Twist Of Fate

Fifty Two

I am standing in the middle of a dark, airless room with no windows. I can just about make out two doors at opposite ends of the room and although instinctively I know that the one to my right is the exit, I am inexplicably drawn to the one on my left. I gravitate towards it without really moving; my arms and legs feel heavy and cumbersome as though they know I shouldn't be going this way. The atmosphere around me is thick and stuffy, as though I am wading through treacle. 

There is something behind this door that I need to see but am afraid to see. Something I have locked away in order to keep myself safe but that wants to be released, that needs to be released. I fear it but I am morbidly fascinated by it. My hand doesn't want to touch the door handle so I have to use all my mental strength to reach forward as I approach it.

I am struggling to breathe as my fingers close around the handle, my mouth and nose constricted as though the thickness of my surroundings has penetrated my airways. With agonising reluctance the metal grinds in a clockwise motion to release the catch with a click, a sound that should be sharp and clear but instead is muffled as though my ears are filled with cotton wool. 

I feel exhausted from the effort of pulling the door towards me. It opens unwillingly but soundlessly, the contents within invisible to me from where I am standing but all the more frightening as a result. My heart is thudding painfully and I am desperate for air, attempting to gasp but unable to breathe in this strange, thick substance around me. My lungs are hurting from the exertion.

Eventually I can stand it no longer and am forced to release the door handle from my grip, bringing my hands to my face in an attempt to clear my respiratory system of whatever is restricting me. My fingers touch my skin and immediately I know something is wrong. I claw at my face to find my flesh disintegrating in my hands. Holding my fingers in front of my face I can see they are covered in warm, thick blood. 

The door in front of me begins to close and I turn slowly on the spot away from it, trying to scream but unable to make a sound. The door at the other end of the room opens to reveal bright, warm light. With every ounce of energy I have left in me I force my feet forwards, one after the other, making my way at snail's pace across the floor that seems desperate to hold me still. I know that something terrible is behind me that has the power to destroy everything. 

The air is clearing the nearer I get to the exit and I take deep breaths, my movements becoming easier and less sluggish with every step. The light ahead of me gives me hope and strength and I know if I can reach it everything will be alright, and whatever is behind me will not be able to hurt me. With a couple of steps to go I can't resist the urge to look over my shoulder at what I have left behind. 

A face looms out of the darkness, bloody and mangled. The eyes are wide, white and unblinking. The hair is matted, and missing in places. The mouth is gaping in a silent scream. A hand stretches towards me, scrambling for mine, the nails dirty and bitten. 

I stumble through the door into the light and away from my demons, falling into oblivion as my screams are lost into the heavens.

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Just a short one for now but I'm aiming to post another chapter before the end of this weekend! I've had an impossibly busy week and my wifi is on the blink so I am super stressed. Keep your eyes peeled for another update soon 😇