Reaper's Word

Chapter 2 : Fifteen Minutes

Clair Tanner's jaw nearly dropped when she saw the building that was a house come into view as they drove up to it. She'd never seen anything like this in her life. Even the picture she'd been shown by Michael, their guide, didn't do it justice. She was eager to draw it. This would be amazing for the architectural series she was doing. It looked like a mansion right off the cover of a European magazine. The old style of it was incredible. The place had to be worth double or triple digit or millions.

Clair was an international student studying in Italy. Her major was in the arts. Her favorite subject ever since she could remember. She liked charcoal medium over paint or acrylics. She was amazing at architectural drawings along with drawing living objects. If she could get this series finished it would really help her with the gallery spot she was paying for. She didn't really listen as their guide told them about the building already planning and preparing. However she brought herself around to make sure she noted the history. What was art without a back story?

Apparently it was a mystery as to who originally built the place. There were over one hundred rooms. A garden area both in front and on the left side of the house. It was built into the side of the mountain. The front portion sticking out and the left side had a wing that swung out toward the road. Honestly she didn't even know where they were. The drive was rather fuzzy now that she tried to think about it. Though she'd been daydreaming most the time. Still she did notice an odd kind of pressure in her head that she didn't like.

This place was very far out of the way. There hadn't been any other signs near here that anyone even lived remotely close. Clair's attention was caught by the building again, as the sun glinted off of it to her eyes. Like the place was watching them. There were huge windows in the front that faced the drive and mountain area.

The grounds were immaculate and the house itself was a brownish red with white pillars and trim. It was beautiful and yet Claire felt a sadness there. She was sensitive for a human, but never really indulged the talents. Others would call her crazy or a freak, but she couldn't ignore the sensations

coming to her now as they got closer to the house. Something didn't seem right. A Primal intuition trying to speak up.

The front drive came up and under an overhang supported by four large pillars. Different pillars went around the building as well with intricately carved designs in them. As they pulled up to stop, Clair's smile faded. She didn't like the feel of the place. It felt wrong, it felt oppressive. They were slowing to park the large van. Their little tour group chatting. Laura, her roommate, turned and smiled at her. She was a photography student at the same school. She took a picture of Clair.

"See and you were worried this wouldn't be what you wanted. You're glowing." She moved with her now that they were out. However the pit of her stomach was starting to churn and her happiness driving up was fading a bit.

"It's beautiful." She kept her feelings to herself. Clair wasn't exactly normal and to tell others that she got vibes. Knew what those around her felt didn't get her far. Nor did the fact that she could move things with her mind. She kept that secret tightly guarded and would tell no one. One time she'd shared and had nearly been checked into a psyche ward. Never again. Laura turned around with a smile and Clair looked back out the window as they pulled to a stop.

She knew one thing for sure, once they were allowed to look around she was finding a quiet spot alone. She didn't much care for the company of others and Laura would just ruin her concentration. They weren't all that close, just friends really because they lived together. She also shook off her nerves. Maybe the place was just haunted or something. That made her smile. If only she knew the truth. That they were being watched by something far more sinister than a ghost.

Their guide was going on about the ballroom that was here and a few other things. Clair decided that she would visit that room first. She loved to dance, loved music and could just picture what this room would look like. It was better to just focus on what she was here to do. They were allowed a self tour. So she figured the inside was like a museum and set up accordingly.

She'd brought her supplies with her. All of them, wanting to take as much time as she could drawing while she was here. Her solid case was in her right hand. She also brought her own camera to capture different rooms and the outside so she could draw them later.

"If you would all please follow me." The guide said carrying a very old and tattered looking book. Claire thought it was time for a new one. That one had seen better days. They got out of the vehicle, as did the others in the van ahead of them. There were twelve of them in all. Not including the guides and drivers. Michael was one of the drivers. The one that had told her and Laura about this place.

The foreboding feeling was very strong out here now. So much so she wanted to get back in the van and just wait for the others to return in a few hours. She rolled her eyes at herself. No, she had come here and no haunted mansion was going to run her off. She needed something new and fresh to draw. All the other historical sites had been done a million times. The group here had a mean age of perhaps thirty. No young children and that was a relief to Clair.

