I awake in cold sweat. Darkness surrounds me. It is impossibly black. I feel as if it is drawing me in, attempting to swallow. I wave my hand in front of my face. Nothing. No movement is seen.
It's so very dark. Where am I? I trace a hand over my surroundings and feel my way around. Cold, stone floor. Damp, stone wall. Both seem to stretch on forever.
Clunk.
I freeze. Something just moved. Did I imagine that? I pause for what seems like an eternity, keeping my breathing low and steady.
Drip, drip, drip...
Only water. The walls are damp, I doubt it's anything. I lean my back against the cobbled wall and stare into the darkness. Maybe my eyes will eventually adjust enough for me to see something. Anything.
No such luck. It's as if I have gone blind. Maybe I have? I can't tell. Pulling my knees to my chest, I rest my head between them.
Time passes. I don't know how long it has been. My shirt feels soaked from the dampness of the walls. I have been listening for the sound of movement the entire time. No sound has been made, except one. The perpetual dripping refuses to stop.
Drip, drip, drip...
It etches itself into my mind. Each drop acts like a hammer against my skull, the sound echoing all around. It only intensifies as time passes. Trapped in this black coffin with the endless dripping, I am sure to go crazy.
Drip, drip, drip...
For the love of god, make it stop.
Drip, drip, drip...
I clench the sides of my head and rock back and forth. Please make it stop!
Clunk.
My head jolts up with a crack as it whacks off the wall. There's that noise again. The back of my head aches, but I don't care.
Something's in here.
Using the wall as leverage, I pull myself up and onto my feet. I reel back in disgust. My hands are sticky and wet. Whatever is on the walls, it isn't water.
Clunk.
Again, there's that noise. "Hello?" I call out. No response. The dripping continues relentlessly.
I shuffle forward, arms outstretched. The darkness refuses to leave, and so I stumble blindly. "W-who's there?"
My question is answered by the sound of scratching. It's like someone is clawing the ground, scraping their fingernails across the stone. The sound is quite a distance away, or just very quiet. There's no way to tell. I listen intently. What is that?
"Hello? Who are you?"
Again, nothing speaks back. The clawing doesn't pause. It continues on, scratch after scratch.
Drip, drip, drip...
The noises intensify. Each drip gets louder and louder, each scrape gets closer and closer.
Clunk. Clunk. Clunk.
They're all so loud. Why is this happening? Hot tears stream down my face. "Please! I want out! Let me out of here!" I'm screaming over and over. The sounds don't care. They just keep coming. They just keep getting louder.
Clunk. Clunk. Clunk.
Drip, drip, drip...
Clunk, clunk, clunk...
The clunking noise is getting faster. The scraping is terrifyingly close. The dripping is maddening. God, save me.
Silence. Sweet, merciful silence. The noises finally cease. I collapse to the ground in relief. Thank you, thank you!
Without the sounds, I can finally think clearly. My head burns with pain. I reach a hand back and tenderly touch where it hit the wall. I feel blood in my hair. Wet and sticky. Just like the walls.
No. That's crazy. It can't possib-
Clunk.
My eyes widen in pure terror, even though they can't see. That was literally inches to my left. I hold my breath, squeeze my eyes shut and listen.
Warm air blows onto my face. Soft, shallow rasping reverberates through my ear.
It's breathing on me.
Squealing in fear, I try to nudge myself further away. What does it want? Get away from me, get away!
It follows me, tracking my every move. Wherever I go, the breathing is never absent. Wherever it goes, the scraping and dripping comes with it.
I lay on the ground, scrunched into a ball and shaking. Leave me alone. Leave me alone. Please, leave me alone.
"Leave me alone!" I scream, forcing myself up. I stare into the darkness ahead of me. My breath catches in my throat. My tears cease with shock. My heart nearly stops.
From the darkness, glowing in the shadows, something crawls. Wide, saucer-like eyes stare straight at me, unblinking. Something crimson, wet and sticky falls from its mouth.
Drip, drip, drip...
#100days - Dark
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