If I Could Travel Back In Time

The machine that brought the dead back to life - Part 1

A slightly longer short horror story I wrote, cut into two.

Word count: 1947

Tick tock

The soft ticking of a clock echoed through a grey room.

Tick tock

Together with the rhythmic sound of the ticking clock you can hear the ticking of many fingers on many keyboards.

Tick tick tock

The tapping on the keyboards is much more out of tune compared to the ticking of the clock.

Grey tables are placed in long, neatly arranged lines from one side of the room to the other, on all of those tables sit people dressed in grey uniforms. The grey floor matches the rest.

All of this is colored in a slight blue light, caused by the many blue screens behind which these people are working.

For now, the hard working people ignore the clock, their work is more important.

Their income is more important.

Time is money.

Life is money.

All of these people had been carefully selected for working at a rather prestigious company, one that only allows a select few to enter their offices.

They have these selections for even the lowest of the ranks, such as these.

There doesn't exist a company more important than this one.

For this company controls life itself.

Life and death have been enslaved by this company.

In a city of steam and ash, this place is known as the best place to work at.

Complicated machinery is just in the other room, people can bring their loved ones back from the dead with a pricetag.

Still to leave them deceased is now being seen as immoral, because why would you let your loved ones die? No matter how much the person wanted to take the forever rest, the people that would allow it could lose their status and jobs. Sometimes they could even go to prison for cold blooded murder.

At one desk sits a woman, her name is Clara, dressed in the same uniform as the rest, typing away diligently at the computer. She types it all at an incredible speed.

Even though she is so amazing at her work, promotions are hard to come by, still she's happy with her job.

This job makes it so that she and her husband can live the life they want to, unfortunately his job has a much lower status than hers, but she loves him nonetheless. He always returns her love with the same amount, always wishing he could do more for them.

The husband, his name is Drew, makes a living as a car-repairman, machinery like that is his forte, his calling.

A small one bedroom apartment with a living room that's also the kitchen. They also have a small bathroom with only the bare necessities.

Living costs are rather high for them, causing them to almost have to live hand-to-mouth.

It has only been recently that Clara had started working at the company and their lives have already changed for the better. Food was something they could afford almost every day now, no need for living days on old bread crusts anymore. If they were to save up a bit, they might even be able to afford a bottle of wine.

Back at work Clara worked hard whilst thinking of when she could go back to the love of her life.

With their future only just beginning, they could start making plans on what to do next with their lives.

Perhaps save up money for a trip or to eat something nice one day.

A loud bell goes off and the people behind the computers start finishing up the last bits of their work, readying themselves to return to their homes.

Some chat with others for a bit before leaving, others leave quietly and speedily.

Clara says goodbye to her co-workers and takes her leave.

Through the dark streets she wanders, through the thick mist that is the smog, passing by the street lanterns that just barely show the heads of the people walking by.

Cars travel by, old-timey and repaired again and again, that it is the question if they really were the same cars as they started out as. Perhaps even the oldest parts have all been changed up.

Finally Clara makes it home, taking off her shoes before entering and embraces her beloved as he comes to greet her.

He calls to her, speaks her name, his voice tired from work, but still full of love, he had already made dinner for the two of them.

Over dinner they talk about how their day was, the work they did and their dreams for the future.

Then they rest on the small old couch by the tv.

The object looked as if it has seen better days and has been adjusted many times. Different colored plates can be seen bolted all over it. There are even some bolts that seem to have been placed at random and without purpose.

On the tv an advertisement plays, it shows the company for which Clara works causing the two to joke around about it.

Drew calls Clara 'Frankenstein's assistant' and Clara pokes fun at him for being the one to bring dead cars back to live.

The ad shows a famous person who had been brought back to life and was thanking the company that they were able to return back to working again so soon after the revival.

The teasing continues, until the pair is too tired to continue.

The next day was another day of hard work for the two, weekends aren't very common here, only certain people are entitled to it.

Like usual Clara took the smog filled streets to the giant building that was her workplace, her 'second home' the bosses would joke about.

Clara followed the crowd towards the grey room with all the desks.

Like always she sat down on her desk and started typing away.

A couple of hours later a small man wearing fancy clothes with golden buttons entered the room, he is one of the higher-ups.

He called for Clara and she turned to look at him.

What could it be, she wondered.

Is it something good? Or something bad?

Most likely it was something bad.

She could feel the anxiety in her stomach every step she got closer to the man.

The man looked at her in pity.

"Please come this way." He told her and thus she followed him.

They walked up many stairs to eventually reach the top of the building.

The top floor was much different than the basement, the building was so high, you could see above the smog of the old city and see the horizon.

Many objects were coated in gold and the people here were dressed the fanciest Clara had ever seen.

Clara and the man entered a room and she was seated at the end of a large table.

The old man in charge sat at the other end.

"Clara, I've got bad news for you." He said his voice sounded hoarse from age.

Clara's heart sank.

"Your husband, Drew, passed away."

For a moment Clara didn't know what to feel or say, but then a wave of intense sadness overcame her.

The tears came and she wasn't able to stop them.

"My condolences." The old man added, but Clara almost didn't hear it due to the screaming of her heart.

Then a desperate idea entered her mind, she turned to her boss, looked him straight in the eye and asked: "Can you please bring him back to life?"

The old man smiled: "Please Clara, you know it is much more than you can possibly pay with your salary."

"Please, I will do anything, I will work more overtime, I will, I will..." Desperation got a strong hold of her and stopped her mouth from creating words.

"I'm sorry Clara, but I will have to think about that. Please return to your work."

The small man came to send Clara back to the basement of the building and shakingly she went with him.

She couldn't stop her tears, she couldn't stop herself from desperately trying to find an answer.

Back in the grey room she sat behind her computer again, only to be unable to continue her work anymore.

She had to see her beloved, she just had to see him, dead or alive. It just didn't matter.

Finally at long last, the bell rang and Clara rushed home.

Through the smog filled streets she ran, bumping into people without apologizing, tears running down her cheeks.

When she finally arrived home she was completely out of breath, but continued on nonetheless.

But he wasn't there, the only thing the apartment was filled with, was old memories.

Old memories that would never repeat.

Old dreams that would never come into fruition.

It didn't even feel like home anymore for Clara.

There was however a letter on the floor.

It was a letter about Drew's death, it had been sent by his boss.

In the letter he asked if she could come to the small workshop and talk about what had happened.

Without locking the door, she rushed outside again, running to the place he had last been alive.

At the old workshop she found the boss who seemed to be grieving as well, he too just lost someone important to him, yes an employee, but also a friend.

They talked between tears about Drew and what they would do now.

Eventually they came to the conclusion that maybe, if they both went, they could get him back.

So together they went back to the company at which Clara worked and tried to get the boss to understand, both promising everything if it should be so.

But again the boss refused, because even together they wouldn't be able to pay the price for bringing someone back.

A couple of days went by and Clara started having more trouble with work.

The small man with the golden buttons came by her desk and asked for her attention: "We have seen how much you're struggling with the loss of your beloved, we think it would be better if you take things a bit slower." A sinister smile crossed his face, making Clara shiver.

She knew what this meant very well, she would either get fired or get demoted to the lowest part of the company.

Corruption, she thought, the company has been corrupted to the core, well perhaps it has simply always been this way.

Money this, money that.

Life seems to only be able to be saved with enough money.

Still Clara obeyed and followed the man downstairs.

They entered a room that looked just like the one she had been working in before.

It was like an exact copy, but something about it felt... amiss.

Though she could not guess what it was that made her feel that way.

The man showed her to her new desk and left.

Despairing every possible mistake she could make, she carefully typed the day away.

During it, she noticed that some of the people around her were in a much worse shape than her, some coughing, some's clothes looked more like wet rags.

But to them it didn't seem to matter, they kept doing their job, without missing a key.

At the end, the bell rang and unlike in the other room, no one said goodbye to one another. Almost like they were ignoring each other.

Far behind Clara followed them out of the room.

As they entered a dark hallway Clara lost the group.

In the dark she searched, until she finally found a door.

Believing it to be the right one, she opened it.

Artificial red colored light entered the dark hallway.

She peeked through the opening.

It took a moment for her to register what was going on.

She saw the machine.

The machine with the power to bring the dead back to life.

The machine that saved so many.

It was a really strange one, different from what was being advertised on tv.

It was one for multiple people at once.

And around the machine's fumes, were people.

Working people, even though working hours were long over.

They worked in rags, rags worse than she had ever seen before.

The people worked and worked, some clearly in pain.

Then she suddenly recognized some of the people.

Those people were ones that died, but who's loved ones couldn't pay for them to be revived again...

[TO BE CONTINUED]

The flames in her eyes

The most recent short story I wrote.

I wouldn't call it horror, but to some it might be seen as frightening or dark. Personally I find it to be closer to fantasy.

Word count: 2298

This place, if I can call it that, feels like the strangest place I’ve ever been.

It’s so very cold here, although that might also just be my own body temperature, coming from within me. Am I cooling down this place? Though there still remains the slight chance of me being wrong about everything.

