“Ruth! Come here!”

Ruth heard a loud whisper coming from behind her. In desparation she felt for her chains but they had disappeared as quickly as they appeared. She frantically followed the voice as quietly as possible.

“Hurry! They’re coming for you!”

Ruth looked side to side. “Where?!”

“The dumbwaiter!”

Ruth dove inside the little crawlspace and slammed the door shut as quietly as bearable. The stomping of feet and growling of beasts was silenced as she was pulled upstairs. When the door popped open, there before her stood a little girl, couldn’t have been more than 6 years old.

“Who are you?” Ruth asked as she stepped onto the floor.

The little girl held her finger to her lips then motioned for Ruth to follow her. They stealthily crept through the kitchen and outside into a bright, sunny day. Ruth followed the little girl just beyond the fence, officially off the property and they crouched down, still on alert.

The little girl looked at Ruth then at the house. She tucked her dark hair behind both ears and cleared her throat quietly. “Before you ask all your questions and I know there are a lot, try and take all this in. You’ve been here many times, yes?”

Ruth looked at the house. It was the most vivid it had ever been, a real living being. Not only the hellish creatures that dwelled within it but the house itself was always also out to get you. To trap you and when you gave up hope you were fed to it, consumed by the darkest parts of it.

“Are we safe on this side of the fence?”

“No but I suggest we’re safer.” The little girl pointed at the garage. “Was this ever in the dream?”

Ruth thought a hard minute. “You’re right, it doesn’t belong here. Look, the greys aren’t the same and that insignia shouldn’t be there. I also noticed doll or dare I say baby skulls earlier. I’ve had this dream maybe fifty times and now there are subtle differences.”

“Maybe it’s just his lack of design? Only you know the details.” The little girl looked pained.

“Wait a minute. Who are we talking about? Who are you??”

The little girl looked at the house intently. “Some questions aren’t designed to be asked. Answers reveal themselves in many ways. You aren’t here to write a book. You are here to conquer.”

Water began seeping in around their now bare feet. Screams filled the air intermingled with hordes of birds cawing. Suddenly Ruth was emersed in endless water with waves that rose up twenty feet then crashed, dragging bodies under. There were people everywhere, panicking violently and thrashing about.

The little girl wasn’t with Ruth. She tried desperately to keep her head above the water. And then she felt a hand around her ankle, pulling her under the surface…