No Way To Escape | Novel

CHAPTER 39: AFFLICTION

As I was preparing my bed for slumber that night, my mind was already preoccupied by the theories of Father Richard. He must be correct – I thought. A Catholic priest living at Reynburg since his birth – he must be acquainted to this place more than anyone else he had ever come across in Reynburg. It was now more than half a year since the party night at Fred's when I and Larry had visited the Warwick's, in search of shelter.

Fuck the rain!

Meeting Father Richard had been a blessing in disguise for me. His words had always been wise and kind to me. I was sorry for the way I had behaved with him on the day of Larry's burial. He was right. He had been right all the time.

But then my perception started playing tricks in my mind. Does Edward himself know that I know about him now? What is he gonna do then?

Somewhere, at some deepest corner of my mind, I could percept that something was definitely going to happen that very night. Appearance of Edward before me, revelation of his identity by Father, making me aware of what he had done to his family, the homicide... Certainly, something was going to happen. Perhaps in a nightmare. That idea made me grimace.

In that case... should I get to the bed or not?

My head was aching. So was my body. It had been a hard day. Undeniably, I needed a sleep. A good sleep. But I was afraid to do so. I was sitting on my bed then, cross-legged and holding a thick-stuffed pillow in my hands. The door of the bedroom to the hall was half-way open and there was pure darkness in the hall. The silence was profound and I could here the ticking of both of the clocks – one in the bedroom and the other one in the hall – very clear. I was constantly shaking my legs in nervousness and looking out into the hallway. My eyes were beginning to stutter. I was feeling drowsy now. As my head started nodding down slowly, I heard a creaking sound. I looked up fast and as I did so, I saw the door opening slowly with its characteristic creak.

As the door completely swayed itself open, I could sense the darkness there in the hall– silent and eerie.

Now he will come, or something else will. Surely. Something's gonna happen. Perhaps some creepy ghost will jump out of the darkness and startle me to death.

But nothing happened. I had been sitting there frozen for almost ten minutes, fixing my glance into the darkness and waiting for something to leap. But there was nothing. I gave out a sigh. The theory of Father Richard clinked into my mind. The more you fear, the easier it will be for him to get you.

I gathered myself up, got out of the bed and slammed the door close. 'There you go!', I squeaked and got back to my bed, this time to sleep, finally. I had made up my mind. You are gonna play with my nightmares again? Sure. Go for it. You cannot get me. You cannot get me afraid. What else you are gonna show me today, huh? A building falling upon me, with its iron rods producing deep pits in my body or eventually tearing my body open? Or making me drown at some deep trench of an ocean, simultaneously making me the lunch of the sharks? Or the whole zombified Warwick family assaulting me and tearing my throat open? Give me worse.

As soon as I closed my eyes, Mother Sleep came to me within seconds.

And my perception was definitely proved right.

...

As I opened my eyes, I saw looming darkness all over but there was some faint light to let me imagine where I was. I was lying on the hall of the Warwick's. I was still in my bed clothes. As I rose up, the old wood beneath me creaked loudly in pain. I looked around myself. The same old Warwick's. No deviation. Still utter darkness and silence. I was standing there in the hall.