Board Thread:Writer's Workshop/@comment-24996913-20140803215745

Let me start by saying I am a novelist so I know I may suck at ending a short story properly. This is why I ask if I should I leave the ending as is or go into more detail? Let me know.

We all have that friend that is constantly on the go, stringing you along with them as they bounce from place to place. My friend, Courtney, is that friend for me. Whenever I am bogged down, pitying myself as I stare at the countless writing assignments in front of me, she saved the day, getting me out of the house even if that meant I would turn a paper in late. I appreciated it, mostly because I have never been so social in my life. Before Courtney, I nonchalantly wasted away my life.

Unfortunately, days prior to finals week beginning, Courtney disappeared. Everyone seemed to believe she had gone off with some random guy, as she had been known to do, but I was worried. Sure, Courtney has- been around the block five or twenty times, but she always came back to our apartment. Never had she stayed out for days, leaving behind her precious puppy, Onyx.

I immediately begun contemplating where she could have been. Starting with interviewing countless of Courtney's boy toys. After receiving no helpful information from them, I slowly began thinking of the worst scenario. She must've gone to some party, got belligerently drunk, and ended up in a ditch in the middle of the woods. Of course, I didn't want to believe the worst had happened, but as the days flew by without so much of a text from Courtney, I couldn't help but become a bit of a cynic.

Then, out of nowhere, Courtney was home again, sitting on the couch, fresh towel wrapped around her head and body.

"Where have you been?" I questioned, rushing over to her.

She laughed, hugging me as I sat beside her.

"Oh, I was just visiting a boyfriend of mine," she said, pulling away from our embrace.

"You could've called. I was about to start printing out missing flyers, Courtney!" I shouted, nudging her shoulder.

Though I nudged her slightly, Courtney winced in pain, attempting to play it off once she had noticed my concerned eyes.

"I didn't have much time to think about that," she said, smiling as she lifted her hand, revealing a beautiful, yet excessively expensive, diamond ring.

My jaw dropped to the floor as I stared, mesmerized.

"Who is this guy?" I questioned.

She smiled, relishing in my curiosity.

"His name is Nolan," she said, staring up at the ceiling as if reminiscing.

"Well, where'd you meet him?" I questioned.

She turned, facing me.

"How about you come out to his club with me. It's an exclusive club, but I can get your name put on the list. But, we have to go now. After six o clock, no one can enter," she said, cheerfully.

I nodded, smiling as I saw the spark in her eyes I thought I'd never see. One of true happiness.

"Okay, well you should get ready now. Make sure you whore it up tonight, Belle. I don't want to see you come out here in a Sunday school teacher's outfit," she said, sarcastically.

I laughed, telling her off before running into her bedroom.

After what seemed like eternity in Courtney's closet, I picked out a little black dress that had enough fabric to cover me without compromising my morals. Courtney, dressed in a white, lacy dress, smiled as I walked out of her bedroom.

"I've never seen you look so good, Belle. Hot mamaaaa," she said, opening the door behind her.

"I've never seen you look so preachers wife-esque," I said, laughing as I walked out of the apartment.

Courtney rolled her eyes before turning to lock the door as I stood up against the wall. Down the hall, the creepy neighbor we called peeper creeper, paced back in forth as he stared intently upon me. He seemed to be mumbling something. I couldn't make out a single word as I stared, bewildered by his bedraggled appearance. The deep, dark circles around his eyes made him look completely insane.

"He gives me the creeps," I said, wrapping my arms securely around my waist as we walked towards the exit.

"He's just a lonely old man," Courtney said, smiling as she gazed in peeper creeper's direction.

He seemed to become agitated, violently yelling as we approached. I slowed, unsure of whether or not to pass the manic man, but, in order to get to the exit, we had to.

"You. It's you. It's you. It's you. It's you. It's you. It's you," he said, repeatedly as we crossed his path.

The whole time he spoke, he only stared at Courtney.

"Watch out, it's you! Watch out, watch out, girl! It's you! He picks and he chooses! Watch out, girl! It's you!" He shouted in a melodic tone.

I couldn't have been more excited to push open the exit door.

"He's fucking insane," I said, sighing as I looked up at the starry night's sky.

"He's been through a lot," Courtney said, smiling as she patted my shoulder.

I shrugged.

"Well, how far is this place from here?" I asked, looking around at the vacant streets.

Without a heads up, Courtney made a sharp turn, causing me to jog after her in a pair of neck breaking stilletos.

"It's just up ahead," she said, grabbing my arm, excitedly.

We hurried towards the building. Quickly, I noticed the vacant parking lot. I looked over at Courtney with worried eyes.

"I don't see any cars," I said.

Courtney seemed to ignore my observation, her eyes fixated on the building quickly closing in on us. I nudged her, seemingly snapping her back into reality.

