the visitor (final)

the visitor perused the interiors of the long corridor, almost looking nostalgic. the old floorboards were decayed, some having already fallen into the dark hallow beneath. paint peeled off the walls, brittle and flaky, like molting skin. the pungent smell of mold permeated the air with an offensive perfume. the visitor stood motionless at the end of the empty hall, the summer moonlight shinning in from the shattered window behind him, bathing him an almost ethereal glow. he took one long, deep breath through his mouth, and exhaled through a growing smile. satisfied, he began to walk, ever so slowly, making sure his every step made a sound. he rattled the knob of each door he passed loudly, violently, sending a piercing echo down the hallway, through solid doors, into empty lifeless rooms, and beyond closed closet doors. he wanted him to hear him coming, the thought of it gave the visitor a most intoxicating thrill.

the distinct clattering of metal broke the child from his crying. it was the first sound apart from his sobs that he has heard in a while. he tried to keep his quiet again, his senses telling him not to trust the calm. he tried to listen intently for the sound, and there it was again, louder this time, nearer, followed by the unfamiliar sounds of creaking floorboards caused by a heavy step. the threat was more concrete now, it was no longer an idea but now bore an intention. it was on the prowl. the child found himself began to shake again, he was being engulfed with fear with each of the sounds' repetition. the sounds, its creator, it had taken already naynay, he heard it did. it took ate as well, he heard it too. now it was looking for him, he knew it was, he felt it. the child quickly grabbed hold of the flashlight again, his only inheritance from his loved ones, and held it tight. a sudden courage then began to fill him. he was not going down peacefully, he thought to himself. his family put up a fight to keep him safe, it was the last thing he could do to honor them.

"calm down will you? you really shouldn't do that." a man's voice sounded through the empty corridor. the visitor stopped from his stalk, looking puzzled at what he had just heard. it took him a few moments before he came to realize what it was for the voice was familiar to him. looking enraged, he clenched his fist and punched the wall beside him, sending his arm straight through into the adjacent room. he sent a loud scream, partly from the pain but mostly from his great frustration for the voice heralded something to him, something he could not believe was happening. no, not yet, not until he gets the child. he slowly drew his now bloodied hand out of the wall and unclenched his fist. he was breathing madly now but still his face bore a smile. he started to giggle, forcing himself to forget. his plan will be carried out, he will not be denied! he set his eyes now to a unique door set at the very end of the hallway, the door he had all this time planned to enter last. though it disappointed him that he could no longer relish playing his game, it didn't matter anymore. why delay what was inevitable? the thoughts of claiming his prize delighted the visitor immensely. he increased his cadence now, his steps purposeful. "i'm coming" he said to himself, walking faster. "i'm coming......" his excitement, now almost uncontainable.

the child heard the voice as well. it was a strange yet welcomed distraction to his already rising anxiety. he paused to try to listen for it again, but all he could hear was silence. suddenly, a loud crash came from outside, like something smashing into the wall. he then heard the shrill cry of a very mad man. it reverberated through the empty spaces that separated him from its source and it frightened him immensely that he dropped his flashlight to cover his ears. the courage he found a while ago seemed to have instantly vaporized. he could feel tears welling in his eyes once again, his jaw trembled. he wanted it to all end. he wanted his ate, his naynay to wake him up for he felt like it was all but a nightmare he was having. things like this, things as terrible, as horrible as this certainly cannot be real! he wished hard for he was so tired of being afraid already. he was exhausted and wanted to give up.... he then heard the voice in his head, the man's voice he heard a while ago. he knew that voice. he tried to recall where he had heard it before. he needed to remember quickly for it felt like knowing it would grant him redemption. where? where did he hear it before? he thought hard, almost giving himself a headache... where? where......?

the creaking of the floorboards stopped.

the visitor took his final step and stood outside the door to his prize. he could smell it already, his prize only a few steps away. he could feel his heart beating violently for it was as eager as he. his body tensed up, his hands gripped tightly the knob as he took out naynay's key and slipped it into the lock. it clicked. before he entered, he noticed a broken mirror by the door.

"the broken glass; the fragmented frame...." he said, as he gazed deeply into mirror and scrutinized his shattered reflection.

the child finally remembered. he knew whose voice it was who spoke. he now realized what was happening. he heard the door lock click. "ahhh, dexter. haven't you grown tired of playing hide and seek yet?" said the deep, low, calm voice as it whispered from inside the closet. the child turned his head towards the voice and saw a pair of bright red eyes, his reflection glaring back at him from a mirror ate had left behind.... but the child was no longer afraid.

* * * * *

... something else had my undivided attention and i felt my foot depress on the gas pedal as my car steadily accelerated towards the moronic cab who almost clipped me a few moments ago. my family disappeared. my dad disappeared. all that was left was me, my car, and the crescendo of the engine as the tail light of the cab grew brighter and brighter... i felt my entire body tense up. my hands gripped tightly onto the wheel. a split second of deafening silence, then an explosive rush of air... at the last second, i hit the brakes and swerved my car out of imminent collision and zoomed passed the focus of all my loathing. by this time, my entire family had reappeared. my father beside me, sat in still silence. no one bothered to talk to me that entire drive. no one dared even to make a sound. as we got to our destination, everyone quietly disembarked from my car, except for me. i stayed and took a few moments to myself, alone. dad left his car door open and wondered why i have not moved. mother understood somehow and shooed everyone away. she then closed the car door and let me be. i sat there, hands still tightly clenched on the steering wheel, breath still heavy as if i was ready to shout. but shouting would take too much energy and i had none left already. i was tired. i was exhausted. i had given up. i felt a ball drop from my throat into the pits of my gut. "what just happened?", i asked myself in disbelief. something alien stirred. it smiled and then disappeared. my grip eventually relaxed and i slowly backed up my car into the garage. mother said that something had changed in me. i now believe something did, but i have no idea what it is.


i, surrender
Posted by jamie da vinci! at 1/27/2009 09:09:00 PM