The House at the Edge of the Cliff

An old Journal

My body was frozen as I watched the horror unfurl around me in the flickering light. I could not move as Jacobs's screaming figure went limp as Gunner dug his hand into the smaller body and started pulling out the organs from the other side.

Jacobs's hands that had been gripping at Gunner's head and hair loosened as his screaming turned into a groaning whimper. his eyes drooped before death overtook him.

The squelching of guts and gore echoed through my ears even with the loud generator and even from all the way across the big room I could smell the blood and bile. The smell was so intense and strong, it was as if I was right next to the carnage.

The moment the wretched smell hit my nostrils my stomach heaved and I lurched forward. Vomiting out the last meal I had been given onto the cement floor.

Tears bled from my eyes and made my vision blurry. They dripped down my face, mixing in with the vomit I just ejected. I looked up one last time to my friend's corpse.

There was nothing I could do and I knew that He was already gone. I could not take Gunner one on one in a fight. His appearance was that of an old man but his strength and agility told that he was much younger than he looked.

So badly I wanted to run over and push him off of Jacob, a small naive part of my mind telling me that there was a chance, impossible though it was, that he was still alive and I could save him.

No matter what my heart wanted me to believe it could not counteract the facts that were seen by my eyes. My friend was dead. His blood, guts, and now even some bone chunks were pooled on the ground around him. Staining Gunners trousers and clothes as blood sprayed up and flecked him over his face and body.

Jacob was dead. He was dead because I failed him, I could not protect him. And unless I got the rest of my friends out of here, I would not only be failing them too but all of our families as well.

I shoved myself off of the cement ground with a growl, racing up the stairs as Gunner snapped his head up in my direction. I wasted no time slamming the door behind me and feeling around the handle for a lock.

There was none, and I cursed as I heard his footsteps start stomping up the stairs. I turned tail and bolted down the hallway. Navigating through near-complete darkness as I barely fought off panic.

If I panicked now it was over. What little chance I had left would be thrown out the window and fed to the dogs. Just before the Basement door slammed open I was able to slip into another room as quietly as I could. Closing the door most of the way and slapping my hands against my mouth in an attempt to hold back a squeak as I backed against the wall.

My back was to the wall of the new room and my legs shook so horribly. I felt as If I was going to topple over any second. My heart raced in my chest so hard and the fear combined with that made my head pound.

It was dead silent in the hall beyond. No noise whatsoever. No footsteps, no breathing, nothing. It was as if he was not even out there anymore. I was not going to pop my head out to look through. I would stay right here all damn night if I needed to. I did not care if he was supposedly mostly blind as Jacob had claimed. This man " Mostly blind" as he was still hunted me through the woods with the accuracy of a hawk.

The silence was broken by the sound of the cat meowing somewhere down the hall. I could even hear the padding of its paws. Shortly after the sounds of Gunners boots sounded. Walking towards where the cat was.

A bolt of frustration shot through me, mixing in with the fear and anger I was already feeling. I not only needed to avoid him but if his damn cat found me then all it had to do was meow at me and he would come. If Jacob was able to slip past it though then I could too. I just needed to be even more careful.