"Did we come in a car, Belle," she said with a hint of irritation in her voice.

I ignored her attitude, not wanting to cause a scene in an area a whiles away from civilization.

"No, but not everyone lives in walking distance of an exclusive club I've never even heard of," I said, passively.

Courtney shook her head before clutching the door handle to the club.

"Look, calm down, alright? There's nothing to be nervous about. I told you it's exclusive. Not everyone has the luxury of a car, Belle," she said, angrily.

Her unusual snappy demeanor surprised me, but what really ate at me was the way she stared at me. Her eyes were cold and detached. Not even on her worst PMS spell had she looked at me so stoically.

"Are you okay, Courtney?" I asked, reaching out to her.

She dodged my hand, releasing her grip on the door handle of the entryway.

"I'm fine, Belle. Now, can we go in or not?" She questioned.

I threw my hands up, grabbing the door handle before springing the door open, angrily. Once inside, a putrid stench greeted me.

"Where's the lights?" I asked, attempting to find a wall.

"Lights, please!" Courtney called out, scaring the shit out of me.

The lights flickered on. And, with the lights, came unimaginable horror. Beneath my feet were pools of crimson, sewage, and clumps of hair.

"What is-"

"Don't be scared, Belle. If you win you have nothing to worry about and everything to gain," she said, stepping through pools of blood as she made her way across the room.

"What the hell is this, Courtney! Let's get the hell out of here!" I yelled, walking backwards towards the door.

Courtney quickly spun around.

"Don't!" She yelled.

I stopped in my tracks. The fear in her eyes burned into my brain.

"If you open that door... They will lift open that steel gate and it will come out here and kill you, belle," she said, sternly.

I shook my head, backing away towards the exit.

"Listen to your friend, Belle," a voice spoke, startling me.

I stopped, staring as a man dressed in a tailored, black suit walked out of one of many opening.

"Rule number one: once you are in, you cannot leave until you have completed the-tasks successfully," he said, smirking.

I looked over at Courtney who stared back at me with apologetic eyes.

"I'm sorry, belle. I-I had no choice, okay? Nolan brought me here because that's how this works. Once you've completed the tasks, in order to get the prize, you bring in someone else. You're a smart girl, Belle. You can do this," she said, approaching me.

I held up my hand, backing away as she stepped closer.

"Don't you fucking come near me! You people are sick! You're fucking sick!" I screamed, uncontrollably.

"Enough of this. Courtney, you may claim your prize down the hall. And, Belle- it is time for you to listen carefully," the man said, matter of factly.

I shook viciously as reality began to sink in. I was trapped in a humongous room, littered with blood and remains of the unknown. These people were not just toying with me. This was real.

"We are an organization of multiple functions. We are the granters of dreams. If you shall make it through each of 4 tasks, you will be granted whatever you wish whether it be money, fame, love, and so on and so forth. There are basic rules of this- process. You will not leave before each task is complete unless you wish to meet my pet, Gandol... He is always prepared for a snack," the man said, again wielding a stark smile.

I looked around the seemingly never ending room, quickly making out a gigantic steel door with unusual writing upon it. The four foot gap at the bottom of the door caught my eye immediately. There was a large, black paw-like hand clawing at the cement floors. The indentations in the ground sent chills down my spine.

"Another guideline you shall not break is the dress code. You are expected to complete each task in your current attire. No more, no less. Unless, you wish to fall through these floors and become acquainted with the newly sharpened spikes below, I'd suggest you follow that rule precisely," he continued.

I listened carefully. Though I was scared out of my mind, I couldn't risk missing even a word from his mouth. But, as I stared intently upon him, I could see his change of demeanor. He looked me up and down before tilting his head back as if he was receiving the best massage of his life.

"Belle, because I like the way you-mmm- smell, I have altered the consequence of not complying with the next guideline which requires you only speak in song. If you fail to follow this rule, you will become my-prodigy. I assure you it would be a lifelong commitment for you," he said, approaching me swiftly.

I could feel myself become light headed as he glared. Falling to the blood drenched floor, I felt an abundance of pressure building in my brain. The pain was so overwhelming that I began crying.

"Ahhhh- mmmm- you are quite the delicacy. Mmm, a rarity indeed," he said, standing over me as the pain subsided.

He kneeled down, lifting my chin as he gazed into my eyes. I could feel a thick liquid seeping from my eyes, ears, and nose. The man eagerly wiped my cheek with his cold index finger, revealing the substance as blood as he stared vehemently at it. And, with a slow, steady pace, he moved it towards his lips, inhaling viciously as he closed his eyes.

"You are... Simply remarkable," he said, reopening his eyes.

I shook in fear, realizing the color within his irises had deteriorated.

"Now, back to business. The most important guideline you must obey, saving that- intoxicating body of yours from any possible mix ups, stand completely still when it's feeding time," he said before licking my blood from his finger. 