Dorothy and the Monster

Chapter Two

I try to open my eyes but fail. When I finally manage, I am unable to see anything. It's pitch black. It seems as if I've had my eyes closed for a long time. I feel kind of dizzy, like a sensation of vertigo in the dark.

Then I try to sit up but can't move, either. My hands and feet feel numb, as though bound. I attempt to wiggle them–no dice. Panic sets in and I start to hyperventilate. My heart races and so does my mind. What the hell is going on? Where am I?

I work on calming myself down, hand on chest. Taking a deep breath, I close my eyes again, trying to remember how I got here. The last thing I did was... What is it?

I'm having a hard time figuring it out. Then it comes to me. I feel a little victory as I recall getting to the top of the mountain. What was I doing there? I can't seem to grasp that slice of memory.

Everything is a blur of distant recollections. The dark isn't helping, either. I think I'm beginning to have a headache and I'm feeling a little queasy. What is this smell? I sniff as a strange but not unpleasant odor drifts past my nose.

My body aches all over, just like it used to during those violent altercations with Todd. Todd ... I saw him recently, didn't I? Oh! Todd! It all begins to come back. Todd disrupted my date yesterday and hit me again ... then I came to Mount Moorhead to look for Jane.

I reached the mountain summit where I came face to face with a giant orc! I remember him grabbing me and carrying me away with him, after which I woke up here, wherever this is.

I sigh with immense frustration. I open my eyes again and focus on my surroundings, beginning to notice things better. I feel a little bit less tense now that I remember how I got here.

I now realize the room isn't all dark. Even though the only source of light is a few candles scattered around. The flickering flames cast eerie shadows on the walls. The room is not big, no more than a few feet wide. The walls are made of stone, and the floor is rough and cold. There are no windows, doors, or even a visible way out, but I feel kind of cold, despite the warmth from the candles. Where has this creature brought me?

I strain against my bonds, but they won't budge, though they don't seem tight at all. I'm unable to determine the kind of material it is. I am trapped, helpless. Fear washes over me, and I can't stop the rolls of tears from falling down my cheek. No one will ever be able to find me here.

I look around the room again, hoping for some clue, some hint of what's going on. There's nothing but the candles and the stone walls. But wait ... there's something etched into the wall in front of me. I squint, trying to make out the shapes. It's a symbol, one I've never seen before. It looks like a combination of a star and a moon, with lines connecting the points.

My mind races again, trying to make sense of it. Is it a clue? A warning? Or just a random marking? I can't tell. What do orcs do? How do they live? And most importantly, would they kill someone like me? My head aches worse than ever. I close my eyes yet again, trying to get a grip. I can't afford to panic, not if I want to live or have any chance of getting out of here.

I take a few deep breaths to steady my nerves. I look around again, this time focusing on the candles. There are five of them, all of different sizes and shapes. One is a plain white pillar candle, while another is a small tea light. The next one is a tall, thin taper, while another is a squat, round candle in a glass jar. The last one is the oddest of all: it's shaped like a hand, with fingers curled inward.

I stare at the hand-shaped candle, feeling a chill run down my spine. It's so strange, so eerie. What kind of place is this? Who would create such a room?