Melnik and Droit step out of the apartment when they hear a scream from below. Droit asks if they should go help, but Melnik says it's unnecessary since they'll have to return upstairs anyway.
"Why would we come back up?" - Droit
"To collect the keys!" - Melnik
"What keys?" - Droit
"Oh yeah, I haven't told you about the keys yet. Sorry, my bad." - Melnik
Melnik leaned in a sense of urgency in his voice and began to explain the predicament. "See," he said, "the main exit is down on the ground floor, but it's not as simple as just making a run for it. There's a lock, a special one, and it's guarded by seven keys. Without those seven keys, there's no way out of this building."
"And where are we going to get these keys from?" - Droit
"We already have 2 of them. One at least." - Melnik
"How?" - Droit
"Well, they are the keys to our flats." - Melnik
Droit pulls his flat key out from his pocket.
"This key?" - Droit
"YES! So we have two keys. One from you and one from me. That leaves five more keys." - Melnik
"And where are we going to get these five more keys?" - Droit
"Where do you think?" - Melnik
"You don't mean." - Droit
"Yes, I do." - Melnik
"Well, We'll die." - Droit
"Yeah, but you were ready to die to get out of here, remember?" - Melnik
"Darn, So we are going to five more flats knowing well enough that there are deadly creatures in them." - Droit
"Five dimensions, to be exact. Isn't it fun?" - Melnik
"No, not at all. So at least you know which rooms are the easiest?" - Droit
"Haha, no. I have no idea." - Melnik
"But you went out before, remember?" - Droit
"Yeah, but without the keys, that's how I know that the keys are necessary." - Melnik
"Okay. But what about that scream from down there?" - Droit
"Well, whoever it was, they died or are safe. Otherwise, we would've had another scream by now." - Melnik
"HELP!!!" Another desperate scream echoed from below, and the sound seemed to be drawing nearer. Without a moment's hesitation, Droit bolted toward the staircase with Melnik hot on his heels. As Droit peered down from the stairs, his heart pounded in his chest. Two frightened boys were sprinting upwards, fear etched across their faces. In relentless pursuit behind them was the ominous stalker lady, her intentions unknown. Droit shouted urgently, "Quick, come up here!"
Both of them look at him and run towards him.
"Thanks!" said both of the boys.
Droit, without taking his eyes off the lady, asks if they are okay and not hurt.
"We are okay. Thanks for the help."
"No worries. I'm Droit, and this is Melnik, my friend." - Droit
"I'm Dan, and this is Russ. Nice to meet you. Why are you looking down at the monster? Shouldn't we be running from it?" - Dan
"It's not chasing us anymore; look." - Droit
"Yeah," says Russ.
Melnik, at this point, removes a small mirror from his coat pocket and places it in the stairway facing towards the lady. He then tells Droit that he can look away now.
"Wow, you came prepared," Droit said, pleased with Melnik's quick thinking.
"Well, duh," Melnik replied.
"Can anyone tell us what is happening here?" the boys ask. To which Droit answers, "You see, that creature lady can't move if someone is looking at her. And Melnik here put a mirror out so that if she comes up, she would be frozen. Because now she would gaze at her reflection in the mirror. It's that simple."
"It's not simple," Dan said tearfully. He then sat on the ground, crying, and thanked Melnik and Droit for saving him and his friend's life.
"It's okay. How long have you been here?" asks Droit.
"We just moved into the building today. As we were unpacking our stuff, we saw a giant lizard-like creature trying to get in from our balcony. We ran out of the flat and ran into that lady thing," said Dan.
"So you moved in today too? Me too. This building sucks, right?" - Droit
"Yeah, it really does suck. We cleared so much snow from the road to get to this lousy building. And for what?" - Dan
"Yeah, you're right! Wait, snow?" - Droit
"Yeah, you moved in today too? Wasn't it hard with all the snow?" - Dan
"Dude, it's June. Why would there be snow out there?" - Droit
"What are you talking about? It's December." - Dan
"No, it's June, I am sure," Droit removes his phone from his pocket and checks the date, which displays the 13th of June. Which Dan removes his phone, showing that today is the 26th of December on his phone.
