The Forbidden Castle - Short Story

Reason

I walk in through the large, towering doorway. The doors mysteriously swung open of their own accord when I approached it. The moment I enter, it clangs shut with a bang.

"Who is that my precious?" a voice whispers chillingly. shivers run up and

down my spine, especially when I hear a low growl. "Ahh, a new visitor? I knew that little girl was lying when she said she was alone. Now darling, what to do with this one?"

I froze. "Well, don't just stand there. Come in." the voice whispered seductively while changing from an utterly creepy voice, to the soft gentle voice of a girl... or more acurately... a woman.

I unwillingly follow it down a hallway to an old door. I hesitatingly enter it. Torches line the wall, giving the room an eerie glow. The furnishings are extraordinarily simple. The only thing which would be considered lavish would be the celing, miles above me, with a sky light in it, blocked by a rich, black curtain which swings down, folding delicately at the floor.

"Now what's your name darling?" I look around, searching for the voice... yet I can't find it. I refuse to answer her question until I see her...it... whatever it is. "WHAT'S YOUR NAME?" she screeched, her bell voice ripping through a few octaves.

"Show yourself."I command.

"Now, now. You don't want any trouble for yourself. Do you?" she tuts.

"No I most definitely do not."

"Well, you've already got it." she says wickedly, "I hate threatening my...visitors so, and I know you don't want to be... devoured... so TELL ME YOUR NAME!"

I gulp, "A-A-Araj." I stutter.

"ARAJ!!!!" a voice shreiks, a different voice. One I'd recognize any day. Jara. I walk around the room, searching, desperately for her.

"Oh? You recognize that voice?" the voice asks curiously.

"Ye-No."I change my answer half way through. Though I know the voicie recognizes my lie.

"So you don't know the lovely girl hanging up at the celing?" My heart stopped.

I glance up, slowly, and see what I didn't see before. Masked by magic and the black curtain, is a cage, a human sized cage. And trapped in it is Jara.

"Araj! You fool! You just killed us both!" she screams at me. A red hot rage fills me up.

"I did? I got us both killed? What about the person who ran here in the FIRST place?" I snap back.

Instantly Jara cowers back in the cage and a pity washes through me. It's not my fault Jara inherited my.. mother's.. love of danger and adventure. It's exactly why I try to protect her... but that's a story for another time.

"Aww, look at them my sweet. The two siblings fighting in a time such as this!" the voice exclaims. Her statement makes me freeze.

"Siblings?" I ask questioningly, "Where did you get that idea? Perhaps we are lovers?" I insist, trying to make it change it's mind, "Maybe we're -" A low growl cuts me off.

"I might fall for that were it not for two reasons. Firstly, my beloved one can easily sense lies. Secondly, the custom around here would be for the second sibling to have the name of the first reversed. Jara is Araj backwards so it was quite easy." it says.

"True." I acclaim.

"Well, it's been amusing enough. I think we've played with them long enough. And we all know we shouldn't be playing with our food." it insists.

"Food?" Jara squeaks.

"Well, when you came here. I thought you would have been wanting to die! Or, at least be prepared to die" Die? No not die. Be prepared for a fate worse than death is more accurate! Watch my sister die, then die myself. Know I couldn't protect her from this creature of the past! Know that there is no hope left. Now that is more accurate.

"What did you expect? I capture you then set you free?" it continues laughing maliciously. "No. But I hate to kill people without explaining why! I was forced into this existence. Forced to do this to survive." it says, almost sadly and arubtly changes tactic. "Time for a little story. How I love this part!" she cries. I hear the growl again, this time more ferocious, slowly fading out as if it was being cut off.

"No interruptions my pet!" she says. And I'm transported to another day, another time, watching the story unfold.