Nathan Brannon

Mrs. Harper

Per. 8

9-5-07

The Meeting

I stood at the disgusting, rot iron gate at dusk, as the ad had stated. Three days ago I was looking through the paper looking for a place to stay on my trip to this small town. It had specifically said to wait here at this exact time to be brought up to the “Mansion”. Against my best wishes, that ad had me come here to wait at some old, rickety gate, in front of some unknown castle. It was hardly the “Mansion” the ad had stated about. It was a black, old castle that had paint peeling of the walls, with many buttresses and old faded, stain glass windows. The surrounding smell was terrible, which was a result of factories in the center of the small village along a river that divided the village. The village was surrounded by fog as an anaconda surrounds its pray, gripping tightly with no sign of ever releasing. I looked back up at the castle, and seeing the cold, musky, dank exterior made me shiver, thinking it was not a family place.

As I looked down the path I saw a tall stocky man walking down, his eyes fixed on me. He was wearing a black suit, which made him look quite creepy. I eyed him as he finally reached the gate and opened it up. “You are Mr. Parks I presume?” He asked, showing no emotion.

“Yes that would be me.” I replied, “Mr. John Parks.”

“Then please come inside.” He said after a brief pause. I remembered I was staying in this questionable place, so I pick up a briefcase I had put by my side upon coming to the very ugly gate. I followed him up the path, to the great, double doors, that were extremely large, they looked to heavy to open. I started thinking how he was going to get these things open, until he pressed a button he procured out of his pocket. He pressed it, and stepped inside. I took a step inside the dark doorway.

I was taken by the pure mass of the castle, it had a huge, broad staircase on the other side of the room, and I spotted at least two or three hallways branching out beyond this main room. “Please wait here while I retrieve the master.” The man said, and with that he walked up the great staircase. As he walked away, I started to hear a faint noise, something like banging, from down one of the many halls. Being the adventurous person I am walked down the hall to investigate. I stopped at the fifth door down, when the noise seemed to peak. I slowly opened the door, not thinking the possibilities or dangers that could wait for me behind the door. I fumbled into the dark room, and started looking for a light switch along the wall. I continued to trip around until I found one, and when I flicked it I was greeted by the cluttered room and all it held.

I looked around, being met by scattered, old newspapers, cans, metal, and shards of glass. There was a musky smell to go with it all. I continued to survey the room, until my eyes fell upon a furry ball, lying in the middle of the floor. It started to stir, and it slowly stood on four legs, turning to show it had large yellow eyes, and a snout, that when all put together reminded me of a dog. I looked at it still, even with its ragged appearance, then, it snarled at me. Its eyes started to change colors from yellow to crimson, and it displayed its teeth, it was going to attack. I anticipated the attack, and waited for it to happen. It stared at me, as if it was studying me.

It jumped, but I luckily dodged and ran out the small doorway. I tried to shut it on the way out, but I missed, and if I turned back now, I would be food. I was now running down the hall, but stupidly, away from the main room. I was afraid to look over my shoulder, for the snarling noises told me I was still being pursued. I ran as fast as my legs would carry me, knocking anything down, so it would hopefully stop the being. I ran and ran, on and on, until, to all my distain, the hall ended. I turned sharply into a random room, without thinking, and tripped clumsily, slamming my back on the wall. I thought here my life would end. I felt around for anything that would help me fend off the beast as long as I could. I looked up; the animal had just turned into the door, and was standing in front of it, staring at its prey. I hoped for something to save me, and I felt something on the floor. It felt like a pipe, whatever it was, it seemed heavy enough to at least hold of the animal. I picked it up and swung quickly at the wolf like thing, but missed. It bit me in the leg, but I luckily shook it off, and swung again. This time my efforts paid off, and the blow connected. I didn’t care if it was unconscious or not, I saw an opportunity to run, and I took it. I ran down the hallway, to the main room, unfortunately the bite in my leg was stopping me from reaching my full, but I ran on. I reached the hall, but the doors were closed. I ran up to it with disbelief, and I started to go insane that very moment. I swung the pipe madly at the door, screaming from the top of my lungs. “You do know that isn’t very good for the door.”

I turned around, seeing the tall man and another man, who I assumed was the master. This man was also dressed in black, but he had a nicer suit. “Do you know what’s going on here?” I asked madly “Some thing attacked me!”

“Ah yes,” Said the newcomer “That is my “Experiment,” very complicated; it has some attitude issues I would say.”

“You knew about this? This is madness! Once I get out of here I am reporting this to the local authorities!”

“Ah, but you can’t do that. You were bitten by it, no? That bite you have is beyond repair, the poison it has injected into you will soon do its work, and you will be another dead body to dispose of.” With that, I noticed my heart was beating faster and faster, my muscles aced, and my brain felt as if it would burst out of my head. I dropped to my knees, dropping the pipe. It clattered against the dirt tile floors, and I felt as if my energy was being sucked out of me. “You see,” The master said “You have a bout, thirty seconds, Good bye.” And with that, everything went black, and I stopped feeling period.