Board Thread:Writer's Workshop/@comment-24130682-20150525151842

I'll never escape. I shouldn't have gone with them. Maybe if I had persuaded them not to go on the road trip, maybe the three of them would still be alive.



It was supposed to be a fun way to spend summer. Just the three of us. Me, John and Ben. We were going to go for a drive across Canada in order to experience different activities. We were going to start in Ontario and were going to drive through Manitoba all the way to British Columbia. Then we would head up north to the Yukon. It would end on a round trip with us making it to Quebec and back home. At least that was the plan.



After about a week or so, we made it to Saskatchewan. Eventually we found our way to a small mining town. It looked pretty nice, there were quite a few people who helped us by giving us a place to stay and some fuel for our car. After a little bit we decided to have a look around. There wasn't much to look at since we were pretty much in a wasteland.



That was when John started calling out to me and Ben. We ran over to have a look at what he was screaming about.



“I found something,” He called between his gasping breaths.



He raised a hand and pointed towards the hill behind us.



“It's just over that hill. I think it might be a warehouse.”



We ran to the top of the hill and saw there at the bottom of a small valley, a rather small warehouse slightly deteriorating. We had decided to check it out the next day since the sun was already beginning to set.



<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">It was already dark by the time we got back to town. The stores and houses were all closed with their lights out for the night. We walked into our inn and wandered up to our room. The room itself seemed a little small for three people.

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<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">There were two beds next to each other and a table and two chairs in the corner by the window. In between the two beds there was a small table which also acted as a bookshelf. Above the table was a small analog clock. The orange fiery glow from the window made the dark room seem sinister. Like it held a dark secret beneath the beds.

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<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">I looked over and saw that Ben and John had each claimed a bed and were already in dreamland. I decided to sleep in one of the chairs just for the night. As I closed my eyes and the sunlight faded I fell into a deep sleep. That's when I had the nightmare.

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<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">It began with me standing on the hill that overlooked the warehouse. I saw three figures walking towards it before disappearing. I ran after them and reached the warehouse. I looked through a window and found that it was completely deserted. There were no signs of anything human or other. I walked to the front and began reaching for the door handle when I heard a husky voice call out from behind.

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<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">You are not wanted!

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<p style="margin-bottom:0cm;font-style:normal">I slowly turned to face what had spoke but I felt something digging into my skull. My vision faded into a faint light lavender hue and I awoke.

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<p style="margin-bottom:0cm;font-style:normal">I looked at the clock and saw it was about 10:32. John and Ben were already downstairs waiting for me. I walked downstairs half asleep and stopped to talk to the manager about the warehouse.

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<p style="margin-bottom:0cm;font-style:normal">“Yes.” He said, talking in a thick deep German accent. “I know the building you have seen. I would not recommend going there if you value your safety.”

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<p style="margin-bottom:0cm;font-style:normal">I asked what he meant by that and he mentioned that it had shut down for about 15 years and the supports were not in such great shape. I thanked him and apologized for my friends who were honking the horn and telling me to hurry up.

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<p style="margin-bottom:0cm;font-style:normal">We drove off and I explained to them what the manager had said.

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<p style="margin-bottom:0cm;font-style:normal">“That's bullshit.” John said with a laugh. “If that was true they would've put a sign up or something. Come on. We're almost there.”

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<p style="margin-bottom:0cm;font-style:normal">We pulled up to the end of the road and got out of the car. I felt an odd presence watching us. I looked up to one of the higher windows and saw a dark shape duck out of sight. I looked again in case it was just a trick of the light.

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<p style="margin-bottom:0cm;font-style:normal">“Hey! Get moving Mark!”

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<p style="margin-bottom:0cm;font-style:normal">I looked over and saw Ben calling over to me. I ran over to him and we pushed the door open. Looking into the doorway, it was just like it had been in my dream. A wide empty warehouse. There were some old crates broken and scattered across the floor and a series of metal stairs spiralling upwards to a gallery. The gallery was a large metal bridge that went along the wall of the building and there was one path crossing the middle of the warehouse.

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<p style="margin-bottom:0cm;font-style:normal">“This is awesome.” I heard Ben cry out. “Why didn't we just go over here yesterday?” His voice trailed off and he began to chuckle. “Guys, check out what I found.”

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<p style="margin-bottom:0cm;font-style:normal">We ran over and found Ben tossing some old crates out of the way revealing and old metal trapdoor, probably from a storm cellar. It was rusty and looked like it hadn't opened in a good 50 years at least. We tried to open it with all three of us pulling but it didn't budge. Not even a creak.

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<p style="margin-bottom:0cm;font-style:normal">“Hey, Mark.” he said turning to me. “You mind handing me that crowbar.”

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<p style="margin-bottom:0cm;font-style:normal">I looked towards where he was pointing and I found a metal crowbar. After passing it, I grabbed the handle, John grabbed the opposite door and Ben put the end of the crowbar in between them. Me and John pulled as Ben tried to pry. With a strong groan and a painful pull, the door opened with an echoing slam. We looked down into the deep, pitch black abyss and I took one step into the shadows.

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<p style="margin-bottom:0cm;font-style:normal">I don't remember fainting, or even falling asleep. All I remember is going down into the trapdoor and then waking up in a rather large metal room. It had one door, locked of course and a torn up old mattress in the corner. There was no light from under the door, only from one dim light bulb. I was all alone. I got up and walked over to the door.

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<p style="margin-bottom:0cm;font-style:normal">“Anyone? HEY! Is anyone out there?” I cried out until my voice was hoarse and fading.

