Walls (Horror Bites)

Photo courtesy of Officemango.com (Horror Bites Challenge 4)


Walls

There’s a way out, I know it.  I just haven’t found it yet.  Even though it’s been..sixty days?  I think.  The problem is it keeps changing!  I look away for a split second and – wham – there’s a wall where there was an open space literally moments before.  There are doors, of course.  Doors in their tens, possibly in their hundreds.  I lost track somewhere along the way.  I started a tally once, with the pen I had in my pocket but the fascia I scratched my markings into disappeared somewhere around Day Thirty Two.  I gave up keeping count after that.  Seemed little point, really.  That was when I figured the key was to keep moving, to try and make my way through the maze before it had chance to manoeuvre itself around about me too much.  It’s been harder than I thought it would be though.  Sleep deprivation plays tricks on you, for one thing and you need to keep your wits about you, so I’ve had breaks here and there.  That’s when the walls close in again.  It always knows as soon as you close your eyes.  Somehow.  I looked for cameras once, amongst the wood and plaster, to see if that was it.  No such luck or I’d have had them all out, straight off.  Just me versus the all-seeing eye and sentient walls.  I swear sometimes they contract and expand – breathe – with me trapped between them.  Keep moving, stop thinking about that, that’s the knack!  After all, so many doors must lead somewhere new.  Eventually.  I wish I could stop myself thinking they might just be leading me further towards the epicentre though; I really do.  Daren’t think how many more doors it would take to get back..  

There’s no way out.  I know it now.

(300 words)

Comment

Another short piece for the "Horror Bites" flash fiction challenge.  Think this one stems slightly from a fondness for the film "Labyrinth" and the more recent watching of the indie horror flick "Armistice".  This one was lots of fun to write!