The Mill
The Room
The death grip Avery had on Peter’s hand turned his fingers numb as they both quietly ascended the steep, dangerously worn wooden stairs, their hearts beating loudly as a drum with each step that brought them closer to the dark doorway that held no door. The sickly yellow glow the lamp cast was hauntingly dim and did nothing to help rid them of their fear. Finally their sneaker clad feet hit the landing, the dust settled and silence consumed the mill once again. Shadows enclosed the room and the seemingly never ceasing rain hit the windows gently but echoed through the room creating a grim sound to fill their ears.
Peter raised the lamp up higher to cast more light on the room. His breath caught in his throat and his heart pounded in his chest as if trying to break free. The one time it would be appropriate for Avery to scream she didn’t as she stood there frozen in terror. The body that hung from the cobweb clad rafters slowly turned, swinging ever so slightly.
It was a man dressed in clothes from the ancient black and white photographs from downstairs. As his face came into the light both Peter and Avery felt their stomachs churn and the familiar tickling feeling of their dinner crawling up the back of their throats. His face worn and wrinkled, a messy grey beard covered his chin that matched his untidy hair. His glass looking eyes gleamed with malice and an eerie Cheshire cat smile was engraved into his features.
His neck was broken at an almost ninety degree angle; the thick, dirty rope tight in a noose around his neck. If finding a dead man hanging from the rafters wasn’t terrifying enough the fact that his eyes slowly closed in a blink sent chills racing up and down their spines. Avery found her voice which resulted in another terrified high pitched scream. Crashes and loud thuds emanated from down below, the ancient wooden machinery was working once again.
Her long dark hair flowing behind her, Avery ran down the stairs with one hand on the wall steadying her. She made it down leaving Peter rooted in his spot staring at the dead man in shock and horror. The body hung still in the air as the glass like eyes stared him down.
“Peter!” She yelled frightened trying to snap him out of his trance. Hesitant about going back up but afraid to lose her friend she crept up the stairs, her hands shaking and sweat beading on her forehead. “Peter.” She said quietly touching his arm but jerking it away quickly at the touch of coldness that derived from his skin. He turned his head to look at her, the light from the lamp lighting his face; she let out a terrified shriek at the face that she saw that wasn’t of her best friend but that of the dead man.
Peter raised the lamp up higher to cast more light on the room. His breath caught in his throat and his heart pounded in his chest as if trying to break free. The one time it would be appropriate for Avery to scream she didn’t as she stood there frozen in terror. The body that hung from the cobweb clad rafters slowly turned, swinging ever so slightly.
It was a man dressed in clothes from the ancient black and white photographs from downstairs. As his face came into the light both Peter and Avery felt their stomachs churn and the familiar tickling feeling of their dinner crawling up the back of their throats. His face worn and wrinkled, a messy grey beard covered his chin that matched his untidy hair. His glass looking eyes gleamed with malice and an eerie Cheshire cat smile was engraved into his features.
His neck was broken at an almost ninety degree angle; the thick, dirty rope tight in a noose around his neck. If finding a dead man hanging from the rafters wasn’t terrifying enough the fact that his eyes slowly closed in a blink sent chills racing up and down their spines. Avery found her voice which resulted in another terrified high pitched scream. Crashes and loud thuds emanated from down below, the ancient wooden machinery was working once again.
Her long dark hair flowing behind her, Avery ran down the stairs with one hand on the wall steadying her. She made it down leaving Peter rooted in his spot staring at the dead man in shock and horror. The body hung still in the air as the glass like eyes stared him down.
“Peter!” She yelled frightened trying to snap him out of his trance. Hesitant about going back up but afraid to lose her friend she crept up the stairs, her hands shaking and sweat beading on her forehead. “Peter.” She said quietly touching his arm but jerking it away quickly at the touch of coldness that derived from his skin. He turned his head to look at her, the light from the lamp lighting his face; she let out a terrified shriek at the face that she saw that wasn’t of her best friend but that of the dead man.