She liked kids, just not when she was trying to focus on what she wanted to do. She stood next to Laura. Laura had gold colored hair and dark green eyes with a stick figure. Clair had dark brown hair that fell in a wave around her. She twisted it up into a bun now. Her eyes a bright aqua. She was slender not overly skinny as Laura was. She believed eating was essential to living unlike Laura.

"If I could have all of you sign in, and to our agreement." A small line formed and they took turns signing it. A few asking questions. Laura went before Clair signing. Then handing her the pen with a smile when she finished. She moved off taking a few photos. Clair looked at the old book. The man in front of her was giving her a sense of nervousness and glee. She eyed him. What an odd thing to feel. Not that he knew she could tell, but still.

"What does this say?" She asked, pointing to some writing in a language she didn't know.

"That if you break it you buy it." He said with a smile. "Very valuable things in there. Also our guest list."

"If I don't sign?"

"You don't go in." He said though he looked at her suspiciously. Clair heard a cough behind her. A kind way of asking her to hurry up. She hesitated a moment longer looking at the other side of the page and then signed her name. However she felt a bit nauseous as she did. Like she'd just given something up. She frowned, it was just a book. This was just a site to visit. There were three more after her that signed. Then their guide moved to the front door.

"If you would all please follow me. We will have lunch first and then you will be free to move about the house." He turned and Clair looked up. She had the feeling they were being watched again and the hairs on her arms stood straight up.

"Come on Clair." Laura said, a younger man about their age moved over to stand alongside her. He'd been talking to her the entire way. Laura giggled a little at something he said, and turned. Clair gave a sigh and walked up the stairs.

The doors shut behind the group. Clair felt as if a cold breeze moved over and through her. She wasn't the only one it seemed either. A woman near her shivered and a couple others looked around. While a man asked his friend if he'd felt something a minute ago. Okay, creepy.

"This way please." The guide said and his gaze was moving around very quickly as if waiting for something. He took them through a small hall and into a huge dining room with a long table set up. There was food and drinks laid out for them.

"Please have a seat." He said and they all moved to sit down sliding in their chairs. "Now all of you have heard what me and my coworker have told you about the house. All the different rooms and the secret passage ways. There will be signs to tell you more."

"Yes, what about the caves connected to the house?" A woman asked. "Are we allowed to see those as well? They sound fascinating. Integrated into the house."novelbin

"Yes." The guide said and he looked a little pale. "Of course, just be careful." His mouth twitched like he found something funny.

"Enjoy your meal. You have fifteen minutes of safety in here. After that you may go where you please." The guide turned and left the room quickly. Most didn't really pay him any attention looking at the food.

"Of safety?" One person said with a laugh. "Who says that? What a weirdo." He added. Clair looked around the room. She wasn't all that hungry. She got up and moved to one of the doors. She almost reached it when a man came running in the room looking wild eyed and crazed. He nearly knocked her over. He was very clearly in a rush. Everyone instantly noticed him as he ripped food off the table, shoving some in his mouth. He chewed like he was in heaven.

His clothes were old and dirty. Stained with what looked like rust, or... blood? Was he hurt? Claire felt anxiety coming from him. Plus fear, and joy at the food. It was clear he hadn't showered in days. More like weeks. He came in and had a small bag. He started grabbing things as others looked at him. Some stood up. Was this some homeless man in the house? Should they report him? Little did they know what this really was.

"What are you doing? Who are you?" A man asked.

"If I were you I'd get the fuck out of this room right now. Run and hide, trust me. Or you are going to die. Trust no one, grab some food and go." He was shaking and stuffing food into the bag. Taking a bite of the food that he picked up. A look of pure bliss hit his face again before he continued on. People were still confused and one man moved like he was going to stop him.

"What an impassioned speech Gregori." Clair jumped at the deep male voice behind her. She backed up as she turned to find a man standing in the doorway. He didn't come in the room. He did not look like a staff member. All possible warning signals went off in Claire's mind. She hadn't even heard him step up to the room, and she'd been by the door.

"Who are you?" Someone else asked.

"I live here." He answered. Gregori had backed up looking around the room for an escape that didn't lead to where the man was.

"Don't worry Gregori. I give my word I can't attack you if you leave the room at this time. But you should know that."

