Donovan Castle Chronicles: Volume 1

Chapter 21: Lady Heather

Chapter 21

LADY HEATHER

*Day 3

*Spring (April 30)

*Evening

As I pass through the castle halls, I come upon a strange looking blue door at the end of a hallway. I wander down the hall, approaching it apprehensively. Just as I'm about to enter, a giant, yellow, round orb with a wide mouth pops out of the strange door. I jump back, shocked and bewildered.

"Hey, nice cosplay outfit, lady!" the yellow orb with two big black dots for eyes and a black mouth, says cheerfully.

I don't answer; I just stare at it in concern and trepidation.

"I'm PAC-MAN!" He points to his attire and waves me into the room. "That's the best Georgian Era ghost outfit I've ever seen! You'll fit right in! Come on!"

I frantically shake my head and dart down the hall, scared of the yellow orb called PAC-MAN because large, yellow, balls usually don't talk. I turn a corner and down a hall. Someone speaks, spooking me and I evaporate. The next thing I know, I'm outside of the storm cellar. I drift down into the storm cellar to seek refuge and recover from my shock. I presume I will be safe from anyone stumbling upon me. I then drift down into the corridors, and one of the corridors leads to an underground dungeon. This area was here long ago, but it's been renovated and converted into a dungeon with prison cells. I lean up against the stone walls of the dungeon to rest.

Once I have recovered enough, I glance at my surroundings. Curiosity piques, so I push away from the wall and drift forward, toward the cells to investigate. One dreary, wide-open cell looks to have something inside. I poke my head in, but there's still not enough light to see. Wandering in further, I finally see what caught my eye; it's a skeleton, sprawled across the ground and up against the wall with shackles around its wrists. A scream erupts from my mouth as I float backwards until I'm out of the cell. I bump into something behind me, turning around to see yet another skeleton. This one, however, is moving and walking around. It raises its hands up in a 'I'm sorry' gesture. I shake my head as fear bubbles in me. I realize this is a stupid fear since both I and the skeletons are dead, but it's still scary nonetheless.

I soon realize there are other skeletons, some animated and roaming about and others are not, much like that fellow in the cell. As I back away from the animated skeletons, I walk backwards, further into a cell beside the one I had just left. The skeleton that had apologized follows me to ensure that I am all right or scare me further, I am not quite sure. I turn and dart into the cell, scared nonetheless. Now I am trying to run from the skeleton and the only place to go is within this open cell. Only then does it occur to me that I can disappear from the cell, but by then it becomes too late.

A small humanoid creature with wings flies toward the cell, scaring me even more. She's the same creature that was previously in the Computer Room, typing on a keyboard on a strange looking desk. She flutters to the door and pushes it closed. For such a tiny thing, she sure is strong. She gives me a mischievous look as it clinks shut.

The sound startles me and makes me momentarily forget about the skeleton that had entered the cell with me. I look at the small flying creature that is hovering there with her arms crossed over her chest and a smirk upon her lips.

She points to the skeleton behind me.

Turning, I realize one of the animated skeletons is in here with me, along with Sir-Chained-Up-Skeleton by the wall.

She explains, "These moving skeletons have been reanimated by Eerie and Gothica. Don't worry, they won't hurt you."

My head whips to the tiny creature. Not completely sure if I'm using sarcasm correctly, I think, Imagine my relief. I immediately try to exit the cell like I did in the room I thought I was locked in when the others found and freed me. Instead of simply floating through or teleporting out of it, I am bound backwards into the animated skeleton. The shock on my face makes the small flying woman laugh.