The person finally stepped out of the shadows entirely. The lamp brightened our surroundings revealing who it was - Reece - it turned out to be the goddamn son of the devil.
"What the...? What are you doing here? How the hell did you get here?" Reece hit me questions after one another.
"Which one should I answer first? I guess I will start with what I am doing here. I came here for vacation, you hear me," I said in a sarcastic tone. "How I wish I could have that vacation with peace." I spat before turning back at him. "It is your fault I am here. You and goddamn stubbornness," I yelled at him. I don't know how many times I have yelled today. I felt my legs turning into jelly so I sat down on the floor.
"My fault," he repeated as if all I just said was blabbering. "How is it my fault?"
Was I supposed to answer that? I thought.
"How did you end up here?" He asked but I refused to make any response. "Steven please answer me."
Hold on, did Reece just say please? Wow, that's the last thing I was expecting from a solid head like him.
I stood up from the floor and dusted my butt. "I feel so much better hearing you beg," I simply said and I heard him cackled. "This place is freaking me out. Haunted mansion. Stupid cobwebs, terrifying skeleton," I muttered.
"Still better than being chased by a demonic spider," I heard him say.
"What? Demonic spider? Can this place get any creeper?"
"Yep."
I sighed heavily. "Now that I've found the prodigal son, which is you if you're wondering, it's time to find the others. Maybe it was a bad idea to split up in the first place."
"What others? You are not the only one here?" He asked with curiosity written all over his face.
I dip my hand into my pocket where I kept my go back home fruit, but unfortunately I couldn't find them again.
"Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit!" I kept repeating like an insane man. I just lost my one chance of getting out of this place. Can my day get any worse?
"What is wrong? Did you lose something," He asked me while I was busy looking for the fruits, almost ripping my pocket off. I began pacing up and down, hitting my forehead continuously. I stopped, shifted my murder gaze at Reece and pointed at him.
"Remember this, if I die here my ghost will continue tormenting you till the end of your life," I said dead serious. "Why don't you listen when I said the only way to complete the mission was by eating the dry fruit. No, you are full of ego and pride and in the end you drag us to save you," I affirmed and began to walk in a random direction while he followed.
"That's a lie. I know you can't come for my rescue. I know how much you hate my gut." I heard him say but that did not stop me.
"Of course you think I hate you. And here I am." I replied when a skeleton suddenly dropped from above and I angrily matched it.
We continue walking in total silence, no one talking to each other. The only sound was our footsteps. Then, we heard a scratching sound coming from nowhere. Then it turned into a sinister gingle and low chattering.
"What the hell is that?" I asked, looking around like sheep in the wild.
"Here it comes. The demonic spider," I heard Reece say and my heart jumped right into my mouth when the huge terrifying spider came out of the shadows.
"Holy shi..." I took to my heels before I could have a full view of the monster. This was hell.
PASHINA POV
I was humming as I continued opening different doors among hundreds I have been opening. It was really tiring but I kept on opening:they were all empty inside.
Later I finally get to one upon opening air gosh out like an air balloon hitting my face. After the air reduced, I peeped to have a look of what's inside. It turned out to be nothing but fog. A mist of smoke and nothing else.
"Trash, but fun trash," I said since this was the first door that had something interesting. I was about to shut the door and move to the next one when I heard a voice, a feminist voice to be precise, calling me from the inside. I shook my head, thinking I was imagining what I was hearing, but the voice called again with the tempting and sweet tone.
What could go wrong? I thought. And I walked inside.
As I entered, the fog quickly overwhelmed me, I became lost in it. I couldn't see anything except for the mist.
"Humm, hello. Foggy voice are you still there?" I asked in a loud voice, but there was no response. But I heard a female calling momentarily, has she lost her interest in just like that after one sec of walking in. If she's trying to play the Hard To Get Girl, then it's her loss because I don't have time.
I turned around to open the door and leave the room, but it seemed the door had also vanished into thin air.
Where did the door go? Or am I facing the wrong direction from where the door was located? I thought to myself.
"This is bullshit. How am I supposed to get out of here if there's nowhere to go. Just a bunch of useless smoke." I whined and threw my hands in defect. I proceeded to walk deep into the fog but it was like I was walking in a circle. When everything felt hopeless, I started to sing one of my Earth songs - Fog.
