So Scary 7- The Empty Road
There was an utter silence on the road. If you ask me, I might as well have to postpone the horror convention trip, and figure out to stay somewhere at the nearest motel. That is if I could find it. And not to mention, there were no cars or anyone else being present. Nowadays, you might think this was just a dream. Of course, that would happen likely to everyone else. But for me, it wasn't.
It had been two days and nights that I have been driving alone in the empty road. And yes, I had to stop and sleep in my car for a while. At times, it felt creepy to realize that you're entirely alone on the planet. It can be scary at times. At other times, it does sound like... freedom.
I work at a company, whose job was to publish horror novels on a daily basis. Most horror writers out there, would like to tackle on the unknown and create something new. That is to say, fear never had its own limits. But now, it was the late 20th century. Long gone were the cool covers of the 70s and 80s. Those were the years that fans always bought them at a local bookstore, and I used to work there near my hometown. What I saw was the beginning of my publishing career. I was happy.
But I wanted to go back to those old days of horror. And here I was just thinking of H.P. Lovecraft. The guy was a fantastic writer. No doubt about it. How could anyone resist his weird fiction? I always wanted a copy of the Complete Works of H.P. Lovecraft. But unfortunately, it wasn't available on eBay or Amazon. I tried several times, contacting local libraries, and the publishing houses to see if they had a copy of it. It didn't matter what edition it was. I just wanted it badly.
Luckily enough, I bought a book called "The Agarnoth Cycle," detailing the stories of a fictional deity, which was quite similar to the Cthulhu Mythos. But it was entirely different. I must say that I have found it very interesting to read a book, which couldn't even surpass the talented Lovecraft in this early days. But what I do know is that its author had a unique way of telling his own stories. He must have been heavily influenced by Lovecraft himself.
Suddenly, the car stopped in the middle of the road. I just realized that it ran out of fuel. I sighed and walked out of it. There I was, looking at the emptiness of what was once to be full of crowded vehicles, heading to rock concerts, family picnics, and whatnot . No cars or bikes were coming this way. It was still... silence.
I decided to walk alone, hoping that I could hitchhike my way through. But the road was still empty. I just couldn't fathom the idea of being alone, and then wait for the rescue. Who would come and rescue me at this time of night?
I tried my cellphone to call my folks back at home. But there was no signal. I sighed again, and searched for something or somewhere that I could possibly stay for the night.
Down the hills, I walked on, and then I stopped. I sat on a rock, since I was feeling tired already. I brought a flashlight with me, and opened the book, The Agarnoth Cycle. It was an anthology of interconnected stories. I read the first one, The Hidden Papers of Agarnoth before. So I turned towards the second story, It Remains to be Seen.
There was a sound, and I stopped reading the book. I called out to see who was there. Was I imagining things? I guess not. I thought this long trip must have affected my mind greatly. So, I called out again. Not a single soul. I resumed reading the book. But again, there was a sound. I sighed and walked up the hills, and decided to take a long walk until I could find some destination. Or at least somewhere comfortable to stay. I left the book in the car, and walked...
I called out for help, just to see if anyone could hear me. The road was still empty. Nothing more than that. I was getting tired that I had forgotten to take a water bottle with me. How stupid I was to think that someone was bound to take a road trip in the middle of the night. I checked my watch. It was 12:30 am.
"Damn it!" I said it loud. "DAMN IT!" But nobody came to either look for me or call me out. I said my name and what I do for a living. I sort of laughed at myself for saying foolish things. Then, I stopped laughing. I saw a light up ahead of a small house, which was located in the hillside of the forest. I thought I might be seeing things. But there it was. A white light, shining before my very eyes.
It took quite a long time to reach there. And I was sweating all over the place. I stopped and reach the house. When I entered it, there was a great, rotting smell that have reached through my nostrils. I covered my mouth, attempting not to vomit on the floor. But I couldn't help it.
Jesus Christ! What had happened here? It smelled like... corpses? I checked around the house. Much like the road, the house was also empty. And I could hear several noises, whispering to each other. And that dreadful smell? Where did it come from?
I checked upstairs, and searched the rooms. There were no beds to sleep on. No mirrors. Nothing. If there was one bed, I could sleep on it. But the smell...
This house might have been an inn for all I know. But I couldn't find anyone else. I still had my flashlight on, looking around the walls. There were no pictures or paintings. Not even a single chair to sit on. I could see some cracks, which would indicate the house to be old enough to break apart.
And that dreadful noise. It sounded like someone was coming downstairs. I checked and called out to see who it was. Still, no one.
Then I felt something, coming behind me. I shivered and went downstairs immediately, almost slipping on the stairs. I ran out of the house, and reached the empty road. I tried to get rid of those thoughts away from my head. I wonder what that white light was, the smell and those whispering noises. But I didn't look back. I got back inside the car, thinking of how long I could stay in this empty road. Should I go back to that house? Certainly not.
I decided to stay in my car as much as possible. But the thought of something out there... In the house... I just couldn't bare it. Whatever it was, it might come after me in this empty road.
Next story- Rituals and Mayhem.
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Note- For related information, check out these stories.
The Hidden Papers of Agarnoth
https://comicvine.gamespot.com/forums/fan-fic-8/so-scary-7-the-hidden-papers-of-agarnoth-2229311/
It Remains to be Seen
https://comicvine.gamespot.com/forums/fan-fic-8/so-scary-7-it-remains-to-be-seen-2230446/
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