The Final Nail
Amateur Therapy Never Works
There was only one rule: Don’t open the door. I repeated that warning in my mind, as I wandered through the moldy tunnels of the dark wine cellar. Stagnant water slowly dripped from moss-shrouded ceilings, pooling in the cracks between the slick stone walkways. The only sounds were the echoes of my footsteps and the never-ending plop, plop, plop of dripping water.
It was maddening to have to play this stupid game. Nothing was ever easy with Jason. Keeping up with his twisted sense of adventure was a constant challenge. Frankly, I was tired of it. His goal was to push me into every phobia I held dearly. Visiting a reptile petting zoo, skydiving for sissies, and, now this.
For Mark
He had declared himself my personal phobia guru. I was looking for a relationship, not a therapist. As soon as this morbid experiment ended I was calling our romance off.
I couldn't believe he talked me into hiking alone through a spooky, smelly cavern to overcome my fear of being trapped underground in the dark. This was a recurring nightmare of mine, which ended with a coffin lid being nailed shut as I pounded frantically to get someone's attention. I never should have told him about it.
The tunnels went on forever, each smaller and darker than the ones before. As the stone walls shrunk, my breathing strained and the sweat poured off me in the chilly subterranean air. The last corridor was shrouded in fog and narrowed even more as I descended its treacherous, slippery incline to the end. There'd be no returning that way. It was far too steep and slimy.
The oppressive stone sarcophagus closed in on me as I weighed the choice between the door before me and being slowly smothered.
About the Creator
Tina D'Angelo
I am a 70-year-old grandmother, who began my writing career in 2022. Since then I have published 6 books, all available on Barnes and Noble or Amazon.
BARE HUNTER, SAVE ONE BULLET, G-IS FOR STRING, AND G-IS FOR STRING: OH, CANADA
Reader insights
Outstanding
Excellent work. Looking forward to reading more!
Top insights
Heartfelt and relatable
The story invoked strong personal emotions
Compelling and original writing
Creative use of language & vocab
Excellent storytelling
Original narrative & well developed characters
Expert insights and opinions
Arguments were carefully researched and presented
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More stories from Tina D'Angelo and writers in Horror and other communities.
Comments (22)
My lungs did not like this. Not one bit. 🤯
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This was well worth a T.S. and more ( hopeful you place in the challenge!). Btw! Curious how you approached Barnes and Noble and to hear more about your publication experiences. Maybe you could put a piece in Writer's regarding these questions that obviously shouldn't be here.
yyiiikkes that was not fun at all. Phobias can be dangerous to the psyche I guess and to one's life. Jason must have had some ulterior motive. Congrats for top story!!!
Jason’s idea of fun sounds exhausting, and I get why you’d be fed up. The description of the dark, tight tunnels made me feel claustrophobic too! 😬
Excellent descriptive writing and very deserving of a Top Story.
Strange how being locked in a wine cellar can be hell to one person but heaven to another (me) :) Lovely descriptive and really conjured the feeling of oppression. Well done on the TS
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Tight spaces always freak me out. Great job and congrats on TS.
Very creepy and touches upon real fears. Congrats, Tina!
Swinging back to say congratulations on your Top Story my friend!
Back to say congratulations on your Top Story! 🎉💖🎊🎉💖🎊
such a great talent
That is terrifying. I'm not a fan of enclosed spaces, myself. That tunnel would have been the end of me, I fear. congrats on the TS.
Perfectly capturing the protagonist's anxiety and frustration regarding their situation with Jason. This piece skillfully blends psychological tension with atmospheric detail, making for an engaging and suspenseful read. Congratulations! 💥💫✨
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And you complain about my savage mind, Ms D'Angelo. This was epic in small portions. I do not scare easily, but I was getting more tense and worried for the MC. Like Mark, my view is...you either suffocate or take the door. The horribleness behind it might be worse, but might not be. lol. Well done on a stunning entry!
This is horrifying. One of my nightmares I used to have at one time. Great work.
Oh my, that was soooo terrifying! You nailed this challenge!
Felt the panic of the main character. Yikes! I would definitely go through the door. Great story.
Take the door! What have you got to lose except everything or nothing? I like the description of the wine cellar. I've never been in one. Good luck my friend!