You see, I'm all grown up now
He said
Just put your feet down child
'Cause you're all grown up now.
I started singing and humming the part I don't know. I stopped on my track when I sensed something wasn't right. I looked around to see if I could find anything unusual, but there was none. I sighed in relief and continued walking and singing.
'Cause you're all grown up now
Just put your feet down child
The water is only waist high
I'll let go of your gently
Then you can swim to me
I finished singing and I was instantly clutched by something I couldn't see. It was my legs that were tied together at first, hindering my running. And I was immediately turned all over.
Why does this always happen to me! I thought.
My four arms were caught and roughly stretched apart. Whatever that was trying to tear me apart was doing a great job as I was feeling pain from every joint area of where it's pulling. I fought and struggled but whatever it was that was trying to kill me got annoyed by my rebellious act and tried to cover my mouth. When it got to my mouth, I viciously bit the thing - it tasted like raw meat if you are wondering. I heard it screeching in pain.
So it can feel pain? Sweet. I thought and without wasting time I pulled my arms closer to my mouth and savagely bit the one that was holding my arm, setting myself free from its grapes. I fell on the ground with thud and started running to god knows where. I didn't make it very far when I saw those things coming out of their hiding. They were snakes but in a rope size, not huge but damn long.
There's no way I could fight these things. I tried to get through them but I ended up getting myself Ropped again. But in the darkest time, I saw a glimpse of light ahead of me. I hope whatever that's coming should be on my side - I, the victim. As the light got closer, I saw it was a fire and the ugly things retreated immediately the fire was near them. I was freed again thanks to the fire interference.
"Quickly get up. They hate fire," the fire controller said. She pointed her fire at every corner to chase away those things as I followed behind. She did this until we reached the end of the fog and everywhere became clear again. This was when I finally saw the face of my rescuer.
"Are you okay?" She asked with concern as I tried to breathe. I raised a thumb to answer her as Yes. And before I know it she has already started to walk away.
"Hold on, where are you going? I really appreciate what you did for me back there. I'd be dead by now if it wasn't for you," I paused, I could see she was waiting for me to finish all that I had to say so I continued. "I really don't know where to go. I thought you might know one thing or another. I don't think I can survive alone," I admitted. I heard her sighed before gesturing to me to follow.
"We camp down the road with some other survivors. Come with me." And I followed.
We got to the camp she was talking about earlier and I met a few people camping around a fire. I was glad when my eyes landed on Reecer who was covered in a blanket. Her face beams with excitement when she saw me as well.
"New survival. He almost became a meal for the fog monsters," the lady said as we got there. She dropped the beg she was carrying at one side and sat down on the wood used as a seat. She also helped increase the campfire using her fire manipulation and generation.
I sat next to Reecer. "Are you alright?" I asked and she nodded. I'm happy she was fine. "How did you end up here? Or are you also one of the fog-cancelled meals? Gosh those things might be starving really bad" I said and she chuckled." I was kidnapped by seven evil dwarfs and locked in their cottage but I managed to tear the whole place down before ending in the fog room, " I explained and everyone bursted into laughter.
"I was dragged into a butcher house. I was chased by a bunch of disembodied people craving for my flesh. I was rescued by that guy over there," Reecer pointed at the person who was manipulating a small cyclone.
We all go back to remain silent for a while. During this quiet moment we could hear all sorts of unholy sounds from afar. Then the fire lady finally spoke.
"Back at the garden during the last mission, I still can't believe the human was right about everything. Who can imagine a human being so clever like that?"
"At least you admit you are wrong about him. Do you think humans are dumb? They are known as the most dangerous species... and smart. Dangerous and smart," I said.
"She sounds like my brother," Reecer whispered to me. I agree with her, this fire lady might be Reece 2.0
"Why are you defending him so much?" The water controller asked.
"I guess I am the one that knows much about Earthling here. Even if I don't understand their way completely. After years of fantasy about humans, I finally got to meet one for real. Although I wish it was under better circumference. Still my biggest wish becomes true and two, plus Gabriel," I answered. My words left the people dumb and deaf and they were staring at me as a doll.
Suddenly, two people fall from nowhere onto the campfire making to move back. We were about to attack the two until they revealed themselves - Steven and Reece - raising hands in surrendering.