The Dying Room
The Dying Room
THE DYING ROOM
“Should we really be out here?” I ask nervously, looking around the small patio outside of our hotel room.
“Listen, Milly, we’re fine. There’s no one coming for us. I don’t know how many times I have to tell you that.” Ace tells me.
I look to my right at the tall wooden fence. Sure it could block someone from viewing us, but not from hearing. They could easily climb over; they being the ‘Hunters’.
“Can’t we just go inside?” I plead again.
“No. For the final time, I am going to show you there are no such thing as ‘Hunters’ or any other secret organization sent to kill journalists.” He sounds so sure.
I know otherwise. I know for a fact that the ‘Hunters’ are out there. Anyone can be one. The valet attendant, the hotel clerk, or even the bell hop--or oh god, the room service, the room service would be the most likely!
“I can see it in your eyes you haven’t heard a thing I just said.” He snaps be back to reality.
S-sorry,” I tell him, and look to the bushes behind him. The tall plants stick up stiffly, slightly swaying in the breeze coming over the fence. Could they have it bugged?
“Journalists ARE in danger,” I whisper, “They think we know too much. We threaten their plans, their control.”
“We are protected by the first amendment.” Ace states matter-of-factly.
“That is NOT what I mean. They are just after our rights, they are after our lives!” I am starting to become even more nervous. The birds in the nearby trees have suddenly gone silent.
“Please...” He says, reaching across the small glass table to take my hand.
I pull back just when I hear the branch snap.
“They’re here.” I say, and leap to my feet.
“You’ve gone off the deep end.” He argues.
“Get inside!” I snap back.
I quickly run inside and start to pull the door closed behind me. He stands and holds it open, his strength much greater than mine. Grabbing him by the tie I pull him inside and slam the door just in time. Great scratches appear on the glass outside.
“What in hell--!?” Ace cries out.
“The Hunters!” I cry and dive for the bed.
I reach under and pull out my suitcase, rummaging inside for my gun. Ace stumbles back against the door pointing in fear. Ignoring him I roll over, jamming the clip into my gun and aiming it at the glass door.
Nothing is there.
“It j-just vanished!” Ace stutters, sliding to the floor.
“They followed you! I told you they we’re coming.” I shake my head.
“But when I investigated the plantation outside of New Orleans I never saw a thing. Besides the bodies...”
“And what had happened to those bodies!?” I ask angrily.
“They we’re torn to pieces. It was a grizzly horrible scene, but I never thought monsters we’re responsible.” He says.
“Yes, well if you had listened to me you wouldn’t have gone down there in the first place.” I stay with my gun steadily aimed at the window. Holding my breath, ready for the slightest movement... but I know that my meager nine millimeter will barely scratch the huge humanoid reptiles. They carry the visage of human girls, with sagging body parts and patches of skin and hair missing replaced by pink lumps and tumors. Most menacing are their claws, those long seven inch daggers. I shiver just thinking of what they are capable of.
“Did you take anything from the plantation?” I ask Ace.
“W-what!? No! Of course not. It was a crime scene.” He quickly defends.
“You’re lying to me.”
“No, I really didn’t--”
Another long scratch appears along the glass slowly making its way toward the door, right near the handle.
“Did you take something or not!?” I demand to know.
“Okay, fine. I took a book. It was called a bestiary.” He finally admits.
“You what!?” I snap at him.
“I didn’t think it would be missed. It was in a crate on the docks outside.”
“We have to get out of here.”
“Okay, but where can we go if they followed be from the South! We’re in New York for Christ’s sake!” He argues.
“I don’t know.” I tell him honestly, “I just don’t know.”
The glass shudders and cracks appear against it, the creature’s outline is just barely visible. It wears camouflage and perfectly blends into its surroundings.
“It isn’t after you.” He says, “You get away. I’ll fight it off.”
“No. If I’m with you I’m as good as dead either way. You need to go and find that book. You need to return it to them.”
“Will that stop them!?” He whimpers.
“No. But at least it will stop anyone else from getting hurt.” I lift my gun, ready to fire.
“Okay, Milly...” He says turning the door handle, “Please don’t die.”
“I’ll try not to.” I lie. I know I’m dead.
He hurries out into the hall just as the glass shatters. I kick the door closed behind me and the eight foot tall beasts lumbers toward me in plain site. The face of a little girl stares at me from beneath the shaggy blonde hair.
“You’re here at last,” I tell it, “You won’t get Ace.”
Before I can even fire a shot, the clawed hand stabs into my gut and pain rips me from within. I can’t even cry out, blood just gurgles over my lips. My last act of defiance I lift my gun hand and point it into the Hunter’s eye and pull the trigger.
