Chapter 1: OUTRUN THE DARKEST NIGHT
LIES
The monster screamed in my head.
LIES
My hands were shaking with sweat.
LIES
Tears were rolling down my cheeks.
LIES, I saw it all, all of them, were LIES.
This is not an accidence. I shriek in my head. I sat at a wooden bench as I stared blankly at the coffin nearby me. I don't want to accept my fate. I saw it with my own eyes. That so call disease were just dirty lies spew out by the force of glittering hard cold cash. The shadow I saw that escaped from the window was not fake, it was real.
But no one believed.
To them, I am crazy. A kid who lost everything he had, everything he treasured at such a young age.
I stood on the field as I look them buried the coffin. As every spade of soil was poured onto it, I could felt my mind being slice off, piece by piece with a razor sharp machete. I tried to yell, I tried to cry, I tried to let myself free from the prison I set in my mind.
But no.
I can't do anything besides watching like a spectator. God had played a gamble that struck my fate cruelly, and there is no way I cannot escape my debts.
I ride was ice cold as it start to dribble. Yesterday I was a treasure, today I was a trash. I leaned at the door of the truck as I looked at the scenery outside. It was dark and cloudy that day as droplets of rain started to fall from the sky, as if god itself had put sympathy on my life, even though it was God who planned it all. I continued staring blankly at the field as the truck drove on, followed by the music from the radio as well as my uncle humming the tune while tapping her finger on the steering wheel.
Soon I reached my caretakers house. A shabby place that looks like it was about to collapse any second soon. My uncle booted me out of the car before throwing all my belongings on the ground and speeded off like a robber escaping a heist. I stood at the rusty iron gates, as I looked at the house, dumb folded. As the wind blows, the iron gates open slightly with a creek, revealing the house's front yard. And honestly it looks exactly like the movie Conjuring.
At this part everyone will yell: NOBODY GET IN THE HOUSE! But luckily ghost movies were fake, right? I look around the yard. There was a rusty metal sign with a words written on it, HELLEN ORPAHAGE. The sign was covered with weeds of all kind that makes it looks like it was invisible or it just don't want to be known. I took a deep breath, before stepping into the muddy soil of the path that leads to the front door. The walk was like highway to hell. The muds were like gums while there were various signs beside the path. The rain makes the mud even sticker like walking on a pavement full of sticky, icky gums, brown ones and they stinks. I continued to walk, not dare to look at my beloved white sneakers. As I arrived at the front door, I get to have a good long look at the house. Honestly, it is a ruin.
The walls have various cracks on it, with plasters falling down. The windows were smashed by stones? The doors have a cross onto it, black ones. Maybe the caretaker is a Christian or just to scare away ghosts since I could see that there is a whole MOUTAIN of graves beside the orphanage. And also the caretaker seems to like garlic, A LOT since there were bunches of them on the wall, dried up , hanging beside a cranky sign written: HELLEN ORPAHNAGE WELCOMES YOU! The words were written like about a thousand years ago and most of the words were smudge with rain water or mud, making the words look like HELL ORPAHANAGE WELCOMES YOU!
I inspect the house for a second before I knocked on the door. For a slight second I thought the door was about to crumble, but luckily it did not. Soon I heard stumping from the wooden floor. And then before I could react, the door slams open, missing my nose for a few centimeters. In front of me was the biggest, or maybe meatiest man I ever seen. He wore a white nurse cloth that was filled with stains of all kind as well as a hat that was ten size too tiny. He looked at me for a second before smiling, showing his rotten teeth and his unibrown. I was about to run before he grab me by my shoulder and hugged me, or in a proper word, squeezed me like we were long lost friend. I could smell the smell of rotten meat from her mouth like the time I found a dead raccoon at my porch. I tried to hold my breath but it was useless. Luckily he put me down or I would had a cramped back for the rest of my life.
"Welcome home James." He said as he let out his hand, showing me the long dark, narrow hallway. Hesitatingly, I walked into the house, before he slams the door with force enough to shake the house for a split second. I looked at the hallway, long, narrow, dark, scary, creepy. Maybe I should run. A sound suggested in my mind. Who knows that this is the house of a maniac who kidnaps and kills kids for dinner and by that look, the chances were pretty high. But when I heard the sound of him locking what seems like 45 locks, I knew that it was impossible.
