The Tower (17+)
I lay there, covered in snow sprawled across the pavement. My body numb and unresponsive, bleeding from my mouth and nose. I saw her walking away from me, leaving me to die in the streets. Her beautiful brown hair flowing in the wind is the last thing I saw as my vision faded into the abyss and my hearing began to only ring among the sound of car alarms and dogs barking. Cold... Ever so cold. When I awoke once again I appeared to be in a large hallway and already standing at my feet, able to feel once again I looked around my environment and was filled with utter confusion. Dust filling the air and a large red satin carpet covered the floors. It was dark. The hallway only being illuminated by small torches hung on the cold stone walls. I began to walk forward, my steps echoing as if the satin carpet wasn’t there or had just been worn down from being walked on for so long without any care. Every step felt and sounded like an old metronome banging through the hall and hurting my head, my heart beginning pound faster and faster as I walked, eventually it turned into a full sprint. I didn’t know what I was running from nor did I care I wanted out. The hallway seemed endless with repeating patterns burning into my mind. I don’t know why I decided to look behind me. I regret it even to this day. The hallway was pitch black, filling with shadows as I ran... No... Those weren’t shadows. A black fog was engulfing the hallway behind me. My heart rate, now even faster, matched the sound of the metronome as I ran. Coming ever so close I prayed I would wake up from this nightmare I’d fallen asleep to. I came across a spiral staircase before long. Without missing a beat I ran up them with the same urgency as when I began running. The fog was coming closer with every step and I knew soon I would perish. I closed my eyes as I felt the frostbitten cold touch my back as I felt the fog graze my back. Not even a second after greeting death once again I tripped, falling flat on my face. Looking up it seemed I made it to the top of the stairs. Before me sat a large stone door with writing across its edge. Looking behind me I saw that the fog had stopped just before entering the room. It was blocking me from leaving. I tried the stone door but no matter how hard I pushed it remained closed. I tried many times before giving up and just staring at it in defeat. That’s when I noticed the writing more clearly. “Those who falter in life and stray from that path which has been given to them at birth. May not receive eternal peace, Nor eternal suffering. Both doors will remain closed forever.”
