Don’t Open the Door

"Did you really think you’d get away with this?"

"I don’t know what you’re talking about."

"Of course, you do. I saw you. I saw everything."

"What the hell are you talking about? I didn’t do anything."

"Please, don’t play dumb. You know exactly what I’m talking about. The bag. The key. And… that."

"Wait. You… you followed me?"

"Followed you? No, I stumbled upon you. I didn’t even know you were there until I saw you go inside."

"Inside where?"

"Don’t do this, please. Don’t pretend you’ve forgotten."

"I honestly don’t know what you’re talking about."

"The basement, Marko. That damn basement. Why? What are you hiding down there?"

"You’re insane. You’re spying on me and then making up stories."

"What was in the bag?"

"What?"

"The bag, Marko. What was in it?"

"That’s none of your business."

"That’s not an answer. What was in the bag?"

"Nothing that concerns you."

"You’ve already said that. But it’s not true, is it? Because if it was nothing, why would you hide the bag in the basement?"

"Stop this."

"I won’t stop. Not until you tell me the truth."

"I told you. It’s none of your business."

"If you don’t want it to be my business, why won’t you just tell me? Anything, Marko. Give me a reason to believe you."

"You don’t have to believe me."

"Marko… please… What did you do?"

"Nothing."

"Don’t make me go down there."

"Don’t."

"Don’t what?"

"Don’t go down there."

"Why? What will you do if I go?"

"Nothing. Just… don’t."

"Tell me what you’re hiding."

"I’m not hiding anything."

"Don’t lie to me. Your voice… I can hear it trembling. You know what? I’m going down there."

"No, don’t! Stop! Jelena, wait!"

"Why should I stop, Marko? What will happen if I keep going?"

"Please, don’t. Just stay here."

"I won’t. I’m tired of your secrecy. I’m opening the door."

"Jelena, I’m telling you, don’t touch that door!"

"Why not?"

"Because… because you won’t be able to unsee what you see."

"What is that supposed to mean? What did you do, Marko?"

"Nothing. It’s not my fault. I didn’t want this to happen."

"What didn’t you want to happen? Whatever it is, it’s too late to turn back now. I’m opening the door."

"Jelena, I’m begging you. Leave it closed!"

"Begging me? You? After all the things you’re hiding from me? This is your last chance, Marko. Tell me the truth, or I’m opening it."

"I can’t… I can’t tell you. But you wouldn’t understand."

"What wouldn’t I understand? That you did something? That you’re hiding something terrible? You think I won’t understand because I’m stupid?"

"No, that’s not it. It’s just… please, don’t open the door. That’s all I’m asking."

"I’m opening it."

"Jelena! Don’t!"

"What is this? Marko… What is this?!"

"I told you not to open it."

"Is this… blood? On the floor? Marko, this… This can’t be real."

"Jelena, let’s just get out of here. You don’t have to look."

"Wait. This… this is the bag. Marko, what’s inside? What’s in this bag?"

"Don’t open it."

"Haven’t you already learned that nothing will stop me? I’m opening it."

"Jelena, please… don’t…"

"Oh my God! Marko… this… this is…"

"I know what it is."

"Whose arm is this, Marko?! What the hell is going on here?!"

"It’s… it’s not what you think."

"Then what is it? Please, explain, because I see a severed arm in a bag! And I see blood! Explain this!"

"I didn’t kill her."

"Killed?! Marko, you’re insane. What murder? Severed arms don’t fall from the sky! Who is this?!"

"I don’t know her name."

"You don’t know her name? Marko, are you out of your mind?!"

"It was a mistake. I didn’t mean for it to happen."

"What didn’t you mean to happen? What are you talking about?"

"For her to die."

"Who to die? What happened, Marko? Tell me now, or I’m calling the police."

"No, you can’t call the police."

"Why? Why not?! This… this is murder, Marko. Or at least it looks like it. Tell me the truth."

"Jelena, I… I tried to save her."

"Save her? From what?"

"From… them."

"What others? Don’t twist your words. Who are 'they'?"

"You won’t believe me."

"Try me. Because right now, I think you’re a dangerous lunatic who kills people."

"I didn’t kill anyone."

"Whose arm is this, Marko?"

"I told you, I don’t know her name. But… but I know it’s not just hers."

"What does that mean? Not just hers?"

"There are more."

"More of what? More people? More arms? What are you talking about?"

"Them. They’re… here."

"They? Marko, stop with the riddles! Explain!"

"I won’t say anything. Not here. Not in front of them."

"In front of who? We’re alone!"

"We’re not alone, Jelena. We’re never alone."

"Marko, who are ‘they’? Stop with the riddles and tell me what’s going on!"

"I can’t tell you. If you find out, they’ll find out."

"Who will find out? What are you talking about? Do you even realize how insane you sound?"

"Insane? Jelena, if you knew what I know, you’d never sleep again."

