Encounter

A piercing scream echoed through the dead of night, chasing away any hiding beasts and insects lingering within the surrounding area. But the helpless cry was cut short, the individual falling to the ground with a heavy thud.

Standing in the middle of the mayhem was a young man with red, unforgiving eyes. Thunder rumbled angrily from the night sky, followed by a flash of lightning, illuminating his lone figure.

Blood gushed by his feet while dead bodies lay in heaps around him. Thin sheets of rain began to descend, an attempt by the heavens to cleanse the madness the monster had created.

Amid the countless dead, one young lady slowly opened her eyes. She attempted to raise her hand toward the sky, praying for salvation. However, the monster hovered above her, causing a terrified scream to be unleashed from her hoarse throat.

Corinne gasped and snapped her eyes open, immediately rising from the bed upon hearing the incessant ringing of her alarm. The bed squeaked, shuddering at the sudden movement. She stared at the digital clock on top of the drawer and muttered a curse.

“Bloody hell!” Corinne leapt out of bed and slammed the bathroom door. There was little time for her to prepare and be ready before seven. She immediately splashed cold water on her face and brushed her teeth. Her undergarments were stripped off, and the young woman wrapped her body in a towel.

Wasting no time, she rushed back to her messy room, rummaging through her closet to pick a presentable dress. She grabbed some clean underwear from the upper drawer and a bra, throwing the towel aside. Her phone chose to ring at that instance.

“What now?” She complained, pulling out a red lace dress before searching the bed. Upon finding her mobile device, she pressed the answer button and put it on loudspeaker.

“Just so you know, you aren’t my favorite person at the moment,” Corinne greeted the caller, slipping into the red dress. The bottom part flowed freely to her knees. She tied the ribbon behind her and stood in front of the mirror by the closet.

There was a chuckle before the person on the other end of the line cleared his throat.

“I know I owe you big time, Cory. So, thank you. But I promise, you won’t regret this.”

The latter rolled her eyes, approached the bed, and opened the second drawer. She pulled out a small kit and spilled the contents onto the mattress.

The first item she grabbed was the concealer. She dabbed her face expertly, contemplating how to annoy the caller just as he had annoyed her.

“No, that’s not enough, Eric," she countered. "I’m wearing a fancy dress, putting on makeup, and ditching my day-off plans for this. I need more than just your thanks.”

Another chuckle, followed by a throat clearing, echoed from the other end. Corinne grabbed the foundation and dabbed her face with it. She checked her progress in the compact mirror and smacked her lips. The eyeliner and mascara followed.

The effect made her honey-colored eyes stand out. Satisfied with the light makeup touch, Corinne applied some red lipstick. It completed her look and complimented the red dress.

The last agenda was her hair. She started combing through the tangles. Over the past few months, her hair has grown longer. It had reached her waist now, making it harder to comb but more manageable to style when she was in a hurry.

“I know. I’m really sorry.” Eric let out a sigh. Corinne clicked her tongue, listening to a strange noise in the background. She frowned at it, trying to recall what her friend slash roommate’s excuse was for ditching his scheduled gig for the evening.

“Remind me: Where are you at again?”

Corrine heard some rustling and shuffling before Eric responded.

“An emergency. Um, I will call you back later. Text me when you get there.”

His remark was immediately followed by a beep, confusing and annoying Corinne even further.

“Ugh." Corinne threw her phone on the bed and pulled her hair into a neat bun. She left a few strands she had cut a few days ago to pretend she had bangs and twisted them using her fingers. She then tied a black ribbon over the bun and let the ends dangle by the back of her neck. It was a perfect match with her black stilettos.

Padding back toward the full-length mirror by the closet, Corinne twirled and checked her reflection.

“I think I look presentable enough,” she murmured, blowing out an exasperated sigh.

–

‘I made it to your gig.’

Corinne stared at the text message she was about to send to Eric, typing and deleting several times the rest of what she had wanted to say before the latter dropped the call. However, she decided it was best to leave the man alone. After all, it was Eric, and Eric is the only family she has.

‘This better be worth it, as you claimed,’ she thought bitterly and slipped her phone back into her purse, pulling out the invitation card she needed to present to the guards standing by the massive wooden door of the grand ballroom.

It was a VIP event, requiring an intricate mask for the attendees, including the organizers and staff.

Corinne was no organizer or staff member, but she was covering as a backup singer for her friend. It was a last-minute favor, but one that she couldn’t even decline. The pay was promised to be good. That was the only reason she agreed; otherwise, she would have let Eric take the fall for being irresponsible.

For the last few months, money has been tight. Her part-time jobs wouldn’t be enough to fund her expenses if she were to pursue her plans of moving out of the shared apartment with Eric. Not that she disliked the guy, but Corrine was getting bothered about his non-existent love life.

She believed she was hindering Eric from dating or bringing home a girl, afraid of how she would react or how the other woman would perceive their set-up.

‘Nothing personal, Eric,’ Corinne thought, shifting her attention back to where she was.

Elegant music welcomed Corinne, providing a distraction as the double doors were opened to let her through. One of the guards handed her a silver mask, smiling politely while subtly making her uncomfortable with him checking her out. She accepted the mask, ignoring the knot in her stomach, and avoided making eye contact as soon as she walked through the door.

She then tied the mask, trying not to ruin her hairstyle while allowing her senses to explore her surroundings. The lighting inside was dim, and the temperature was too cold for her liking. However, the elegantly dressed visitors seemed oblivious to it.

Grecian pillars covered the corners of the expansive room. Each pillar had a golden ribbon wrapped with black and silver balloons attached to it securely.

In the middle, a beautiful crystal chandelier hung above the ceiling. It was where all the white cloths, which spread evenly around the room, were connected.

Corinne allowed herself some time to take it all in. Not every day she had the same luck to be able to attend a grand event.

Amid her awe, the young woman lost track of where she was headed and bumped into what she imagined was a wall. It was cold and hard. Her head hurt a little. But when she lifted her gaze, she was met by the most beautiful purplish eyes she had ever seen.

Mesmerized by the view, Corinne felt the world come to a stop, her heart racing at the sight of the captivating man coming towards her. Despite the mask covering half of his face, she was sure that he was more attractive without the unnecessary cover. It had her hands moving on their own accord, wanting to remove the mask and unveil the man’s face.

“I know the view is perfect. Still, you need to watch where you’re going, Gorgeous.” The man smiled charmingly; his voice was deep and velvety. It dulled Corinne’s senses, making her succumb to his dominating presence.

Reaching out to her, the handsome man tucked the strand of hair that dangled on her face behind her ears. His finger brushed against her skin, sending delightful shivers throughout her body.

Images flashed before her mind’s eye. Corinne saw herself leaning closer, slowly putting her lips on his, anticipation burning her up. However, after blinking once, everything around her began to change.

The grand ballroom with its elegant guests and the handsome man she bumped into disappeared.

Confused, the lady tried to take a step forward. However, she immediately retracted her step upon touching something solid.

Her eyes opened wide, and her heart hammered wildly inside her chest. Corinne placed a hand over her mouth, taking a step back, only to stumble on something else.

Afraid to look but curious to know, she slowly turned her head. The dead body of a middle-aged man lay there. His lifeless eyes stared at Corinne.

Fear forced her to get back on her feet, only to find that it wasn’t just one man. She was suddenly surrounded by dozens, and maybe thousands, of corpses.

Their hollow eyes stared at Corinne, causing her to panic. Not knowing how to escape the living nightmare, she covered her eyes.

Overwhelmed by sheer terror, Corinne resorted to the only thing she could think of doing.