"As I have told you before, Droit," Melnik says, "It is another dimension where Time and Date are not a thing. It's always the same. There is no concept of time here."
"FUCK!!" says Droit.
After this, Melnik fills Dan and Russ in on all the information they have, including the keys and the two creatures they have encountered so far (the stalker lady and Halitusanimus, the breath-reading creature). Upon hearing about the Keys, Dan informs them that their flat key is in their flat, specifically in Number 303 on the Third Floor.
"So, if we retrieve Dan and Russ's key, we will have a total of three keys. Meaning we now have to get four more keys to get out," explains Droit to everyone.
"Yeah, let's get one on the floor below," says Melnik.
Melnik collects his mirror, and they all enter the 7th Floor.
"Which room should we enter?" Melnik asks.
"They all look the same to me," Russ replies.
"I think we should not waste any time because The Stalker lady can be back, so let's enter any room," Dan suggests.
They all agree and enter the first room, Numbered 701.
As they step into the flat, they are surprised by how spacious it is. It feels more like a house than an apartment. A large hall greets them, with a staircase leading to the upper floor. On their right, two doors indicate two rooms. On their left, another door leads to a storage room, and next to it, a kitchen. They can see the metal railings of the first floor from the hall, giving it an open and airy feel. The house is silent and empty as if no one has lived there for a long time.
"Sweet house!" - Russ
"The house is sweet, but we don't know what kind of problem it contains." - Melnik
"I'm hungry. Do you want to check the kitchen?" - Russ
They all say no. "Oh, come on! I can't go to the kitchen alone. And hey, the key might be in the kitchen." - Russ
"Yeah, right! What are the chances of that? Well, it's cool, I'll go with you. I need some water anyway." - Dan
"Cool, you guys take the ground floor, and we'll check the first floor until then." - Droit.
They walk into the kitchen, which is spotless and filled with food. Dan heads to the fridge, hoping to find something to drink. Russ rummages through the drawers, searching for the keys that might unlock their way out. Dan opens the fridge and grabs a water bottle.
"Hey, it has some sandwiches. They look okay. Do you want one?" - Dan
"Yeah, sure." - Russ
"Also, there is some cake and cola. Oh, it has ice cream too. Who lives here?" - Dan
Dan turns around after closing the fridge and freezes in horror. A strange woman is looming over Russ, ready to snatch him by the neck. Dan shouts, "Russ, run!" But it's too late. The woman clutches Russ in her grip. She looks like a witch from a cheesy 90s TV show. Her hair is white, her skin is pale and wrinkled, and her mouth is toothless. Her eyes are lifeless, and her pupils are grey. She wears a ragged robe.
She grins at Dan and cackles. Her cackle terrifies him. She says, "Stay put, I'll be back for you," and starts dragging Russ out of the kitchen. Dan tries to stop her, but as soon as he runs toward them, she opens her mouth and shrieks at him. This time, her teeth are dripping with blood, long and pointed.
Dan stops abruptly, shouting Droit's and Melnik's names. Droit and Melnik hear him and rush downstairs. Unfortunately, by the time they reach the kitchen, the Witch and Russ have disappeared. Dan proceeds to explain everything that happened to them.
"Do you know what it was?" Droit asks Melnik.
"Nope, I don't. It's the first time I've heard about this witch." - Melnik.
"I don't know what she was either, but she sure as hell looked like one." - Dan
"We need to start looking for Russ." - Droit.
"Okay, let's divide into two groups. One is only me, and the other is you two. Let's check two rooms at a time and meet back in the hall." - Melnik.
Melnik enters the first room on the ground floor, while Droit and Dan head to the second room. After a thorough search yields no results, they return to the hall and patiently wait for Melnik, who seems to be taking his time. They speculate that he might be meticulously examining the room for concealed compartments or secret passageways.
