It was dark, all I could hear was what sounded like metallic joints rusting and moving. I let of a light moan as I slowly open my eyes, but before I could even think about what had happened to me I was rendered speechless by a giant mechanical face staring right at me, no more than 5 inches away from my  face. I didn’t know how to react to this but my instincts were to get up and run as fast as I could away from that abomination, however this is when I realised that my hands were tied together and I had nowhere to run. The machine started to speak to me in an almost playful manner but there was a hint of evil in the way it pronounced some words. “Finally you’re awake, time to play.” Before I could even respond I was lifted into the air by the machines gigantic hands with claws that reached behind my back. “Your mine now” the machine said in a more demonic tone “mine to play with when I get bored and mine to dispose of when you become broken.” I didn’t want to know what this thing had in store for me or how I would even get broken in the first place; I had to come up with a plan and fast, I knew that I wasn’t talking my way out of this and I couldn’t do anything with my hands tied together like this. That’s when it hit me, the machines claws are so big that they go behind me and I could use them to break free, however as soon as I was about to put my plan into action the machine pulled me closer to its mouth. I had to buy myself some time so I did the only thing that I could do in that situation and head butted it right in the chin sending its head flying back. Luckily I could take the damage from head butting metal and recovered fairly quickly however the machine seemed temporarily stunned. I used this time to my advantage and began to cut the bindings from around my wrists when all of a sudden the machines head flew at me at tremendous speeds as it let out a blood curdling screech. I thought my time was up when to my surprise the bindings on my hands broke and giving me the strength to break from the machines grasp. This time however the machine saw what I was doing and didn’t get flung back, but now I was on the floor with a clear escape route behind me through two open doors. Without a second thought I ran as fast as I could through those doors and down a flight of stairs into what looked like the main entrance room of a mansion. “If this is an entrance room” I thought to myself “then there must be an exit here.” I was right but as I got to the doors to open them, to my horror they were locked. I turned around to see if I could find any other means of escape but as I did I was stopped in my tracks by the giant machine now blocking my path. “YOU SHALL NEVER ESCAPE ME” the machine screeched as it began to lung itself at me. All I could think was that this was it, my death, and I was helpless to stop it. Out of fear I ducked down and held my head with both my hands waiting for the machine to finish me of. I then heard a tremendous bang followed by the sound of metal scraping on the floor witch made me cover my ears. It took me a couple of seconds to realise that I wasn’t dead. I stood up and looked to the doors that were previously locked but now had been forced open by the mechanical things lung. I walked closer to it as it began to spark and I knew it wasn’t getting back up. I was about to walk away when I realised that the place I was standing wasn’t the outside but it was a corridor leading to some stairs leading upwards and some rooms on the side one of which was open. I should have probably broken down at that point but my mind was set on another thing, what just happened and was it even all real. Just as I was about to walk down the corridor in search for answers I noticed that the machine had spat up a strange looking key and what looked to be a flashlight. I grabbed both of these items and carried on to see what I could find. I turned on my flashlight and leaned my head through the open door to see if there was anything of use inside. I saw a note on the table and without thinking I entered the room to read it thinking it could tell me more about the situation I’m in. It read “me and my friend jack had been out in the woods searching for some herbs to use in cooking for a school project he was helping me with called ‘food and nature’ when all of a sudden I couldn’t find him anymore. I called out for him but all I could do was follow the sound of his footsteps and try to catch up. When I finally left the forest I saw a giant mansion. I knew jack was a little dim sometimes and would go into places he shouldn’t without thinking but I didn’t think he would go exploring a spooky looking mansion with his fear of the dark and of the supernatural. But to my surprise I saw jack opening the doors to the mansion and walk inside. I ran after him in hopes to catch up. Something about this place just doesn’t feel right to me. I hope I can find him soon.” This surprised me, not at the fact that my friend Callum was here but the fact that I forgot I was with him in the first place and even my own name for a second. I felt bad that I forgot about him but that feeling was soon surpassed by fear. I heard breathing behind me so I quickly turned around but before I could see what was behind me I was struck in the side of my head and I feel to the floor in a daze. I regained consciousness not a moment too soon as the thing that attacked me was getting ready for another swing. I had to act fast once again so I used my position on the floor to my advantage and used my momentum to spear the thing in the stomach causing it to drop its weapon and throwing us both onto the floor. I regained my stance faster than the thing did, which I couldn’t see because my flashlight was on the table. Luckily as I took a step back I kicked the things weapon. I picked it up to find that it was a knife. The thing had now gotten up and had started to advance towards me. Without hesitation I swung my new found weapon at the thing slicing it across its chest and knocking it to the ground. Out of fear and anger I didn’t want to risk it come back to kill me so I stabbed it in the head twice to make sure I was safe. As I got my flashlight to have a look at the thing to see what it was I felt my knees go week as I saw the two wounds I had made in the creature. It was some sort of humanoid betel with green blood. I quickly exited that room so I didn’t have to look at that thing anymore. My mind then switched back to Callum and this place we are in. I need to save him because I know he would be more than helpless in a situation like this but also if what Callum said is true and I walked into this mansion of my own free will then why can’t I remember it. I need to save my friend but I also need to search for answers.

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it