"Stop it! I don’t believe in your fantasies. This is the real world, Marko. This is blood. This is an arm. This is… wait, what’s this on the floor? This looks like a symbol. Marko, what is this?"

"Don’t look at it."

"Don’t look at it? I’ve already seen it, Marko. It looks like… like a pentagram or something. Are you in a cult? Is this some kind of sickness? Are you a murderer?"

"I’m not a murderer! Stop accusing me of things you don’t understand!"

"Then explain! Stop being silent and explain! Because I can’t take this anymore!"

"Fine! Fine, you want the truth? I’ll tell you. But you won’t like it."

"Try me. Anything is better than this uncertainty."

"They’re not human."

"What?"

"They’re not human. What you see, what you feel… those aren’t human beings. They’re… something else."

"Marko, do you even hear how crazy that sounds? No wonder you’re paranoid. You’re talking about… what? Demons? Monsters? Stop it!"

"I’m not crazy. Jelena, this isn’t the first time this has happened. They’ve been here for years. Decades. Maybe even centuries. And no one knows until it’s too late."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"Their rules are clear. You don’t speak of them. You don’t touch their victims. And if you break the rules… you’re next."

"Marko, you’re talking about this as if it’s real. But this is just… I don’t know, some kind of paranoid story. There is no ‘they.’ These are your hallucinations!"

"Does this look like a hallucination, Jelena? Look at the blood on the floor. Look at the arm. Do you really think I’d make all of this up?"

"But that doesn’t prove they’re… demons or whatever you’re claiming. This could be… I don’t know, the mafia, a cult, someone real."

"I wish it was. But it’s not. It’s not something you can understand until you see them."

"I see blood, Marko. I see the symbol on the floor. But none of that proves your story. This is madness. Pure madness."

"Jelena, just listen to me. If you want to get out of here alive, you need to stop digging deeper. They already know you’re here."

"Marko, this is too much. I… I’m calling the police. This is… I can’t do this alone."

"You can’t call the police! Jelena, they can’t help."

"Why? Why not?"

"Because the police have already tried. And there isn’t a single officer who’s walked out of this basement alive."

"Stop it. Listen to yourself, Marko. This is..."

"Shhh. Jelena, quiet."

"What?"

"Do you hear that?"

"I don’t hear anything. Marko, stop it."

"Quiet, Jelena. They’re coming."

"Who’s coming? Stop it! Stop playing games!"

"Jelena, please. Don’t breathe too loudly. Just stay still."

"What… what is that sound? Marko… what is it?"

"I told you not to open the door. Now you’ve woken them."

"Who… who are ‘they,’ Marko? What is that… What are those… lights? Those eyes?"

"I told you."

"Marko, what’s happening?!"

"It’s too late, Jelena. It’s too late."

"No! Marko! Don’t do this! Don’t leave me here!"

"I’m sorry. You have to face this alone."

"No, don’t! Marko! Don’t leave! Marko! MARKO!"

"Jelena, listen to me. Listen carefully. Stay still. Don’t move. If you stay still and don’t make a sound, maybe they won’t see you."

"What? What won’t see me? Marko, what are these… these creatures? These eyes… these hands… What the hell am I looking at?"

"Don’t look at them. Don’t look into their eyes."

"But… but they’re everywhere! What do I do? How do I not look?"

"Jelena, just close your eyes. Breathe deeply. They can sense fear. The more you’re afraid, the closer they’ll come."

"How can I not be afraid? Marko, what are these things?!"

"I told you. They’re not human. They’re… things. Even I don’t know exactly what they are. I just know they’re not from this world."

"You’re insane! You’re completely insane! This isn’t real! This… this is a dream! It has to be a dream!"

"Jelena, this isn’t a dream. If it were, you wouldn’t feel the cold. You wouldn’t feel their breath on your neck."

"What… what did you just say? On my neck…"

"Don’t turn around!"

"Aaaaah! Marko! They… they’re here! I… I see them!"

"Don’t look into their eyes, Jelena! I told you! Close your eyes!"

"I can’t! There are too many of them! They… they’re staring at me!"

"Jelena, calm down. Breathe. You have to breathe."

"Marko, they’re… they’re getting closer! Marko, please, help me!"

"I can’t. They’ve already seen you."

"What… what does that mean? Marko, tell me what that means!"

"It means it’s over. There’s nothing I can do. It’s too late."

"No! Don’t say that! There has to be a way! There’s a way out, right?"

"The only way was to never wake them."

"Please! I can’t do this! Marko! They’re touching me! Marko!"

"Don’t scream! Don’t give them a reason!"

"I can’t! I can’t take it anymore! Aaaaaaah!"

"Jelena! Jelena! No!"

"Marko, they… they’re pulling me… Marko, help me! Help me!"

"I’m sorry… I’m so sorry…"

"Don’t leave me! Don’t…"

"Jelena… forgive me…"

"No, no! Marko… Aaaaaaah!"

"I told you not to open the door…"