BACKROOMS Part 5
Jenna ran. The pounding of blood in her ears was so loud it made it difficult to hear the scratching of claws not far behind her. Searing sharp pain filled her chest from the exertion.
Another decision came into view up ahead. Jenna could go left or right again but not straight. Since she went right last time, she chose left. Now to hope she made it to the turn alive. It was still several yards ahead and whichever beast chased her was gaining.
Coming up to the turn, Jenna went wide hoping to keep from slipping on the damp floor. Just as she could see around the corner, her hands desperately began grasping for the corner to help her stop. As before, a hound waited with its head lowered, jaws dripping saliva. A deep growl reverberated against the rock walls.
She couldn’t help but release a loud scream. It looked exactly like the other hound. Was it the same one or a different one? Jenna dared a glance down the tunnel she had just been in. There was no sound of claws running anymore. Instead, the first hound nearly filled the tunnel a good way back. The tall tree like creature waited behind it. None of them moved.
Jenna took a ragged breath daring to look back and forth. It was definitely a different hound. The beast was smaller but nothing about its size made it less menacing. In fact, it seemed more agitated. Other than trying to keep both corridors in view, she didn’t dare run.
Apparently, that was not what the monsters wanted. The smaller one stomped one foot repeatedly, digging its talons in the rock. The bigger one stepped forward, extending its tentacles in Jenna’s direction. When she still didn’t move, they both stepped several more times.
She finally took the hint. Turning in the only direction she could, Jenna ran. The monsters howled and continued their pursuit. Something wasn’t right about this, but Jenna didn’t have time to really think about it. Now she had three beasts chasing her.
This route did not appear to turn for as far as Jenna could see which wasn’t much considering the lack of light. She wasn’t sure how much longer she could run. Her lungs hurt and a sharp pain formed at her side. The continued sounds of claws on rock and snuffling kept her going.
The darkness ahead dipped a little to the right. Jenna thought it could be another break off point but wasn’t sure. Motion just beyond that spot had her hoping it was. She ran closer and what she saw had her mind slipping like it did with the blobs. Her vision began to swim, and her legs buckled beneath her. She came to a skidding halt producing scrapes all along her arms.
There wasn’t a form to it. Something blocked the passageway but moved in small amounts. Long ropes extended and retracted to the side walls and ceiling. Short human like legs held the entire mass up off the ground a few inches. But in the middle was mind breaking. A head swam in circles within the black oil colored mass. It tried to form facial features, but they were all wrong. A gaping, lipless mouth opened wide in a silent scream.
It was too much. Jenna’s mind snapped. She knew she should get up and run away but her will to do so was gone. Let the beasts descend and tear her apart. Let whatever this was do its worst. At this point she didn’t believe she would feel any of it. She lay there, bleeding from her many scrapes.
Again, the monsters stopped chasing only to stand and stare at her. The hounds shifted their dripping heads from side to side. The tall spindly one came from behind, stepping between them to come forward. Its horns kept scraping the side and ceiling of their tunnel. Jenna slowly turned her head to watch it approach.
The faceless creature bent down towards Jenna. Long wooden arms slid under her neck and legs. When it touched her, Jenna’s mind went further into madness as if the contact made it all more real. As it lifted her, she slipped into blackness.
