
I followed him down the hall trying to keep calm. It seemed like an eternity had gone by until we came to another junction.
"Jeez, this guy just loved doors. I bet we've gone in a complete circle." Ed muttered.
"I bet."
When we picked a random door I wasn't prepared for what I saw next.
"Martha, you know I love you right?"
A black haired man had his back to us. His pinstriped suit and black shinny shoes showed his high status. He stood over a brunette woman who's hair was falling out of it's bun in tendrils. Her blue eyes looking up at him in fear.
"Y-you don't love me Merlin." She stuttered, "If you did you-"
She was silenced by a kick to the stomach that made me cringe.
"Ed let's go." I whispered him.
He turned towards the door and jiggled the brass knob, "It won't budge."
The two adults didn't seem to notice us. The man that I guessed was Merlin snatched Martha up by her hair.
"Now, you die."
"No! Please, I'm sorry!" She screamed.
Merlin dragged the woman to the back of the room- her screams making me dizzy. He forced her to stand up onto of a chair while he tied a noose around her neck. He tied the other end to a hook on the ceiling then sat back in his recliner- a glass of wine in hand.
"Bye Martha."
"Go to hell you bastard!" She screamed.
"I would but I'm already there."
He kicked his leg out and the chair fell from under Martha. I covered my eyes so I didn't have to watch her struggle but that didn't block out her choked screams. I heard Ed behind me trying to open the door but it refused to budge. Soon the room went dead silent. My hands shook as I moved them from my eyes. Martha hung limply as Merlin sat and sipped his wine.
"That wasn't much of a show, oh well." He said, standing up. "Emily might be more fun."
When he started walking towards the door Ed and I both froze.
He's gonna kill us when-
I chill ran through my body as Merlin walked through me. Was that even possible? I never thought it was. He walked through Ed and out the door. Martha's body vanished and the room looked as if it was just a normal room that a murder wasn't just committed in.
Did that all seriously just happen?
Ed was finally able to open the door and we stumbled numbly out.
"You pick the door this time." Ed said, still shaken.
"Gladly."
We opened another door and found what looked like a child's room. Toys were carelessly scattered around the room and the theme of the room was Disney Princess. The door clicked behind us and the room shifted. The bed was forced to its sides, the dresser slammed to the ground, the paint began to peal off.
"Bienvenidos al infierno." A voice cackled.
"What did it just say?" Ed stammered.
"Welcome to hell." I translated, trying to keep from peeing myself.
I guess those two years of Spanish did me some good.
"¿Va a jugar un juego conmigo?" The voice asked.
"Will you play a game with me?" I translated.
"No, we won't!" Ed shouted.
"Ed, you're gonna make it mad." I snapped.
"No veo muchos mortales a pie a través de estas salas. Papá se asegura de que." [1] The voice said.
"I have no clue what it said." I muttered.
"As her to help us." Ed said.
"Er, ¿Nos puede ayudar?" I asked, hoping my Spanish was correct.
The room went still for a moment before a blast of icy cold air pushed me into the wall- Ed being pushed next to me. When the wind died down a little girl with blood red eyes and black hair stood in front of us- her green dress dirtied with blood.
"Ayuda de usted? ¿Por qué debería hacerlo?" [2]
I had no good answer for that.
"Yo soy Emily, el guardián de las puertas que te llevarán al infierno." [3]
"Her name is Emily and she has something to do with doors and hell." I whispered to Ed.
"Espero de verdad que se vive a través de esta experiencia para que pueda ser liberado. Hasta entonces debe enviarle la planta baja." [4]
"Wha-?"
"Adios."
The floor beneath us opened and I felt like my whole body was being engulfed in flames. I screamed for Ed but got no answer. My eyes where squeezed shut and I was afraid to open them but the next thing I knew I was unconscious.
Pain. Pain is the only thing I felt. It felt like my skin was scorched and it was hard to breath.
"Ed?" I tried to call but my voice failed me.
What's happening?
"Ma, did Emily send them her here?" I heard a child ask.