It’s far too dark to see, pitch black, darker than any place I’ve ever been .

Darker than the most cloudy of nights.

Darker than my room with the curtains closed at night.

I quietly wonder if I’m still asleep after all and decide to take a step forward to test this theory.

Unexpectedly I drop onto an unfamiliar floor.

So… I was standing when I awoke?

Not lying down?

With my hands I blindly scan the texture of the floor.

It’s colder than the air, my fingers run over something that feels like old tiles.

Damnit, why does it have to be so dark in here? If I could just see, I could have avoided falling.

Then the real question hits me: How the hell did I get here?!

Abduction?

I don’t remember a thing.

A nightmare?

It’s too real for that.

Should I wait? Would that be better? Maybe someone will rescue me.

Or perhaps this is a dream in which I must first die to wake up again?

But then I would need to get up and walk around…

After a couple of minutes of contemplating my choices, I finally decide that it’s time to get up again.

Almost embarrassingly childlike I stumble around in the dark.

Tripping over my own feet and at times an alien object, I finally reach something that could possibly be a wall.

Gently running my hands around me, I find another wall that seems to be made of something like metal bars, like those inside a prison cell. Too tight too escape from.

Still following this one might bring me to the exit.

I use the cold, rusty bars in order to move around, they feel old.

Taking one after another I carefully make my way forward.

Had this been a prison at some time? I question myself in silence.

Right, the silence.

This place seems to almost be completely without sound.

No noise of the wind, not even a little bit. Though I guess if I really want to hear it, I can just wave my arms around really quickly and create something like it.

Furthermore, there are no voices, no breathing from any other possible creature within this place.

I wonder if this might be normal or abnormal here, though both fill me with a sense of fear.

I feel my way out of the room, it seems like I’ve not been imprisoned.

Still I don’t feel any relief, because it seems to be terribly dark everywhere around me.

I find myself in what I believe to be a hallway, the walls stretch out always further than I anticipate and are made of a different kind of stone from the walls inside the cell.

I’m starting to lose hope and am just able to stop myself from panicking.

I don’t think I will get out of here.

And perhaps that might be for the best.

My thoughts turn darker than wherever I am, like it’s trying to swallow me whole. Dragging me deeper down with each desperate escape I try to make.

Perhaps I’ve been eaten by some kind of giant creature…?

If it was a creature, it would probably still be warm.

Finally I decide it’s enough and sit down hopelessly on the floor.

Yet no tears leave my eyes, they’re useless anyway.

I sit.

I wait.

I pluck my clothes, until it tires me.

I wait.

My body has now almost completely turned as cold as the floor.

My thoughts, only turning darker and darker.

I close my eyes. Well I’m not sure, perhaps they’re still open. It’s too dark to see.

I wait.

Suddenly something wakes me up as it tumbles over me. Something moving.

“Ouch.” I say even though it doesn’t hurt.

“Oh my gosh, I’m so, so sorry!” The voice breaking the silence startles me.

Echoing, I can make out that the voice most likely belongs to a girl in her late teens.

“Wait, someone else is here?” She asks frightened: “I thought I was all alone.”

“I thought so too, but I guess that’s not the case.” I answer as calmly as possible.

I feel a warm hand helping me stand back on my own feet.

“You’re so cold.” The girl whispers: “How long have you been sitting here?”

I shrug: “No idea.”

I hear her hair moving, most likely she’s turning her head to face me.

And then, I finally see something.

In the eyes of the girl, I spot what seem to be two little flames.

Two blue dancing little flames.

Two little flames that seem to have not lost hope.

Two little flames that want to escape this darkness and return back to the world of light.

“What’s going on with your eyes?” I ask without thinking.

“What do you mean?” She asks surprised.

“It’s like there’s fire coming out of them.”

She giggles: “Yeah sure, the chances of you starting to see things thanks to lying on this cold floor for so long, is pretty damn high.”

Ignoring her I ask: “Do you happen to know a way out?”

“What do you think? I almost can’t see a thing.”

“Almost?”

“Yeah, sometimes only a wall when it’s near and of course my own hands.”

I move my hands, but don’t see them. I can’t see the walls either.

“Really?” I ask.

Could it be that she’s somehow able to see more in this darkness?

She giggles again: “You really can’t see anything? You should be able to see your own hands at least.”

“No…” I hesitatingly answer, shaking my head: “But I can see your eyes.”

“That’s weird, maybe you're imagining it?” It’s clear as day that she’s not taking me seriously.

Ignoring her tone I ask: “Should we try to get out together?”

“Yes please, I’m super glad I’m not alone anymore.” I can hear a sense of fear in her voice, she seems desperately trying to hide.

The girl takes my hand, probably that there’s no way I would be able to find her once lost.

I mumble a thanks and we start walking.

“Are we inside some kind of labyrinth?” The girl complains as we find another wall.

“That might just be the case.” I answer now slightly annoyed by the girl.

“You know, it would help if you weren’t so cold all the time.”

“Sorry.” I apologize. I’ve been told this many times before. That I should act warmer if I want to have a good life. Yet, I’ve found it to be rather difficult. I’ve known what it’s like to be too warm and kind. You often get used by others.

I’ve learned my lesson and cut people off, blocked them away from me. It’s safer that way.

Feeling around with my free hand I suddenly notice a crack inside a wall.

“Hey, could you check this out?” I ask the girl.

“Sure.” In my mind she shrugs as she answers, perhaps she really did it, perhaps she didn’t.

“I think… we can break this down.” She whispers as she lets go of my hand.

I can hear her rummaging around, most likely taking out loose bricks.

“Do be careful that it won’t fall on us.” I warn her.

“Leave it to me, I can see it… though slightly. I believe this should be able to be opened up.”

I take a step back and let her handle it.

She takes out brick after brick.

“I think it’s big enough for both of us to fit through now.” She finally whispers.

She takes my hand again and leads me through the narrow hole in the wall and we enter a new place.

Probably the same as the one before.

“Is this just like the rest?” I ask.

She takes me further away from the hole and touches another wall: “Yeah, we’re still stuck in this labyrinth.”

Suddenly I spot something out of the corner of my eye and quickly take the girl further back, to the other side, away from whatever that is.

“What’s wrong?” She asks slightly frightened.

“I think… someone is there.” I whisper to her.

I see two large flames welling up in the distance.

“Are you sure?” The girl asks.

I nod, but of course she won’t be able to see that.

Carefully I try to lead the girl further back, but am only greeted by a cold wall against my back.

Too late.

The flames look our way.

At first I believe to hear something crackle, only to realise that it’s laughing. Laughing of an old woman.

“You don’t have to hide for me, dear girls.” She laughs in a sweet voice: “I may be old, but my eyes can still see very well.”

I can feel the girl trembling: “How… how is it possible for you to see us?”

“What do you mean, dear child? There is enough light to see everything.”

“No, that’s not true… it’s pitch black, I can barely spot my arms before me.”

Still holding onto each other we slowly walk towards the older woman with her flaming eyes.

Her voice turns to me and so do her flames.

“Can you two really not see anything?”

The girl answers for me: “She can’t, I can just see a little.”

“Do you know a way out?” I ask the older woman.

I see her flames moving, almost as if shaking her head: “No, unfortunately not. Though I believe that now that we’re not alone anymore, we will find a way out much easier.”

I guess she isn’t the one who has brought us here, if it even was someone.

“Let me come with you, we might find our way out quicker.”

I look at her flames and nod.

“My child, how were you able to see me, if you can’t see anything else?” The old woman asks questioningly.

Before I can answer, the girl does it for me: “She keeps saying that she sees the flames in other’s eyes. Still it’s probably just-“

“So you can see the flames of other people’s souls?” The older woman doesn’t allow the girl to continue.

I shrug: “I don’t know… it’s probably just all in my head. I’ve never seen anything like that in my ordinary life outside of this place.”

“Here’s a mirror. Can you hold it by yourself?” The old woman shoves a cold and heavy object in my hands, almost having me slip it out of my hands. Hurting my fingers to keep it steady.

I try to look at it, but there is no reflection of my own flames, if I even have them.

“Well, do you see them?” the lady asks, way too enthusiastic.

I shake my head and answer with a plain: “No.”

Both of them take a stand next to me, probably looking in the mirror.

Then I see something inside of it.

The flames.

Their flames.

So… I don’t have them?

Could it be that… I’m soulless?

“So? What do you see?”

“I see nothing, but the reflection of yours.” I answer honestly.

“That’s unfortunate.” The woman says, sounding deep in thought: “Could it be… that you had a not so fortunate life?”

As I remain quiet, she apologises: “I’m sorry, it’s not my place to ask such questions. But if you need someone to listen to you, I’m more than willing to help you lighten that burden of yours.”

“Thanks.” I say, though slightly annoyed. I don’t like people poking into my problems.

The old woman leads us through the hallways, making sure, neither I nor the girl end up falling over something.

“You two should be thankful that you can’t truly see this place. Something horrible has taken place here.”

