House of Horrors

Something is wrong. I walk the same path through the woods everyday. I see the same deer with the white spot above its left eye, the same tree with the “K+L Forever,” the same everything. Something is definitely wrong.

Instead of an abandoned field of unkempt corn stalk remains, a decrepit house takes its place. The house enthralls me, and I feel drawn towards it. Unbeknownst to my brain, my feet move with a mind of their own, and before I can realize what I’m doing, my hand pushes the door open. An eery silence fills the otherwise empty house, and a take one cautious step. Standing in the doorway, I inspect the house and see it is all one large room, no furniture, just some curtains that flutter in the breeze. ***creeeeeeeeeeeeeeekkkkkkkkkk*** I feel a gush of wind as the door closes behind me. I try to open the door, but I it won’t open. I’m stuck and alone with no way out.

A spider crawls out from under the door, and ten more follow. Ten turns into ten thousand. Ten thousand turns into what seems like ten million. I’m trapped in the corner of the floor surrounded by thousands and thousands of creepy, crawly critters. I see a staircase across the room, but I would have to step on top of the bugs to make it up. I look down and see that my once blue dress is turning brown and black from the bugs crawling on top of me. Frozen in fear, I can’t move. I take my time deciding if it’s worth it, but the longer I wait the more bugs appear. Paralyzed, I realize it’s now or never. The bugs are up to my waist; I have to get out of here. I swim through the bugs to get to the staircase. I ascend the stairs and shake the few remaining bugs off of me. As soon as I reach the top, the stairwell and my hopes of escaping vanish into thin air.

Instant fear takes over my whole body. Trying to calm myself down, I pull my straight, blonde hair back and think of an escape route. Before I come up with any plans, I see a glimmer making its way up the torn up curtains. I look for an exit, but to little avail. Soon, the fire engulfs half of the room, and there is no escape route. My hope diminishes, but the flames rapidly augment. I’m in the same position I was a minute ago: lost and desperate. Suddenly, I see a staircase on the other side of the floor, but in order to get there, I must run through the fire. The bugs were one thing, but this is entirely different. How could I possibly risk my life by running through a fatal fire? I guess because I’ll die if I don’t. Instantly, I make a run for it. I reach the top of the stairs, and I turn around only to see that the staircase disappeared again. I’m safe...for now, but I’m trapped on the third floor.

I feel desperate for an escape and fearful for what is to come. I don’t know if the smoke inhalation is what is engendering my shortness of breath or if my anxiety is getting the best of me. What seems like hours are passing by, and I’m apprehensive to see what terror will come. I keep waiting and waiting, but nothing is happening. Cowering in the corner, I can only think of what will happen to me. What’s next? Spirits trying to kill me? The room flooding? Shaking and crying, I glance up to see a window on the wall that was not there before. This house gets creepier and creepier by the minute. I know it’s my only way out, but I’m scared. I can’t wait any longer to see what will come for me. The spiders and fire...it’s all too much. So, I do what I have to. I break the glass with my hand and stand in the window frame. Only fifteen years of life, but I can’t take fifteen more if it means waiting to see what comes. Taking one last breath, I jump to my impending death. That’s the thing about fear, eventually, it gets the best of us. If we trap our demons inside of us, we’ll turn into the things we loathe the most.