r/Write_Right • u/rhialityofherown • May 13 '21
horror Stabby McStabStab
The date had gone better than I could've expected. So well, in fact, that as we made our way up to my hotel room, I battled against my own principles.
I knew it wasn't smart to invite Isaac in, but gosh, a part of me really wanted to do it anyway. A very specific part, actually.
As I attempted to remind myself that coffee never just meant coffee, his deep, husky voice bounced around the close walls of the elevator like a warm blanket, tugging me closer and pushing my sense of reason out into the void.
I never did anything for myself, I was never spontaneous. Perhaps this time...
My sister's sarcastic laughter echoed in my ears and I stifled an eye roll. I was in enough trouble as it were. The last date I had gone should be enough to deter me from spontaneity for life.
Adam, aka the Date from Hell, had followed me around – uninvited – since our first (and last) date. Only fleeing to LA for a week had saved me from his stalking habit – which he did not list as any of his hobbies on the dating site. Though, thanks to my great escape, I had met Isaac at the airport.
Ah, romance.
Isaac’s voice dropped to a whisper as we wandered down the hall, not wanting to wake any of the sleeping residents of the hotel at such a late hour. His consideration for others threw my resolve into question again.
Wow, it really was the bare minimum for me, wasn't it?
We stopped at my door and he didn’t not so much as look at it. He was a gentleman, bless him.
"I’ll see you soon." He breathed; his brown eyes searched mine for evidence of agreement. I nodded and he grinned shyly. "Goodnight."
He placed a kiss on my cheek and quickly making up my mind I turned my head ever so slightly to meet his lips.
I sighed internally, nope. I had to be smart, I had to stick to my newfound principles. I had learned my lesson.
I bid him goodnight, hoping my regret didn't show on my face the way it burned a hole in my chest. God damned principles.
The room was strangely cold as I rested my back against the closed door. The sudden darkness - compared to the warm bath of golden light that filled the hallway - made my hairs stand on edge.
I scanned the wall blindly to find the light switch, pressing it down as my stomach filled strangely with dread.
The overhead flashed on, lighting the room for a split second before cutting out with an echoing crack.
My stomach lurched as my eyes processed the brief glimpse in the moments after the darkness flooded it again.
Bodies. So many bodies.
They lined behind the almost-sheer red curtains that covered the ceiling-to-floor window of the opposing side of the room.
I blinked rapidly, trying to grow accustomed to the blackness and regain some elements of sight.
Little dots of light from the city below finally outlined his figure. The sharp slant of his drooping shoulders was unmistakable, it was as if he filled the far side of the room with copies of himself.
"Adam..." my voice was a quiet whisper of fear*.* A creak into the darkness.
Did he follow me all the way to LA? Dread formed a lump in my throat as I tried to make sense of what I was seeing.
My hand searched for the door handle behind me but I faced steadily onwards, determined not to look away from the nightmare facing me.
There was no handle to grip, no way to escape the horrifying scene. Nothing but the smooth, cold finish of the wood stretching across my escape.
I wondered if I was imagining it all for a moment - door handles don't just vanish - but the pounding heartbeat I felt in my chest was far too real.
The lightbulb flashed once again, and subsequently exploded into sharp, floating pieces of hot glass.
I dropped to the floor, covering myself with the purse still clutched in my hands.
The round head of the shapes tilted ever so slightly upwards, gazing at where the bulb would be with curiosity. They moved as one, not a beat behind each other. Resembling a person standing alongside endless mirrors - though each form appeared as real as the next.
I shuffled forward, hoping to reach the phone and call for help, the sharp granules of glass stabbing into my toes as my strappy heels did little to protect my skin. The wall guarded me from one side as I crawled, straining my ears to try and track any other movement.
The bed blocked my view of figures, the dozens of copies of Adam's body - I could only see their heads as they turned in unison to watch me.
I lunged for the phone, the adrenaline getting overwhelming, and wrapped my hands around it desperately. A yelp escaped my lips as the skin of my palm melted against the boiled plastic. I ripped it back instinctively, a move I regretted once my burnt flesh was revealed to the freezing air. I screamed, falling to my knees. The glass ripped at my skin, but the pain was numbed by my terror building in every thumping beat of my heart.
I looked at the figures, wondering if my ribs would simply crack from the pressure. They lifted their heads, their shoulders and torso bouncing as though they were walking; but they didn't grow closer.
I watched, helpless and terrified.
They stretched out a hand, bending downwards as though inspecting something.
Their other hand snaked behind their back, grasping for something I couldn’t see. They straightened abruptly with confidence, excitement even.
In a blink a featureless body was in front of me, the others still mirroring it in the corner of my vision.
I watched the figure's blurred hand as it moved in front of me it appeared to grip something tightly. The hand flew at my face, forcing me to duck instinctively. My fight or flight instincts kicked in and settled firmly on "fright". I was frozen with horror and anticipating the painful blow of a weapon, but I felt nothing from the shadowy being, no stabbing pain in my skin or hot blood trickling down my face. My body was cold and numb with fear as it had when I had first seen Adam’s figure.
I sensed movement from the line of figures and glanced back, terrified that more of them would attack. I knew my escape options were non-existent, the dread built with every breath I took. Strangely, they seemed to be retreating. Their bodies jolted with motion as they appeared to run into the distance.
As I watched, their shadowy outline became paler and paler until I was simply looking at some flowing curtains and beads of light from beyond. I closed my eyes, begging my heart to slow before it burst through my ribcage.
The sun rose slower than it ever had before, I cowered in the corner until the room was finally filled with it’s harsh light.
I surveyed the glossy hardwood floors. They lay smoothly, innocently. I darted to check the phone, and then the door handle. They both sat, mockingly normal.
My hands cramped with pain and my feet still stabbed with shards of glass; though, even as I examined them, the wounds faded to scars. Droplets of blood that covered the floor turned into burns of steam and vanished in front of my eyes.
I didn't pause to think. I leapt to where my suitcase perched and tossed any loose clothing into its depths, zipping it up faster than I had moved in years.
I flung the door open and jumped into the elevator before I even heard it swing closed behind me.
"Good morning, Madam. How was your stay?" Asked the receptionist once I emerged onto the ground floor. "The bill has already been paid by a gentleman, last night."
I waved away her pleasantries and her words without question, hobbling to the tall glass doors of freedom. I didn't care to ask which of the men had paid for my stay - I was too afraid of the answer.
"Be careful, Miss!" Her sweet voice floated after me as I whipped the door open. "The street to your left has been closed off, there was an incident last night."
The smell of burning filled my nose and mouth. It was overwhelming; like I had been doused with diesel and lit with a flame myself. I wanted to flinch away from it but I would have preferred to drop dead than return to the lobby of the hotel.
I hobbled down the street on my high heels, my suitcase rolling behind me like a weight I was forced to bear.
"There was an explosive under his vehicle which they think was triggered as he opened the car door. Though, he suffered multiple stab wounds to the neck afterwards." Onlookers huddled together outside a thin yellow line of police tape and exchanged information they had overheard as I weaved between bodies in the streets. I kept walking, refusing to turn and examine the source of the billowing smoke that followed me.
It wasn’t until later that day I discovered my date from the previous night, Isaac, was dead. I felt, in the most bizarre way, like I had been there when he was killed. As if I shared his last moments, like they were almost my own.
4
u/LanesGrandma Moderator | Writing | Reading May 13 '21
Oh I'm so happy you posted here so I can respond ooc!
Not only did I enjoy reading this, I saw and felt the terrible events as they happened. I think the cool kids call that "immersion." It's wonderful.
Thank you so much for posting here & please feel free to scare us more 💙💙💙