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Shadows that don’t belong!!...

How do the shadows exist in the darkness when their existence depends solely on the light?!!...

Proserpina’s POV

“Justina- the bitch!” I muttered to myself and then looked over at Sigurd. He looked like a predator ready to maim and devour. Fear crept up my spine, and I broke out in a panicked sweat. I pulled my blanket up and covered my face. Only one thought came to my mind…RUN!

I quickly glanced to my left to find the mystery man busy scrutinizing Justina as if he still had doubts. I wonder what made him think I am Proserpina. Then I turned right to find at least 3-4 guards searching for me.

“Fantastic, just what I needed,” I slewed silent curses, shaking my head and wondering how I got into so much shit. And speaking of shit, I found the mystery man looking at me.

“Get her!” One of the guards shouted. The chase was on from both ends. I had guards on my right and the mystery man on my left. The question was, ‘Who will get to me first?’

Well, Fuck them!!

I pushed through the crowd, ignored the searing pain in my feet and ran forward. I turned around to check if I was still being followed. A woman was shouting at the mystery man for being pushed aside roughly. I knew it was my only chance, so I turned away quickly and moved towards the steps leading to the palace in search of an escape route. Luckily there were no guards as they all were busy taking care of the crowd that had gathered to watch Princess one last time.

I sidestepped to the left and moved up the remaining steps with haste. The mystery man was now in full pursuit mode. Thankfully, the crowd had broken the barrier and rushed the palace steps. The mystery man tried to squeeze through the crowd, but his size was not helping him. I glanced back one last time to his strained face and his eyes flashing yellow. My heart sank as I didn’t want to leave him, but I knew I had to move, so I kept running.

While moving through the corridor, I heard a few laughs from the left, so I walked down to the opposite side. I continued along the hallway and was disappointed as the only way left was to go down. The stone spiral staircase brought forth my fear of heights. I swallowed hard before venturing down. The damp and slippery stairs seem to go on forever. After what seemed like a small lifetime, I reached the bottom. My eyes soon adjusted to the darkness to make even the tiny details of the dark space around me. I wonder if they are being adapted to see in the darkness like cave animals or if I have developed some superpower.

“Get a grip, girl,” I reminded myself, moving around the open space. When I finally reached the other side, I found a stone wall. In the centre of the wall was a colossal door that didn’t exactly scream welcome. It screamed ‘run for your life’ and ‘danger’. It was carved by strange dark beings with glowing eyes, guarding something beneath that door.

I know I should turn back, but something powerful wanted me there to explore the unknown. I reached out to the handle. The whispers, “Touch it”,… “Yes”… “Touch it” reached my ears. I looked around to find no one.

The moment my skin came in contact with the door handle, it vibrated. My hair stood up, my heart rate tripled, and I tasted the acid my nervous stomach produced.

“Ouch!” I yanked my hand.

The door started to split in the middle. I narrowed my gaze and screamed in panic at what I saw.

‘What the fuck is cave doing in here?’ I asked myself as I realized that I was inside a cave. Rows of huge stalactites hung from the ceiling. The place seemed so big that seeing the end without squinting was difficult.

“Hello?” I whispered, and my voice travelled in that endless cave, crashing through the walls and echoing around me. At that moment, I felt some disturbance in the frozen air. Then a set of giggling voices came, and my heart instantly froze. A shadow-like thing moved about before fading away.

“Hello,” a voice giggled from the shadows, and I jumped in fear.

“I… I’m lost,” I stammered.

“Oh no, you’re not lost… you’ve been found.” The giggling voice was getting closer, showing its form. My skin prickled in fear as I watched my biggest nightmare play out.

Shadow!

The shadow was just three feet away from me. And when I tried to find the entity to which this shadow belonged, I found nothing. That was the shadow that didn’t belong to anyone.

I have a fear of many things. But…Shadows, well, this is different. Shadows are my fear, on the whole, another level. Its mere existence paralyzes me so that I can hardly breathe. It has the power to suffocate me, drag me under and drown me. A fear I am constantly running from. Because I know that Dracula, the shadow of Vampire prince Vlad will eventually hunt, break, and cage me one day. This idea itself is so haunting and terrifying.

I watched as another shadow hung its head upside down just a few feet away.

“AHHH!” I cried out in horror because now it was close to my face. It has the face of death with the sooty thing evaporating from its body. Its features seemed to be melted with just two red dots where the eyes should be. It mimicked me as if it was also scared by me, showing the white fangs. I could see the blur of multiple black shadows at my sides. They surrounded me, starting to cut off my escape. I was just about to yank my hand away when suddenly, that shadow moved and grabbed me. I cried out and tried hard to fight, but I knew it was useless. I felt my ankles being held, tipping me off my toes as I went down hard, hurting my chest. After this, I felt dragged backwards. I twisted my body around to kick those shadowy hands off me. About ten shadows surrounded me, their eyes piercing me, drool dripping down their jaws, full of overgrown fangs and multiple rows of teeth, watering with the thought of tearing me.

I lost unconsciousness due to fear. The moment my eyes were closed, I was transported to the world of nightmares.

Nightmare

I don’t know where I was, but it was too cold and one of the most spectacular sights I had ever seen, like some ancient underground crypt hidden in a cave. My instincts were screaming danger because of the eerie silence as if the world around me had been paused. It made me feel like an intruder. The entire crypt looked like holding secrets and warning you against entering its domain without its master’s permission. Despite its harrowing experience, I found myself drawn to it. So I walked closer, feeling the cold penetrate my bare feet like I was stepping on icy shards.

The faint sound of movement could be heard. I narrowed my eyes, and all I could see were shadows. The same shadows that don’t belong to anyone. They continued to twirl around me, with their demonic red eyes staring. Their black grins showed the sharp rows of incisors ready to consume their prey. Then suddenly, the shadows stopped dead. They all were frozen, with their black bodies twisted unnaturally. They seemed to be the puppets of a master, working on his whims.

“But where is the master?” I asked myself.

“My wounded Butterfly. Come here!” A creepy voice echoed around me. It had the depth that no one even dared to say him no. I looked toward the sound, and my breath hitched when my eyes caught a single shadow standing in the centre. There was something different about this shadow. Its aura was darker and menacing, and those bloodthirsty red blazing eyes seemed eagerly waiting for its prey for centuries.

“Come!” The voice growled again, and I realized a man was seated on an oversized chair beside that shadow. His features were blurred, and I sucked in a breath at how intimidating he seemed. I kept reminding myself that this was just a dream. It had to be. It couldn’t be real. I refused to move, so the man’s fists clenched in anger. His eyes glowed red in the darkness.

“Yield to me, little butterfly.” He spoke in a taunting way that had my teeth on edge. His shadow moved closer to me…too big…too in control…too powerful. I was gasping for air, my skin was prickling with fear, and I had no choice but to look up at him. Those two eyes continued to glow red as he scanned down my length. I sucked in a quivering breath and asked the question hammering my mind.

“Who…Who are you? Where am I?” I whispered. I could make out a pair of fangs in the smile he bestowed upon me. His shadow suddenly tugged me to its chest, forcing my head back. Its fangs grew to a deadly length as they descended towards my neck, making me open my mouth to scream. But he ignored the sound of my fear and took the time to growl down at me, “I will feed your blood.”

I questioned what this place was, but then the puzzle pieces of the true horror started to slot into place, and soon a picture started to emerge. It seemed like watching a horror movie through a dead person’s eyes.

This was the lair!!

Vampire Prince Vlad and his shadow Dracula’s lair!!

To the cursed nightmare of Fangs and Shadows!!...

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