“I see.” I answer coolly.

“Don’t be like that!” The girl starts panicking.

The woman laughs joylessly: “I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”

“Why did you have to say that? Now I can only imagine all the shapes as dead bodies.”

The woman remains quiet.

So that must be the case.

Still, there don’t seem to be enough to cover the entire floor. Since the older lady is able to guide us through them so well.

“Gosh, this seems to be a dead end.” The woman sighs.

“Really?! I don’t want to go back there!” The girl cries out.

Carefully I let go of the girl’s hand, something has taken my attention.

There is something shining dimly straight ahead of me, it’s unlike the flames of my two companions.

Somehow friendly and familiar.

“What’s over there?” I ask while straying away from the others.

“You shouldn’t go there!” The girl calls out, but even though her voice sounds terrified, I don’t listen.

I feel like the light is calling me.

“My child! You shouldn’t venture there!” The old woman calls out to me, her ancient voice trembling in anguish: “Terrible things have happened there!”.

But I ignore her as well.

I feel myself walking into something like a puddle, too thick to be water, but I decide not to think about it.

The light is getting closer and closer, brighter and brighter.

“Ma’am, please get back here!”

“You’ll hurt yourself if you continue!”

I feel something sharp digging itself into my right leg.

Quickly I kneel down to push whatever it is away, but it starts digging deeper into it.

It hurts.

It hurts so fucking much!

Every time I try to reach it, my hands seem to slip away, whatever I’m standing in is way too thick to be just water.

Don’t think about it.

Don’t think about it!!!

As I’m finally able to take out whatever it is, I notice that little lights are dropping down.

I try to look at what I believe to be up, only to find out that the small lights are coming from me.

I smirk, I guess I’m not soulless after all.

I hear both women behind me yell at me to return, screaming for the fear I might get hurt or lose my life.

I don’t pay it any attention and continue.

The light I see behind that door.

My own tears seem to be leading me there as well, dropping quietly without sound, slowly they turn dark like everything around me, just showing small pieces of my path.

I reach out my arm for the light.

But instead of holding something warm, it’s something cold.

It’s an old door handle.

Very, very old. Something I would expect to find inside an ancient castle.

As I hold it, all the light fades once more and I open the door.

The walls are bleeding

My most recent short horror story.

Word count: 724

Trigger warning: Blood (who would have guessed)

It was just half an hour when it happened.

I had come to the decision that my house was in need of a rather intense cleanup.

Starting with the living room, I took out all the junk and other stuff and then started cleaning.

I glanced at the wallpaper, pained by how ugly it truly is without any of my stuff cluttering around it. This wallpaper had belonged to the previous owners, it hasn't been too long ago since I had moved in and I hadn't really taken the time to change it.

So what's a better time than now?

I walked towards one of the walls that was facing away from the windows, took a chair to stand on and placed my fingers over the paper's exterior.

It was a strange sensation, is this really paper? I thought to myself.

I hesitated.

Lowering my hands again and just stared for a moment.

Then other thoughts started to convince me to continue: This must be some kind of fancy wallpaper I don't know about. Fancy, but ugly, that explains the texture. I should remove it.

No, it needs to be removed!

Again I raised my hands and started by putting my fingers in between the wall and the wall at a place where it was already slightly loose.

Suddenly I noticed that I was touching something wet and sticky. Something of which I was certain that it couldn't be glue.

I swiftly retrieved my hand only to find the tips of my fingers to be soaked crimson red.

There's no doubt about it...

It's blood.

I immediately got down from the chair and ran towards the phone.

I need to call the police! Was the only thought running through my head.

Dialling the number, it luckily didn't take long for someone to pick up. I told them about the situation and that it was making me fear for my safety. I was told to wait by the door and open it for them.

A little later the doorbell finally rang, I felt a bit underwhelmed when I saw that they had sent just a single officer to check in on me.

Had they thought me mad?

"Good morning sir, Please show me what you found." He greeted me.

I took the man into my living room and showed him the spot.

"Good God..." He murmured.

He reached for his walkie-talkie and pressed a button.

"This is officer Green... Send to the bleeding house alert. I'm in need of backup. Over."

Some white noise left the small object, but nothing audible.

"This is officer Green. Does anyone copy. Over." He seemed to be slightly panicking.

Drip...

Drip...

I heard something coming down from upstairs and it didn't sound very good.

"Sir, I got to check something real quick." I said to the officer, though I don't believe he heard me at all. He seemed to be caught up in the buzzing of his communication device.

I ran up the stairs.

The dripping seemed to come from the bathroom.

Opening the door I found something horrifying.

Instead of water, blood was dripping out of the faucet.

Slowly filling up the tub with the dark coloured liquid.

I tried closing the faucet, but it only got worse.

Blood started pouring out.

I left again quickly, closing the door thoroughly behind me, trying to forget about what I had just seen and proceeded to my bedroom.

This wasn't in any way better.

I felt cold when I stepped into a lukewarm puddle of the sticky substance.

It was coming down from the walls, dripping, colouring and messing with all the furniture in it.

Entering the small hallway again, the walls had taken a colour of dark red as well.

Careful not to slip, I made my way back downstairs again.

"Sir, have you reached your colleagues yet?" I frantically ask the officer standing facing the wall quietly.

Something is wrong though.

Something about him seems so much different than how he was before.

The air around him...

In his hands he's holding a big piece of wallpaper and he's covered in blood.

Without looking my way, he starts talking.

"Perhaps this is its way of cleansing itself."

His voice sounds different too.

"What the hell do you mean?!"

"Usually when a wound is bleeding, it is in a way cleaning itself. The bigger the wound, the less chance of infection. The dirt will be washed away by the blood itself."

I feel anger and panic boiling up in my body: "Are you trying to say that I'm the cause of this?!"

For a moment there's silence, but then he shrugs.

"Nah, I wouldn't know that."

Cursed town

I've been pretty busy lately, so here a post showing that I'm still alive:)

It's a story I wrote a while back, but I hope it's still enjoyable.

Word count: 1745

TW: zombies

Am I cursed or did I become the curse?

I do not know the answer to that question that has been lingering in my mind, keeping me awake during my darkest moments.

Why did it even happen? Why me?

I probably don't make any sense to you, but I will try to help you understand.

Where do I begin?

Hmmmm....

Probably at the beginning, but where is it...

Ah, I will tell you about my village's famous cave.

The cave that gives this small town most of its money, by being a tourist spot.

It is not that well known, but for the real seekers it is here.

And it so happens that there are still quite a lot of those real seekers.

During summer almost everyone you will see here is a tourist, well also because there aren't that many locals.

I can't really call myself a local either, I moved here when I had just finished school.

I actually come from a city about 2 hours away by car.

I really miss that time, the time when I still had my freedom and strong will.

When I still had the feeling of adventure in me.

I'm not sure when it all started to change, but if I had to guess just the moving part was already a grave mistake.

I regret it, I really do.

Every night I keep wondering 'What if...', but that is even more useless.

Well continuing with my story, the cave is most famous for its beautiful system and mystic history.

It is said that it used to be home to a sorcerer. One very powerful and whom met an unfortunate end.

He was said to have been killed in his own home in a very strange manner.

No one knows why or how, but it certainly did happen.

Not just the archaeological findings show it, but I know it.

I have in fact seen him and have had a conversation with him.

Now I do have a clue about what happened.

J-just stop it and listen, for now this is what it is.

I'm telling you all this for a reason, so please just bear with me.

Okay, so when I moved here, not everything was this bad yet.

When I moved here, with my naivete, I thought it would be the place of my dreams.

That is what it was in the beginning, but after a while it became a living nightmare.

I bought my first house here.

I learned how to drive here.

There are just so many memories here.

I befriended the locals rather quickly, thanks to my appreciation of culture and history.

It was of course an old town and most of the people who live... sorry I mean lived here where the elderly.

I always loved to listen to their stories.

But unfortunately,

that is all lost now.

Again I really don't know everything that happened, but from what I gathered: People have been getting more and more annoyed about me. For my city attitude, like locking my doors in a safe town or my friends from out of town staying over.

At least, thats what I think happened...

All this they never told me, building up their irritation. Making it way worse than everything actually was.

Then one day they decided that it was enough, and basically went on a manhunt for me.

All of this was rather bizarre, I did not expect it at all. It was almost like they were possessed, like they thought I was the devil himself.

Their anger poured down on me like a heavy storm.

There was more anger, that didn't all have to do with me. They seemed to have combined everything and pushed it onto me.

I had to flee.

I ran for my life and tried to leave town.

I couldn't get through any of the entrances of the town, there were people looking for me everywhere.

So I hid in the caves, in the hope that they would stop their searching.

I locked myself into what used to be the sorcerer's home and hid in a dark corner.

After just a few minutes they found out where I was and were trying to break down the door.

Panicking, I looked around the room to find a better hiding spot.

Then through the banging of the door I heard a voice behind me.

"Here... over here... You can hide... You can be save."

At first I didn't see it, the sound came from a small butterfly sitting on the carpet.

