Another one-shot for the Halloween contest... ^.^ Just went to one of these last night, very inspiring.
~*~*~
She clutched his arm tighter, too tense to notice the firm muscles that pulled her close. Why did I let him talk me into this? Kagome mentally berated herself for saying yes to those molten eyes…the ones that melted her resolve with a single smoldering flicker if they turned her way. A wicked scream tore through the air, ripping a startled cry from her own throat.
His hand stroked hers, aware of her manicured nails digging into his skin. “No harm will come to you, Kagome.” Sesshoumaru’s warm breath tickled her ear, almost making her forget about the horrible place they wandered through. “They cannot touch you.”
She forced a weak smile. Yes, the actors within the shadowy crevices could leap out, scream, threaten, and chase, but by law could not touch the “guests” such houses entertained. Yet, this did nothing to halt her paranoia from mounting; all week she had been researching haunted houses, trying to prepare a mental block for their visit, and with every article of assault or disappearances in such halls of horror her fear escalated greatly.
“Next.”
A hand reached to hers, and Kagome snapped from her reverie. An amused Sesshoumaru pried the nervous-bent tickets from her fingers and handed them to an old crone of a woman, no need for makeup or mask to incur the girl’s nerves. “Enjoy the show,” she leered, pale hazel eyes flashing with unintended malevolence as the couple moved forward. The schoolgirl forced herself not to whimper as the hall suddenly fell to darkness, flashing lights in the distance the only light source to be found.
“I can’t do this,” she felt herself whisper, drawing back. Sesshoumaru pulled her closer, lifting her hands before her face. Purposefully entwining his long fingers with hers, he smiled, accented by the minimal light.
“You can.” Gently, he coaxed her forward, pressing her small hands to his lips. “I’ll be beside you the entire time.” Kagome did not have time to argue when she encountered a series of stairs. The narrow platform forced the young man to move in front of her, leading her patiently down the steep flight into growing darkness. She was painfully aware of the creaks and groans the bare planks issued, yet she fervently focused on this sound, knowing they would soon give way to torturous screams and malicious laughter.
They reached the bottom, suddenly bathed in a red glow as siren lights flashed silently around them. Medical tables were lined up, prone figures strapped upon them, with trays of rusted surgical instruments set beside them. “There is nothing to be afraid of,” came her date’s soft baritone, and a firm squeeze made her nod. Nothing scary about hospitals.
She was about to agree when one of the bodies sprang into motion, writhing and banging upon the metallic surface as his agonizing screams warmed the air. “SOMEONE HELP ME! GOD, GET ME OUT OF HERE!” His bloody arm hastily pulled at his bindings, trying to sit up and reach out at the passing groups.
Biting back a scream, Kagome pushed the demon forward, urging him to lead on to the next room. Immediately, the harsh light made her squint. The lights shone at a broken window of a jail cell, revealing the barred room’s contents to each passerby. The schoolgirl felt her breath catch in her throat as she focused her blue eyes on the beheaded carcass propped against the wall, hands strung up to the bars as his head glanced vacantly upward at her from several bloody feet away.
She leaned forward in spite of herself. “How awful…” Sesshoumaru tugged her hand quickly, pulling her into the next room. As they moved forward, she heard a thud and several piercing screams as someone leapt out of the cell. Oh God, how much more?
Her fingers reached up to brush stray ebony strands from her eyes, and she nearly chuckled. The next room was so dark, she could not even see her hand before her eyes. She waved it in front of her, trying her best to not think about what lay just beyond the shadows.
Sesshoumaru flickered back to his guest, seeing her tensed shoulders and neck as she followed him. He knew the dark scared her, always had. She had tried to explain this irrational fear, something about the uncertainties the cover of blackness offered. All nonsense, in his book, but he would never say.
Kagome coughed nervously, reminding him of her human vulnerabilities of not being able to see like him. Easily, the daiyoukai led her through the twisting halls, being sure to pull her closer to his side whenever he sensed an awaiting actor around the corner. He loved the scent that wafted from her when she was scared; but he would never wish to terrify her too much. There would be no reward for him if that happened.
Something growled in her ear, and Kagome ran into Sesshoumaru with abrupt force. She could hear his patient sigh, but she did not care. The creepy twins, wandering zombies, and terrifying wolf man had pushed her over what little resolve she had mustered. “I want to go back.”
“We cannot go back, Kagome. We must continue.” She whimpered, but followed close, squeezing his hand in both of hers. He would pay for taking her here; that is, if she survived the endless maze.
The next room teased her senses. Soft lights lit a thick fog, the smell of chemicals heavy in the air. Kagome coughed again, eyes dashing around the eerily silent surroundings. Moss-dripped trees were silhouetted black against the light, casting distorted shadows over the un-seeable ground. She would have sworn they had wandered outside if it was not for the pipe-lined ceiling she could see above her head.
“Sesshoumaru…” The fence on her left suddenly dipped forward, groaning with the effort as if someone had just kicked it from behind. Her hand jerked out of the demon’s as she fell, startled. Kagome landed with a thud on a slick floor, and immediately whimpered from the missing warmth of her boyfriend’s hand. “Sesshoumaru!”
“You look lost, little one.” She screamed as a chilling voice spoke in her ear, the hoarse sound distorted. “A pretty neck on you. Mind if I taste?” A hand snaked around her throat, tilting her head to reveal soft skin.
If her heart was not already beating fast, it was pounding now. Her mind flew into overdrive. Throwing back her hand, she drove a fist into the stranger’s mouth. “Get you fucking hands off me!” Her elbow connected next, knocking him away from her. “SESSHOUMARU!”
A growl pierced the now noisy room, as more house visitors entered the misty room. Kagome nearly yelped as she was yanked off the floor, but when solid arms hooked themselves firmly around her waist, she relaxed in the familiar hold.
The man managed to pull a mask off, groaning at the effort. “Damn, woman, I was just trying to scare you!” He wiped away a trickle of dark liquid from his lip. Sesshoumaru effectively shut him up with a glare before guiding his date from the room.
As soon as they reached the staircase, she flew into his arms. “You lied,” she accused softly. The young man pulled her closer, wrapping his arms around her.
“He broke the rules.”
Kagome offered a growl rivaling his, no longer sporting the terrified scent from before. “I wish I had broken his face,” she murmured, nuzzling her nose deeper into the crook of his shoulder. His hands squeezed reassuringly around her.
“We can arrange it.”
~*~*~
Star: This was all based on the haunted house I visited two nights ago; the rooms, the actors, even the creepy ticket collector. But the main inspiration was from a girl behind us who finally screamed out, "You touch me I'll break your fucking face!" ^.^ That's all I have to say.