Darkness

Starting Point

She wakes up and opens her eyes. All she can see? Darkness. That eerie kind of darkness where it's completely pitch black, and there's not a shred of light, The kind of darkness that makes you feel- instinctively -that something is wrong.

A light slowly comes on. It's dim and it flickers, but it's something. She hauls herself up and walks towards the light.

She stops in her tracks as a scream resounds through the place- wherever it is. She clasps her hands together. They feel sticky. Expecting the worst, she turns them slowly over and looks at them. She gasps and looks away, before daring to peer again. She gulps. Her hands are covered in blood, and a squeamish girl like her doesn't take these things too well.

She is about to be sick, but she hears a voice. It is almost as if there is someone, somewhere in this place, calling for help. Torn between walking towards the light and the noise, she decides on the noise. She doesn't want to be here alone.

After following the sound for some minutes, she trips over something on the floor. Wondering what it is, she feels around on the ground. Where she has tripped, she feels a soft, skin-like texture. She shudders and her heart goes into overdrive.

And they're still warm...

She forces the thought out of her head and presses on towards the voice. She can hear the sound of laughter although she is alone. 

And yet she stays brave and keeps walking. 

Eventually, she hits a wall. So we are inside, she thinks. She hears a voice beside her feet, and looks down. In the little light there is, she can see a boy and a girl of around her age. She reaches out a hand to help each of them in turn.

"Did-did you put us here?" stammers the boy.

"No, why would you th-" she replies. And then she realises. They're in the same situation as her.

"Who are you?" the girl demands.

"I-" she has to think to remember. "My name is Paige," she tells them, speaking slowly...unsurely.

"Oh," says the girl. Nothing more than that.

After a few moments of silence, Paige asks the girl, "And who are you?" 

"I'm not telling you! You might just be trying to trick us!" she snaps defensively.

The boy rolls his eyes. "Don't listen to her. I'm Oscar."

"Nice to meet you, Oscar," Paige says, and then laughs. It certainly isn't nice to meet you here, she thinks. Although I'm glad I've found someone.

"Hehe, you too," he says, clearly unsure of what to do next. He awkwardly reaches out his hand, and Paige shakes it.

"Are you sure you aren't gonna tell us your name?" asks Paige. She turns round to the girl and regrets it. She is lying on the floor, eyes glazed, lips parted, not breathing...dead. And somehow they haven't noticed.

"Never take things for granted!" trills a voice that sends shivers down both their spines. "Because if you do, I'll make sure you get a nice surprise," it snarls the last words.

Oscar has sat down, unable to stand with the shock. Paige still cannot get how a life could be taken so silently, right next to two other people.

"Where are we headed now?" asks Oscar shakily.

"I don't know, probably  towards the light...that was where I was headed before I heard you making that noise..." Paige says.

"Oh, sorry for distracting you..." he says sheepishly.

"It's fine. I'm glad I'm not alone," Paige assures him, resting a hand on his shoulder. She wants to make him feel welcome- after all, he might be the only company she'll get here. And he could be made good use of.

And they walk off towards the light, they hear a voice.

"Remember-I'm ALWAYS watching!" it sings, in a tone that shakes them through.