Without thinking I removed the old carpet to find a secret well-hidden hatch.

Quickly I went in making sure they couldn't see that the carpet had been moved.

As I went into the dark and dusty room, I could hear some of my former friends and neighbors burst into the room.

I could hear them stomp on the floor, looking frantically for me. Breaking part of their precious museum.

Were they still them? I wondered leaning against the cold wall's and unknown objects that filled the room.

The air in that room was different, how long had it been since someone last had been there?

Could it have been years or even centuries?

But how? This room wasn't even so hard to find?

I sat down when I heard them leave the room upstairs. Quietly, so I wouldn't alert them.

After a while I suddenly heard the voice again, speaking softly: "Are you okay?" asking with the much needed kindness in his voice.

I shook my head and buried it in my hands.

"We are alike." It continued.

I whispered a thank you, feeling warm tears gently roll down my face.

All of the things that happened have just been too much for one day.

We remained silent for a while, until I felt a little better: "Are you the sorcerer?"

A cold breeze blew in my face.

"I have never been a sorcerer." The voice answered.

"Sorry, that is the only thing I ever hear about this place. If I may, why are you still here?"

"I can't leave until my job here is done, until I have helped someone like me... I have waited for so long."

Unsure of what to say I decided to remain quiet.

"The villagers can make you disappear, you know. They do that to most outsiders that end up staying too long."

I just nod.

"Do you want to end up like that?"

"No, preferably not."

"All right, then I will help you."

I could feel a cold hand touch mine and then I never heard the voice again.

Softly I called out for him, but he never answered again.

By the time that I decided to leave, it had gotten so cold and quiet. I couldn't hear anything from outside anymore.

The commotion outside had completely stopped, but it got strange when I finally got outside I couldn't even hear the birds.

So carefully I went and as quiet as a mouse I slipped out of the cave.

It had already gotten dark outside.

The wind blew in my face, still a bit warm for the beginning of autumn.

For the first time that day I felt pretty good, now I can finally leave this terrible place.

But of course all that hope was short lived.

I couldn't leave town.

No matter how hard I dried.

It was as if someone had built an invisible wall around the whole thing.

And since then... I am still stuck here.

After a while of trying until I was too tired I gave up.

But the weird thing was, that no one tried to hunt me down again.

Had they given up too?

When I had gathered up some energy, I decided to see what was going on.

I was even more surprised when I finally noticed that no one moved anymore.

All of them just stood, like they were frozen in time.

Like a bunch of dolls left after a child had to do something else or got bored.

On closer inspection, I found out that they did all still breathe, but there was something strange with their eyes.

All of them had these strange green-colored eyes.

Since I wasn't sure if they could wake up I hid myself in the library until the morning came.

I woke up the next morning from the sun, there still wasn't any noise outside and when I checked all the townspeople all still stood where I had left them the previous night.

I have never been more confused and it was worrying me, I was not like them and did not wish for them to die. Even if they did want me to.

Worried I went by them all, they were all covered in morning dew and ice cold, but still breathing and their hearts still beat.

The first thing I did after was to return to the library, but the search was fruitless. There aren't many books about the history of the town nor this thing I decided to call a curse.

Not only did the library's books have little to say, the internet was down too.

So I am stuck with no way of contacting the outside world.

Outside I tried to talk to one of them.

I asked what he was doing.

No answer.

I asked if this was some kind of joke.

No answer.

I asked if I could do something for him.

Again no answer.

Stressed out and angry at the man ignoring me I yelled at him.

I begged him to please just do something, to show that he was still alive.

He moved his head.

That's all.

He had moved it to look in my direction.

Nothing more, nothing less.

I wasn't sure if I had imagined it so I asked him if he could point to the nearest building.

He did.

Although it was a bit robotic and obviously lacking humanity and individuality.

Then I asked him to go back to his house.

And again he did, meanwhile I followed him.

When we arrived he just stood in front of the door.

It was like one of those old zombie stories, they did nothing if I didn't tell me to do something.

All of this was very shocking to me.

Suddenly I had all this responsibility.

Suddenly I had to care for an entire town in which I actually really didn't want to be.

Stuck with them.

Stuck with a bunch of brain dead corpses.

I used to have hope for them, but little by little I lost that.

Days went by, where I tried to keep them all alive and well. Telling them everything they needed to do in order to stay alive.

But today someone still died.

I wonder if there will be a day when I have to bury more than one.

When I have to bury the rest of town, while I will be left all alone.

I guess that when you curse someone, you mostly have to live with the pain yourself of having done something as terrible as that.

Now, have you written it all down? All that I have told you? Then people might find this message and know what happened.

Just nod if you did.

Brother

This is the first short horror story I'm posting here on tumblr, I hope you like it and if you do. Please check out my Wattpad:

https://www.wattpad.com/user/Ardenla

TW: Gore, psychological horror

My brother has always been very kind. Not just to me, but also everyone and everything around us. We live together with our uncle in a nice house with a big garden. Honestly, the house might be a bit to the bigger side. I'm pretty sure we could fit another small family here, but I'm happy with just the three of us. My uncle is a pretty good cook too! And my brother and I do quite good at school and both have some friends.

Even so, something is wrong.

It has to do with my brother.

He is special. Unfortunately not always in a good way.

The first time it happened was during the accident that robbed us of our parents.

The car got crashed horribly, after it had been upside down a couple of times. It all happened somewhere in the middle of nowhere. I don't know exactly what happened, but at some point in time I had flow out of the car. I don't really remember, but I was surrounded by white. Someone was holding me and protecting me.

This was the first time that I saw my brother's angel.

They look alike. Both have the same face and body, but their eyes, hair and clothes are very different. The angel mostly looks calm unlike my brother, who shows a lot of his emotions. I'm not saying that showing emotions is bad. I honestly prefer my brother's emotional side, to the angel's cold side.

When the ambulance arrived, it took them a while before they were able to save my brother from the wreckage, he had been unconscious and didn't remember anything about the accident. Our parents unfortunately didn't make it. I don't remember crying so much as I did back then, it all still feels like a haze. That maybe in a few minutes the doorbell will ring and that I can see their faces again, that it was all just a horrible nightmare.

When the paramedics asked me about what had happened, I told them that my brother saved me. Or at least someone who looked like him. They looked at me with pity in their eyes, they carefully told me that it wasn't possible, but I insisted until they shrugged and gave up.

Are you familiar with the story that everyone has an angel and a demon on their shoulders? The ones you sometimes see in old cartoons or read about in old books? My mother always loved to tell me those stories. When they were still alive we would go to church quite often, but uncle thinks it's useless to go. Now we only go with our grandmother from time to time and with Christmas of course. Our mother believed in angels, I hope she is in heaven now.

I'm telling you this, because my brother doesn't only have an angel... He has a demon too. One that almost looks exactly like him, but like the angel is just slightly different. The demon is scary and seems to always be angry and full of hate. He hasn't hurt me, but he hasn't been nice either.

They're both just as tall as my brother and when they appear they are always standing close to him.

I wanted to tell our uncle, but my brother didn't want me to tell him. So I promised to keep it a secret. Pretty cool secret, huh? That is what I thought at first too, but I was wrong to think that.

The first time that I saw the demon, was when an older man tried to kidnap me. It happened close to the empty playground that we actually aren't allowed to go to. The man grabbed me by my wrist, it hurt, so I screamed for my brother who fortunately was just inside the hut we had built before.

My brother ran towards me, also screaming. Then it happened. His demon appeared, right before the man could take me inside a building. My brother's demon grabbed the man's arm. He squeezed it. He kept squeezing and didn't let go. The old man started screaming, burns started to form everywhere on his body and he let me go.

I ran to my brother, who then took me back home as quickly as possible. We never played anywhere near there again. We didn't tell uncle either. We just couldn't. My brother was scared, and because he didn't know yet, I told him about his angel, who saved me. This was when we made the promise to keep it a secret.

From this experience I learned that my brother has none or almost no control over his angel and demon. They usually just do some of the things that he was planning for even a second and come out when they 'feel' needed. Unfortunately this has cost the life of the neighbor's dog, the demon killed it.

Another thing that seems to be bad about my brother being able to somehow summon these two, is that it takes a lot of energy out of him. He gets easily tired and when they are both out, my brother will most likely pass out soon after.

Even though this has made my brother's life significantly difficult, he is always there for me and always ready to protect me. His kindness and strength makes me feel useless sometimes. So I always try to take extra good care of him too. I talk to him when I think he needs it or bake him cookies.

Last week something bad happened, something really, really bad. A friend of our uncle came by, or at least he claimed he was and us being the stupid kids we were back then let him in. Our uncle is a cop and this guy claiming to be his friend was actually a criminal, that wanted to emotionally destroy him. After my uncle arrested his friends. He wanted to kill us. That was supposed to be our last day. The day we might have joined our parents. But of course, the man had it wrong all along. He didn't know anything, he didn't know my brother and what would happen if he would hurt me.

