Chapter Five

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The smell of crisp morning air washed over me as I shut the door behind me. Closing my eyes, I took in a deep breath of the glorious scent. I could smell the honey suckles off in the distance. The scent of sweet flowers adoring the ground. My eyes envisioned the droplets of dew rolling off the petals of flowers. I heard the birds singing their chorus sweetly up in the trees. The warmth of the sun's rays kissing my skin.

I let out a sigh of relief. I had made it out.

I'm coming home, Allison.

I opened my eyes, finding myself in a heavily wooded area. Trees stretched higher than my eyes could see with their brown trunks. The canopy above consisted of thick leaves blanketed the sunlight, letting only small beams peek through to provide light to the floor below. Tall lanky grass stood about mid-knee length. A light fog rose from the ground, drifting in the direction of the wind.

No birds sang. Leaves rustled overhead as the branches below sounded eerily like a mallet hitting the plates of a xylophone.

I hadn't escaped. The house had lulled me into a false sense of serenity for a moment. It knew what I wanted and dangled it in front of me like a mouse in front of a cat.

What danger awaited me next? Would a crazed axe murderer be waiting behind a tree trunk? Or maybe a mutated bear hungry for a bite of freshly seasoned Trevor lurked in the distance?

My heart picked up speed once again. I'm surprised the damn thing still worked after everything I had experienced thus far. I must have reeled it out of the crimson ocean on my ascent.

Anticipation snaked its way into my stomach, settling heavy as a stone. My breathing increased slightly.

With a shaking limb, I took a step forward, expecting my foot to be swallowed by the earth. Thankfully, it landed with a muffled crunch on the ground below. My brown stained shoes carried forward into the woods. The deeper I traveled, the darker it became.

A loud snap sounded underneath my shoe, snatching my attention. I glanced down, expecting a branch. Instead, a beige colored bone laid in two beneath my sole. It was a long bone—a femur most likely—belonging to a human. Small indentations lay imbedded along the bone. They appeared to be small scratches or bite marks. The rounded end of the bone was jagged, looking like a saw blade had been ran back and forth on it repeatedly.

I held back a gasp, frightened that I may bring whatever creature that had done this straight to my location. I peeked around at the endless wave of trees. The fog had risen level to my chest now.

A low hiss echoed from tree to tree up above in the canopy. My eyes darted upwards, trying to find the source of the noise. Pinpointing the beast seemed impossible. Wind whipped the hiss in every direction.

Knowing that I would be a sitting duck, I raced behind a tree for coverage. A heavy object made the branches cry out from the weight. The creature moved at a heightened speed, reaching the location I had just been at in seconds.

The hiss sounded again— this time feet away. Peeking out from behind the mossy bark, I watched the creature descend from the branches above. A spider, about the size of a small building, crept down from above on a silky part of its web. Thick black hairs covered the spider's body. Eight long legs stretched from one tree trunk to the other as the spider lowered to the forest floor bed. Its eyes were a bright red, illuminating the shady area below.

I could see the crimson sea while staring into the beast's eyes. My irises glued—hypnotized almost—to the beast's gaze. A trance fell over me as the web-spinning siren spun me into it's carefully crafted trap.

Where are you my succulent meal? Reveal yourself to me.

I wanted to give in. I needed to comply with the creature's request. I felt my conscious fighting against the pull of the beast, but I had no control over my actions. The need to satisfy the spider was all I could think of.

I felt my foot move forward, no matter how loud my inner self screamed to stop. Like a puppet, someone else was pulling my strings.

Crack.

I watched as a branch plummeted from the canopy above, landing on the floor bed. The spider hissed, snapping its head in the direction of the branch. I felt the connection between us dissolve into thin air.

The fangs brushed together, making a clicking noise that pierced my ears. There you are.

Black, arched legs moved towards the branch. The fine hairs seeming to pulsate like a heartbeat.

With a deep breath, I slowly moved away. The area felt like an endless maze with the same scenery all the way through. No landmarks to mark where I had been. Just endless trees that all looked identical. I was unsure if I was going in the right direction or if I was wandering aimlessly in an endless circle. My legs ached as pushed forward. My lungs tired with all the exercise. I could feel the dryness of my mouth, a taste of rust lingering still.

After what seemed like hours, I collapsed on the ground. A soft, silky bed of grass comforting me as I rested. Black threatened to take over my vision, lingering around the edge. My calves pulsated, having a heartbeat of their own.

Just five minutes. Let me rest for five minutes.

