The Birdcage

Whispers Behind Doors

That night it happened as predictable as clockwork; the creature appeared once more, the air around it rippling as it hung in the air above her.

"What's the point of all this?" Nyx asked in a raspy whisper; pushing herself up on her forearms to look at the being looming above her. "Why should I follow you if I'm just going to get locked outside?"

The whispering intensified, Nyx catching bare fragments of words; but it was not enough to piece together into anything coherent. "... Trust... Test... He... Find... Red... "

With a shriek, it dove through the door; the lock opening with a click.

"I'm not going to follow you!" Nyx declared stubbornly, sitting up in bed and crossing her arms. Predictably there was no response; she just stared at the door in the darkness.

Determined as she was, she couldn't persuade herself to try sleeping or relax with it unlocked. It was way too vulnerable of a position.
Finally she gave in, climbing out of bed and creeping across the room to quietly pull open the door and peer into the hallway. There was no sign of the creature; it appeared to be long gone- although Nyx knew enough to at least be wary of that.

Well, just because she wasn't going to follow the creature didn't mean she couldn't take advantage of the unlocked door to do her own investigating.

Resolute but on guard, Nyx slipped out into the hall. She knew where she was heading- the choice was obvious; solitary and the upper floor.
And so she set off; keeping a watchful eye out for ripples in the air or the ghoulish woman in white.

Easily she came to the stairs; they seemed impossibly tall in the pale night light, appearing almost like a mirage; shrouded and foreboding. The ghostly face of the painted woman looked down upon her, smiling imperiously all the while.
Feeling herself wavering, Nyx collected her courage and began to ascend the stairs.

Before she knew it she was face to face with the smiling woman in the portrait. As her eyes searched the woman's floral bouquet in the dim light, she heard a faint sound coming from behind the door. Curious, she drew closer, trying to listen; finally laying her head against the door.

Screaming, shouting and banging- she could hear it all echoing through the door; cries of distress and urgent voices punctuated by the sounds of a scuffle. Something was going on inside; something violent and frantic, shattering the peaceful quiet of the night. Much like the first night she could hear the banging of doors and the rushing of footsteps; and the blood curdling, ever-constant screams. Suddenly, she heard a mechanical sound; and realising it was the mechanism in the door, she leapt back and scurried away down the stairs out of view as it began to open.

Peering around the corner, she glimpsed Doctor Johnson exit, looking extremely stressed and dishevelled; and noticing he was coming in her direction, she darted away, slipping through the door of a side room to hide.

Standing in the dark, she faced the door, listening intently to figure out when he'd passed. The room around her was as black as pitch; barely a crack of light escaping under the door. The air was unnaturally still, the darkness like cloying molasses; wrapping her in its black cocoon and smothering her senses.

Millimetres from the door, hand on the handle, she slowly heard the sound of footsteps receding into silence.

And then something stirred in the darkness behind her. The hair on her neck stood upright; it was close enough she could see its wicked grin in her minds eye.

"Hello."