One of the first things the man did when he closed the door, was stab me with a knife. It all happened too quickly, even though I screamed my lungs out, I didn't feel anything. I couldn't even hear my own screaming. My brother rushed to my aid. Both his angel and demon appeared.

His angel came to me, took the knife out and healed me. The demon on the other hand, went rampant. He ripped the scared intruder into a thousand pieces and when he was done he burned his screaming face beyond recognition. It was terrifying, I have never seen something as brutal as that and hopefully never again. I have never seen so much blood, it was everywhere. My brother who had tried to stop his demon, had collapsed and lied passed out on the floor. There was blood on the windows, guts even on the ceiling and some wall's had just turned completely black. For a few minutes I didn't even know where we were. When slowly some of the blood dripped down from the window, I could see the room. A couple of small beams of red light shone into the room.

Hell.

The only thing I could call that room.

Did a human really die in here? There is almost nothing left.

When my uncle came back, he of course, was very shocked to see his traumatized cousins covered in blood, in his ruined house, with bits-and-pieces everywhere from some unidentifiable person. The room, dark from blood. So much blood...

The police were quickly alerted and we were questioned, when my brother was back on his feet again of course. I was surprised when my brother told them the truth, he was crying and said he was afraid of what he might do to the people he cares about when the demon goes out of control again. Our uncle's colleagues had a difficult time keeping in their laughs at first, but soon after one snickered, the demon came out again. Attacking them. They were shocked and some of them froze up. Just in time my brother jumped in front, which caused him to get some really nasty burns.

My uncle didn't know what to say or do. He just stood there and stared with a horrified expression.

I ran to my brother first, I saw his wounds and tried to calm him down. While the officers looked terrified, I begged them to please not take him away. This fell on deaf man's ears unfortunately.

Another kind of police group was sent soon after what happened. A group that deals with the more 'special' kind of incidents. They weren't as nice as our uncle's friends. They took my brother away, the entire time he didn't want to look us in the face. Even when our uncle found his composure and tried to comfort him. He was taken, cuffed in a special van. I watched helplessly as they drove off.

I know it has only been a week, but I've not had a good night sleep yet, nightmares plague me day and night. I am getting counseling so it should get less with time.

My uncle and I are staying somewhere else, because everything still needs to be further inspected and of course deep cleaned. I honestly don't want to return there, I don't believe that, that place can ever be called 'home' again. Just thinking about it gives me chills and makes me want to puke.

Since nobody I know well enough died, I still have to go to school. My uncle did call me in sick for the first few days, but since the day before yesterday I go to school again. I don't like it, but we don't have a choice, the school is very strict. Uncle also said that it might be good for me, that it might take my mind off those terrible things that happened just a week ago.

My first day of school went as normal as if nothing ever happened, I lunched with friends who still believe I just got a cold and did the work that was given to me by my teachers. I'm not ready to tell them what happened just yet, how would I even start?

My uncle has brought me to school every day. The car has never felt this empty as I looked at the place my brother would sit. We don't talk much anymore and when I asked him about my brother, he didn't answer and just shook his head. He didn't want to believe what happened yet. I know it was hard on him too, no matter how much he tried to hide it.

I wish I could see my brother again, but I haven't even gotten any message from him or the officers who took him. I don't know if he's even alive. It makes me really worried.

Something strange did happen to me yesterday, I could feel someone watching me the entire day I was at school. I looked around everywhere, but there was no one.

Today was different though, well I could still feel someone watching me and following me around. But this time, when I looked carefully enough, I could see him.

It's my brother's demon.

Watching me without a break. Every time he notices me looking he starts smiling with this creepy, distorted smile.

It's still following me.

The fears of an inanimate object

I wrote this one a while ago, but still found it fun to share.

I hope you enjoy this short horror story:)

TW: Gore, blood, dolls

Word count: 1534

I have gotten so used to the smell, I don't even notice it anymore.

It's the smell of old books, old people and old junk.

I've sat here, day in, day out. Never able to do anything. I can't move or speak. I can't even blink.

My head has always been fixed in one position and that is forward.

I am like many in this old thrift store, an old, dusty object.

I am a doll.

I know I am, I've seen myself in a mirror before, that's when they brought me here and it is my very first memory.

It honestly is very strange, I am an inanimate object with thoughts and feelings, yet I can't do anything or let anyone know.

I was quite upset and shocked when I found out. Scared, but unable to show the emotion. Wanting to scream but unable to tell anyone. Unable to move, but wanting someone to comfort me.

That was the worst part of my being.

I just woke up, learning that my life held no meaning and I would never be able to do anything or be loved by anyone.

I hated it.

I hated my existence.

I hated whomever put me here.

I hated my creator, yet there is nothing I can ever do about it.

So I just sat here. Always in the same place, always dressed the same, always looking the same. Always with a little extra layer of dust covering me. Always praying. Always hoping for a change.

I've seen the sun come up and go under for a long time now, from a tiny window in the back of the store. Each time it came, it took a little bit of color from the objects in its way. Until they turned gray and were thrown out.

I was lucky, the sun never shone on me, it couldn't. So the light just lurked ever so slightly under my feet. Like a hungry predator, waiting for its prey to run. But I of course would never move, so it just left every time it had to go again.

At some point, I got jealous of the sunlight, it was able to shine. It was able to move. It was always there for the people and animals and I could or would never be able to.

Such a stupid thing to be jealous of.

I was even more jealous of the tiny birds by the window, as short as their lives might be, they were my only source of entertainment.

The birds sang to one another and could fly, they could travel. Oh how much I wished that I would have been born a bird and not an inanimate doll.

I've seen people come and go, I've seen them get older and then eventually one day they just stopped coming and new people took their place.

Take me home, take me home...

I silently wished.

But who would listen to the pleading of a voiceless doll, an object without a soul.

Something that can't do anything or even think.

Well of course they are wrong at that last part. I am very lucid after all.

Unfortunately...

Then one day, The happiest day of my inanimate life, a little girl and her mother came to visit the store.

The girl saw me.

As soon as she did, her eyes started sparkling. I've never seen anyone's eyes do that before. Especially when they saw me.

The girl almost seemed to fly towards me, that's how quick she was.

She was the very first person that would speak to me.

"Hello Dolly, what's your name? Do you wanna be friends?" Her little arms stretched out to me in a hug.

I've never had a hug before, it is so warm. I wanted to cry, but of course I couldn't.

I wanted to tell her to please take me away from here, oh please.

Of course I wanted to be her friend, I've always wished for one and she would be my first.

It was like she could read my mind.

She begged her mother to get me for her.

Her mother wasn't too sold on the idea at first and called me 'that creepy old thing', but her daughter didn't care.

She wanted me and started to throw a fit, then the shopkeeper said that they could have me for free.

What a nice guy.

Now the mother couldn't refuse anymore and she gave in.

"Fine, but keep that thing away from me." She told the little girl, while looking at me like I was a dirty old sock.

Well I forgive her, I was too happy anyway. I had been here for god-knows-how-long and even the spiders didn't like me.

And so, I left the old thrift store and started anew with a new family and a best friend.

Molly (the little girl) and I did a lot of things together, she would dress me up at least 17 times a day. With clothes her grandmother had made for me. She told us that she once had a doll like me, that also looked very similar. She was also able to repair and clean me a bit and after that I had become a lot prettier.

After all that, even Molly's mother didn't even feel that bothered by me anymore.

We had tons of tea parties and Molly had of course given me a full tour of the house and introduced me to all the other dolls and stuffed animals.

I knew all their names by heart. I wonder if any of them were like me, but there wouldn't be any way of knowing.

I might not be able to do or say anything, but I really did have the time of my life there.

I have a home.

We would eat breakfast together, we would go on walks together. We would talk about anything, well more like I would listen, but I really don't mind.

Unlike other kids, Molly is a very gentle soul and always takes very good care of me. She has never even dropped me, not even by accident.

One day school had started for her again, we met during the summer holiday after all.

I felt sad to let her go, she wasn't allowed to take me with her.

Every time she came home, she looked a bit upset. She seemed to try to hide.

One day she asked me: "Dolly, can I ask you something?"

I could see tears welling up in her reddish eyes. "Dolly, do you hate me too?"

This broke my heart.

Of course I didn't hate her.

I would never.

She was my dearest friend.

My personal hero.

I felt awful, I couldn't do anything. I hadn't felt like this in a while, it was like I was back in that awful dark place. Where I would never be able to do anything.

I want her to be happy.

She doesn't deserve whatever she's dealing with right now.

Not with how kind and gentle she is.

And yet, I just can't do anything...

I wanted to talk to her, I wanted to support her or at least to be supported. Her mother is quite busy and didn't always seem to notice.

I wish I could let her know, even if it is only her.

But I am just an inanimate object, incapable of speech.

Tonight something awful happened...

Someone broke in.

It was unplanned, he didn't seem to know the layout of the house.

The burgler was probably looking for valuables.

Only Molly and her mother were at home that night.

Both asleep.

The man accidently entered the wrong room.

Molly and my room.

Molly is a very light sleeper and woke up by the gently creaking door.

