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Namyh
Senior Member
since 2009-01-20
Posts 988


0 posted 2013-08-08 08:08 PM


“Something in the Basement”

I heard it before I felt it. A low whistling sound it was, like knives slicing air swiftly. Gut reaction and reflexes made me move without thinking to avoid it. Still, knifelike claws fiercely scraped against my ribcage and liquid started running. I began leaping up the basement stairs. Something savage in the dark was at my heels. I couldn’t risk looking for fear it would slow me down. Pure terror clutched my heart now pumping at breakneck speed.
  
I jumped two and three steps at a time. The foul stench of its breath singed the hairs on the back of my neck. I could feel the adrenaline being pumped at terminal velocity thru my veins. Bloody liquid was running down my leg. I didn’t care. I could see it, the door at the top of the stairs – only 7 steps to go. Claws screeched against a wall and startled my ears – only 5 steps to go. Something grabbed at my ankles. It missed – only 3 steps to go.

I lunged for the doorknob, turned, opened and closed it all in one motion. With my back riveted against the door, I gasped for breath. The terror behind me pounded and pounded, snarling in frustration. Each pounding lifted me off the door. Pieces of wood flew to the floor. Ejected like bullets were door hinge screws. Wood began crumbling. It was coming through pounding and pounding and pounding!

Then unexpectedly, it stopped ! Frighteningly, it stopped! It stopped with an abruptness that left me shivering, sweating and waiting in the silence. What happened? Confused thoughts raced thru my head. The breath slowly returned to my drenched body. I could hear a low whistling sound like knives slicing air going down, fading and melting into a descending darkness. It was leaving and I had escaped. I took a breath. I smiled satisfied thinking that I’m of a species who is at its best when things are at their worst. You know! I was starting to feel a lot better.

Then…Boom!…the floor caved in ! Wood splintered. Beams shattered. Metal twisted. I started falling. One hand grabbed the doorknob just in time and held on. My legs dangled and swung above the emptiness below. The sweat was making my hand slip. I squeezed hard but couldn’t hold on anymore. I plunged screaming into the nothingness beneath. I hit the floor with the impact of a bomb going off. Pain shot up my arm. Wood scraped across my back. I was in the basement again! Oh no, no, no! Then I heard it and froze. That breathing. The breaths. Those knifeclaws whistling nearer! and nearer! and nearer!

Then I remembered something ! Odd time to remember something. I remembered chuckling at my kids telling me “Beware of the monster in the basement, Dad.” Somehow I don’t think I’m going to get a second chance to forget it or even chuckle again ! Ever!

Then, the lights snapped on. I heard my wife’s voice upstairs. She said “Honey, are you okay? There’s a hole in the floor.” I looked around. The monster was gone. Where did it go? Was it the lights? What happened? Enough with the questions. On your feet! I raced up those stairs again. Grabbed the wife. Grabbed the kids. Grabbed the car keys and bolted from the house into the night and you can bet we won’t be back anytime soon. Whew! I need a drink, maybe two. Somedays you just never know. And that’s when one of my kids in the back seat said “Told ya Dad!”.

I started the car, threw it into gear and let off the brakes. The side view mirror showed like a small TV and It stopped me cold. I could see flashing lights on police cars and neighbors who must have called them. Then my house door flew open. A frightful silhouette stood in the doorway and nobody moved. Its mouth opened. Flames blasted out. The lawn started burning. Cops began firing. The neighbors started scattering. The silhouette began running. Then it turned and galloped towards me. I told the family to strap in. I gunned the engine.

At first, it was just a cloud of dust in my rear view mirror and I was already doing 45mph. In the cloud, I saw hooves and claws. I shot to 55. It was hounding after us. I hit 65 but it was gaining. I could see its eyes. I saw the fire from its nostrils. I hit 75 miles per hour and the next thing I knew, it was looking at me from my driverside window. I saw flames. I smelled burning paint peeling off the car. Smoke filled the inside. The kids were screaming. The wife was screaming. I was screaming. What in the hell was it. I was already doing 80 and it was running right alongside me. Looking at us! Looking at me!

I panicked and grit my teeth. I slammed the accelerator, punching it. We lunged forward and swerved. I recorrected and hit over 100 miles an hour. I looked thru my window. The thing was gone. I looked in the rear view. Nothing there either. I could see the town just up ahead, dimly lit and I’m racing straight thru it. I don’t know what that thing was and I don’t want to know. One thing I do know is that I’m not stopping until our screaming stops...or the gas runs out...or my heart gives up! Whoa!

Namyh



© Copyright 2013 Namyh - All Rights Reserved
Margherita
Member Seraphic
since 2003-02-08
Posts 22236
Eternity
1 posted 2013-10-01 04:01 PM


You kept me sitting still through the whole read, the suspense was great!

So have you found out meanwhile what it was??

A great nightmare!

Margherita

Prasad Nataraj
Senior Member
since 2008-05-29
Posts 1149
Bangalore,India
2 posted 2013-11-03 08:36 AM


Thrilling stuff! loved it!

"The secret behind survival of mankind is kindness and love within our hearts"
prasadnatarajan5.blogspot.com/

Namyh
Senior Member
since 2009-01-20
Posts 988

3 posted 2015-01-26 01:36 PM


Margherita – I didn’t find out what it was but I got a sneaky suspicion it’ll be back, especially now that it knows you were sitting very still and vulnerable through the whole read of its nightmare suspense. LOL. I’m so very glad you had some eerie fun here M. Namyh
Namyh
Senior Member
since 2009-01-20
Posts 988

4 posted 2015-01-26 01:38 PM


PrasadN - When you take one ounce of fractured fear, 3 tablespoons of tinctured terror, 7 grams of distilled doom sprinkled with Mr’s Smith’s meat tenderizer and cook for 30 minutes, you’ll get “thrilling stuff” everytime that’ll have you running up from your basement and straight out of your house screaming. You might even write a poem about it all. So glad you stopped here just in time for a bite. I just took it out of the oven only moments ago. LOL. Namyh
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