HOUSE OF THE LOST- CHAPTER 2

 That night Peter slept peacefully on a bed that felt like a cloud. In his sleep, he murmured, "Don't release it. I have to go. A new couple, it's a happy day." And with a sudden jolt of fright, he woke up to his horridness to see, Elsa dressed in her nightgown and holding a candle in the night. Peter screamed to see this horrific scene in front of him, when Elsa broke the silence, "Hey! don't go insane, I just wanted to talk to you." Peter woke up from his half-remembered dream to tell Elsa, "Sorry, it was a horrific scene but I don't remember. All I remember is, I needed a holy cross for myself, and I saw a demonic spirit caught inside a room. And then I was on a road to see a newly married couple, on a chariot. And then I saw something horrific which broke my sleep. Anyways, how are you?" "I just wanted to know, who exactly are you?" asked Elsa. "Who am I? I am Peter, and I am a vlogger, and I just entered the cave," said Peter stealing eyes from Elsa. "No, I want to know the reality. Your eyes were shining the moment you saw me. Why?" asked Elsa, "I can't answer that exactly Elsa, but I'll tell you at the proper moment. Now leave this candle in my room, I might need it tonight to save myself from the creep going in my head. And Good Night." saying this Peter crept back into his warm quilt, covering his face. Elsa gazed at Peter with doubt for a while and then left the room.

The next morning Peter woke up with a headache and a feeling of sickness. "Cheer up sleepy jeans," said the old man of the house. "Good morning sir," said Peter raising himself from the bed to realize the world around him moving, "I feel sick today." "I couldn't sleep last night, felt dizzy just like you. Today, everyone is sick. It's the sick home. Maybe the pig we ate last night was sick." said the old man. "I think the same. Bill messed us all up," said Peter, "But old man, I wanted to ask something." "Go ahead," said Old man. "Yesterday I saw bloodstains on the walls of the house. Whose stains were those and who built this house up?" asked Peter. "In my initial days, I used to hunt animals and feasted on them alone. I was all alone. To cope with my lonliness, I started building this house on my own. But who knew, from the inside it grew up bigger. On the outside the house looks small, and from the inside it's a mansion. While killing the animals and eating them I used to clean my hands on the walls, maybe those stains are still there, we'll clean them someday son. This place is magical. It's magic all around." said Old man. "You are right, it's magic." said Peter. The old man smiled and left the room. 

"Bill! are you awake," Peter came shouting inside Bill's room. Bill was sitting near the window watching birds chirping and having his tea. "Good morning, Good man." said Bill and then sneezed. After one sneeze he went for another one. And Peter said, "I think there was something wrong with the pig you brought yesterday, that's why we all are sick today." "That's funny." said Bill. "How is that funny?" asked Peter with a slight frown on his face. "Don't be so angry mister, I didn't knew that pig was infected. And moreover I'm sneezing, Tony has been vomitting since morning, Elsa is dizzy and slept again, and Marie has a stomache pain. I don't think that is caused by one pig." said Bill. "You are right, we all are infected differently. You know what the old man always says." said Peter, "This place is magic." 

"That's true" 

"Bill, tell me one thing",

"Go ahead," 

"Does this place have a holy cross?"

"I don't think so, this place is here before birth of christ. I don't think it would have that here." said Bill. Peter disappointed went outside the room.

"Good Morning Pete," shouted Tony in the hall passage. "Good morning mate, how are you?" said Peter, "Just threw up in garden, I'll be there after every thirty minutes." said Tony. "Tony, I wanted to ask something about this place." , "Go ahead," "Has anyone ever been able to return outside this place?" asked Peter. "It's just us Pete, I don't anyone else has been here other than us. And this place is lovely and peaceful. No stress of work, no wars, no tax, just peace. Like we are dead, and this is heaven." said Tony. "That means, we won't be able to go outside?" asked Peter, "No, there is a saying inside the enterance of the cave, 'No living being, in this entire universe would be able to go out.' I think it means what it says." said Tony. Saying this Tony left the hall running, "I think I feel like throwing up, I'll just run!". Peter kept standing confused. 

Walking through the hallway, Peter kept on thinking. The house was a mystery. Walking all alone, Peter felt someone following him when he turned back to find no one. And then he kept on moving, after a few minutes of steps, he looked back again to confirm there is no one. And then he continued when he felt a slight passage of air touching him like one feels when someone runs away. Peter looked back again. Now he was sure that something is wrong when he saw his room open. Opening the door Peter's eyes came to his mouth and his face turned pale with shock to see his own dead body hanging from the ceiling of the room with various wounds on it and clothes torned. Peter screamed and banged the door. Hearing his scream, Elsa, Bill and the Old man came running towards him, "What is it dear? what happened?" shouted Old man, when Peter panting, still trying to recover from what he just saw quietly opened the door. And the room was as it was left. "What's wrong good man?" asked Bill, when Peter said, "I saw something horrific, I saw it in my dream too." Elsa was still looking at Peter with a doubt. "I think you need to rest." said the Old man. "Who opened my room? who came here?" asked Peter, "I think Marie," said Elsa, "I saw her walking by and she opened the door." 

At that very moment arrived Marie. "What is up? and why is the young man panting?" asked Marie. "Did you open his room?" asked the old man. "Yes, I came by to bring him tea. I had put your cup on table too Old man." said Marie. "It must be an illusion Peter, you need rest." said the old man and Bill nodded. "You are right, I'll just sleep." said Peter and went inside banging the door. 

Peter sipped the cup of tea and put himself in the quilt and closed his eyes. But in the closed eyes, the sleep was far away and questions were near.