A few Dwellers dining on one very fat Dweller in a blind, bloody rage. It was disgusting, to say the least.
I was pretty scared at this point so I crawled backward slowly, but it was too late. The Dwellers had seen me. They did nothing at first, they only looked like they were in shock. But then all the Dwellers but one ran deeper into the vent with the food they were eating. They were swift and fast. I knew why I heard claws. The one who didn't run started walking slowly towards me, its claws gleaming a bit because of the little bit of light in the vents. "H-Hi sir. Y-You guys are called the Dwellers, right?" I whispered, my voice trembling. The Dweller stopped his advance when I said that.
He questioned me in a rough and jagged voice, "How do you know who we are? No one knows who we are. Who exactly are you, Looker? Something seems different about you than others..." I was surprised. I didn't think that they could talk. "I am Melody. What is your name?" I stammered, still surprised by everything that has happened. "Joseph." the Dweller answered. "I want to ask you for your opinion on something, Joseph," I said, remembering the hint I saw. "How do you feel about Them?" I said, cautious about him getting upset. "What them? Do you mean the Residents?" Joseph said. "Yeah, I guess. What do think of them?" I asked, eagerly awaiting his answer. "Well, I guess they're weird. They get on this boat just to worship their god. They have giant feasts just because. They never even go into the room of the supposed 'god' they worship!" the Dweller said, clearly about to rant.
"A room?" I prompted, wanting him to continue. "Yeah, a room. Its doors are red and they're embroidered with gold. Apparently only special ones can communicate with him telepathically. I think it's all a big load of bull. Honestly, that one room has its own floor! The 101st floor. It's only accessible if you have a security guard with you because they are the ones with the special keycard. I've been there once before, but it's just a ridiculous room. Filled with junk that the Residents throw in there as offerings. None of it has even been touched. Every single one of them worships it, like a giant cult. It's creepy, for lack of better words." He said, ending his rant.
"Where is it?" I asked. "Well, I marked where the vent is that you need to crawl into to get to the Grand Elevator. That is the only elevator that the Residents can use to go to the 101st floor. It is also red and embroidered with gold." The Dweller said before turning around and heading home. We waved goodbye to each other and then I was alone again. I tried to find where he said to go and I did, after two hours. I embarked on a journey of winding tunnels until I got to a vent cover.
"Here it is!" I whispered, unsure if there was a guard outside of the elevator. There was a crack in the vent cover so I leaned close to it and saw that the entrance was empty, but then I saw a guard escorting a Resident to the elevator. I slowly unattached the vent cover once they passed me and then put the cover on again. I stalked them until they got to the elevator, which was super close. I snuck in when they walked in. There was a box inside the elevator so I hid in it. I heard a ding and peeked out from in the box. We were on the 101st floor.
I waited for the Residents who were praying to their god, Batemut (Ba-te-moot). I swiftly got myself and the box out of the elevator and onto the 101st floor. The Residents leave and I stay, the guard disregarding the box and leaving it there. I crawled out of it and put my hands on the door, feeling the strange gold embellishments under my hands. I tried to put it open, but it wouldn't budge no matter how hard I tried. Another mysterious poem was engraved on the floor. I read it aloud so I could commit it to memory properly;
"Step into the room, my child dearest,
Just yell my name loud and be the clearest.
To be quite honest, I think I'm a genius,
because none of this is a coincidence.
You will find me where it is the dampest,
And all the creatures will run rampant.
But finding me will be the truest,
Because I'm most certainly the cruelest."
I just stood there, growing more and more worried. I was mostly worried about that last part because that was a direct threat and a sign of what is to come. I braced myself for what was about to happen when I opened the door. I paused for a second, emotionally preparing myself, and I called out his name loud and clear. "THE NIGHTMARE MAN!!!" I yelled, stepping back as the door swung open. I didn't see a sacred room full of priceless items, I saw a jungle. It was a very thick jungle full of vines and leaves and trees. I didn't see any animals or creatures though.
I stepped in, even though I knew what that entailed. I could've died, but I was already beyond the point of no return. I couldn't run and hide forever, but that didn't mean that I wouldn't be careful. I'm not the typical horror novel character who casts all worry aside. I'm smarter than that. I picked up a big branch while mentally preparing myself for a fight. I snuck around the vast maze of branches until a square-shaped clearing with a giant rock came into my field of vision. The rock and the clearing were pretty out of place because this was the only clearing I encountered at that point. Also, that was the only rock that big that was in the clearing. That and the fact that there was writing on it. I also read this aloud. (I read basically everything aloud.)
"Be careful, sweet child
You aren't done yet.
The difficulty's mild
But please do not fret.
I might change the style
But I wouldn't bet.
So rest in this tile
And sleep on this bed."
I was kind of confused, but enough crazy and confusing things have happened since I entered the dream world so I figured that I would just go with it. I laid down on the rock and closed my eyes. I was astounded by what I was dreaming. I saw The Midnight Man standing there, but he was bowing to me. He looked up at me, smiled, and then stepped off into the darkness. He mouthed something but it was inaudible. I still remember that encounter, even after all this time.