She noticed the bugler and started to scream.

So he hit her, he didn't want any witnesses.

He was desperate.

He would even kill to get his prize.

He hit her again with his bat.

And again.

I could do nothing but watch this horrible scene in front of me.

I wanted to scream.

I wanted to save Molly.

He hit her again and she stopped crying, bleeding heavily.

Something snapped in me.

My emotions, but also my shackles which had kept me stuck for so many years.

I was going to kill him.

This man... had to go.

I don't know how, but I got out.

Out of my cell, which was my body.

Out of my dusty prison.

I shattered the room's window and with the glass shards, I pinned the man against the ceiling.

Anger.

Anger was the only feeling.

Anger and rage. Then maybe, also hate.

He screamed.

He cried.

It made me feel something... like joy.

Blood dripped down like a slow waterfall, creating a pool on the wooden floor.

Blood stained the carpet.

Bleed more...

BLEED MORE!!!

I think I killed him.

Did I go too far?

He stopped crying.

He stopped screaming.

Molly's mother runs into the room to save her.

I quickly return to my body, she probably hasn't seen me.

She screamed when she noticed the man on the ceiling.

She got her daughter out of that room as soon as possible, leaving me behind.

Leaving me behind in the mess I made.

I can see blue and red flashing lights outside.

The cops have arrived.

The paramedics as well.

Molly seemed to have had a slight concussion, lucky girl.

I'm so glad, it didn't get any worse.

Molly doesn't really know what happened though, probably just her child mind keeping her protected.

It has been a week and Molly is ready to return to school again.

And I guess I'm lucky too, it is take-your-toy-to-school day.

Molly has promised to take me.

I'm glad.

Now I can find out who made her upset like before.

And now I can do something about it.

With my new power, I will surely be able to make her happy again.

What's for dinner?

A short horror story I wrote:)

Word count: 1025

TW: Gore

That is the question I've been wondering about lately.

Mom and dad are amazing people, so it's really not that I don't trust them.

The truth is, sorry I know I'm not allowed to do so, I've been listening a lot to Carl recently.

I know, I know, he always says such weird things.

But I mean, he is still my brother.

Our family is so big, but he's always on his own, so I decided to be his friend.

He has always seemed quite lonely, never saying a lot, if not remaining silent for multiple days at a time.

Sometimes it looks like everyone has decided he is crazy, but I have not.

Even in silence we are able to play together.

Yesterday as we played with our toys he spoke an entire sentence.

It was a question.

"Do you know what's for dinner?"

At first I looked up in shock at the fact he spoke at all, but I quickly regained my composure: "I don't know." I answered.

"You should see."

I tried asking him more about it, but he stopped answering completely.

No word, not even a peep came out of him for the rest of the day.

After a while he got tired of playing and started reading a book.

I left him to it and started looking for mom.

It didn't take long for me to find her.

"Mom, can I ask you something?"

"Of course you can, dear."

"What are we having for dinner tonight?"

It takes a second for her to answer.

Did I accidentally scare her?

I thought her face looked like that, even if it was just for a second.

"Chicken, mashed potatoes and some veggies. Did you not see it on the board?"

Oh right! I can be so stupid sometimes!

"Sorry mom, I forgot to check..." I hit myself in the face: "Can I help you with cooking?"

She smiles at me in a rather sad way: "I'm sorry dear, not today. Maybe some other time."

"Okay!"

I give her a hug and walk off to do something else.

As the time to finally eat dinner the sound of the bell can be heard throughout the whole house.

Like always, we eat by candle-light and we're eating everything like it says on the board.

Nothing weird, nothing strange.

Was Carl just messing with me?

The next day I spent my time with Carl again.

"Hey Carl" : I ask my brother: "What did you mean yesterday about the food?"

He stops moving the arm his toy is in and then looks up to face me.

"So you haven't seen it?"

"I don't know what I'm supposed to see."

"You should look again."

And off I am again, as I walk towards the board dad notices me.

"Hello dear, what are you doing here?" he asks with a kind smile.

"Well dad, I was just wondering what we were going to have for dinner today."

He laughs just as kind as he smiles: "Well aren't you curious! We will be eating soup and bread today."

I nod: "Thank you, that sounds delicious!"

And then I add: "Is there anything I can help you with dad?"

He pats me on my head: "Don't worry dear, you should just go and play with the others."

And just like he told me to, I go to my other siblings.

Unfortunately they don't seem willing to spend time with me, they even make mean jokes about me.

All because I'm supposedly stupid for spending time with Carl.

They say he's a bad child and that me spending time with him makes me just as bad.

Crying I go back to my room.

After a little while I suddenly hear a quiet knock on my door.

I don't open the door, I want to be left alone.

The others might even make more fun of me if they see that I'm crying.

I hate it.

But my thoughts have no control over whoever is behind the door and it slowly opens.

It's Carl.

Quickly I wipe away my tears, but it seems that he has already seen it.

Without speaking a word he walks into my room and gives me a hug.

Comforting me in silence.

After I've calmed down a bit more, he whispers something: "You should see what we have for dinner."

Again?!

The question makes me a bit angry.

"I already know! It's soup with bread."

I push him away.

Defeated, he looks me in the eye and then shakes his head.

"You should see again."

"I don't understand, Carl! Please just help me understand!"

The tears are back again and this time not only from my eyes.

Carl is crying.

I've never seen him do so before.

"Dinner... is not..." He mumbles, stumbling over the words or perhaps not finding the right ones.

He strangely makes no attempt to wipe away his tears, mumbling the same words over and over again.

Just what could he mean with that?

Isn't this going too far for a joke?

This time it's my turn to give Carl a hug, but as I get closer, he starts to shake.

Is he scared of something?

Then just before I can wrap my arms around his body he runs away, leaving a trail of tears behind.

Just why is he crying?

I try to go after him, but can't find him anywhere.

He doesn't even seem to be in his room.

As I look under his bed to see if he might be hiding there, I notice a small object with a note attached to it.

I take it to have a closer look.

On the note he has written my name.

It's a flashlight.

I click the on/off button a couple of times, but it seems to be broken.

Still I decide to take it with me.

At dinner, we all gather at the candle-lit table again.

I look over to Carl's seat, but it's empty.

I ask the others, but they only snicker and mom hushes to make us go quiet again.

The rule is 'No talking while eating', so I too stop asking.

Today I don't feel particularly hungry and get bored quickly.

The candle light makes it so it only shows the food we're eating, I can't see any of the others.

It's almost as if I'm eating alone or I might not even be there either.

As I fiddle a bit with my fork I suddenly remember that I have the flashlight.

Without much thought I take it out and press the 'on' button.

This time however it did turn on.

It showed...

The table...

In a terrible condition...

The food...

It looks horrible...

My family...

Doesn't look like my family...

Trainride at night

A short horror story I wrote a while ago

Word count: 1208

TW: Gore, body horror, blood

For so far I could see and hear, the train seemed to be entirely empty. There was no movement or other sounds either, except for my own.

A soft krrsss can be heard as I turn a page of the book I'm holding.

Outside its dark. Not just dark that you can see something, no it is pitch black. Like the windows are just painted walls or someone put the plastic bags made for trash cans onto the windows.

Bored I stare at the unmoving words in the book I am holding in my hand. Too tired to actually read them. Too tired from the long day, but it's not like I have anything better to do anyway.

With my elbow I lean against the window in order not to fall asleep.

"ugh..." I sigh annoyed as I slam my book shut, I can't stay awake if I keep staring at my book!

I look around, but the only movement is that of the moving vehicle as it gently drives over the railway tracks. It drives so gently and quietly it almost sounds like humming. The sound is not annoying in any way, but doesn't help me with staying awake.

Even if the train drives so quietly, it is still going quite fast.

Sudden all the lights go out and it becomes even darker.

I can't see the windows.

I can't see my hands.

I can't see the closed cover of my book.

I can't see anything.

It is almost as if the world stopped existing, the only proof of it not being the case is the soft humming of the train wagons.

I am tired.

So tired.

I wonder if the train driver has forgotten that they still have one passenger, but we are still driving and we haven't passed my station yet.

Blinded by the darkness I feel around for my bag and take out my phone.

Too Bright!!

I shield my eyes from the light from my phone as I try to find the flashlight function.

My tired eyes really seem to need the extra time adjusting to the light.

I look around, something was off.

Not my seat, but all the others looked... thorned up and very old.

Weird, I'm sure that this is a relatively new train.

I quickly put my book in my bag and decide to look around. I don't feel safe to just sit in one place.

I decide that the best option is to look for the driver, so forward it is.

With my light forward and holding trying to keep away the fear, I walk through the seemingly endless train.

After a bit I notice that everything in the train starts looking worse, missing seats and then broken glass.

All of a suddenly another train passes mine, the lights are on, but no one seems to be on it... wait no, someone is there.

A strange figure stands by the window, as I look closer I see the familiar shape of myself.

It's me.

But wrong.

The head is twisting too fast for a human and bones are sticking out of its body.

