STORY STARTER
After moving into a new house, you find a hidden door to an underground passageway...
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Bonus Room?
Feeling a strain along my arm as I bring the last box into the house.
“Man, I need to start lifting weights,” I muttered silently.
I stretch my arms over my head, attempting to release the tension as I gaze around, admiring my new living room.
Ahh, my own place. Yes, it’s a fixer-upper, but I can’t help the butterflies in my stomach, the possibilities I imagine as they run through my mind.
“On that note, it's time for a celebratory beer!”
With a pep in my step, I walk into the adjoining kitchen. I open the fridge and grab a cold one. Cracking the top and downing that first gulp, a cold rush slips down my throat. The crisp, smooth, and bitter taste is always the most satisfying, especially after a long hard day.
Out of the corner of my eye, I note the rug on the kitchen floor. It's ruffled at one edge, and something is outlined on the wooden floor. I turn and move closer to investigate.
“What have we got ourselves here?”
I lean in, grab the dusty, worn rug and peel it back to get a better look at what’s hiding beneath. My eyebrows raise, and my breath pauses momentarily as I try to comprehend what’s in front of me.
“A bonus room? Maybe it’s a basement?”
An old door, which looks rotten now, has been built in the middle of the kitchen floor.
A nervous laugh escapes me. “Well, this just got interesting”.
I take a quick swig and put my beer down on the kitchen benchtop. I rub my palms on my thighs, and then I place my hand on the door handle and hold it there for a minute.
“Why am I nervous? It’s just a door”.
A door that the real estate agent conveniently forgot to mention. I can’t help but think this is a horror movie scene before something bad happens.
Right then, the lights above my head flicker and stop. I gasp. Am I getting carried away and hallucinating things now?
“No, no. Come on, time to get a grip of yourself.”
I firmly grasp the handle and let out a long exhale as I yank open the old wooden door. A loud grinding, creaking noise reverberates as I slowly pull the heavy frame back. Shooting pains signal from my already overworked muscles. I let go, and a crashing thud hits the floor. A cloud of dust and dirt lifts into the air. My throat stirs, and I start coughing.
“Gross, well, that was pleasant.”
With how hard I had to pull, this door hasn't been open in decades!
I rub my eyes and blink a few times to clear the dust.
My mouth gaps open as I take in a cracked wooden staircase leading into a black hole.
“Okay, well, this seems ominous.”
I'm frozen, my jaw clenched, and my limbs stiffen. I'm hesitant to move any further. My stomach feels like it's bottomed out, and deep down, I know I won't be able to sleep without finding out where those stairs lead.
I give myself a little pep talk.
“This is exciting times. It is a new house and a newly discovered space to renovate potentially. You got this!”
Drawing a long breath, I awkwardly step into the unknown void. My fingers tremble as I glide them down the wonky steel rail. Each step moans under the pressure of my weight on the splintered wooden steps. The air is still and stalemate. Like it's been trapped in a confined space with no escape for a long time. I have to squint my eyes to try to make out any shapes or forms below.
I send up a silent plea to the universe.
“Please, please let this just be a normal room.”
As I reach the bottom, the silence is deafening. My heart hammers hard like it’s about to burst out of me. As my eyes adjust to the dimness, a chain dangling in the air comes into my vision. I curl my fingers around the chain and pull.
“Click”
A single light bulb emits a bright, warm glow, dissipating the darkness and shadows.
“What the heck? It's just an empty corridor.”
I scan the stone hallway that leads nowhere, and it seems I've reached a dead end. I move around the room to see if I've missed something. There are no windows, and as I place my hand on the cool stone wall, I can see scratches. I rest my fingers over them and trail the grooves along the wall. Goosebumps cover my skin as I shiver. The temperature feels like it's just dropped 5 degrees.
A crease forms between my eyebrows. “That’s a little weird.”
Other than the scratches, this corridor seems completely bare. I can't figure out the purpose of this space. I try to avoid eye contact with the wall markings and the sinking feeling in my gut. I let my shoulders drop and force my muscles to relax, exhaling deeply.
I put both hands on my hips, ignoring the fact that I'm a little unnerved, I tell myself.
“This is nothing to be concerned about. It's just a bonus room.”
A distracting thought pops into my head.
“This could be a wicked beer cellar!”
I turn to head back upstairs when my foot catches on something. I look down and see a photo stuck to my shoe. I pick it up and gasp. My heart instantly accelerates. With my mouth gaped open, I stare at the image, and my hand starts shaking uncontrollably.
“This is a picture of me?”
My eyes go wide, trying to process if this is real.
I feel my nervous system explode and jolt as I hear a thunderous slam. The door at the top of the stairs is closed!
My fight or flight mode kicks in, and I rush over to the stairway in a panic. I trip and slam face-first on the stairs. I feel a blinding crack, and pain radiates through my skull. I bring my hands to my face as thick blood coats my nose and mouth.
“Argh!! Damn it, fuck that hurts!”
An unbearable ache sets in with every heartbeat. But then, the light goes out in the blink of an eye. I freeze, and all I hear is my rapid breaths. I can't focus, my mind races, and my skin crawls.
I feel my heart stop as an ice-cold grip clamps around my ankle and drags me down with unnatural force.
“No, no, no, please, no!”
Nails sink into my skin. I try to use my own to claw the wooden step above me and hold on. I feel a sharp pain tear through my leg. My face crumbles in despair; I can't see it as my eyes blur. I feel tears streaming down my cheek. I taste the metal tang of blood still coating my mouth and nose. I struggle to keep my grip.
Fingers wavering, fatigue plagues me. I feel my lip quiver as a whisper escapes me.
“I don't want to die.”
An internal vibration ripples all over me as I let out a guttural scream from deep within. I close my eyes. Time slows, and I feel that last finger and the last of my hope slip away. I'm ripped into the darkness.
One week later, the house was back on the market.
The End.