Dan's gaze turns upward towards the first-floor railing, where the Witch stands, wearing a chilling smile as she observes them. Dan alerts Droit to her presence, prompting Droit to scream for Melnik. However, before Melnik can arrive, the Witch begins descending the stairs, her laughter echoing through the air. Her laughter carries a deep, resonating pitch. Panic seizes Dan and Droit as they attempt to flee, but confusion hampers their ability to discern an escape route. In a matter of seconds, the Witch reaches the ground floor, hurtling towards them with her hands outstretched. Just as she's about to make contact, Melnik emerges from the room and swiftly incapacitates her, timing his action perfectly. The Witch collapses on the floor. Melnik approaches her, gripping her collar and raising her up. However, the Witch seizes the opportunity to whisper something to Melnik. After hearing her words, Melnik suddenly loses consciousness, collapsing to the ground. The Witch grins at Dan and Droit. In a desperate attempt, Droit tries to strike her, but she effortlessly throws him aside. Then, she seizes Dan, carrying him towards the storage room. Droit's attempts to awaken Melnik prove futile, as he remains under a mysterious spell, sound asleep. Determined to save Dan, Droit resolves to enter the storage room alone. Inside the storage room, Droit finds Dan lying on a cot, with the Witch's hand placed on his forehead. Both the Witch and Dan appear entranced, as if she's drawing energy from him. Behind them, Russ lies unconscious, mirroring Melnik's state. Acting swiftly, Droit charges at the Witch, headbutting her forcefully. The impact sends her sprawling away from Dan, severing the link between them. As the connection breaks, a small surge of energy passes from Dan into Droit—an untainted, pure essence of fear. Overwhelmed, Droit begins trembling uncontrollably, unable to withstand the sheer intensity of the fear. He collapses onto the ground. Dan regains consciousness and pulls Droit out of the storage room. They leave the Witch behind, observing her from the ground as they make their escape. It becomes evident that she, too, has suffered some adverse effects from the disconnection.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.
Dan leads Droit to a small gap under the stairs, where Droit's chattering teeth and uneven breathing betray his overwhelming fear. Dan tries to calm him down and emphasizes the need for silence. Left alone with no immediate plan, Dan ponders their dire situation. After a few minutes, he reaches a decision—since they may face death anyway, he resolves to at least attempt to physically harm the witch. Peeking outside the stairs and finding the hall empty, Dan decides to retrieve a knife from the kitchen, intending to confront and potentially kill the witch with it. Droit, now slightly recovered from his fear, advises against leaving, but Dan is determined to take action.
"It can't be that easy." - Droit.
"I know, but we don't have any other option." - Dan
"I'm coming with you." - Droit.
"No, if I don't come back in five minutes, you can then do whatever you want. But right now, you are in no condition to walk." - Dan
Dan heads to the kitchen while Droit stays behind, offering prayers for his safety. It has only been a minute since Dan left. Wide-eyed, Droit stares at the wall, eagerly awaiting Dan's return. Unbeknownst to him, the witch appears above him on the stairs, placing her hands on his cheeks and turning his face towards her. The sight of her causes Droit to faint instantly.
Droit awakens to find himself in the comfort of his own room at home. It's approximately 7 PM, and he realizes that everything he experienced was just a vivid dream. Eager to confirm the reality of his surroundings, he rushes downstairs to find his parents in the hall. However, upon seeing them, he retreats back to his room, reflecting on the nightmarish nature of his dream. At 8 PM, Droit's friend arrives at his house, bringing beer along. They ascend to the roof and begin enjoying their drinks. Droit recounts the entire dream to his friend, who listens attentively, treating it like an intriguing story. Standing near the terrace railing, they engage in conversation, with the pack of beer positioned at the entrance of the roof. They finish their first beer, and Droit asks his friend if he wants another round, to which he gladly agrees.
"Cool, I'll get it." - Droit.
Droit goes to the door, picks up two bottles, and turns towards the entrance but freezes in horror. Instead of his friend, he is met with the menacing presence of the witch. A twisted smile spreads across her face as she swiftly lunges towards him, gripping his cheeks tightly. Droit's pleas for help go unheard as she begins to drain his fear. Overwhelmed, he faints once more, losing consciousness.
When Droit awakens again, he finds himself seated at the food court of his local mall. His friends are present, indicating that he had dozed off while waiting for their food to arrive.