I can see my ribs poking holes out of the chest with blood streaming down.

Both trains seem to be going the same speed now and I stand facing the other me, without saying a word I stare at it, readying myself for anything.

Then the head stops twisting and it stares at me with one eye hanging loosely over the right cheek.

I quickly take a step back.

"Who..." I whisper, but as I try to speak the other me shakingly puts a finger against its lips.

I try to breathe normally, but it is getting more and more difficult.

After a staring contest (and battle for me not to empty my stomach here) it suddenly jerks an arm pointing to my left.

What the hell?!

Don't go to the front of the train, go back.

Was that a voice in my head? Or did I say that out loud? How much is the other me able to take control?

"Right..." I whisper as I back off further, walking in the direction 'me' wants me to go.

A creepy smile appears on 'my' face, not mine, not mine at all.

Quickly I start running, I almost drop my phone thanks to my sweaty hands.

Luckily there is still some light from the other train, but on the other hand it creates many creepy shadows and sometimes it looks like other people are sitting or standing around me.

I run as fast as I can until my breath has all run out and I fall to the ground gasping for air.

I got to keep going.

I got to keep...

I got to...

I got...

I...

Darkness consumes my vision like many hands appearing and blocking my view.

Screaming doesn't work, something is blocking my mouth from opening.

.

.

.

As I open my eyes I see that the trains lights are working again, the other train is gone and I'm lying on the floor.

Did all of that really happen?

No, there is no way.

Carefully I get back up on my feet again and pick up my phone.

Oh crap, the screen is scratched. Well, hopefully I can get it repaired.

I turn it on, it still seems to work.

Something catches my eye, my phone's battery is 48%...

I could have sworn I had less than that, like 30% or something.

I put the device in my pocket and walked the way I was going before I collapsed.

Sssrrkkk....

Sssrrrkkk...

What is that noise?

It sounds like it is coming from a few seats in front of me.

Quickly I walk towards it, hoping to find another living human being that doesn't have bones sticking out.

Someone seems to be reading a book.

Again?

It is another me again, no blood this time though.

Quietly so as not to make a noise I walk by, when I stop, two steps apart, the other me stops turning the pages.

I take a step back, they suddenly turn a page again, the other way this time.

Don't tell me.... Is that 'me' in reverse of me?

When I take a step forward 'I' do it again.

So It really is reversed, now that I think of it, the train sounds different, so... is this also?

I don't get it, I want to get out!

I quickly run past myself to make sure I don't get attacked.

The thought of breaking a window jumps in my mind, but I don't want to attract any unwanted attention.

As I run I see another me and another me.

Everyone of them, doing something different or sitting somewhere else.

All of a sudden the sound of something breaking behind me catches my attention and I turn around to look.

It seems to be nothing at first, but then something else breaks again...

It's the lights.

One by one, like the darkness decided to walk toward me and with each one, it goes faster.

Again I run, passing by more other me's.

I can hear someone speaking behind me, but it all sounds like it is in reverse.

When I look behind me I bump into another me standing close to a door.

"Get out, get out!" I yell.

"Get OUT!!!"

I look up from my phone, did someone just talk to me?

I look outside, it is dark outside the train like usual around this time.

The humming of the vehicle almost makes me fall asleep.

The train comes to a halt.

Is this my stop?

Seems like it.

I press the button for the doors to open and after a second they do.

As they open and I step aside, my reflection appears rather strange.

Was I just smiling? Like really creepy?

The confession

A short horror story I wrote.

TW: 920

Word count: blood, gore, murder, religion

It's quiet today, yes it is most of the time in a church, but not this kind of silence... I might even be able to call it eerie.

It's so quiet it feels like there is someone here with me, just one that is able to hold their breath for a very long time or never had a breath to begin with.

From the corner of my eye I notice a dark red curtain close.

Ah, it must be someone whom is here to confess.

I carefully close the book I was reading and whilst holding it close I walk over to the one who seeks the guidance and forgiveness of God.

I enter the small room on the opposite side and close the curtain behind me.

As I sense the person in the other room make a cross, he speaks in a shaking voice: "In the n-name of the F-father, the Son a-and the Holy Spirit..."

I recognize the man's voice, it's Benjamin, the kind farmer from the edge of town.

He comes here often and is very devoted to God.

Just what could it be that scared the poor lad this much?

Ben continues his prayer: "May last confession has been..." He takes a break, seemingly deep in thought.

"I'm sorry, I... I don't know. I have been here every Sunday though, I truly didn't have anything to confess at that time."

"That is alright, I know. Please tell me what happened Ben."

"So..." He swallows loudly "It all started a couple of days ago."

"Recently my crops have been dying, much, much faster than normal. All of them are now nothing more but dust. At first I thought it was divine punishment for something, but after asking even my youngest it seemed not to be the case. There was something killing them. It didn't take long for it to go over onto my life stock, all dead. My sheep, my cows, even the little donkey.

All had been more than healthy before then.

No blood, just dead.

Of course I went to ask around and seemingly I wasn't the only one with this horrible occurrence. My neighbors Peter and Hans had the same problem.

Something has been eating away at the land. It was something evil, father.

The others and me, decided to investigate and found out that something strange happens at night.

There was something wandering our fields when even the moon and stars hid behind clouds out of fear.

We all saw them.

It looked human, a human with long dark hair.

Each time it even just passed something alive it would quickly perish.

Last night, we decided to make our move.

Armed, we followed it.

It led us into the dark forest, everything decaying in its path.

When it finally halted, Peter attacked first.

But he was touched by it by accident and turned to ash.

It was a terrible sight father! I won't ever be able to forget.

So Hans, enraged by the sudden death of our friend, screamed at it, grabbing it by its hair and yanking it back.

He held a knife to its throat ready to slice it open, and yet... he too lost his life right there.

The monster turned to me and asked: "Are you going to kill me too, mister?"

I could finally see its eyes, its horrid eyes.

I think they might have glowed, but I'm not too sure.

When the moon finally showed itself, it had turned just as blood red as the monster's eyes.

It had to have been the devil's work.

It has to!"

"What did you do?" I ask, trying to get him to continue his story, he came here to confess after all.

A strange giggle escaped the man's lips, one I have only heard once before from a madman.

"Ben! What did you do?!"

He remains silent for a bit.

Is he even still there?

"Father... I killed a child. I killed the devil's child" Ben answers with insanity clearly audible in his voice.

"Ben... you killed a child?"

Another strange giggle: "Father... I did it to save everyone. I stabbed it and stabbed it and stabbed it and stabbed it... In the end the monster even smiled at me as I cut out its facial features, to make it look more like the monster it was."

A chill runs down my spine, what in the Lord's name is going on?

Probably sensing my silence, Ben starts to weep: "My Lord... Father... I killed a child... I'm going to hell... aren't I?"

Unsure what to answer, I open my bible looking for a way to guide the man.

Suddenly I start to hear scratching on the other side, softly at first, but before I know it, it gets louder and louder.

'Is he nervous?' Is my first thought, but quickly the scratching doesn't sound human anymore.

I can't help it: "What's wrong?" I ask desperately, trying to hide my own panic.

"Father, please help me. God, please forgive me!" The man starts begging in great distress.

If this goes on, he might hurt himself, I have to get him out!

"Ben! Please, let's take a breath of fresh air! Please calm down, I'm sure He will forgive you!"

I jump out of the confessional, rush to his side and open his curtains.

But instead of being greeted by the panicked man's face, I am to an empty seat.

Empty.

No one.

Have I been talking to myself all this time?

No... The scratches are there.

The scratches in the woodwork are deep and look more to be made by some kind of animal, than a human being.

It almost looks like there is dust inside them.

With an audible gasp I take a step back, gazing into the empty room.

Then I notice something else amiss.

The light entering the church...

It has turned blood red.

The machine that brought the dead back to life

The continueation and final part of a story I wrote.

Word count: 2151

TW: Death and cursing

A sudden shock awakens Drew and he opens his eyes, only to find himself inside some sort of machine.

The space is small and he almost can't move anything, turning around is out of the question.

Luckily since he's used to working in cramped spaces, he's able to keep himself calm.

His head seems to be in a fog, he doesn't remember what happened to get him inside the big object.

Carefully he tries to move his arms, but not much happens, he is completely confined within the machine.

After a while of trying not to panic Drew hears a strange mechanical hissing sound.

It's the door.

The door is opening.

In the opening stands a man in rags with a zombie-like look on his face, suddenly he grabs Drew by his arm and hisses in his ear: "Act like the rest or you'll be dead."

At first Drew doesn't understand at all, but as he looks around he sees in the dark many people moving around almost robotically.

All of the people are working.

Drew quickly looks back at the machine he came from.

It takes a second, but then it dawns at him...

He had been revived.

Trying to remain calm he follows the man before him, trying to take the same slow dead steps.

He thinks of Clara, who must be grieving terribly right now. The reason for him being here must be because she wasn't able to pay for the revival fee.

The day or perhaps the night, there's really no way to know, starts horribly.

