UNHEIMLICH
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Saya Claymore
“Pir avacen,” a voice whispers in my twitching ear. Opening my eyes, I stare at the ceiling of the small, rectangular room of sorts. The carriage rattles, and the light above sways, wire and metal creaking.
With a slow blink, gathering my thoughts and taking in my surroundings, I see a closed door. Sweat slides down my forehead, and as I sit up and move to the edge of the bed, the sheets come with me.
Steam from the train and the enclosed tunnel brings a heat I haven’t experienced before. Darkovish Feeding Ground had air-conditioning, and the only time I felt uncomfortable was when I sat in the sun outside.
The sun itched. This heat clings, sticking to me like a layer of slime.
As I run my fingers through my hair, I hear a knock, and my focus snaps to the door like a moth to a flame. “Serun?”
Creaking comes from the other side of the door, and I crane my head to the side, hoping I’ll hear something more.
Is Serun fucking with me?
I stand and take a step, reaching the door. It’s not an overly large room. Enough space to sleep in, but that is about it.
I grasp the latch to unlock the door when another knock, louder this time, bangs three times. The door shudders, and I blink rapidly as I step back. My heart sinks at the sudden sound.
Then, the creaking. This time, it crawls up the door, sounding more like splintered wood as it scratches at the surface.
“Serun, if this is you, I will kill—”
“Saya, can you please let me in? It’s cold and dark out here.” A burn stings my eyes, and my breath sharpens at Manni’s voice. “There’s something out here,” she says, her voice a quivering mess. “It’s hunting me.”
The door handle rattles as Manni jerks it from side to side.
I reach up and hold my pendant, letting the pain of her loss pulse in the palm of my hand.
Manni knocks on the door again. “Saya, are you in there? I don’t want to be alone anymore.”
My lip trembles, and a warm tear slips down my cheek. “I can’t do that…”
The creaking noises intensify. My arms ache, and my body tenses, yearning to open the door and hug my best friend. But this isn’t real.
None of this is real.
“I’m sor—”
The door shudders as Manni slams her fist against it. “OPEN THE DOOR!” she screams, her voice cracking. “Open the fucking door, Saya!” Another thud. “Open. The. Fucking. Door,” she says, every word a slam that quakes the door and cracks the wood.
I shake my head over and over. “Stop! Please! I’m sorry, Manni! I’m sorry!”
She slams her fist against the door again. “Open the door! Open the door! Open the door! Open the door!”
The sound grows louder and louder, suffocating the room, lacing the air with pain and desperation, while I shake my head back and forth, my hands pressed over my ears to try to block Manni’s cries. “STOP!” I screech, my head trembling with the sound, and my chest seizes.
The banging stops. Opening my eyes, I look at the door, my muscles locking in place. The handle slowly twists, spinning all the way around. My shoulder jerks as it clicks, and the door slowly opens on groaning hinges. With every inch it moves, the sound is deafening.
The door swings fully open, and I stare into darkness. The small lantern in my room throbs with soft light, but it doesn’t pass through the door.
My heart pounds in my chest, and there is a ringing in my ears, stinging like wasps.
Every breath becomes shallow as the creaking noise starts again.
Someone is walking towards the room, their footsteps heavy, pressing down on the flooring: a slow thud, thud, thud.
My breath quickens with terror, and I stand paralysed, forgetting about magik.
Forgetting that I can scream.
“Saya,” Manni says, but her voice sounds distorted, deeper, and as if a second voice is melding with her own. “Can you come out of the light for me, please?”
My eyes widen, straining in their sockets, when a long, translucent claw with red veins curls around the doorframe. Then another one. And another. They clink, the tips of fingertips pressing into the wood, splintering.
“Saya…” This time, Manni’s voice is consumed, swallowed up, becoming insect sounds. The noise fills the room until my breath has no volume, and the cacophony surrounding me drowns out my thudding heart. “Come out. Show me the face you made when it took your friend away.”
Another creak, and a transparent foot with red veins worming inside like live wires comes into view.
Then the creature that attacked my brother steps completely inside the room.
Deep red eyes, hollow and lifeless, tower over me.
The spine of the monstrosity curves along the ceiling, and a loud thud comes from a tail hitting the ground.
I crane my head, and as it smiles, its mouth splits, flesh cutting away on either side.
Slick drool drops from its mouth and drips across my face.
Long, clawed hands curve around my jawline, and its tail curls around my leg, tightening as it rises higher and higher, cutting away the fabric of my clothing.
“Found you,” it growls.
Claws sink into my flesh, and as I let out a guttural scream, I jump from bed, my hand going to my chest and over my pounding heart. Taking a deep breath in, I face the door as I exhale, but it’s closed.
I’m alone in this tiny makeshift bedroom, rattling as the train takes me to the Undercity.