A Dark Lesson pt. 9

Amanda ran as fast as she could up the stairs.  The scream had already stopped, and the silence that hung in the air only made her move faster.  She needed to get to Debbie, she needed to talk to her, she needed answers. 

She stumbled as she reached the door to the long, narrow room they had used for a crash space.  The door was open, but the light was off. The darkness was dense and heavy.  No light seemed able to penetrate past the doorframe. 

Matt came up behind her, his breath coming out in short gasps. “What the hell? Amanda, what is going on with you? I…” 

He looked at her, and followed her gaze to the now swirling, pulsing black wall that had completely filled the doorway. 

She took a step forward, her hand raised, her fingertips reaching out to touch the shadow.  She was sure that when she got close enough she would feel something solid, or at least liquid, but something there, something real. 

Matt reached out for her. “Amanda, don’t…”

She shook her head. “She’s in there.”

Her finger was less than an inch away from the darkness now.  She felt a cold breeze brush against her skin.  It was… it was breathing.  She froze.  The darkness began to turn and twist, pushing at her, pushing out, away from the doorframe and into the hallway. 

She felt Matt’s arms wrap around her just as the darkness took form, a claw reaching for her hand, grabbing for her. 

“Come on!” He was screaming, pulling her down the hallway, towards the stairs, away from that thing…

It was following them.  She could see it, rushing down the hallway like hellish flood water. It wanted her, and a part of her, a part she had no control over, wanted it to take her. Debbie was in there, and she needed Debbie back.

She needed to know what Debbie knew.

Matt pulled her towards the door that led into the main office.  She wasn’t exactly fighting him, but she wasn’t being the most willing participant. 

The second his hand hit the doorknob to enter into the main office, the power went out.

There was another scream.  Then another, and another, and…

Then there was silence. A cruel, haunting silence.