Chapter 1
The building was old and smelled of chemicals. Mould was growing on the walls and paint was peeling off the celling.
She had been walking, alone, her footsteps echoing in the distance. A fine layer of sweat was coating her porcelain skin and her eyes were darting around, briefly looking in each and every passing room.
She had woken up in the hall downstairs, laying on the dusty floor. Time seemed to not matter in this place. She had been aimlessly walking around the place, tried the doors and windows but none of them would budge. She had this lump in her throat and a bottomless pit in her stomach. The place seemed familiar, as if she had been here before, a long time ago. A feeling she couldn’t quite identify making her heart stop.
As she went up a new flight of stairs, she heard a low moan, right next to her left ear. She turned around so fast she almost fell down. Looking around her, frantically searching for something that wasn’t there. When her heartbeat was back to it’s normal rhythm she walked up the last couple steps and turned right.
The corridor was empty and discarded toys were left untouched on the floor. Dolls, cars and other things from another time, left there as if everyone had left in a hurry. Carefully making her way around the objects and glancing in the rooms from time to time she came across a big hall. Somewhat similar to the one she woke up in but cleaner and brighter, plants growing in from cracks in the window and light hitting the dust in air creating a magic atmosphere. She was brought back to reality when in the corridor behind her, little running footsteps and laughs could be heard. Her heart froze and the same familiar feeling came back, but this time she could name it, dread. She had definitely been here before, she knew that what was coming wasn’t going to be fun but she went anyway.
The laughing was getting closer, passing by the nursery she could see a bundle of fabric, breathing and moving in the plastic crib. She went to look closer but she stopped dead in her tracks when, in the reflection, she saw a little girl behind her. Twisting around she stretched out her hand to grab her but she only grazed her sleeve before she started running away, laughing. She started running after the girl, turning left then right, going in a room to come back out seconds after when she was in the doorway, waiting for her. She knew she shouldn’t play along like that but the kid must know something about the place.
The kid then stopped, she turned left and pointed towards something before running again. She was to tired to run, she didn’t follow but went looking at the thing.
A door. A plain white door, with a little name tag on the upper half. On the name tag was her name, Luna. Taking a deep breath, she grabbed the handle and opened the door. Taking a few steps in, she let out the breath she was holding when nothing was there. When she began to turn, the door slammed shut and locked from the outside. A scratching noise coming from the walls all around her, the sun disappearing and a strong wind picking up, making the windows rattle in their frames. Tears in her eyes she slowly turned towards the door, a tall and bony woman standing there.
She slowly stretched out her arms towards Luna and the eerie noises abruptly stopped. The woman took a step forward her arms still out stretched, Luna took one back. When the woman noticed, she let out a high pitched screech, her mouth falling open and her eyes leaking a gunky black substance, like tears almost. Luna was shaking and tears were now falling freely as she covered her ears.
The woman starting walking again, still screeching, Luna was backed up in a corner her eyes shut and whimpers erupting from her mouth. First, it was on her arm, a cold hand, almost like a giant spider, climbing up her arm to her shoulder then her cheek. A second hand, following the same pattern as the other one to her left cheek. In a motherly fashion, the woman wiped her tears and turned her head up so Luna was facing her. She didn’t dare open her eyes, she was shaking so much she was half leaning on the wall for support.
Suddenly, the contact stopped and so did the screeching. Waiting a few seconds, Luna tentatively opened her eyes. Peering around her, she saw the door ajar. Taking a step towards it she stopped when it opened more, seemingly by itself. Another moment went by before she finally summoned the courage to keep going, somehow she knew she was almost there. She didn’t know where, but she didn’t care anymore.
A new stairwell, Always going up, she climbed up the stairs, the sun was still hiding, only the crude light hanging off the celling like a man hanging from a noose. The more she climbed the more she could hear it, a faint beeping noise, almost beating with her heart.
The stairs never seemed to stop, her legs were heavy, so were her eyelids. It became hard for her to breath, her eyes were getting in and out of focus making it almost impossible to keep going.
Finally, the top of the staircase came into view. The beeping was fading away so were her fears. Even though her legs were heavy, she felt weightless. When she was all the way up, she was greeted by the woman and the little girl. Laughing still, the little girl extended her hand for Luna to take. Hand in hand, they turned towards the woman, who gently placed her hand in the small of Luna’s back, comforting and warm. Together they went through a beautiful wooden door. As she went through, the beeping ceased and a white light wrapped around her.
Luna Montgomery had died, after her second suicide attempt. Her mother, a beautiful frail woman was sobbing at her side holding onto her hand, as if she’d never let go.