He turned around as he smiled again, showing his hairy nostrils as he did so, I smiled back, awkwardly. "So who are you?" I asked, hoping to kill the awkward atmosphere. "Your caretaker of course." He laughed "Names Tom." He said while he let out his hairy, beefy gorilla like arms for a handshake. I let out my hands for a shake that was a real pain, feels like putting my hand under a car. I could felt my bones crushing against each other, I was about to scream but I swallowed it down.
He then loosened his grip before giving me a tour to the mansion. The floors creaked as I walked on the wooden plank. The house was divided into three floors, the lower for activities like cooking, dining, games and funs. There was even a pool, but when I saw it with my own eyes, boy I was terrified seeing a few crocodile chilling in the swampy green water. The second floor consist of bedrooms where children slept. As I passed by each of the room, I could felt their sight focusing on me like a predator to a prey. They were weird kids. I said in my heart as I look away from their blank stare. At the third floor is the attic, or a storage area where they store things at there, useless stuffs.
After a short tour he led me back to the attic as he opened a door that was hidden behind a pile of trash. A small door with a same cross at the front door. I gulped as I watched him searching the right keys among what seems like a thousand of them in a small chest. After a moment he took out a small bronze key with, yes you guess it right. A black cross. This is where things started get pretty weird. Before I could even ask, Tom had already opened the door and with a click, the door opened.
There were lights beaming from inside, lighting up the attic. At first glance I thought an angel parade was about to decent from the sky but as my eyes opened I was shock to see a small room with a small cramped bed that looks like made of straw and a window above the bed that acts like a magnifying glass as the sunlight shone onto it. I could even saw smoke sizzling on the bed and believe me, lying on it is no difference than lying on a fully heated frying pan. You will melt like a butter.
"An attic?" I asked in confusion. "Your ROOM" Tom said as he pointed at the bed. "But it's an attic!" I screamed, hoping these were just the sick jokes he planned and he will show me to my real room but he rolled his just rolled his eyes. "Rooms were full, James. This is the only one left here." He said impatiently before heading down to the kitchen through a stair that seems like made out of sticks that will break immediately if a feather fell on it. I was dumb folded as I stared at the room. "Tom? So when there will be a room for me?" I screamed at the top of my lungs, hoping he will heard me. "NEVER!" He roared like what seems like 30 kilometers away. "UNLESS ONE OF THEM DIED! HAAHHAHAHAHAH!" As the laughter echoed and fade with the wind.
I turn around and take a nice long look at the shabby den that makes me felt like this place indeed was HELL. I stepped in the room and closed the wooden door behind. There was only space for a bed, and my luggage won't fit inside. I groaned, looks like luggage for pillows tonight. I kick my luggage into the room and throw my bags onto the bed, and clearly as I did so, I could see thousands of fleas "fleaing" the bed. For a split second, I was about to lay on the floor for the night. But luckily they all ran out through the crack of the wall and down to the floor below. As they did so I could heard a muffled scream:
FLEAS! WHERE THE HECK THESE CAME FROM!
RUN! FLEA RAIN IS COMING!!!!!
I sighed as I laid onto the bed as straws poke every inch of my skin, making me itch. I sniffed, I could felt my sight getting blurrier. I never expected all of these to happen. I never imagine myself falling into such sticky situation. And orphan. Now there was a stake in my heart, who was the shadow? Flashes about that faithful night started to play in my mind. Frame by frame…..
It was an ordinary night, common like other nights of a common family. But something was wrong. Something was tingling in my stomach about the danger that was now lurking in the dark. I was at the living room, sitting beside the red crackling fire for warmth when I heard the scream. A loud one. A loud, painful, heartbreaking scream, before followed by another. Alerted, I rushed into the kitchen to found blood everywhere. And there they was, my-
JAMES!!!!!!!!