I closed my eyes, regulating my breathing. My eyelids became as stone and I felt myself drifting.

"Trevor, did you fall asleep again?"

My eyes shot open.

"Allison?" I asked.

I looked around the room. I was back in my parlor. The wine-colored walls lined with a white border. Light pooled in from the window, reflecting on the black piano I had fallen asleep on.

"I've been waiting for you for almost an hour now." She moved out of the doorway, her pale legs peeking out of the blue robe she wore. Her raven hair lay braided down her back.

"Wha—are you real?" I couldn't find the words.

She raised an eyebrow, reaching my side. "Drinking bourbon again? Trev, you know that stuff gives you nightmares."

"I—I didn't go to that house, did I?" I asked, rubbing my head. A headache ran rampant in my temple.

"Are you worried about the Henderson House? I told you that you don't have to waste your time with that tomorrow. I'm scared for you, Trev. I just have a bad feeling about it. I'm not worried about more money. I'm happy with just you."

"So, I haven't gone?" A smile crept upon my face, cracking my chapped lips. The taste of rust fell upon my taste buds.

"No... Trevor you are starting to scare me," she said.

"I'm not going to sell that house," I whispered, standing up. I turned towards Allison. Snaking my arm around her hip, I pulled her into me.

"What made you change your mind?" she gasped.

I could feel her hot breath tickling my chin. Her eyes probing mine for an answer.

"You."

I lifted her chin upwards as I brought my lips to hers. Her smooth lips wasted no time, devouring mine like a ravenous animal. She tasted like raspberries, lemons, and a hint of brandy. My hands found her hair, messing up the beautiful braid. I needed to get her closer to me.

I came up for a breath of air, before returning to her. My fingers grazed trailed down her silky robe, reaching the small of her back. Her breath hitched in her throat as I moved her into me.

"I love you more than anything," I whispered onto her bottom lip, kissing a path down her chin.

I had made it to her neck when her body went stiff.

"The itsy-bitsy spider went up the water spout," Allison sang. But the voice wasn't hers. It sounded deeper and disembodied.

"Allison?" I asked, coming eye level again.

"Down came the rain and washed Trevor out." A sinister grin lay plastered upon her face.

"Wha—Allison what are you doing?" Fear had taken the reins back.

"Out came the sun and dried up all the rain. Trevor Steele was never seen again." ‪Her jaw dropped open, and rushing out, came hundreds of small, black spiders.‬

I snapped awake, seeing that I was still in the forest.

She had been in my grasp, and I lost her.  All some twisted dream that this house conjured up to trick me. 

I could still smell her sweet scent lingering in the air. Peaches still dancing on my taste buds.

The house may have dangled her in front of me like a mouse, but the dream hadn't weakened me. It made me stronger. 

A pinching sensation stung my leg, and looking down, I found the small spiders from my dream covering my legs. A quick glance on the ground showed me that I had fallen asleep right next to a webbed egg sac. Arachnid young oozed from the hole in the sack like pus from an infected wound.

I jumped up, finding resistance from the sticky webbing underneath. The silk clung to my clothing, breaking away from the intricate netting below. My hands worked furiously, swatting off the devils. A few stuck to my hands, digging their fangs into my flesh. The skin quickly turned red, swelling up to the size of a golf ball. Underneath my pantleg, I could feel the swollen bite pressing against my jeans.

I ran. I knew it would be louder, but I kept running. The ache in my calves dulled by the new throbbing of my hand and leg. A yellow-tinted liquid drained from my inflamed skin.

Above me, I could hear the thrilled hiss of the Arachnid. I found you at last. My children have branded you as worthy for my taste buds. I can't wait to savor your essence. To feel your bones snap in my clutches. Stop running child.

That's when I saw it. The green door hidden behind two trees that were closer together than the rest. I had been walking in circles. I had passed those trees at least ten times without even realizing they were the answer to all my problems.

I felt my feet move faster than they ever had. A sharp pain bit at my heel as a blister ruptured, but still I pressed on. The house may have teased me with Allison, but it had the adverse effect on me. I was more motivated now than ever. The sensation of her lips on mine remaining along with the faint taste of raspberries.

I would get out of this house. It would not defeat me.

A wail shook the forest as I reached the door. From a deep cry in the treetops, to a hundred high-pitched screams from below.

Please don't leave me. I haven't eaten in years.

"Well eat this!" I shouted, holding up my middle finger. With that I turned the knob and entered the next room.

Total word count: 7,331

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