People looking like old corpses are walking like slaves with other machines keeping watch if they're working good enough.

Drew is forced to work on broken machinery without break, being monitored almost non-stop.

Thankfully he does quite well, since he has been chosen to do a job he had done last he had been awake.

As the moment finally arrives that the security weakens and no camera's look at Drew, he is completely exhausted.

He feels a hand on his shoulder, it's the man that had warned him before.

"Hey buddy, you gotta keep going, if you don't want to die that is."

"What is this? Why are they doing this?" Drew almost begs the man to answer his questions.

"Once pronounced dead, your rights as a human being are lost. You will be nothing more than an object, a slave. We are supposed to come in here as mindless, but some of us, like you and me, come with one still intact."

"This is a different machine than the one used on the commercials, right?"

The strange man laughs: "Of course, you think people would write a good review if they were to wake up in a dump like this? This place is for those that are too poor or have relatives that don't want them anymore, but the people here are chosen because of having certain skills."

"Skills? Do the mindless even possess those?"

"Bare fractions, but that's all they need. A person's build can also go a long way."

As the monitors return they quickly get back to their work again and after a while Drew learns that the dead down here really don't get any rest.

Still he tries his best, causing him to almost faint.

Slowly it gets even darker before his eyes and he feels himself stagger and the ground seems to be dragging him closer.

Just in time, the strange man pulls him up and hands him something.

"Get up buddy, if you fall now, we're both fucked."

Drew takes the object closer to his face and recognizes it as old bread.

He takes a bite and swallows.

It's absolutely disgusting, but it helps him to continue again.

"How long have you been here?" Drew asks as they have a moment to talk.

"Not so long either."

"Then do you know how you died?"

"Not sure..." The man hesitates for a moment: "But from what I heard, this damned company sometimes picks people and sends others after them to kill them. I believe that at least happened to you."

"What, why?"

"You can't see it right now, but you had a really big scar on your back. They don't patch us up as good as the people who pay for it."

Drew doesn't remember what happened, one moment he had been working and the other he had woken up inside the machine. This information of him possibly being murdered strikes him hard.

"I need to get out of here." He mumbles.

"Don't we all?"

"If I don't they might kill her too."

"You got someone, buddy?"

"My wife, she works here."

"On the bottom I presume?"

"Yeah..."

"Well that explains it then."

"What do you mean?"

"Why were you picked?"

"Do you mean to say that they screened everything about her? And all the people in her life?"

"Yeah..."

Drew firmly places a hand on the man's shoulder: "Just how do you know all this information?"

"Buddy, let go."

"I want to know!"

"Buddy, you're hurting me."

"Just answer me, please!"

The man sighs: "I used to work at the top. I was one of those fuckers at the top. One that could see the sun rise, one that could see above the smog."

"Then why are you here?"

"You really want to know everything, don't you?"

Drew grips the strangers shoulder even harder.

"Ouch! Damnit, I fucked up you know! I didn't agree to their shit!"

Drew lets the man go.

"Thank you." He says annoyed.

"I'm going to get out of here." Drew says while picking up something he things that might be useful as a weapon.

"You're going to get yourself killed going like that."

"Better than dying here. If you want me to survive, maybe you could help."

Defeated, the man sighs: "Fine, then I will."

"So what are we going to do?" Drew asks, some of his old energy returning.

"We have to carefully follow the red lights."

Both drop their work and start their plan to escape.

It doesn't take long for an alarm to sound, the camera's must have noticed that they've left.

Thus the two start running.

As strange looking robots get closer and closer the two men finally reach a door, the strange man opens it and pushes Drew through it.

"You better get her to safety, buddy." The man says and closes the door immediately.

For a moment Drew stands unable to do anything, he had no time to thank the man before and now it was too late.

As his mind finally starts to process everything he decides that he can't do it all alone.

When he rushes outside the building, he notices that it is morning.

But even though the sun is out, seeing it through the thick smog is difficult.

People rush past him to go to work, like none know of what takes place beneath the big company that grants wishes.

Drew hurries home, but as he arrives, notices that Clara has already left for work. He stops for a moment to see hate mail on the floor.

The mail must have been sent by those that knew about his passing.

Drew picks them up and throws them in the trash, might be nice for starting a fire later.

Maybe he can get help at the workshop?

He runs to the place he worked just before he died.

The door is closed and gravity has been sprayed all over the walls.

Vile words are written on the walls, did the boss take Clara's side?

Drew tries to open the door, but it seems to be locked.

He knocks.

No answer.

He knocks again, this time louder.

Then the door finally opens, the boss appears, at first he doesn't notice and wants to ask if he came to harass him, but then he looks up and recognizes Drew.

He takes his arm and almost drags him inside.

"Drew? How can that be you? You look horrible."

Drew starts to explain everything that he knows.

It takes a while, making Drew tumble over his words, trying to get it all out at the same time.

When he finally finishes he says: "So I have to go get her now!"

"Drew, you just came back to life. Please, be careful."

"I'm sorry sir, but I can't, they probably already know that I was the one who left after all. I can't stay here too long. They might even come after you if they know that you kept me here for a while. You sided with Clara, didn't you?"

The older man on the other side of the table sighs in despair and old grief: "Don't let yourself get killed again, son."

The boss turns around to see if he can find Drew something to use as a weapon, but as he hears the front door open and close again, he knows that it is too late.

Drew finally reaches the building again, trying to rush and hide at the same time to get inside quickly and efficiently.

People do tend to stare at him, probably because of old clothes and the fact that even though he's been revived, he still doesn't look much different from a corpse. Possibly a side-effect by the machine at the bottom.

Drew opens door after door to find the room in which his beloved should be working.

A lady walks up to him, asking: "Sir can I help you?" She looks like a normal employee.

"Clara, have you seen her?"

She shakes her head: "Not since she was sent downstairs."

Drew glances at an old staircase that is mostly dark, too dark to see the floor below it.

"Thanks." He mumbles and continues down further.

He rips open a door not knowing if it's the right one.

It shows a big grey room, lighted by white ceiling lights and the many blue screens on the many desks.

At a glance some of the people here look close to dying themselves.

But something else is wrong with the room.

Something very wrong.

Perhaps it looks too clean?

Drew starts to look around, looking for Clara.

The illusion gets shattered the moment Drew accidently pushes a button.

A short glitch appears, like a flash all disappears.

The room is not clean at all, there is even a small layer of water covering the ground.

Drew can see something that looks like a bridge without handrails and on it he sees her.

"Clara!!" He yells at his beloved: "Clara, get away from there!" Blindly he rushes towards her, but it is too late.

She falls, plunging into the murky water that embraces her with its cold deepness.

Without a second of hesitation Drew jumps after her, uncaring of the coldness of the water.

He sinks after her, but loses sight of her quickly.

As he finally reaches what he believes to be the bottom, he frantically searches for her.

With his hands he feels around, but feels a strange object lying underneath his feet.

Unable to hold his breath any longer he swims to the surface and climbs onto the platform.

Even though the illusion is gone, there are still people typing away at the computers, still working even though they should be able to see the real working conditions.

Drew runs up to one of them and pulls them close: "Where are the lights?! Any lights, flashlights, I don't care!"

Panic has wrapped its claws around the desperate man's throat, almost choking him, as is to kill him again.

Unfortunately the yelling doesn't help getting the worker out of his state, only staring blankly at Drew or perhaps through him, unable to see him at all.

Angry Drew tosses the worker aside and starts searching on his own again, quickly opening random drawers without closing them.

As he wants to kick something a hand gets placed on his shoulder: "Here son, use this."

It's the boss of the workshop, handing him an old flashlight, he must have come after him.

Drew takes it saying a quick thanks and uses a useless fire-extinguisher to sink faster to the bottom.

The old flashlight luckily seems to work underwater, it doesn't show much, but it does so for the bare minimum.

As Drew reaches what he believes to be the bottom, he quickly puts his hand before his mouth to stop himself from choking on the water trying to invade his lungs.

This is not the bottom at all.

As Drew slowly moves the flashlight to look around he slowly shines it on many corpses that lie around.

Some new, some almost entirely bones.

It's a pile.

So many people.

And if Drew isn't fast enough, Clara will join them forever.

Slower than he wants to he swims closely to the bodies, trying his best to find his beloved, made worse by the look of all the dead down there.

The water is still murky, but Drew has an idea of where Clara could be.

Soon he finds himself at a deeper hole, one with less bodies.

Using the fire-extinguisher he tries to get to the botom quicker.

.

.

.

Then he finally finds her.

She seems almost deadly pale, almost like she has already joined those deep down.

Swiftly he takes her in his arms and lets go of the heavy object, causing them to slowly rise up again.

As they finally reach the surface, Drew's boss is already awaiting them helping them up.

"Son, what took you so long?"

Drew, completely out of breath, tries to explain: "All... are... all are dead... down there..."

"What do you mean?"

Drew shakes his head: "Please... please, save her."

Clara has gone awfully cold and doesn't seem to be breathing anymore.

Both men feel at a loss, until at the same time they know one way to get her back again.