By Srinidhi Ranganathan in Trending on Bookspotz — Sep 2, 2023

The Antique Store of New Horrors

The traveller wandered down the first hallway and kicked up a layer of dust on the floor, his footsteps echoing throughout the deserted corridor. Unearthly shadows danced along the walls, as though hiding something secret.

The Antique Store of New Horrors

"That place should be certainly huge!" said the traveller to himself as he was nearing where antiques were sold. The sight that welcomed him was as grand as it was unassuming. The largest store he had ever seen, it stretched out for what seemed like acres. While it was hard to tell if any of the antiques within were genuine, he was sure that this was where he'd find the treasure he was looking for.

He stepped inside and was greeted with a labyrinthine network of corridors and rooms, each filled to the brim with wares of all kinds. A sense of excitement bubbled inside him as he began to sift through the antique collection.

He stopped at a wooden display case and peered curiously at the collection of delicate porcelain figurines. Suddenly, he heard a faint rustling sound from the corner of his eye and turned sharply to see a rat scurry past him and burrow itself in a small antique trunk under a nearby table.

The traveller stroked his chin thoughtfully, picking up on the small nuances that surrounded him and wondering what other unexpected surprises lay hidden beneath the winding path of the antiques.

The traveller couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched. He nervously fumbled through a pile of silver trinkets, glancing over his shoulder every few seconds.

Suddenly, he heard a creaking noise coming from a door to his right. His heart raced as he approached the door, cautiously turning the rusted knob. Inside, he found a small room filled with dusty, leather-bound books.

As he scanned the room, he noticed a book sitting prominently on a wooden pedestal in the centre. The cover was made of an ancient-looking leather material, and the pages were yellowed with age. The book was written in a language he couldn't make out, but the symbols on the spine were familiar.

The traveller hesitated for a moment, weighing his options. He knew that the decision to take the book would be a pivotal one, and he couldn't help but wonder what was inside.

As he reached out to touch the book, a sudden gust of wind swirled around the room, extinguishing the lone candle on the table. The traveller jumped back in surprise as a strange feeling of dread filled his mind. He was determined not to leave empty-handed, but he couldn't ignore the feeling that something wasn't right. Just then, a low growl echoed throughout the room, making the hairs on the back of the traveller's neck stand on end.

Suddenly, a large, dark figure emerged from the shadows. The traveller stumbled backwards, his heart pounding in his chest. The figure stood silently, staring at him with glowing red eyes. It was almost twice his size, with ripped muscles bulging under its dark, matted fur. The traveller froze, unsure of what to do next.

Then, the creature raised its huge paw and let out a blood-curdling roar. The shelves shook, sending a cascade of antique objects crashing to the ground.

The traveller scrambled backwards, knocking over another shelf in the process. The creature took a menacing stride forward, its teeth bared in a snarl. The traveller's heart felt like it was about to burst out of his chest. The traveller tried to run, but his feet were uncooperative. He couldn't help but keep staring at the creature, which began to advance towards him at an alarming rate.

The danger was tangible now, as the creature's breath violently shook the shelves around them, throwing more antique objects to the ground. Despite the terror that gripped him, the traveller forced himself to remain calm and focused. He scanned his immediate surroundings, searching for anything that might help him.

In the corner of his vision, he caught a glint from his pocket and suddenly remembered the small object he had picked up from a random pile of trinkets earlier.

The traveller's hand instinctively went to his pocket, and his fingers closed tightly around the small, smooth stone. Realising that he had nothing to lose, he flung the stone with all his might at the hulking figure charging towards him. The stone hit the creature squarely in the chest, causing it to pause for a moment.

The traveller took the opportunity to bolt in the opposite direction, knocking over a few more shelves as he ran. The creature let out a furious howl and gave chase, the sound of its pounding footsteps echoing relentlessly throughout the endless corridors. The traveller's lungs were burning, but he refused to slow down.

As he ran, he racked his brain for a way out of the maze. He took a sharp right at the next intersection, then a left, and finally a right again. He had no idea where he was going, but he just hoped it was the way out. He turned down another corridor and saw a door at the end of it. He ran towards it with all his energy, slamming it shut behind him. He heard the creature growling and pounding on the door, but it wouldn't falter.

The room was dark, but he managed to make out a table in the centre surrounded by four chairs. He sat in one of the chairs, panting heavily. As his breathing slowed down, he heard whispers. He strained to listen, but it was just faint murmurs. He sat there for a few moments, trying to catch his breath and calm the pounding of his heart.

As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he noticed that something was off about the room. The chair he was sitting on was old and worn, with its legs bent and creaking as he moved. The table was also old, with more dust on its surface than he had seen anywhere else in the store. And then the voice began to whisper again, more urgently now.

The traveller searched for the source of the sound and finally found it in the corner of the room. It was an old, intricately carved wooden box, its lid slightly ajar.

The voice was coming from inside the box. The traveller sat there for a moment, frozen in terror, not quite sure what to make of the voice coming from the wooden box he had just stumbled across. He warily approached it, his hand hovering over the top, feeling the uneasy energy from within.

The whispers became louder as he opened the lid, and he gasped in shock as he saw what was inside: a pale, emaciated figure with hollow eyes and sunken cheeks, its mouth moving, but no sound was coming out. The traveller recoiled in horror, knocking over the chair he had been sitting on and stumbling backwards.

The creature within the box stirred and shuddered, shaking the box with such force that it seemed like it would break apart. The traveller stood frozen for a moment as the creature within the box continued to shake violently. He slowly backed away, torn between his curiosity and his fear. The whispers coming from the box grew louder, and he could hear a faint laughter that sent shivers down his spine.

