Keeping her in

There was only one rule: don’t open the door.

Shadows crept long fingers on the vacant white walls as the girl sunk deeper into her bed, willing the sounds crashing around her into silence. The screams that fed upon the howls of the wind terrified her, but covering her ears did nothing to soothe the tremors that shook her body.

She was told by the one who was supposed to protect her to not open the door. She was told everything was going to be okay, but as she lay still, ignoring the cramps in her stiff legs, she knew he lied. She knew he was not coming back and the only person who could save her was her.

The girl released a whimper then quickly held her breathe, listening in hope that no-one heard her. But they did and she knew they did when she heard a shift in their screams. They had stopped for a moment, then fell from atop the howls of the wind to creep towards her.

She felt them getting closer. She felt their cool breath reach for the back of her neck as she leapt from the bed. The floorboards were cold to the touch, and her legs felt as though they would not move. Yet her heart raced, and her breathing quickened, a contradiction to what the rest of her body was doing.

She took a slow painful step towards the door... and then another. Time stood still as the rest of the world raced ahead of her. And just as she felt as though she would be consumed by the darkness around her, she found the door handle and turned it.

She opened the door... and broke his rule.