In stark contrast to its surroundings; a handsome manor stood tall and domineering over its landscape. I had walked down this street countless times, and yet had never noticed it. This led me into thinking that it may have been a recent construction however the style and architecture of it disproved this idea. It was at this moment perhaps, that I lost all thought and sense as to my whereabouts and my objective; I was overwhelmed with a powerful surge of curiousity. I stood, gazing at it in all its magnificence when I noticed its high iron-wrought gates open slightly ajar and I shuffled awkwardly towards it. I reached towards the gate to open it further, expecting to feel the penetrative coldness of the air within it as I tightly gripped one of the bars however I was taken aback by this assumption as a satisfyingly-warm sensation spread through my fingertips. I pushed the gate forward and stepped inside; staring at the sight before me.
At once the sight before conveyed the impression of a beautifully-painted picture and the beauty of the manor overwhelmed my senses with extreme exultation, the outline of the manor was silhouetted against the radiance of the full moon hovering majestically above it. Perfectly trimmed hedges surrounded the perimeter of the structure with small, carved door-like outlines to walk through. There were several, large, mournful yet graceful yew trees which stood in a statuesque fashion near the lawn. The view before me put me into a trance of moderate serenity. I drew closer to the moon itself and began to survey the exterior with great interest and squinted to make sense of faded marks etched into its walls – like a biologist looking into a microscope – but to no avail. The building itself was a large and prominent and towered above any other structure in close proximity. Two large ornate pillars held the structure together increasing the contrasting look of the manor compared to its surroundings. As I gazed at this sight I felt a furry creature scurry past my right leg and run off into the darkness. It was then that I felt I was trespassing due to the acknowledgement of my presence being confirmed by another soul, or maybe even a higher, metaphysical being. I was unnerved by this thought and felt panic-stricken and jittery. I took a few moments to inspect my surroundings; there wasn’t a soul in sight and not a noise in my ears except the hooting of the breeze in the distance and my own heavy breathing. I felt anxious and yet intrigued; my inquisitive thoughts caused me to walk discreetly towards the door ahead.
As I reached the door I stopped and ran my hands over it I felt the satisfying feeling of smooth, polished teak. A prominent occultist display had been carved into the door, at the centre of which was a perfectly drawn pentagram. Closing my eyes, I inhaled deeply and pushed open the door.
As I entered I was enveloped in total darkness. I felt my way along the wall with a clammy hand looking for a switch of some sort, after half a minute of fumbling, I felt something protruding from the wall and pressed it. I could hear a distinct humming sound but could make no sense of it. The interior of the building was just as fabulous as the exterior; the ceiling was about five times my height and at the peak stood a grand chandelier emitting its newly-found rays of light. The entrance room was filled with untouched bookcases, globes and other obscure devices and instruments. At the centre of the room however stood a grand marble, spiral staircase which presumably led to the manor’s higher levels. The floor seemed to be, yet again, displaying a large pentagram however this particular shape seemed to be more detailed and I remembered it to be the Sigil of Baphomet; this both startled and excited me. I was an avid researcher of occultist themes and gothic architecture. I wanted to proceed further but something told me this manor was out of bounds to trespassers. After mild hesitation and contemplation I proceeded to ascend up the staircase. My heart rate accelerated and I could feel the very blood pumping through my veins and the mild taste of dry saliva spread to my mouth.
The humming was getting louder with every step; what could it be? Where could it be coming from? I had a sudden urge to go back but a small voice in my head told me to advance. I was halfway through my ascent when a very strong and satisfying aroma numbed my brain and calmed my anxiety. I felt as if all the pain, anxiety and fear in the world had been terminated and I was in a state of utter bliss. I felt as though I no longer had control of my movements and thought I had glided to the top of the staircase. The sound was clearer than ever and appeared to be distinctly human and sounded like a repetitive chant in a rough, nasal tone. It appeared to be coming from a door patterned with various symbols. There appeared to be an obstruction in my throat, I was finding it difficult to swallow. Something grabbed my attention, I saw a shut door with light emitting from its corners, this seemed to be the source of the noise, I was reluctant to approach it but instinctively walked towards it... There was no fear... No anxiety... No pain... I walked slowly but with firm paces. I reached the door; this door had patterns and symbols engraved on it too, however I was no longer interested... I put my hands forward to turn the knob. As I grasped the door-knob I felt a drop of sweat fall from my forehead and onto my knees. I felt a conflict raging away in my head; one in control of my physical actions and one in control of my emotions.
I pushed open the door; it was difficult to describe the look on my face. It took no more than a few meaningless moments for me to decipher the image in front of mew and a soundless scream emitted from the depths of my throat at what I had seen...
