Shades and Shadows
The sound of tapping glass quietly filled the room, just barely audible against the cracks and snaps of the dying fire. Something about it, though, was haunting. Perhaps it was not that sound that made Nicholas's skin crawl, but what was causing it. His mind had a habit of playing tricks on him.
Nicholas sat upright in his bed, launching up like a catapult from his deep sleep. Images of shadowy figures and ghoulish creatures plagued his thoughts, and every tap made his hair stand on end.
His jittery hands glistened in the dwindling light of the fire and grabbed the dusty curtains. His heart raced so fast he feared it might burst as he yanked open the curtains to reveal the cold emptiness of the winter night, though this was only the backdrop of the horror that stared back at him
The eyes stood out the most. The two pinprick stars that gleamed in the light of the fire, like burning orange galaxies shimmering in the night sky. They gawked with primitive desire, looking beyond Nicholas's shivering flesh and into his very soul. There was a haze within its eyes, a bloodlust, only accentuated by its hellish fangs that hung down from its red gums like stalagmites that dripped with saliva. A long, forked tongue hung down like a noose that swung from side to side in the wintery gale.
It was canine in nature of, with dark grey fur that waved in the wind like a barren field swept with snow. Slender limbs clung to wall like a spider while it held an unnatural composure that contrasted its craving expression. Reminiscent of a pudgy child in a candy shop, salivating at the confectionery from behind the glass. And how the child looked both with unfathomable desire. How they imagined eating the desirable delicacies from behind the glass that protected the goods from this tempest of hankering, and for how long was anyone's guess; Though a betting man would say not for long.
Unlike a fat child, this scrawny distorted hound was not withholding itself against its will as it pulled a clawed hand away from the building and placed it between the sill and frame. Yes, a hand. A five-fingered appendage adorned with sharp claws… talons… that dug themselves into the old wood. The creature effortlessly yanked the frame upwards, ripping off the lock that tumbled onto the floor with an entourage of dull thuds. The wintery gust flew into the room, announcing its presence as the cold rushed across Nicholas's skin. He scrambled upright in an act of primitive response and pressed his back against the door while beads of sweat ran down his face.
The wolf heaved itself in, limb by limb like a contortionist and sprawled itself out in an arachnid manner, its eyes still wide and fixated on its prey. With his back to the door and fear in his heart, Nicholas felt helpless. In that humbling moment the world seemed to shrink around them and that there was nothing but the dusty floorboards beneath his feet and the four walls of horrible green wallpaper that surrounded him. In this moment there was nothing but Nicholas and this monster. Predatory and prey.
And yet, hope filled his heart and air filled his lungs as he felt the cold texture of the brass door handle. Adrenaline shot through his being as he ripped the door open, scampering down the hallway as the creature scrambled after him. Like cat and mouse, he dashed through the maze of dimly lit corridors tormented by the sounds of arms and legs clambering through the hallways behind him. It threw its appendages forward, grabbing the terrain in front of it and hauling itself toward him. Its breaths were hoarse and raspy as its hunger for him resounded in its exhaustion, yet its sheer desire drove it ever forward, inching ever closer toward Nicholas. He ran for what felt like hours, though felt stronger that his heart would stop at any moment. His throat was dry and his lungs drew in great breaths feverishly, but he didn't stop. His feet became numb from sprinting across the soft carpet, yet he was forced to halt as he slid toward the top of the grand staircase
He felt a razor sharp claw swipe at his back, shaving a few threads off his shirt, and the two fell forward. Nicholas tumbled onto the staircase landing alongside his rampant pursuer. The moonlight shined through the impressive glass window and cast a red ray of light down upon them, while the wolf rose to its full height above him. He rolled back in shock, falling down more stairs until he hit the hard wooden floor with a heavy thump as his head knocked against the warped planks. He looked up at the wolf, which became silhouetted by the glaring red moonlight. It too stood up on its back legs in a horrible parody, and stood with its hands hanging down in an imagine that made Nicholas's heart race evermore. Its eyes like pinprick white dots against a crimson canvas.
What before him stood a wolf, upright and elongated, split into two, and waved around as blurry images; like specters that haunted his vision. He experienced only a moment of confusion before he again hit the floor with a resounding boom that echoed throughout the large room, blissfully unaware of his impending fate…