The Dragon Lord's Wish

Ep 10: Dr. Combs

After several minutes and many turns, a long hallway emerges. If it wasn't for the bones lining the walls, the decor would've seemed like it belonged in a home getting ready for Christmas. Ribbons and golden ornaments hang across the top of the hallway.

My eye catches on a gold orb hanging from the eye socket of a skull. A cold chill runs down my spine as I try to ignore the grotesque decor.

"Welcome to my underground clinic madame," Dr. Combs says as we come to the end of the call.

He pushes a makeshift door to reveal a room with many vials, rolls of cloth, herbs, and a table. He gestures to the table, and I get help from Cedric to sit on it.

As I look across from me on the wall there are several sharp tools and saws. I gasped and my eyes widened. My brow begins to sweat once again. Dr. Combs begins to walk towards me.

"So, Madame No Memory, who found you? What happened to you? And do you have any clues to your past?"

I squirm in my seat under his beady gaze. Madame told me to never trust anyone, but what harm could come from telling them I just don't know.

"A tavern owner found me. I had a large head wound. She said that I was unconscious for 3 days. She stitched my wounds and nursed me to health. We tried to find out who I was, but we were never able to make any headway."

Everyone is quietly stealing knowing glances at each other. The older woman speaks up, "Tell us dear, do you know what time of year that was when you were found?"

"Winter. I think around Christmas like it is now."

Silence falls over my audience of three. I can hear water dripping somewhere deep in the cave. It is so quiet.

The old woman whispers under her breath, "The winter without the moon... it is her."

Cedric and Dr. Combs' faces light up.

"My dear, we have all been waiting for you. Please wait right here. We will see to it that you are made well enough for travel and get to a safe place!" Dr. Combs says with such excitement, but I am so confused. Now, more than ever, I feel I need to run. I don't know who they think I am, but I know that I am no one of importance, as their behavior suggests.

I wait until everyone's attention is off me as they are talking about my injuries. Once I know for certain they aren't paying attention, I hop down from the table and bolt to the door.

Cedric lunges to attempt to catch me, but fight or flight has taken over me once again. My shoulder is screaming as it bounces against my body, my legs aching. I hear them call after me, but thankfully I am faster than a mountain of a man, an old woman, and it appears, Dr. Combs.

Panic begins to set in as I have no idea how to get out of here. I try to keep calm as I think of ways to determine how to get out. I turned up the hallway I am sure we came from.

I run for what feels like a half hour before I realize the hallway is now going down. I stop to listen and hear nothing. Nothing but my heart pounding in my ears and my ragged breaths heaving from my chest.

I look around for some clues as to how to get to the surface. The catacombs are notorious for getting people lost and some never return. I know people were rumored to live down here. I suppose that is what Dr. Combs was doing.

Taking deep breaths through my nose, I try to smell anything that may help me. The air is still, damp, and the chill cuts to my bones. The candles in this part of the corridor have been burning for some time, so I have to find my way soon for fear of being lost in the dark.

Darkness itself doesn’t scare me, it’s the fear of being trapped in the dark. Then I realize that I may be trapped in the dark with others and a new wave of panic finds me. I turn around and run back the way I came. I find a corridor that looks like it is going towards the surface. The candles are even dimmer here, and some are going out entirely. I run. I run faster. Faster still. 4 candles left in front of me before the next turn.

“HEE HEE HA HA HA HA HA AHHHHH!”

A laugh that turns to a yell fills the corridor that makes me stop in my tracks. The hairs on the back of my neck stand up. The air was already chilled and damp, but now it was cold enough to freeze the condensation on the wall.

I turn slowly to see what person or creature made that awful noise. There at the end of the hallway, in very dim light, is a tall thin figure. I feel every small muscle, tendon, bone, and blood freeze looking at this thing.

Everything that was good and happy has been sucked out of the hopeless vacuum created by this presence. Looking at this being is like looking at the mouth of hell. I cannot make out much detail, but I know it is not human. In fact, it is not like anything I have ever seen. It crouches to avoid hitting the ceiling. The edges of the thing’s outline look jagged. I don’t see any eyes, only a wide mouth with more teeth than any one being should have.

There is a moment of silence as we stare at each other. It’s gray skin seems to constantly move as it ripples and vibrates as it looks at me. The thing then bends down with its jagged arms moving them like they are broken.

It crawls forward, and I seem to be frozen to the spot. I dare not breathe for fear of exciting it. It raises its ugly head, its permanent grin becoming more menacing as it grows closer. It looks to its right at the row of candles. There, in the dim light, I see that this thing has many, many little eyes scattered about it’s head. The sight of the creature made me ill as I felt all hope vacating me, turning my chest hollow.

It turned and looked at me, then back at the candles with a sick grin, and with a single puff the thing blew out the candles, sending us to pitch black darkness.

My legs threaten to come out from under me. I try my best to not make a sound and to stay perfectly still. The silence is deafening as I try to listen for where the creature is.

“HA HA HA HAHAHAHA AHHHHHHHHHH,”It screams again, sounding as if it was right in front of me.

I turn and run. I hear it tearing down the hall behind me. The sound of ripping and guttural panting getting closer with each step. My body grows numb as I push it forward, running my hand on the wall trying to find a corridor.

My hand slips and I duck into the corridor to the right and wait. The steps become less frantic as the scratching turns to plodding down the corridor. Each step drew the creature closer to me. It stops.

My ears are straining so hard that they start to ring. The steps get closer still. I hear the thing taking ragged, uneven breaths. The smell of something rotten seeps down the hallway. I take small silent breaths hoping it would pass me. It calls out again with its scream echoing through the corridors.

Everything falls silent again. The scratching of its nails begins, and I feel a hot breath on the left side of my face. Despite my resistance to show any fear, tears fall from my face, betraying me.

It is right next to me, breathing me in. Almost like it's trying to savor my scent like its next meal.