Suddenly, the creature burst from the box and flung at the traveller's face. Before the traveller could react, it latched onto him, sinking its sharp teeth into his flesh. The traveller let out a scream of agony as he struggled to shake the creature off him. Adrenaline surged through his veins as he remembered the small stone he had thrown earlier. In a swift motion, he reached into his pocket and grabbed the stone.

Using all his strength, he hit the creature with it, causing it to screech and release its grip. The traveller quickly took advantage of the situation and ran towards the door, pushing it open and escaping into the hallway. He could hear the creature's angry growls as it followed him, but he didn't look back.

The traveller continued running down the hall, not bothering to look back at the creature chasing him. He knew he was getting closer to the exit thanks to the small arrows dotted along the walls.

As he ran, he could hear the sound of the creature getting closer and closer, its growls becoming louder and more menacing. Suddenly, the traveller burst out into a large, open room that was filled with an array of antiques. He had hoped to find a way out, but instead, he found himself trapped. The creature stepped out from the shadows, its teeth bared and its muscles taut.

The traveller tried to run, but the creature was too fast, and it tackled him to the ground. The traveller struggled as the creature loomed over him, its hot breath on his face. Desperately, the traveller searched his pockets for anything he could use to defend himself. His hand closed around a small, rusty pocket knife, and he lunged at the creature with all his might. The blade sank into the creature's flesh, letting out a guttural scream.

The two circled each other their warily, both preparing for the next blow. With a sudden burst of energy, the traveller darted forward, slashing at the creature's face. The creature howled in pain and swiped at the traveller with its sharp claws, missing him only by inches. The traveller let out a yelp of fear, but he didn't stop moving. He darted around the room, grabbing anything he could find that might help him in the fight.

A silver candlestick holder caught his eye, and he picked it up, hefting its weight in his hand. The creature was circling him now, slowly closing in for the kill. The traveller breathed deeply, trying to calm his nerves. Suddenly, the creature lunged at him, and the traveller swung the candlestick holder with all his might, connecting solidly with the creature's head.

The traveller’s heart was pounding as he saw the creature fall backwards. He let out a sigh of relief and took a step forward when he heard a faint clicking sound behind him. He spun around to see a row of antique dolls, each one with a lifeless expression on its face, but he couldn't remember seeing them before. He shook his head and turned back to the creature, feeling the adrenaline pumping through his veins. He inspected the creature closely and noticed that it had a strange tattoo on its arm—a figure that he didn't recognise.

Suddenly, he heard a faint sound coming from a small room at the edge of the large hall. His instincts told him to investigate, and the traveller cautiously approached and peered inside. The room was small, barely big enough for a single person, but its contents were impossible to ignore. There was a display cabinet in the centre of the room, filled with a variety of ancient trinkets that glimmered in the light of a single flickering candle.

As the traveller stepped closer, he noticed that each trinket had a unique design etched into its surface: a serpent coiled around a sword, an ancient seal with a mysterious inscription, and a ring with an eerie green gemstone. The traveller felt a sudden intensity of desire; these trinkets were the objects of his search. He reached towards the cabinet, intending to claim his prize, but suddenly stumbled as the floor of the room shook.

The traveller stumbled to the ground, his hands breaking his fall as he tried to regain his balance. A low rumbling echoed throughout the room, growing louder and more intense by the second. It felt almost as if the entire antique store was being ripped apart from within.

The display cabinet shook violently, its contents clattering against each other like a set of chimes ringing in some arcane ritual. The traveller sensed danger and made an effort to leave the room, but suddenly a bright flash filled the room, blinding the traveller and nearly sending him spiralling to the ground once again. With a loud creaking sound, the walls of the room began to move, closing in on him as if alive. The traveller tried to run, but the walls were closing in too fast.

He stumbled and fell onto his back, pushing himself back with his hands, and realized that the walls were not walls at all, but a pair of giant hands that were trying to crush him. The hands squeezed tighter and tighter, and the traveller felt as if his bones were going to snap. The hands were attached to an enormous figure, which was now looming over him, dark and menacing.

The traveller could hardly breathe as the giant began to speak in an unknown language, its voice rumbling like thunder. "You are dead!" the giant said and the traveller felt as if his life was drained away. But as he opened his eyes, he realized he was still alive, although he was now in a different place entirely. He found himself standing in the middle of a grassy field, with a beautiful, sunny sky above him. Stunned, he looked around but saw no sign of the antique store or the giant. It was all a dream!

Relieved and disoriented, the traveller stumbled through the field, trying to remember what had happened before he found himself in the grass. His panic was beginning to subside, and he was grateful to be alive. After walking for a few minutes, he noticed a small pond surrounded by tall trees and felt drawn to it.

Approaching the pond, he saw his own image reflected in the clear water and stopped to take a closer look. As he meditated on his reflection, he noticed something strange shimmering in the depths of the water.

Pressing his face closer to the surface, he saw the reflection of his face in the mirror. As the traveller gazed into the reflection of his face in the mirror-like pond, his eyes widened in astonishment.

Within the depths, he saw a faint glimmer, beckoning him to explore further. Intrigued and curious, he kneeled down and cautiously dipped his hand into the water, causing ripples to disrupt the otherwise serene surface.

To his surprise, his hand did not break through the water, but rather sank effortlessly, as if the pond was now a portal to another realm. Without hesitation, the traveller summoned his courage and, with a deep breath, stepped into the pond.

As his body submerged in the water, a shocking sensation enveloped him and he knew that his next horror adventure had just begun.