“Should we really be out here?” I ask nervously, looking around the small patio outside of our hotel room.
“Listen, Milly, we’re fine. There’s no one coming for us. I don’t know how many times I have to tell you that.” Ace tells me.
I look to my right at the tall wooden fence. Sure it could block someone from viewing us, but not from hearing. They could easily climb over; they being the ‘Hunters’.
“Can’t we just go inside?” I plead again.
“No. For the final time, I am going to show you there are no such thing as ‘Hunters’ or any other secret organization sent to kill journalists.” He sounds so sure.
I know otherwise. I know for a fact that the ‘Hunters’ are out there. Anyone can be one. The valet attendant, the hotel clerk, or even the bell hop--or oh god, the room service, the room service would be the most likely!
“I can see it in your eyes you haven’t heard a thing I just said.” He snaps be back to reality.
S-sorry,” I tell him, and look to the bushes behind him. The tall plants stick up stiffly, slightly swaying in the breeze coming over the fence. Could they have it bugged?
“Journalists ARE in danger,” I whisper, “They think we know too much. We threaten their plans, their control.”
“We are protected by the first amendment.” Ace states matter-of-factly.
“That is NOT what I mean. They are just after our rights, they are after our lives!” I am starting to become even more nervous. The birds in the nearby trees have suddenly gone silent.
“Please...” He says, reaching across the small glass table to take my hand.
I pull back just when I hear the branch snap.
“They’re here.” I say, and leap to my feet.
“You’ve gone off the deep end.” He argues.
“Get inside!” I snap back.
I quickly run inside and start to pull the door closed behind me. He stands and holds it open, his strength much greater than mine. Grabbing him by the tie I pull him inside and slam the door just in time. Great scratches appear on the glass outside.
“What in hell--!?” Ace cries out.
“The Hunters!” I cry and dive for the bed.
I reach under and pull out my suitcase, rummaging inside for my gun. Ace stumbles back against the door pointing in fear. Ignoring him I roll over, jamming the clip into my gun and aiming it at the glass door.
Nothing is there.
“It j-just vanished!” Ace stutters, sliding to the floor.
“They followed you! I told you they we’re coming.” I shake my head.
“But when I investigated the plantation outside of New Orleans I never saw a thing. Besides the bodies...”
“And what had happened to those bodies!?” I ask angrily.
“They we’re torn to pieces. It was a grizzly horrible scene, but I never thought monsters we’re responsible.” He says.
“Yes, well if you had listened to me you wouldn’t have gone down there in the first place.” I stay with my gun steadily aimed at the window. Holding my breath, ready for the slightest movement... but I know that my meager nine millimeter will barely scratch the huge humanoid reptiles. They carry the visage of human girls, with sagging body parts and patches of skin and hair missing replaced by pink lumps and tumors. Most menacing are their claws, those long seven inch daggers. I shiver just thinking of what they are capable of.
“Did you take anything from the plantation?” I ask Ace.
“W-what!? No! Of course not. It was a crime scene.” He quickly defends.
“You’re lying to me.”
“No, I really didn’t--”
Another long scratch appears along the glass slowly making its way toward the door, right near the handle.
“Did you take something or not!?” I demand to know.
“Okay, fine. I took a book. It was called a bestiary.” He finally admits.
“You what!?” I snap at him.
“I didn’t think it would be missed. It was in a crate on the docks outside.”
“We have to get out of here.”
“Okay, but where can we go if they followed be from the South! We’re in New York for Christ’s sake!” He argues.
“I don’t know.” I tell him honestly, “I just don’t know.”
The glass shudders and cracks appear against it, the creature’s outline is just barely visible. It wears camouflage and perfectly blends into its surroundings.
“It isn’t after you.” He says, “You get away. I’ll fight it off.”
“No. If I’m with you I’m as good as dead either way. You need to go and find that book. You need to return it to them.”
“Will that stop them!?” He whimpers.
“No. But at least it will stop anyone else from getting hurt.” I lift my gun, ready to fire.
“Okay, Milly...” He says turning the door handle, “Please don’t die.”
“I’ll try not to.” I lie. I know I’m dead.
He hurries out into the hall just as the glass shatters. I kick the door closed behind me and the eight foot tall beasts lumbers toward me in plain site. The face of a little girl stares at me from beneath the shaggy blonde hair.
“You’re here at last,” I tell it, “You won’t get Ace.”
Before I can even fire a shot, the clawed hand stabs into my gut and pain rips me from within. I can’t even cry out, blood just gurgles over my lips. My last act of defiance I lift my gun hand and point it into the Hunter’s eye and pull the trigger.