The Darkest Of Minds

"Only an hour left." I said to myself. "Only an hour left until I can get out of this place and prove a point." As I looked around, barely able to see anything outside of a soft glow from the moon creeping in from the window, I thought to myself; "Don't be scared. They're just urban legends... Myths."

I continued to explore the house; the smell of mildew was overwhelming, almost like a mixture of rotting eggs and stale water. The wood floors were weak and creaky, some windows busted out, and creepy, slightly burned photos on the wall. A fire place that was covered in soot as if a fire had gotten out of control, and on the mantle more damaged photographs. Pretty much everything you'd expect from a supposedly haunted house.

I continued upstairs. There were four rooms on the second floor. Two doors on either side. Three bedrooms and a bathroom all in an equally appalling condition as the first floor. I entered the first room. It was a child's room. There was a small, damaged bed with a few model planes crookedly hanging from the ceiling above it. The walls were painted what i assumed to be grey but with the level of damage and dirt it was hard to tell. The worst of it was the smell. It seemed as if the bad smell that had engulfed the house had come from this room. I had to get out of there.

I started toward the second bedroom when suddenly I heard something. Creek! Completely startled I turned to see the first bedrooms door slightly swaying open, and the crippled, distorted fingers of a hand coiling around the edge of the door, and a dirty nest of hair start to peek out. My heart was pounding. A cold sweat tricked down my face. My body was trembling uncontrollably.

All I could think of is "Why? Why would I take a bet from my stupid friends? Why was I so desperate to prove a stupid story wrong? Why couldn't I keep my mouth shut and let them have fun with their story?" Arrogance had gotten the best of me. As this figure emerged I started to be able to see it. The long shaggy hair, draped over its face, a beaten up set of clothes that looked like they had been stomped into the ground, and a pair of dirty, cut up feet, with cracked and broken nails. It's head slightly lifted, only revealing its mouth.

It was horrifying... It's lips were chapped and cracked, completely covered with dried blood and dirt. Its teeth were mangled and blackened. As I stared in disbelief, it began to approach me. I was frozen solid. I couldn't move, I couldn't scream; the air felt like it had gotten thinner and I could barely breathe. All of the sudden.... It was on me. In the blink of an eye, it was right in front of me. Toe to toe. I could hear its broken shaky breathing. Suddenly, it's head shot up and it's eyes were burning red with the darkest look I had ever seen on someone, or more like.. something.

Then I realized.... I was looking into a horrible, distorted image of.... Myself? I didn't understand. Why was I looking at myself? What could have happened that turned me into that... That thing? As my thought ended, it spoke. In a dry, broken, but oddly sinister voice it said "Nothing happened to you... For you to end up like this.... I am you.... The real you.... The voice in your head that speaks to you in your dreams.... The presence you feel when you're alone... I'm your feeling of anger... Doubt.... Misery and most importantly... I am everything you fear."

I tried to speak but as my mouth opened, so did it's. Suddenly, all of my energy was drained... The air from my lungs felt completely removed and my vision started to blur. I fell to the ground. The creature mounted me and opened its mouth wide over mine, blood dripping from its mouth into mine. It was so foul but I could do nothing about it. My body fell limp and then suddenly..... It was dark. Piercing, suffocating darkness. I was dead.

My final thought being, "Why? Why did I have to prove that this house wasn't haunted?" They told me that this entity..... This demon was inhabiting a house and anyone who went in disappeared with no trace. I didn't believe it, but now I know. This house tests you... It shows you the darkest version of yourself you didn't know existed. It shows you the you from the darkest corridor of your mind and if you aren't strong enough.... It takes you. And it turns out..... I wasn't strong enough.

END