Home for Horny Monsters Ch. 039

Frowning, he searched the room, checking the smooth walls for any other clues. In the back of the room, he found a small box set in the wall, its door partially open. Using the flashlight on his phone, he opened it and looked inside.

There was another game piece and a piece of metal. When he pulled it out, he realized he was holding half of a key.

Caretaker.

The voice in his mind sent a chill up his spine, and he spun about. Behind him, along the walls, a shadow crept. The figure had no distinguishing marks, and it held up its arms to show that it wasn't armed.

Do not fear me, Caretaker. I shall not harm you.

"...Thanks?" He pocketed the key fragment. "Who are you?"

I was once like you, and I cared for this place. The shadow moved against the wall toward the window. I witnessed many wonderful things from this, my home.

"So you were a Caretaker once? For this place? Do you have a name?" Mike wanted to run, but the shadow was between him and the entrance. It didn't seem hostile, but it gave him a bad feeling, almost like he was going to be sick.

I no longer remember. The shadow held still, rippling against the wall. I have come to warn you.

"Of what?" The moment the words left his lips, his mind filled with a vivid image of his home burning down, of his family trying to flee but getting trapped. He could smell the smoke in the air and feel the heat of the blaze on his face, and when the vision released him, he fell against the back wall in terror.

"What the fuck was that?" He asked, choking on phantom fumes.

A possible future. There are those who seek the power within, like they did from my home. I died here, fighting powerful enemies, and I would see you succeed where I have failed. The shadow rippled across the room, moving closer to Mike. Let me help you.

"Help me how?" Mike moved away from the wall and looked at the figurines on the table. On closer inspection, he saw that the pieces had been burned into ash.

I can guide you on your quest for power. Power to protect those you love.

"I'm not actually on a quest or anything. I just want to get home."

The shadow paused, deep in thought. You have set foot on the path already and have walked further than most.

"I'm not entirely convinced that you have the right guy." Now that the shadow was closer to him, he was able to back toward the stairs.

Let me share with you my knowledge. The room filled with whispers, so many voices all at once that filled the air. Let me guide your journey.

"And what do you get out of it? What's the cost?"

I just want a piece. The shadow took a step toward him. Your soul burns so brightly. A small piece would let me continue my bleak existence for many years to come. It is only fair that you help me persist that I may help you succeed. You will hardly know it is gone.

"A piece of my soul?" He frowned, thinking about what Ratu had told him early. "Like a soul swap?"

No. You would willingly give me a piece of my choosing. In exchange, I would give you the next step. A doorway appeared in the stone wall. Behind it was a long tunnel that vanished into an inky void. Along this path lies a power that is rightfully yours. I could guide you from afar, speaking to you through...

"Nope." He took a step back, his heel touching the top of the stairs. "Not even an option. If you take a piece of my soul, everything gets fucked up inside my head and then you become the pilot. I already know this trick, and have since I was a kid." His mother's voice echoed briefly in his head, but he shrugged it away. He was a different person now, and no longer a scared little child. "The last thing I need is another voice trying to manipulate me."

The whispers became loud and angry, spitting like a pot of boiling water all around him.

Without me, your world will burn Mike Radley! You will watch your beloved...

Mike was already halfway down the stairs, hesitant to look back. What sort of being had he just encountered? And why did it desire a piece of his soul so strongly? Finally stepping out into the room at the bottom, he turned around to make certain that the shadow hadn't followed.

The staircase was gone, the wall smooth as if the opening hadn't existed. Wondering if it was just a dream, he stuck his hand in his pocket and closed it around the metal key fragment he had retrieved. Pulling it out, he inspected it in the gentle glow of the torches around him, and then stuck it back in his pocket.

Not a dream after all. He walked back into the bedroom and woke Ratu, then explained quietly what had happened. A troubled look crossed her face, and she got out of bed, looking at where the staircase had been.

"A staircase couldn't exist here," she explained, knocking on the stone. "This is essentially an exterior wall. Magic was involved here, and I really don't like it. No more wandering off, okay?"

"Okay," Mike promised, his wary gaze on the stone bricks.

Ratu spent a few minutes lying down magical wards, and then proclaimed the room safe enough for them to finally get some rest. She slithered back into bed, letting out a big yawn that revealed her fangs.

When he crawled back into bed, he put himself between Tink and Ratu, thinking about the vision the shadow had showed him. Had it been a vision of the future? Would it happen if he didn't take the shadow's offer, or was it just dicking with him?

Tink shifted and bit down on his arm, and Ratu wrapped her legs around his thigh. He stifled a laugh and held them close, letting the shadow's offer fade away. Maybe the world would come burning down around his ears one day, but, until then, there were more important things to hold onto.

Trying to drift away, he couldn't help but hear the shadow's words once more, as if whispered directly in his ears.

Your world will burn, Mike Radley.

--

I really hoped you liked this, because this chapter was so much fun for me to write!

As always, don't forget to rate, review, or send me a feedback, I love reading them! Follow my profile or click on my bio to get updates on when I am going to post (I always change it the day I submit something).

As always, Lit readers are the absolute best! Next chapter will feature Yuki vs. the Society, which promises to be a knockdown, drag-out fight for the future of the Radley house.

See you next time! Until then, be kind to each other and yourselves!