"Yes, this mortal must have stumbled across this place. Sadly she walked into Emily's room." The woman answered.
"Ma, should we help her?"
"You know we can't help mortals."
When I was finally able to shift onto my stomach and look at who was talking there was no one there- just a mirror.
I could have sworn I heard a woman and a child!
I brushed that though off and glanced around where I was. It looked like an old cellar with many wine bottles lining the walls.
If this is suppose to be hell I feel lucky…(as in I'm not in a fiery thing of lava)
I staggered to my feet painfully and started to limp down the narrow strip of walk-way that was between the wine cases.
"A mortal?" I heard someone whisper from the corner of the cellar. "How the bloody hell did a mortal get in this house? I thought Merlin put up that barrier."
A chill went up my spine as the voice that held a British accent started coming closer. A light clicked on and I came face to face with a blonde haired man- no older then at least twenty- with green eyes and odd bushy eyebrows.
His eyes squinted as he peered into my face, "Eh, not a very pretty mortal."
I don't know how to react to that…
"A-are you a g-ghost?" I asked, my voice hoarse for some reason.
"Yes that's generally what they call the un-dead." He replied bluntly.
"Oh screw you." I snapped, getting fed up with the guy already. "Just tell me how to get the hell out of here."
"Girl, you are in hell you can't exactly get the hell out of hell." He said, "But if you can free me I might be able to keep you from dieing too harshly."
Well, it was better then dieing very painfully…right?
"Now tell me your name." He demanded.
"Mikayla Ryan."
"The names Arthur Kirkland and I guess I'm your new helper…I'm guessing you already met Emily."
"Sadly…what's her issue?" I muttered.
I began to follow the ghost through the cellar and we headed up a flight of stairs.
"She was the daughter that Merlin wish he never had, she's basically the reason why he's the way he is…or was, what ever." Arthur explained. "Merlin made a deal with the devil and the devil granted it…with a price. I don't really know the details you'll have to ask Martha."
I shuttered at the memory of Martha hanging from the ceiling. The hall suddenly shook violently and I leaned against the grimly wall to keep from falling.
"Oh pipe down Emily!" Arthur shouted up to the ceiling.
"What just happened?"
"She hates when anyone mentions Martha or Merlin. They are the reason why she died after all, but I'll tell you more about that later when we get where we're going."
"She can't come out her room…can she?" I asked.
"Technically no, but she could possibly find a loop hole."
That's comforting.
I then stopped in my tracks causing Arthur to stop and look at me oddly.
"Shoot, I need to find Ed!" I shouted.
How could I forget about him? I guess I was so relived that Arthur wasn't trying to kill me or show me someone being killed.
"Don't worry, you're friends being helped probably…unless he-never mind probably not."
"What? Unless what?" I urged.
"Unless he actually fell into hell, I mean, you might have gone through Emily's gate but you only went 'downstairs' or the wine cellar. Usually there's some pretty scary ghosts down there that could drive a mortal insane but luckily for you I was there getting my wine." Arthur replied, "Other ghosts don't mess with me when I'm around."
"Why is that?"
A certain glint- an evil glint- showed in his eyes, "Reasons." it then disappeared. "Any who, Valtessa was some where down there so I'm sure she helped him…ghosts don't mess with her either. Valtessa and your friend will probably meet us in the study."
I was worried about Ed and I could only hope he made it to the study. I also couldn't believe I didn't remember about him till after I left the cellar. My mind spun with so many thoughts and fears that I almost fell on my face a couple of times- and it's not like Arthur could catch me.
I can only pray I guess…I wonder if prayers get heard from hell.
Author Corner:
~ COOKIE TO WHOEVER CAN GUESS WHERE ARTHUR KIRKLAND IS FROM!
~Hope you enjoyed this chapter!
~Translations:
[1] I don't see many mortals walking these halls. Daddy makes sure of it.
[2] Help you? Why should I do that?
[3] I am Emily, the keeper of the gates that will lead you to hell
[4] I truly hope you live through this experience so I can be freed...until then I must send you downstairs