Droit senses that something is amiss. A dark aura lingers in the air, unsettling his instincts. He realizes he's trapped in a dream and stands up, searching for the witch. Despite running around the food court, she remains nowhere to be found. He is still very sure that she will show up. His friends approach him, asking what's wrong, but Droit ignores them as he believes they're not real. When one friend touches him, Droit pushes him away. In response, the friend pushes him back, leading Droit to throw a punch. He receives a punch to the face and a kick to the stomach in return. Their other friends step in and restrain Droit, holding him down. Three people now have him immobilized. Understanding his predicament, Droit mutters, "Fine, you can come out now. I'm under your control." Yet, nothing happens in response to his words. After calming down, Droit's friends release him, and he proceeds toward the bathroom as he needs to pee. Despite feeling angry and scared, he anticipates the witch's sudden appearance. Approaching the restroom, he hesitates, slightly afraid that it may be the perfect spot for the witch to catch him off guard. Near the restroom, Droit's attention is drawn to a fire exit door. Noticing the glass panel, he catches a glimpse of the witch's face, adorned with a haunting smile. The door swings open, and panic sets in as Droit instinctively turns to run. However, his escape is short-lived, for the witch swiftly catches up to him, draining his energy once more.
Droit wakes up on his terrace, where he had been napping under the winter sun. Fear holds him back from turning around or getting up. Overwhelmed and unsure of what to do, he begins to cry, paralyzed by his intense fear and uncertainty. After a brief pause, Droit musters the courage to turn towards his left side. To his surprise, he finds the witch lying beside him, wearing a wicked smile. Before the witch can make a move, Droit abruptly finds himself back in the storage room. The witch holds him in one hand while battling Dan with the other. Reacting swiftly, Droit kicks the witch away and rushes towards Dan, ready to join the fight. The witch appears weakened, reminiscent of their previous encounter. It becomes evident that interrupting the energy transfer weakens her powers. Droit leans in close to Dan, whispering something and requesting to be left alone with the witch. However, Dan disagrees, expressing his opposition to the idea.
"We don't have any other way. This is the only way. We have to try it." - Droit.
"Okay, then let me do it." - Dan
"No, I can't let you do it. Besides, you seem to have more power than me to fulfill the task." - Droit.
Dan agrees and quickly runs away from the storage. Droit pretends to be injured, lying on the ground. The witch, furious, grabs Droit by the neck and plunges him back into the dream. When Droit wakes up, he sits and closes his eyes, as if meditating. After a short while, he opens his eyes, only to find the witch standing right in front of him. The witch firmly holds Droit's face, feeding on his energy once again. Droit screams in agony, struggling to grab her hand, but his efforts are futile against her overpowering strength. To Droit, it feels like this is the last time she is doing this, and after this, he'll die. Memories of his past life flash before his eyes—his first dog, his friends, his crush, and the faces of his parents. He becomes consumed by the worry of leaving his aging parents without anyone to take care of them. A wave of weakness washes over him, intensifying his concerns for his parents' future if he doesn't survive.
With an intense surge of rage, Droit's hand reaches out and tightly grips the witch's face, while his voice echoes through the air in a fierce scream. Startled and afraid, the witch struggles to break free, but Droit's hold only grows stronger. In the real world, Dan rushes towards them, wielding an axe. The witch, helpless and unable to escape, watches as Dan delivers a decisive blow, severing her head from her body. Droit's senses return, finally liberated from the witch's clutches. Droit's rage surges as he relentlessly kicks the witch's lifeless body. Melnik, now awake, swiftly rushes to his side, halting his violent outburst. Embracing Droit, Melnik holds him close, providing solace and comfort. Overwhelmed by emotions, Droit begins to cry and eventually falls into a deep sleep. Melnik gently places him on the sofa, then proceeds to search the witch's body, finding the keys tucked away in her pocket.
Dan wakes up Russ, who recalls his nightmares and becomes even more scared when he sees the witch's severed head in front of him.
Droit wakes up after some time and urgently tells Melnik to leave the house and go to the next one. He is eager to escape from the building as quickly as possible.