2. Where am I?!

Waking up, my body hurt and felt like I was just blasted with frozen air. My head hurt more than the worst migraine I had ever experienced.

Opening my eyes a thin fog covered me and the ground I was laying on. I could feel the chill of the stone through my jeans and thin cotton shirt I had been wearing since it was casual Friday at work. As the fog slowly dissipated I could make out strange markings that had a faint sickly yellowish glow to them. Something horrid filled the air and I winced as I covered my nose to fend off the smell. Dim light from somewhere gave just enough light for me to make out the large room I was in and that it had no windows or doors that I could see.

Sitting fully up with a groan I notice that lumps of something surround me with something large right in front of me. When the large thing actually moved I almost screamed but it just came out as a sharp intake of breath. The thing in front of me grew and grew till it reached its full height, and torches I hadn't seen before began to slowly light a strange red that was somehow not comforting at all.

The torches revealed the lumps to be black-clothed bodies. The figure in front of me was actually a very tall and gaunt man.

He leaned heavily on a black staff that just felt evil. Two others emerged from the darkness behind him to help support the obviously weakened man, and he angrily pushed them away knocking one of them hard to the ground.

" Fools, hahaha." His voice was harsh and raspy and his evil laugh filled me with dread. "With this now even he can not stop my plans!" Again his laugh turned more feverish and maniacal as he took more of me in.

The man slowly approached me savoring every step. Satisfied at being a step away from me he slowly crouched down to my level. He had this unearthly sickly sweet scent about him. His face was so thin and gaunt that it looked like a skull with thin chapped skin stretched tight over it. His eyes sunken in and teeth almost black from neglect gave off it's on horrible stench. I wanted to look away from him but my eyes were held captive.

" Prettier then I was expecting. You will do nicely, yes, very well indeed. Take her away!" Standing back up to his full height he dismissively gestured my way before turning away himself. The two that had tried to assist him earlier now surrounded me on either side and was forcing me to stand on painfully unsteady legs. Where was I being taken to? What kind of plan was I meant to play a part in?

Trying to speak out my voice faltered and refused to form any words. My head still hurt and I was finding it hard to even walk.

Between the two slim, vice gripping, escorts, they half carried half dragged me through an all but hidden door and down a very dark and smooth hallway. Half a dozen turns later they finally opened a door to a reasonably lit room that hurt my eyes until they could adjust from the near darkness I had been in.

The escort on my left stopped at the door and the one on my right continued with me into the comfortable room. It had a small bed with a nice fluffy blanket on top, a small desk and dresser filled the other two walls I could see.

All but collapsing down on the bed, I finally notice that it was a woman who helped me and she had long caramel colored hair that matched her pale complexion.

"Where am I?" My voice hurt and cracked as I forced words out and tried to gather some sort of moisture in my mouth. The woman just smiled a very sweet smile that somehow terrified me before helping me into bed and locking the door behind her. Something in her pale eyes unsettled me.

The whole time my other escort waited patiently outside in the dark hallway. Neither one of them said one word to me. I wanted to get up and see if I could get out of the room somehow or just explore but my whole body still hurt and ache all over. My mind easily surrendered to sleep.

Upon waking I wasn't sure how long I slept but I felt rested but extremely weak for some reason. My body felt like I had slept way to long and there was something on my head.

"A damp cloth?" musing aloud and looking the room over I see the same girl sitting next to my bed looking very tired. Had I been sick?

"Finally." The relief in her voice was almost palpable as she heavily stood from her chair and walked out of the room without another word.