Gregori relaxed and bolted for the door. They heard his feet hitting the tile and fading. What sounded like a huge dog let out a snarling growl. That was all they heard. Those around the table looked around and a few stood now, not many seated. That was unsettling.

"Never said she wouldn't try." He seemed amused by this. His gaze looked at those in the room. "You should take his advice. You have ten minutes now." He made a mocking gesture like he was checking a watch.

"For what?" Asked a woman.

"To live. Ten minutes I can enter this room." He held his hand up and pushed his hand forward. It was easy to see that something resisted his hand. The flesh of his palm appeared to flatten slightly like he was pushing on glass. Yet it was only air there. Gregori had run through it. What parlor trick was this?

Clair didn't like this sudden turn of events. Neither did a few of the others who moved away toward different rooms. The man standing there was over six feet tall, with solid black hair and hazel colored eyes. Flat lifeless eyes that sent a shiver down your spine. Was this some kind of joke? Were there hidden cameras or something?

"None of you can leave the house of course, not anymore. Not now that you signed the contract. They brought you here to die. That's eight minutes you have left." He had a humorless smile.

"That's crazy. Are you an actor, is this some twisted joke?" A man standing near the other end of the room from Clair said. Laura was up and moved over by her. Others were seeming to gravitate toward those they knew.

"Don't believe me, open the door to your left. It leads outside. Try and walk out of it." The man who asked reached for the door. Light spilled in and he moved to go. He was sent flying back into the room sliding to a stop against the far wall. It looked like an invisible force picked him up and threw him back.

"Now who would like to go first?" The man asked, and there was an explosion of movement. He just smiled and moved from the door. He moved fast too, faster than humanly possible.

"What the hell is this?" Laura demanded. Clair moved to the doorway closest to her. It seemed to lead to a kitchen. She didn't care where it led. She'd never seen anything like that in her life. It was hard to comprehend. Had they really just seen that? What was even happening? They were here for a tour!

"I don't know but I'm leaving." She said and went into the kitchen.

"You think this is some kind of show or something?" Laura hoped and a man came in the room with them. She pulled up her phone, but no signal. None of them had it.

"Pretty sick joke. Who was that guy, and just what is going on here?" The man snapped. Clair grabbed a knife from the kitchen and moved to the farthest door. She put her ear to it and let herself feel, nothing was there. She didn't know how to take this odd turn of events.

She hoped it was some kind of twisted joke. That they were being taken for a ride. Though her senses never lied before. He had been absolutely serious. The man at the door had given off a very angry and deadly aura to her. He wasn't in the hall now though. This area connected to the hall that the man had been in.

"Holy shit what is that thing!" Someone shouted from the other room. Clair opened the door and went into the hall. There was a door shortly to the right with a window in it. Through it they could see what looked like a huge dog looking into the dinning room. The only thing separating them was the odd door in the hall, but the creature was not looking their way.

It was like no dog that they had ever seen before. It was the size of a tiger easily. Had teeth that would make a dentist cringe in pain and fear. It's body was covered in what looked like bristle like fur that was a dark grey. It's eyes were an eerie yellow surrounded by black.

Clair didn't care if the others followed or not she wasn't staying here. She went down the hall quickly but quietly, holding the knife in her hand. This seemed like a very bad dream. Not fifteen minutes ago she'd been sitting in a van driving here. She wondered once more if this was some whacked reality T.V. or something. She thought that was more of an American thing, not Italian.

She had a feeling she'd gone mad. Things like this didn't happen. Michael had said that this place was visited by tourists all the time. Yet as they moved there was nothing in here set up for viewing or like a museum at all. They had been lied to. That was becoming more obvious by the second. They went down another hall. From here they could hear sudden screams. Then the sound of others running from something.

Clair opened the first door she came to. There were stairs there and she went down them. The other two followed her. They were still hoping this wasn't real and someone would tell them to stop, it was okay.

However as the hour passed, every attempt to get out of the house was rewarded with an invisible blow to the midsection. They started to realize how hopeless and crazy their situation was.

They moved faster through the house now after coming across a large puddle of blood and drag marks. Time was passing at an insane rate to them. Their options were dwindling, the realization they were

trapped in this place was starting to really sink in. Just like the setting sun pulling their hope below the horizon into darkness.