The Endless Hall

This is a short story inspired by the Catacombs of Paris. It includes various elements of supernatural horror and science fantacy phenomena.

It seems like no matter who you were, where you came from, or how you lived, Your bones, if left be, will survive ages longer than your own lifetime. I thought this when I was traveling through the ancient catacombs under France. There has to be thousands on thousands of dead here, all lining the walls with a dense bricking of human skulls.

As ominous as this would be, it became a morbid attraction since its discovery. Tourists would be invited to explore and even dine in the well explored sections of the underground maze. I and my two companions were among these tourists. Our guide sat us down at one of the small dining areas, which was set in a blue lit cul de sac of skulls and round tables. It was eery but it seemed less eery with company and security. As we ate, I felt almost at peace here, as though the dead had welcomed us as guests in their underworld.

Then I noticed a long hallway parallel to the entrance we originally came in from. The blue light of the room stretched far down into it, and the hallway appeared to follow a straight line forward. I asked the guide and they claimed to not have seen it before. I then pondered the idea that we should explore it, but the guide reminded us that the catacombs were not fully uncovered and still held many mysteries. One of my companions suggested that we wait for an experienced team to excavate it first else we would become lost. I pointed out to them that the path appeared to be only a straight line and convinced them that if I went alone, I would only go down the path until I met a fork. And at that moment, I would return immediately. The guide was hesitant but eventually gave me their permission on the condition that I would return if the path began to fork. I made the promise, finished my meal, and got out of my set. My companions wished me safety, and I assured them that I would return soon. I was given a torch, made my way to the threshold, and stepped forward.

The trek was longer than I thought. I was still walking down the narrow hall of skulls, looking back at the blue light behind me every so often to determine how far I traveled. The light grew smaller and dimmer, but it remained visible to me. It was the only assurance I had to return. Still, I continued down the path. The skulls would catch my eyes now and then. Looking at them, I would start noticing little details. Each skull would have some unique feature, and I would stop and imagine stories of each of them. There was one skull that was missing its front teeth. I imagined that this person lost them in a brutal fight or an unfortunate accident. Down a few more feet was two different ones, each with one eye socket covered with bone. Perhaps these cyclopean men were brothers? A few yards and then there was a skull without any teeth. I wonder of this one lasted until their gray age, and was then set here among the rest of the dead. I had yet to reach a fork, so down and down this path I went looking and imagining the stories of all the souls placed in this great hall.

After a few minutes or so, I started to noticed something off about the skulls. I could not tell what it was, but something did not seem right. I stopped to look at one skull a while ago, which had an unusual shape around it sockets. I could not read out this person’s story, but it was a strange looking skull. Then down the path was another skull with the same unusual sockets. Then another. And another. Soon, I realized that all the skulls looked this way. They all had the same, unnaturally rounded eye sockets. They could not have been human skulls. Could they? Then something else occurred to me. These skulls were smaller than the ones I’ve looked at before. Were these were some other primate, Pet monkeys perhaps? But why would they be set here with the rest of these skulls? And why were there so many of them?

I glanced behind me. The blue light was growing much dimmer, but I had yet to reach a spit in the path, and I had to keep going. I scanned the walls as I continued forward down the path. I was curious to see if there was some reason for these small primate skulls. Was there a section in the catacombs for pet animals? If so, why mix them with human skulls like this? I pressed on, deeper and deeper down this path of strange primate skulls. Looking at the walls as I marched on, the light of my torch was flicking its light against these strange skulls. An animation of artificial life and evolution were taking place. The eyes of the skulls was growing wider and rounder, the jaws were stretching longer, the teeth shrinking smaller and sharper, and the nostrils warping and fusing into its own socket. My march grew slower and slower, and an epiphany struck me. And with that strike, I snapped into a reverse back to the blue light. Whatever was happening here, I did not wish to uncover it.

I did not pay attention to the shape of the skulls anymore, I was focused on returning to my companions. At least there was normal. I arrived at the dining area, but there was nothing here. There were no tables, no chairs, no people, no guides. It was empty apart from the blue light and… the skulls. I had not looked at the skulls since I ran from that hallway. It was only now I realize what kind of place I was. These skulls were Large and elongated, holding no other features but a single hollow socket.

I heard an echo of a conversation down the second exit. It sounded french, but it was too muffled and distant to tell for sure. I shouted and cried for help out of this accursed place. The exit was lit up by a red light and a shadow grew in front. But the silhouette was not human. Its back was hunched over and a long neck held on to an elongated head. The creature stood on four hooved legs and a fifth limb propped itself on three claw like talons. The beast appeared hooded for the blue light showed only a single, shiny eye, and a needled tendrel. But as hulking creature shuffled closer, I saw that the creature was not hooded but the shining eye and probing tongue were fixed inside the same stretched orifice.

I had nowhere else but back down the endless hall, so down the hall I ran. I can hear the two beasts giving chase and pounding the ground and gurgling their warped French behind me. The skulls were warping their forms within the peripherals of my vision. And still, with torch in hand, I ran deeper into the darkness. I can hear the beasts shouting behind me. When I noticed the shouts were growing fainter, I looked behind me and saw that something was agitating these monsters. They ran back into the blue light, and I had a moment of rest. I sat down and looked at the skulls around me. I couldn’t recognize the shape, but this must have been what scared those beasts off. I would not want to be where they are now. I caught my breath, got back up, and continued down the Hall.

I could not tell how long I have been walking, only that I’ve passed countless skulls that have taken every conceivable and unimaginable form. Perhaps I was hoping that if I walked long enough, I would find skulls that hinted some features of humanity. But after some time I lost hope and didn’t even look at the walls. Later I threw away my torch so I couldn’t look at them. I spent much time wandering that darkness until my legs finally gave out. I knelt down. As I leaned against the wall, I had accepted my fate that this is where I would die. One soul among this wall of bones. Only, I noticed something strange. The hallway was much wider than I remembered.

I probed my hands along the wall.There were no skulls. The walls were lined with nothing but stone. I was crawling against the vacant stone walls in the direction of my old torch. I continued crawling until I reached the rounded room, which was now completely empty. It seemed so much larger without the skulls. I was bracing myself for the horrors this place would bring me as I followed down the exit and navigated my way to the surface.

I found myself in a green field encircled by various trees. Where was France? Where was the city of Paris? Where were the shops and homes? Where were the people? Where was I? Then I hear horses halting behind me. I turned to see a group of people in a cart. One was bloodied and bruised, he was laughing and his smile showed missing teeth. Another was aged and grey. He, the bloodied man, and several others were wrapped in blankets. And there were two other men who operated the cart, each had a patch over their eyes. One of the patched men got off the cart and walked over to me. He asked me something in French. He asked if there was a good place where they could bury and honor their dead.

Author's Note

This is the first short story I've written to completion since 2013-14, Back when the One Million Viewer was sorta popular. I wanted to tie up an ending to this as best I can, but I didn't want to make it feel "too short". If there's information that feels missing however, do feel free to mention it to me.

I also want to know if there's some issue with past or present tense. I wanted to set it in past tense for consistency. But if I missed something or if this story should be set in a different tense, please let me know.