The Hunter that turned out to be Wizard-ish

Chapter 5

"Who's that?" Allanah asked as she peeked behind the bed.

I kept panting while I press my back on the door. "It's Bruno." I said and locked every single lock there is.

Allanah's face darkened after hearing his name. "Shit."

"I know. This is more than just a bull's shit, its dragon's shit." I said as I went back to my hiding spot next to her.

She hit my head with a pillow. "This is no time for jokes. Damn. What should we do?"

"To close the window." I said and exhaled heavily. Fighting gravity and fear as I stood up. "He might get in from there."

"Yeah if he can fly." Allanah simply said. "But careful though. I've seen this in movies. He might suddenly show up and drag you down from there."

I let out a loud ugh. "Stop scaring me!" I said and tiptoed towards the open window. "And I can't imagine a dog riding a broom."

"What if he'll crawl on the wall?" She said and I immediately froze. As an image of that, sprouted in my head.

I brushed my thoughts away and jogged towards the window, closing it in a mere second, without looking down and see what's waiting for me outside.

Another lighting flashed behind the curtains and I jumped by surprise. I closed my eyes and sighed, then slowly walked back to where Allanah is hiding.

"I hope John is here." I said in a whisper.

Even though Allanah warned me about him, my instincts tells me the opposite. I feel comfortable around John and I trust him with my life. Yes, to be honest, I don't have a single speck of doubt on him.

Allanah scoffed. "Yeah. Where was he the entire day? When all this weird things happened?"

"I..." I gulped. She has a point. John had gone missing when this Bruno-issue took place. "... don't know."

Though I still can't put my gavel down on this. I know he's not the person behind all this creepy-shit, I can feel it in my guts. I believe in him and mostly on our friendship.

I sighed then closed my eyes.

I probably dozed off for a second or two, but then I heard a slow growl inside the room. My eyes flung open, looking around to where it came from. To my surprise Allanah was nowhere to be found.

I stood up and eyed the dark room. I don't remember turning off the lights.

Is this a fucking blackout? Ugh. How cliché can this get?

Typical horror moments. I wish my teeth is glow in the dark.

Another lightning flashed through the window, though it wasn't as loud as the first ones. And I kind of got immune to it already, so I wasn't taken by surprise. The light from it casted shadows on the furnitures of this room, and also to an odd figure.

"Allanah?" I asked, while walking towards the switch. When I found it, I immediately sighed in relief. The room was once again filled with light.

I then saw Allanah on the far wall standing like a post. "You okay Al?"

"Run!" A voice in my head suddenly spoke and it wasn't me. It came from an outside source.

Allanah's head tilted to the side and it cracked. I didn't need to guess that it was the sound of broken bones. My heartbeat grew faster, that it suddenly felt hard to breath. With it was the sudden standing ovation of the hairs on my back and arms.

"Hey. Dude. You okay?" I managed to lift my foot and took a step towards her. "Speak to me."

"RUN!" This time the voice in my head grew louder and it sounded more desperate, with a tinge of fear.

I listened to it and slowly took a step back. My back hit the door and at the same time Allanah dropped on the floor, with her neck still broken.

Another lighting strike through the window and with it was her loud ear-piercing growl. Her mouth is now covered in drool as she sneered and bared all of her teeth. Her back was slowly changing like something is about to burst out. When it cracked open, a dog's head came into view.

I didn't wait another second to stand there and watch what happens next. I hastily turned the door knob and ran out on the dark hallway. The floor was slippery because of the rain, but I didn't care. I managed to reach the stairs without slipping and splitting my head open.

As I was halfway through, I heard another loud growl from behind me. I doubled my speed and took two steps at a time. I reached the end of the stairs and ran on the last hallway towards the main hall.

Bad luck is really playing a trick on me today, as I realized there was no one to be found in this wretched hall. I was midway through another exit that would lead to my destination, when I heard footsteps behind me. I looked back wishing it was Stephan, but no, it had to be Allanah-Bruno, or I don't know what that creature is. It has both their heads but with Allanah's body, and a dog's tail.

Its running towards me with such speed, I know it would reach me in mere seconds. By the corner of my eye I can see a door on the right that's slightly open. I ran towards it and locked it immediately when I got inside.

Little did I know I was standing in my father's old study. I was panting really hard, like my ribs is about to crumble. And as I slide down to sit on the floor, I felt my energy flow out of me. The adrenaline rush didn't last long as I'd hoped.

I heard a knock on the other side of the door and heard Allanah's voice behind it. "Open up Vic. I know you're there."

I closed my eyes and covered my ears. This is not real. This is just a dream. "Open your eyes child." The voice from my head spoke once again, with a gentle tone. I listened to her and I opened my eyes.

Standing in front of me was the old-lady I once saw in Baguio. The person I thought was my mother's mother, my grandmother. She smiled sweetly at me.

"Come." She said and held out her hand that's somewhat luminescent.

I stood up and took it, expecting mine will go through, but it didn't. Half of my brain was shouting that this person standing in front of me is a ghost. But when I held her hand it felt normal, even warmer, like I'm holding a piece of a newly cooked burger.

She guided me to a lamp on the end wall, next to the bookshelves. "Take out the cover." The old-lady instructed me, and so I did. "Now, whisper this words to the bulb. Aézhér Réyupyén." I tried my best to imitate the exact words, and when I did.

The wall suddenly opened, showing a fleet of spiral stairs to the darkness down below. I looked to my side, waiting for another instruction, but she was long gone.

I breathe heavily and took a step inside.