Writing Challenge: Natalie

Natalie

14 year-old Natalie wasn't the brightest girl in class. But she wasn't the dimmest of them all, either. She wasn't pretty, but she's not ugly either.

In fact, if one had to describe her, "mediocre" or "average" would be the first words that will pop into your mind. But, her average life changed on that fateful day.

She was walking down the stairs of her new home. Holding her flashlight, she ventured into the basement, where she found an old parcel. She also noticed a door inside the basement, a door to another room. She turned the knob, but it was locked. She decided that it wasn't wise to kick open a door and possibly strain her ankle two days before her swimming competition. Doing what anybody would do, she picked up the parcel and left the basement.

Back in her room, she unpacked the parcel and saw two things- a key, and a Super 8mm film. She remembered her dad finding an old projector in the attic. She hauled it into her room and put it next to her chair. Putting the film inside the projector, she let it do its thing while she sat down on a chair, grabbed a soda and waited.

The first thing she saw was a girl, oddly resembling her, but with more scars on her face and a few bruises on her arm. She opened her mouth to speak, but hesitated. A few seconds later, the girl finally spoke.

"Look, I'm sorry it lead to this, and I'm sorry that you had to find this. But it's either this or..." Her voice trailed off. The girl shook her head, speaking again, "If you found the key, that means you have to open the door in the basement. The seal is rotting, and I need your help. Now, this may sound absurd, but your life may depend on this."

At this point,  Natalie frowns. What was the girl talking about? She drank another sip of her soda.

The girl inhaled deeply, "It's going to be dangerous, but if you don't do anything, it's going to get bigger and meaner until it consumes your whole family and nobody, absolutely nobody will remember you. But if you want to save your family, here is what you need to do. Don't blink, don't turn back, and don't look away. It's fast. Faster than you'd like to believe. That thing can look like anything, from a box to a giant spider. It gets you when you're not looking. One touch is all it needs. Once you open the door, remember: Don't turn away, don't look back, AND DON'T BLINK."

And then the film stopped. Natalie stared at the key on her table, wondering her next move. She took a deep breath, and grabbed the key. She went down to the kitchen, and grabbed the sharpest cleaver she found. She took her torch and headed down.

She turned on the lights. She faced the door, key in hand. She unlocked the door.

Click.

She opened the door and ventured inside, seeing nothing but a black, wooden box. Then she remembered.

"Anything from a box to a giant spider." The girl had said.

She unconsciously blinked. The box was gone. She heard a growl behind her and turned. A giant spider hung from the ceiling.

Natalie slashed at the spider. The head fell off. And then the body disintegrated. A low voice was heard from the spider's head.

"I'm back."

She turned around. A statue stood before her. The statue of a demon. Pointing at her. She stepped back and turned away, a mistake she couldn't afford to make.

She was thrown to the floor. The demon's face shifted from a frown to a wicked smile. His body shifting into a posture of a throw. She stood up and patted her arm, realizing that there was a bruise on her arm.

She blinked. Again. This time she felt a hot sensation run through her face. She touched her cheeks and felt three claw marks on her face. She backed away, staring at the demon. It wasn't moving. Her hands touching the door, she tried to open it. It was locked.

She looked away from the demon for a moment, trying to unlock the door. But it was too late.

The demon touched her with its palm.

That was the last thing she felt before blacking out.

She woke up in an ally. She walked out of the ally, catching a flying newspaper.

"January 24th, 1969"

She froze. She was sent back in time. That was what the girl had meant. Her brain made a rational decision: to record her findings and pass it on.

And then she realized. She was the girl in the video. She made the tape to make sure she knows her way out. 

She ran back to the house after a confusing run-in with the locals, stealing a camera afterwards. She closed in on the deserted house. Preparing herself, she kicked the door open.

The sunlight was shining through the windows as she walked towards the basement. She opened the door, an turned the lights on. The door was... open. She crept up behind the door, and heard faint breathing. She inhaled deeply, and peeked.

The statue was there. It was looking straight at the door.

She gathered her courage and slammed the door shut, using the key to lock the door. And then she noticed something on the door she haven't seen before: a seal. It looked like a ritualistic drawing. She stated at it, perplexed. 

The door shook. Like something was trying to get out from within. The seal is supposed to keep it from coming out, eh? She thought. She backed away slowly. Deciding that it wasn't a place for her to stay, she quickly left the basement.

She put the film in the camera, turning it on. She hesitated. Should she be doing this? But it was too late to turn back now. She opened her mouth, and spoke.

"Look, I'm sorry it lead to this..."