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<p style="margin-bottom:0cm;font-style:normal">Just as I had begun to give up and slumped up on the mattress I felt it moving under me. I got up just in time to see a small cobra begin slithering from a hole in the mattress. I went into panic mode. Slamming on the door, making as much noise as I could without my voice. Three more cobras slithered out from the mattress and began to slither towards me. I let out one last loud, echoing scream in an attempt to get help before fainting. The last sound I heard over the echoing scream in my head was the sound of a lock opening and a purple glow flowing in from outside.

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<p style="margin-bottom:0cm;font-style:normal">I awoke probably a few hours later, without a clock I couldn't be sure. I was lying by the door with a small plate of food in front of me. The snakes were gone and there were no holes when I checked. I looked back to the plate and found that there was a glass of what I assume was root beer. There was also a cheeseburger. There was no longer any light under the door and other than my faint heartbeat and rapid breath, there was no sound.

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<p style="margin-bottom:0cm;font-style:normal">I jumped as I heard a thump on the other side of the wall. I heard the faint voice of Ben calling out.

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<p style="margin-bottom:0cm;font-style:normal">“Mark! John! Is anyone there?”

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<p style="margin-bottom:0cm;font-style:normal">I leapt up and ran to the wall and started pounding and calling out.

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<p style="margin-bottom:0cm;font-style:normal">“BEN! I'm over here. Are you okay?”

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<p style="margin-bottom:0cm;font-style:normal">I heard a faint sigh of relief on the other side.

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<p style="margin-bottom:0cm;font-style:normal">“I'm glad you're okay. Where are we?” he asked in a fearful voice.

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<p style="margin-bottom:0cm;font-style:normal">Before I could respond, I heard the sound of a lock opening in Ben's room. He started screaming so I banged on the wall to get his attention.

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<p style="margin-bottom:0cm;font-style:normal">“Ben, Ben what's going on?” I screamed to him as the screams echoed. A few minutes later they grew silent. I was alone again.

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<p style="margin-bottom:0cm;font-style:normal">I spent the next few possible hours trying to keep myself from going mad in the silence. The possible last person I ever talked to was now probably dead. I looked over and saw another tray on the floor, like the previous. I had been so nervous about Ben that I didn't notice anyone or anything coming in. I walked over and noticed that the door which was previously locked and impenetrable was now open.

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<p style="margin-bottom:0cm;font-style:normal">It lead to a dark cave-like hallway. As I walked into it, the door behind me shut and a lock closed. I was now sealed in a completely dark hallway. I began feeling along the wall to try and find my way when there was a sudden stinging pain in the back of my head. I reached up, but felt no mark or cut under my hand. I kept going and found myself looking up a storm cellar door. I had somehow found my way back to the warehouse. I made it to the top when I saw a person walking into the room. I hid behind one of the crates that had not broken and watched as they dragged something into view.

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<p style="margin-bottom:0cm;font-style:normal">I couldn't recognize the person, or rather the creature. It was tall humanoid creature maybe 6'9” with long lavender hair. Its eyes were a deep, soulless black like an empty void. It had no other features on it face, no ears, no nose and no mouth. Its legs and arms were thick almost like small tree trunks. Its fingernails were long, curved and cracked.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm;font-style:normal">I let out a slight gasp as it opened the bag it dragged with it. The creature dragged out Ben's body, still breathing, with both his legs bending as if they were broken. His hair was torn and wild, his arms were covered in blood and I noticed his nails were cracked and bleeding. He looked around wildly as if looking for someone to help. As his eyes locked with mine, the creature grinned with a sickening pleasure and it lumbered down the stairs carrying Ben along with him.

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<p style="margin-bottom:0cm;font-style:normal">Moving slowly and silently, I grabbed the crowbar that was lying next to the crate. When I was sure that the creature was gone, I ran through the door, over the hill and rushing back to town. Only there was no town. What we had seen as a town had simply been a large cavern with more of those things wandering around. Before I could run for cover one of them reached a single blood covered fingernail and screeched, alerting the other creatures to me.

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<p style="margin-bottom:0cm;font-style:normal">They all began to run towards me with overwhelming speed. I looked around for something to use to protect myself. Remembering the crowbar I held in my hand, I took a heaving swing and struck the nearest one in the skull knocking it into a pool of silver blood.

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<p style="margin-bottom:0cm;font-style:normal">I ran as fast as possible to try and get as much distance between those things and me while they were still shocked. I made it to the truck when I felt a stinging pain in the back of my head. I reached up and felt a slimy tendril piercing my skull. My vision began to fade and I fell to the ground with a crash.

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<p style="margin-bottom:0cm;font-style:normal">I woke up back in the room from before. I was lying in the middle of the floor with a note in front of me. I read it and knew I would never get out of here.

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<p style="margin-bottom:0cm;font-style:normal">“Next time, I'll lock the door.”

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<p style="margin-bottom:0cm;font-style:normal">Next to the note I found a piece of blank paper and a pencil. I am now using them to write this to you. Not to anyone specific, just whoever can and will help.

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<p style="margin-bottom:0cm;font-style:normal">Those things will come back. They always do. I have learned that they seem to feed on fear. Each time they come back, I see different horrors. From snakes, to darkness, I have even seen my own body drive mad. I remember one day, I woke up standing on a cliff with nothing but darkness below me. I tried to step back when the whole thin collapsed, falling towards the abyss. They keep me alive by feeding me, then they feed on my fear. <ac_metadata title="The Warehouse (UnReviewed)"> </ac_metadata>