5 Nights at Fyora's

     After putting my bags down in the guest room, I settled into the plush purple couch as the last rays of sunlight disappeared, and I opened the Haunted Diary. I was a few pages in when I thought I heard someone calling my name, I looked around and saw nothing so I returned to the book. Every few pages, I heard this voice again. Just a bit louder each time. I got up and searched the rooms, every nook and cranny. I didn't find anything, I am alone.

     I returned to my book, engrossed in the Techo’s duel for his life. "You are mine" echoes loudly through the house.

     I jump, dropping the book. I look around, but nothing has moved. I look at my book, closed now on the couch and sigh. I've lost my place. I get up to check the other rooms, but as I look back at the couch and the book I felt drawn to it, I needed to read. So I sat back down and picked it up again. Every few pages, I heard a cackle echo throughout the house. And every time, my need to read this book got more intense. I could not put it down. I must finish, I must finish it now! I read faster, faster, but it was never fast enough for her. For every page I read, it seemed as if two more appeared.

     I woke up with a start, the book having fallen closed on my lap. No! No no no no, no I cannot have fallen asleep! I must read, I must finish this book! I picked it up, hurriedly finding my place and continuing on.

     As I finally closed the book, I looked out to see the late afternoon sky. How long had I been reading for?

     The next evening, I found myself wandering the halls. Without the hustle and bustle of the day and most of the torches had been put out, so the halls grew chillier as I went. I shivered, rubbing my hands together. I walked a little faster.

     Was that a flicker of movement I saw? I looked around, peering down the nearby halls. No, my eyes are just playing tricks on me. I continued walking, checking to make sure all the important rooms were locked as I went. As I got to the door of Fyora's quarters, I saw an old chest. Strange, I thought, this wasn’t here when I left…Perhaps Fyora had forgotten to mention a delivery? I brought it in and placed it on the table next to the door.

     Do I check it, to ensure it is safe and not part of one of Jhudora’s plots to take Fyora down? Or is it a private package, that Fyora will be upset if she hears I opened it? I better be safe, I don’t want Fyora coming to any harm from my negligence. I opened the chest, staring in shock as I saw what was inside. I slammed it shut. It couldn’t be, who was sending Fyora a chest full of bones?

     I began imagining the bones reassembling, following me around in the night, watching me in my sleep. No, no I could not leave this chest in her quarters I must find somewhere safe to store it until Fyora came back and could decide what to do with it. I took a deep breath, picked it up, and walked back into the dark halls, winding downwards into the dungeons. I placed it in the first room near where the guards were stationed, waving at them as I went by. But what if I had missed a note that might indicate who it was from, explaining the contents? I opened it up again and blinked in shock.

     It was full of old scrolls. I stared at it in confusion, what was going on?

     It was the third night, and I was exhausted, running on only a few hours of sleep. I wandered the halls for my nightly checks. I opened the door to one of the offices and heard a scampering sound. It promptly stopped, but I still went in to investigate anyway. As I peered under the table, I saw dozens of glowing red eyes blinking back at me. I took a step back in surprise. I lit my candle, and when I looked back up, they were gone. Weird! I made a note of the room and time so I could ask about this the following day. As I continued back to Fyora’s quarters, every once in a while I saw some red eyes or a faint “meep” echoing down the halls. It startled me every time. By the time I was back in the quarters, I was on high alert. I checked every room for any sign, but no Meepits were to be found there. I was increasingly on edge, expecting a Meepit around every corner. I settled into bed, eventually drifting off. There was a faint giggle and scampering sound, but I did not register them as I fell into a deep sleep. I dreamed of the glowing red eyes.

     It was dark, pitch black. Where am I? I wave my arms around me, feeling nothing. I tentatively scooted my foot forward. The ground felt solid, but as I continued the solid surface I stood on dropped away. It was the same on all sides. I was trapped here, standing in the dark, with no escape. I stood there, wondering what to do. It felt like an eternity, I had no way of marking the time.

     All of a sudden a swirl of purple and green appeared, slowly coalescing into a face. She smiled a wicked smile. "Finally, I found you." Her voice echoed, swirling around me. "The eye of the beholder turns to stone." She cackled, the sound echoing around me. I looked around, wondering what this meant. Who is she talking to? I followed her gaze behind me, turning as I did so. Peering into the darkness, I saw nothing else. "Stones are the way in." What does that mean? What is going on? I stumbled forward, slipping and falling into the abyss. Down, down, falling forever....

     I jolted awake. It was just a dream, right? As I wiped the sleep from my eyes, some grey dust fell onto my lap. I got up and prepared for the next day, thinking nothing.

     It was my last night, I just had to get through tonight and I would be home in my cottage. I had been asked to clean the statues lining the hallway up to and in the throne room tonight in preparation for Fyora’s return tomorrow, so I grabbed my supplies and headed towards the centre of the castle. I decided I’d work my way up the left side of the halls and throne room and then work my way down the right side. I began with the Grim Faerie Statue, carefully cleaning her arms which were up covering her face and being sure to clean her face behind them. I kept on going, famous faerie after faerie immortalized in stone. The Oracle was one of my favourites, smiling and holding his arms proudly up over his ball - I took some extra care of him.

     As I began working my way back down, I glanced over the Oracle and stopped in my tracks. His hands were hovering over the ball, his face puzzled. I’d studied this statue thousands of times, every time I came past, and he had always been in the same position. What was going on? I looked away to finish off the statue I was working on, and as I looked back before I moved on, he was once again holding his hands up as usual. I kept on working.

     As I neared the end, I noticed the Grim Faerie’s hands were now beside her head. What is going on? I blinked and they were down by her sides. I hurriedly finished the last of the statues, keeping my eye on her as I did so. I dared not look away. I rushed back to Fyora’s quarters, locking myself in for the night until there were others around. I quickly fell asleep, forgetting what had happened.

     I woke up early to clean Fyora’s quarters before leaving and left her a note about the chest in case it was important and hurried off. I couldn’t wait to be home where I could forget all the events of these last few days.

     The End.