The floorboards creaked as I crept down the hallway. My heart thumping, I reached for the doorknob. I could hear the floorboards I stepped on groaning underneath my feet as though they could barely hold my weight. Some were in such poor condition that they looked as if I so much as laid my foot on top of it they would break under my feet. The only source of light I had was the candle I clutched tightly in my hand, for it was night time outside, and this house, if you can even call it that now, has been abandoned for a long time. The dilapidated walls felt like there were shadows lurking within them, watching and waiting to see what my next move would be. Standing in front of a stained wooden door, I reached down for the doorknob, expecting to have to force my way through a locked door. The moment I touched it, however, the door squealed like a pig and swung forcefully through the poor broken down wooden frame holding it. A hallway stretching out and around laid after the door. My candle threatened to go out soon, only half the wick was left, and there was a wind going through a few gaps in the walls where glass and walls used to be. I looked up and saw blankets of spider webs covering the ceiling. I walked into one of the several rooms and opened yet another squeaky door. Now, I desperately wanted to go back to the outside world, but wasn’t able to find any sign of an approachable exit. I saw that this room connected to nothing, and prepared to go back out into the hallway to explore more. Suddenly, I tripped over something that was round in shape, hollow with holes in it. It looked suspiciously like a human skull. Not that I have held one before. I bent down with my candle to reach for it. Suddenly, a black blur appeared in front of me, and I closed my eyes, only to open them to the ‘skull’ having disappeared.

All of a sudden, it felt like there was someone watching me. I looked behind myself, and found myself face to face with a pair of glowing red eyes that were rimmed with black on top of a pale, gaunt face that stretched towards me. Eyes bulging on its head, hair as greasy as could be, it lunged towards me. As quickly as it appeared, it disappeared. I jumped back and scrambled my way back to a broken stick I saw and held it in front of me, as if to ward off whatever was there. I slowly approached where I had last seen the creature, and wondered if this truly was a mistake. I cautiously strode up to the spot where I spotted the eyes, only to find nothing there. My instincts were screaming at me to get out of the house. I looked out a gap in the wall and saw that there was a drop greater than ten feet onto a bed of jagged rocks surrounding the whole house besides for the front door. This drop was not one that I was going to risk. I once again marveled at the mysteries of this house and how they got here. I made my way back into the hallway with the broken door. This time however, something changed. Everything looked the same, and every path looked like the one I came from previously. Was the way out on the right? Was it the one to the left? How did the previous owners of this house ever navigate this maze? It was at this moment that the wind decided to curse me and blow out one of my only sources of light. Now, without light, it would be even harder to navigate. Dazed, I spun around and everything looked the same. I was starting to lose hope. How long would I have to search to find a way out? Was there even a way out anymore? Would I have to risk that jump from before? No less than a minute or two later, the sun decided to show its face to the outside world. I picked up yet another broken, jagged stick laying on the ground, holding it as if it would protect me from the creatures lurking within the depths of the house. I grabbed a few unique and noticeable items, and used them to mark where I had gone. I had a grand plan to find my way out, which was to lay one of these items at every hallway I unsuccessfully tried to find a way out from. After picking up a few, I continued to search.

A few minutes later, I felt something drop onto my head. Frightened and startled, I jumped high in the air, only to realize that it was a piece of lint. Catching my breath, I started walking again, this time with more caution. Finally, I thought I saw a light going to the outside world. However, yet again there was the red glow of the eyes right next to the doorway. I was certain it was not the same pair I saw lurking in the shadows earlier, as this time its eyes were black but rimmed with red. I saw it lunge at me, its long, misshapen torso a blur through the air. Startled, I swung my jagged piece of wood and smashed it into the head that held those frightening eyes. Dazed, it fell over to the side. I ran as quickly as I could out of the house. High with adrenaline, I panted, trying to catch my breath, and vowed never to step foot inside that cursed place again.