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THE HOUSE
My feet crackled as I treaded on broken twigs and ferns of the forest floor. Mybreathing raced as I felt my way through the darkness. I had no idea if I wasgoing in the right direction, but I pushed myself to carry on nonetheless. Ibrushed away the leaves and thin branches that obscured my vision frequently. There was no point to my actions. I couldn’t see a thing, but there was hope inthe back of my mind, that I might spot a random sign or map pointing me in rightdirection. I knew it was impossible but it was the only thing keeping memotivated to carry on. That, and the fact that knowing if I saw the house,actually saw it for real and not behind closed eyes, I would be closer todiscovering the truth. I didn’t know what I would do when I reached the house. If I reached the house. Probably go to the same study that Damien had taken me inmy memories. Maybe I would feel closer to him somehow if I leaned against thesame varnished desk that he had, and saw the same overflowing bookcase.Maybe I would remember more. Maybe I wouldn’t. Maybe it would have no effecton me at all, and the whole trip would end up being a wasted effort. What would Ido then? I couldn’t go home. The look on Mark’s and mums face at the stationconfirmed that. I didn’t have any money. Well, not enough that could help me inany way apart from food wise. No, something would have to happen surely.Surely seeing the linoleum floors and the walls would do something to spark mymemory. Maybe lead me to another destination. I had to have some hope, even if I had nothing else.I noticed a break in the trees and bushes. The forest was no longer black but amurky grey, there was light coming from somewhere, and I could faintly see afaded trail on the damp earth. My pace quickened as I followed it. The groundstarted to slope downwards and my stomach flipped with excitement. The slopefelt familiar, I exhaled loudly with happiness as I spotted that same thick, brownslanted branch and I expertly ducked under it. Unlike my dream I hadn’t placedmy landing perfectly and I stumbled on a twig and fell roughly against thecobbled stones with a huff. I picked myself up and dusted off my knees and bagbefore remembering where I was. I snapped my head up and my eyes widenedwith what I saw. The house was exactly the same, except a little darker from the lack of moonlight. My eyes traced the boarded up windows and crumpled edges of thewhitewashed walls. I saw the dusty sign on top of the door, with some lettersmissing. THE L NAR H TE LI couldn’t comprehend in my mind the feelings that rushed through my veins. The house was actually here.It actually existed! I screamed in my head. My mind had remembered it so wellthat I half expected to hear Damien whisper my name like he had in my memory. This place was no longer a dream to me anymore and my heart swelled at theconcept of me finally arriving here.I took each step slowly, warily. I was so afraid to blink fearing that the housewould disappear right in front of my eyes.When I was three feet from the door, I started to panic.What if Terrence actually was here, waiting eagerly for me to walk through thefront door and inject me again? Would I see those same cloaked hooded figures
 
that had haunted me for so long? Would I be able to escape if they were here? Itook another slow step towards the door, and began hyperventilating.Was I walking to my death or to my future? I held my arm out for the doorhandle; my hands were shaking as my fingers got closer to the metal catch. Ihesitantly lifted the catch with my finger and the door slowly creaked open. Dustshot down my throat from the movement and I covered my mouth, desperatelyholding a cough. I turned my face to the side slightly and breathed in some airholding it there before turning back to the house. I stepped in slowly andsquinted, trying to get a better look at my surroundings, when suddenly themoon burst through the trees behind me and past the front door, illuminating theroom in front of me. I gasped and covered my mouth as to not make any morenoise. My mind went into a silent frenzy as I stared at the checked linoleum floor. This place did look different from my dream. It looked better. Everything was somuch more defined. The contrast of the black and white on the floor wasdizzying; it took me a couple of minutes to focus on anything else but thepatterns. I walked around the room, my face an expression of someone who had just discovered a precious tomb full of treasure. It took my breath away.I walked in parallel to the couch, my fingers gliding over the dusty, soft blacksuede material. It was longer than it was in my dream, and therefore mycalculations had been wrong. This couch could probably fit twenty to twenty fivepeople at least. My eyes darted over to the small bar at the far right corner andlastly the huge black spiral staircase. My jaw fell open, it was much bigger than Iexpected.I couldn’t help but just ogle at the sheer size of it before I strolled over and slowlymade my way up the steps. My fingers brushed the intricate patterns on thewinding black metallic rails as I approached the first floor. As I got higher, itbecame darker. There were no windows up here for the moon to shine through,therefore making it impossible to see anything. I slowly stepped up the last steepstair and treaded carefully into the dark abyss of the hallway. I had no idea whichdoor the study was, and I felt blindly along the sides of the walls searching forany sign of a doorknob. My fingers came across a cold metal hinge, and I figuredthat a door had to soon follow. I slid my hand to the side and patted the doordownwards, searching for the handle. At last my hand curled around a familiarcold brass shape. I twisted it to the side and applied pressure as the woodendoor groaned open.I kept my hands on the wall giving me some sense of direction and fumbledblindly for a light switch. My hands encountered nothing, and so I kept walkingthe length of the room, sliding my hand across the wall constantly searching forany indication of a switch. I jumped when I heard the door catch across the roomas it closed, and exhaled sharply. I decided to carry on searching and waswalking further and further into the room when I heard a noise.I shot upright and my hands fell from the wall instantly as I held my breath,desperately trying to distinguish where the noise had come from. My heartskipped a beat as I heard a low thud downstairs, before it stuttered and ran asprint in my chest. I felt cold dewy sweat form on the back of my neck as thethud sounded again. I heard gentle steps coming up the stairs and as theywalked down the hallway I could even hear their rough breathing. I took two blindsteps back and felt my back press against the wall as I heard the footstepsoutside the door, and then silence.
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