ATLANTION - LAYLA BOOK1

Part 29 Layla

The keeper of the dungeon is a strange being with a sickly complexion. He inspected her quietly, and his spider fingers scribbled every detail in a threadbare leather book. The man's face was once beautiful, with full lips, now all angular and skeletal. He missed his left eye, and a crude black eyepatch covered the gap. It was a pity, Layla thought, admiring the thick charcoal lashes that framed the bright aqua iris, the color of water in a tropical sea. A faint smile blossomed on her lips. He raised his gaze and frowned, lips pressing into a thin line, and motioned her to walk after him. His body is transparent, like a plant that grew without the warm touch of the sun. Skin so white that blue veins showed on his arms, a pale ghost that haunted the undergrounds. The long robes he wears sweep the dirty floors and hangs creepy on his tall figure.

They walked along with empty cells. Blackness, silence, and despair were all around them. The lantern in the keeper's hand looked like a bit of sun in the underworld. Layla followed it like an entranced child, afraid to be alone in the inky darkness. Finally, they entered an inhabited section. A jar of fireflies hung above the ceiling. Sad, dirty faces showed in the dim greenish flickering. Only the most curious inhabitants of the cells approached closer to the bars, watching her with eager eyes. They stopped at the end of the row, and he pushed her a little too forcefully into the cell. When the keeper looked at her door, he awkwardly pooled away from the husky hair covering the left side, revealing a linear scar on his cheek. The man caught her inquisitive eye and grinned at her, displaying a row of shark teeth. Layla paused but didn't falter.

"May I have your name, sir?" She asked cautiously, trying to keep alive the weak smile on her lips.

"You are the first prisoner to enquire about my name in a very long time. I almost forgot how to pronounce it. I am Lupuide. Prisoners call me the Silent Keeper."

"The Silent Keeper?" Asked Layla and considered his exciting nickname.

"One of my rules is not to talk with the folks here. Today is an exception. I am tired of this rule." He sighed.

"I am glad that you spoke with me. Thank you. Layla replied, and a little hope grew in her chest."

"Nothing good can come out of it. Either I befriend prisoners, and my heart breaks when they die. Or they try to cheat me to escape, and I have to kill them. Last time I lost an eye, an excellent reminder. Do not get close to anyone here and let no part of your flesh pass through the metal bars unless you want to share."

As Layla's eyes strained in the dim light, she noticed a flicker of movement. Was it a trick of the light, or was there really something there? Her heart raced as she tried to discern the source of the sound. Suddenly, a shaft of light pierced the darkness, illuminating a figure in the corner. Layla's eyes widened as she saw the shape of a person, their features obscured by the shadows.

She could see the figure's outline, and it looked menacing. The light flickered, casting eerie shadows across the walls of the cell. The figure remained motionless, but Layla could feel its presence like a weight on her chest.

She took a deep breath and tried to calm her racing heart. The sound of her breathing echoed off the walls, and she could feel the cold, damp air in her lungs. She took another step forward, her hand outstretched to feel for a chair or a bed.

As she walked, she noticed the texture of the stone walls beneath her fingers. It was rough and cold, like the skin of a reptile. She shuddered at the thought and continued to explore the cell.

Suddenly, she felt a sharp pain in her foot, and she stumbled forward. She had stepped on something hard and jagged. She reached down to feel what it was and felt a small rock, rough and uneven.

Layla's heart sank as she realized that she was alone, trapped in a dark and unforgiving place. But she refused to give up hope. She knew that she had to find a way out, to escape this place and return to the warmth and light of the world outside.

With a renewed sense of determination, she continued her search, moving slowly and carefully, always aware of the shadows and the sound of her own breath. And as she moved, she couldn't help but wonder who or what lurked in the darkness, watching her every move.

Is there another inhabitant in here?