A load roar that shook the roof pulled me up back to reality. As he roared, sawdust fell from the wooden celling- and RIGHT INTO MY FACE! "Argh!" I screamed with my face full of sawdust as I walked blindly towards the door, coughing sawdust from my mouth and sneezing as my eyes ache, feels like being caught in the middle of the sandstorm.
IT'S DINNER TIME!!!!!
"Alright!" I screamed as I stood up from the bed and walked towards the door before banging my nose towards the door. After missing the doorknob for a few times, I barely opened the door, step out and fell right into the wooden floor as more sawdust fell onto me, pilling me as if they wanted to bury me, ALIVE.
I stood up, in pain as I groaned and looked at what I've stepped onto that made me feel what fells like from Mount Everest. As my eyes adjust the light and looked closely, I saw the culprit the case. The stairs, which was basically just a step away from the door. I sighed, looks like I need to get us of the pain, because maybe I will be doing it DAILY.
I stood up as I walk towards the kitchen that was at the ground floor. As I walked across the rooms, it was eerily empty and weirdly silent even though it was supposed to be the time where kids laugh, scream and shout but maybe I was just over thinking. I walked past the rooms and down a flight of stairs and when my feet touched the cold concrete floor, my nose picked up a stench that made me almost puke. It smelled like rotten meat, dead rat, grandpa's socks and a baby's diaper. COMBINED. I could almost taste the pancake that I had this morning rushing from my throat towards my mouth like a roller coaster. I held my breath as I walked past the pool, where the crocodiles were still there, and to the kitchen.
As I pushed open the wooden door, a gust of thick smoke with that same disgusting smell rushed into nostrils. I was about to faint. What was that? A bioweapon? Suddenly a hand rushed out from the smoke and pulled me into the kitchen, as the door slams shut.
The kitchen was filled with smoke and fire, and it looks exactly like hell. I turned around to see who pulled me in and as I expected, the one who pulled me was none other than Tom. He stood beside me, dicing and chopping ingredients while putting off the fire which caught up on the towel hanging beside the stove. He looked and me and give me that good old disgusting smile. "Welcome to the Kitchen, James." He said, sniffing the air before letting out a sigh. "Smells great isn't it" He laughed as he slapped me on my back. I could hear my backbone breaking. "So what do you want me to do?" I asked, holding my breath, using all my will to avoid sucking in the hazardous air. "How about giving the food to others? Eazy right? You can enjoy after you serve." He answered with a smirk as he shoved me a tray filled with brown mushy thingy with a bowl of red soup that looks awfully like. Blood? Beetroot maybe, I told myself trying to calm and sooth my mind. "QUICK! ANGRY WHEN HUNGRY!" He screamed as he waved the knife like a pirate, I ducked, missing my hair for a few inches.
My lungs were squeezing and pleading for air. So without a word, I rushed out of the door that leads to the dining and slam the door shut. Gasping. Suddenly the dining room went silent as all the moan, groan, cry and scream stopped. For a split second all I could hear was myself gasping like a fish on land. Before I notice that they were not looking at the tray I am holding, they are all eying at ME! I gulped, hoping that this is not an orphanage for cannibals.
I walked slowly, hoping not to attract any unneeded attention, and also to avoid the food from pouring or falling from the tray. I tried not to have eye contact with them as I hung my head low, but deep down I could still felt myself being watched by a thousand pairs of pupils. I quickened my pace as I put my food on table 3, according to what Tom ordered me. At the table there were 2 boys, screaming and shouting but when I arrived they stopped, as they eyed on me. I could clearly see droll rolling down their lips but I tried to ignore it. As I put the tray down, one of them lick their lips. But they are not looking at the food, they are looking at ME! I was about to give him a good old slap with the tray but my intellect hold me down from doing so. "Enjoy." I smile meekly at them before turning away and ran towards the kitchen. I could not see what happened behind me, but I am sure they are digging in the food with their hands.
