Nothing to Fear

It’s pitch black. I can’t see anything, save for my own hands. I run them along the walls, which are cool to the touch. It sends a shiver down my spine, and I clutch my shoulders, trying to conserve some warmth. 

I walk further down the hallway, and the sound of my boots landing echoes throughout the air. 

Light reaches my eyes, and I walk faster. Soon, I find myself in a large room that is brightly lit. I can see the passageway that I came from: a pitch black, looming, hallway. 

In front of me are two doors. One is bright pink, while the other is a form of rainforest green. Their jarring colors seem unnatural in such a somber area. 

I take a break, sitting down on the floor to make myself comfortable. Which door should I choose? 

I sit and ponder, looking around at the whitewashing walls, which have no markings or signs. The voices of my friends echo through my head.

“Don’t go!”

“Make sure you tell us where you go, so that we can keep an eye on you.”

“Wait!”

I get up, however, determined to move on. There is no way back. 

I turn the handle of the pink door, which opens with a loud creak. I can smell the rust in the air, as if the door hasn’t been used in several months. I’m once again met by a pitch-black hall. Some of the light from the room with two doors spills in, and I can see that it’s white and unmarked, just like the one I came through. I leave the door open to guide me with the little light it provides. I don’t bother going through the other door.

I keep on walking until I’m bathed by darkness. I can’t even see my own hands. My head starts pounding, beads of sweat start running down my neck. A cold draft blows through the tunnel, which instead of making me shiver, makes me more sweaty. 

I then hear the unmistakable sound of a door opening behind me-but there’s nothing behind me. I walk faster, trying to evade whatever is behind me. 

As I begin to relax, I hear the sounds of a saw, which echoes throughout the air. It revs, seeming to move closer to me. 

I turn and run, breaking into a swift sprint. 

As I’m running, I find myself on the floor in an instant. My face is smashed against the ground, and my foot throbs. I attempt to lift it up, but it has snagged something. A wire. I feel a liquid pouring out of my nose, which smells metallic. It must be blood. I’m confused, as my cheek impacted the ground first. 

Ignoring the pain in my foot, I bring myself to my feet, using the wall for support. 

But my blood runs cold at what I hear next: “You’ll never escape!” The sound of the saw comes closer, until it seems to be coming from right next to me. 

I stumble and run, bouncing from side to side against each wall. Once again, I slam into the wall in front of me. I feel around, understanding that I’m at a t-junction. I choose the hallway to the right, running as fast as I can. As I’m running, cold and warm air brush past me. 

I then hear the sound of a door opening, just like a pet door. I hear the scampering of paws, which sounds heavy. Something fur-like brushes against my leg, and I yelp, bringing that foot forward. 

By now, I’m breathing heavily. However, I spurr myself to keep moving. Tears brim my eyes, and my heart feels like it’s about to burst. I slow down to a walk, trying to catch my breath. I don’t dare to stop, not with what I’ve just experienced. After I feel safe, I lean against the wall, which is cool and damp to the touch. I wait for a minute, and try to move ahead, but my jacket is stuck to the wall. It holds me back as I try to walk forward. I creep my hand toward the wall, which has a thick and slimy substance coating it. I immediately withdraw my hand, unable to identify the substance. 

I think, wondering what can be so powerful to completely glue my jacket to the wall in such little time. Then, an ear-deafening roar comes from right next to me. My hair rises, pushed back by the sheer force of it. 

I quickly remove my jacket, leaving it behind.

I scream and run, praying for my life. The beast seems to follow me, and I keep on running. Eventually, it’s footsteps seem to fade away, and I find myself breaking out into a cold sweat. I’m tired, angry, hopeless, and… I feel like giving up. I should have never tried this. I should have listened to my friends. Listened to my family. Not going places that are risky. 

I collapse against the wall, crying. I have to make it through, though. But there’s no strength left in me. 

Deep breaths. In. Out. They echo through the air, making their way down the way I came, from darkness. 

Determined, I ready myself to keep moving. 

I ponder what would have happened if I had gone through the other door. Too late to think about it now. 

My feet ache from all the running, and my shirt is soaked in sweat. 

As I rise to my feet, I stop in my tracks. A doll’s voice fills the air: “Come out, come out, I know where you are!” 

It sounds so innocent, but it sends chills down my spine. I try to convince myself that there’s nothing to be afraid of. Why would my attackers want to haunt me with this? Is this some test?

The voice comes closer, and I close my eyes, not wanting to see what it is. 

I wait. And wait.

The voice eventually stops, and I slowly open my eyes. I’m met with the illuminated face of a doll, filling my vision. I scream, batting it aside. My hand connects with a solid body, and I hear a grunt. My attacker. 

I run, sprinting down the hallway. 

Eventually, I see light. I walk faster and faster, with energy I didn’t know I had. The white-washed corridors turn into a colorful rainbow, one that mimics my spirits. I sigh. This is the end. 

There’s a singular white door at the end of the hallway, with a polished black handle. I rest my hand on it. It’s the perfect temperature, just like how I prefer. 

This will lead me out of this place I was forced into. My pursuers will be no more. 

And so I open the door, with a smile on my face. Instantly, I’m crowded by my friends, who are congratulating me on my amazing performance. 

I smile even wider looking up at the sign above me. 

“The World’s Scariest Horror House! Enter if you dare!”

I dared to enter, with nothing to fear.