“Okay, let’s go explore a bit,” as he disturbed her from her reverie.
“What? Oh yeah, let’s go.”
He tried the bronze doors and found they were not only unlocked but they moved. As he pushed they protested with screeching loudly while moving. Stepping through the doorway they noticed that the floor was tilted at a slight slope. It pulled them relentlessly towards the sarcophagus on the other side of the crypt. As they reached it sounds of cracking echoed off of the walls and filled their ears. A loud pop resounded as the floor gave way and they both began to slide down into darkness. Dank stale air assaulted them as they fell downward.
When she came to a stop she exclaimed, “what in the hell just happened?!”
“It looks like the floor gave way under us.” He looked up the sides and the slab that was now one of the walls.
“Why did I ever let you talk me into coming here Terrence?!” She sounded scared as she tried to see in vain the place that they had now found themselves.
Pulling his lighter out of his pocket he flicked it. With the little bit they could see they instantly became disheartened. The rough-hewn stone walls were part of a tunnel that led away into inky darkness from where they were standing. “Oh, I’m sure Darcy we’ll be fine if I can figure out how to get us out of here.”
“Well I sure hope so. I don’t like this place.”
The lighter had gotten too hot and Terrence just about dropped it. “Oh shit! Wish we had brought a flashlight with us.”
“Oh yeah, there’s one that’s on my phone.”
She extracted it out of her skirt pocket and hit the button. It illuminated the confining area they found themselves. Waving it around they began to get a real sense of the place. Rough-hewn walls and shadows interplayed adding to the sinking feeling.
Terrence stood with his mouth open while gazing around, “this place looks really old.”
Darcy swung the light around some more, “yes it really does look old.”
“I’m wondering if this is what they used to call a catacomb. Think I seen pictures of one once and this looks like what I seen.”
“I don’t know but I really don’t think that I like it. Do you see any way of getting us back out?” She shined the light up at the opening above and then back down the tunnel.
His gaze traveled up and down both sides. “No, it doesn’t look like there is any way out. Guess we’re going to have to go down that tunnel whether we want to or not.”
“I was afraid you would say that.” She sighed, “okay, let’s go.”
He pursed his lips and mused a moment. “You’re the one who has the light so I guess you’re the one that needs to lead the way.”
“Oh no you don’t Terrence, you’re the one who got us in this mess we’re in.” She indicated the appropriate button, “just hit this button in order to turn on the light again if it turns off.
“Okay I will.” He took the phone from her hand and began to lead the way down the tunnel. After a short distance the tunnel opened up into a room that had an oblong box sitting along one side. Though it looked very old and dusty they were irrevocably drawn to the object.
Terrence looked over at Darcy, “that looks really old.”
“What do you think it is?”
“You’ve got me, I don’t know.” He craned over and looked over the object.
In the room they could hear a heartbeat sound thumping rhythmically. A loud crack filled the space and the top flew open. In the bottom a little girl with ashen skin was lying, her skin looking papery in the harsh light of the cell phone light.
Her eyes opened and she instantly focused on the two people standing there. Hissing softly she got up and jumped at Terrence. Her arms wrapped around his neck as she cocked her head and opened her mouth. Fangs extended out and her head swung towards his neck. Before she could bite him Darcy grabbed the little girl by the waist and yanked hard enough that she was jerked loose. His shirt ripped as she lost her grip, blood dripped from the nail wounds down his back. Then Darcy threw her as hard as she could against the wall.
The little girl seemed to become attached to the wall as if she were walking around on all fours. “What the hell!” Terrence yelled. Her head rotated around until she was looking over her back at the two intruders of her space. She hissed again while watching the two people.
Darcy yelled out, “what in the hell is that thing? Why is it on the wall like that?”
Terrence kept his eyes focused on the creature, “I really don’t know what the hell it is. She seems to be acting just like a fly?!”
“Did that thing bite you?”
He put his hand on his neck. “No, I think you got it off of me just in time, thank you so much Darcy.”
Darcy mused. “Do you think there’s any way we can get out of here safely?”
He pointed at the little girl, “If we can get by her I’m sure we’ll be able to get out of here safely.”
Darcy yelled at the creature. “Hey! How do you get out of here, you little freak?”
It screeched and launched itself at Darcy. As it hit her, Darcy pushed back as hard as she could. The creature landed on the floor hissing and crawled towards the box sideways in a weird crablike fashion.
“Oh my God, I want out of here Terrence.”
“You aren’t the only one that wants out of here too Darcy. Think I’ve had enough of this place.”
“Yes, I’m ready to go. Let’s find a way out of here. NOW!”
“We have to do something about that first.” He pointed at their vicious little nemesis.
“Okay, I’ll do something.” Darcy picked up the little coffin and smashed it down on the floor. The desiccated wood instantly shattered to become numerous instant stakes. She picked out two of the pieces and held them out like knives. Terrence then lurched for a piece of his own. Just as his hand started to grasp it the little creature lunged for him. Darcy stabbed her in her mouth which stopped the undead girl in place, the stick projecting out of her head.
Terrence stuck his piece in her leg. Despite the board being in the way she attempted to bite him but was unsuccessful. She attempted to pull it out and Darcy stuck the piece she was holding into the little girl’s chest. Black blood sprayed onto the young couple.
“Ewwwww! Look what that little bitch did to us.”
They watched her as she fell down to the floor in a gruesome spasm. Papery white skin desiccated as it turned to dust, then the flesh disintegrated leaving only bone. A smoke like emission rose towards the ceiling from the now crumbling skeleton and pile of grey dust.
“Oh my God, that was just too much Darcy.”
“Well, I’ve had enough for now. I’m really ready to get the hell out of here.”
“I’ve been ready ever since we fell down into this place. It’s been a fucking nightmare”
Together they looked around until they found a stairway hidden behind a wall. Together they ascended the stairs, opened the door and stepped out into the moonlight. The familiar grave markers greeted their vision. They found their way out of the graveyard.
Darcy looked at Terrence, “we shouldn’t tell anyone what happened.”
“Well, no one would believe us if we told them.”
“Okay, we both will keep it quiet then.”
“Yeah, that sounds like a really good idea.”
Terrence took her hand in his as they walked to the main gate. Just as they were about to reach it he stopped her and kissed her. “I love you.”
“I love you to.”
“I’ll take you home now.”
“Yeah, that’s a good idea.”
The End-Moonlit Night