I rushed into the kitchen for the next order. It feels like a waiter as Tom shoved another tray the minute I entered the kitchen. "TABLE 19!" He screamed before continue chopping the garlic. The next dish was oddly what seems like a burger, but it smells much worse than that. I could felt something moving between the rubber like buns but I am not sure what is it, and I don't dare opening it up. Have you ever watched the movie Aliens? If you do, then you will not dare to do that too. I opened the door towards the dining once again. And the reactions were the same. The air suddenly freeze and it was kina awkward. Luckily, the table is just a few feet away from the kitchen, so I quickened up my pace towards the table, hoping to end this nightmare quickly.
Table 19 was seated by an old man. Wait. I thought this was an orphanage! But yet, I don't dare to ask. The man wear a long black rob that covered his entire body. He was wearing a pair of sunglasses and a black top hat. As I got nearer I could sense I scent of heavy sun cream that pierced my nose. He lied there, motionless. Was he still ALIVE? I questioned in my mind as I laid down the dish slowly, quietly, silently. As I turned around and walked towards the kitchen door, I heard something, something like a gulp, or a munch. I turned back, and what I saw was the old man sitting on the chair with the same position, except the plate was already empty.
I turned my head around. "Maybe they EAT fast??" I said in my mind. At that time almost half of the peoples were leaving the room, only some of them remain. As I entered the kitchen, the flames and smoked were gone, and Tom was sitting on a stool behind the sink. Scrubbing dishes. Looks like works were over. I said in my heart with a sign of relief. "Dinners on the counter". He said, continued to scrub the dirt of an old pot without even looking at me. I looked around the kitchen, and found a dish on the table, except the food were different. It looks and smell normal if compared to other food served, a bowl of mashed potatoes with some chips and a sunny side up. It was a tempting sight after a long day at hell. I took the dish and went to the dining.
Now the room was empty, every step I walk echoed among the walls. I looked around the room, it was big, majestic if it was being taken care. There were windows on the walls but were nailed with planks, but through the cracks I could barely see the tombstones laying on the graveyard, shining under the moonlight. The walls were decorated with red, cheap wallpapers and there were a few cranky chandelier hanging on the celling to make the surrounding look classy. But it did the opposite. There were a carpet on the ground, red ones like the wallpaper but it was tainted and torn with scratches and bitemarks on it, but from who?
While I was inspecting the room, I heard the sound of the door slamming beside me. I turned around and see Tom walking towards me with a huge plate that had almost 10 times portion of food compared to mine. "Big man need big needs huh?" I asked, smirking. "Yesh." He chuckled, as he wiped his hands against the apron. He looked at lot more tired after all the works. "Good things those ghouls only ate twice a day, or else I would be flat dead!" He laughed as he walked towards the table outside. I laughed, but it was kind of weird he could guess my thoughts.
We walked down the corridor as we arrived on a garden. I was curious, the garden was hidden among the bushes of roses, no wonder I never found it on first glance. There were a table for two located in the middle of the bushes. It was the only furniture that had been taken good care with in the whole house. There were no rust, and it seems like it was hand carved as the carvings were unique. The tables, too were well taken care, with wooden legs that seemed to be made out of a stump from an oak tree as well as a huge flat marble stone as its base. "Have a seat Me Lady." He said, jokingly as he pulled a chair and sat on it. "Yeah, sure if I am so charming." I rolled my eyes as I sat on the chair in front of him and began to eat.
The night was quiet and silent as if we were in our own pocket dimension, away from the sound of the city and people around us. The only sound we could hear were the sound of bugs buzzing, the wind blowing and the sound of both of us munching and chewing the food, thinking about things no one will ever know. The scent of roses scattered among the air, every breath we take were breathtaking. As the wind blows, flower petals fell and dance on the sky like a rain of roses. Accompanied by a swarm of fireflies, so bright that no light will ever match. I looked at the scene, awe and amazed. "Never gets old" Tom sighed, dazzled with the scene before shoving a spoonful of mashed potatoes into his mouth. I nodded slowly as I put a fistful of fries into my mouth almost choking myself.
It was indeed a scene to remember.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
LOI0519LEI
LOI0519LEI A book that I got inspired from the series Monster Juice. So I wrote this! Hope you guys enjoy it! Happy 2021 to you guys too!
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Comment it and guide this 13 years old kid dreamed to be like JK Rowling!
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