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Terror on a Candle-lit Night (PasteJam 2023)

By SlowNon
Created: 2023-02-06 06:00:19
Updated: 2023-03-08 11:03:19
Expiry: Never
horrormysterypastejam

  1. >She set it ablaze...
  2. >Smiling softly at the sight, she turns to survey the room.
  3. >”Is this too much?” She thought to herself. “Or too little?”
  4. >Saving her from her own racing conscience, a knock sounds from the front door.
  5. >She pauses, unsure if she heard right, or simply imagined it in her panic.
  6. >The knock was very quiet, so she could be mistaken.
  7. >Could her guest be having second thoughts?
  8. >”Only one way to find out” She decided.
  9. >Approaching the door at her own pace, she takes a deep, calming breath before swinging it open.
  10. >To her surprise, all that greets her is the open space of her doorway, and the nighttime’s ambience.
  11. >Frowning, she begins assuming that what she heard wasn’t a knock after all.
  12. >Just to be sure she isn’t being pranked, she steps out and checks the perimeter just outside of the front door.
  13. >Finding nothing, a sigh packed with a couple prevalent emotions escapes her lips.
  14. >Disappointment is one of them, and relief is the other.
  15. >She isn’t sure which of the two feelings was stronger in that moment.
  16. >Heading back towards the front door, mentally preparing to spend the night alone, she freezes upon finding it closed.
  17. >This time, two different emotions take hold.
  18. >Confusion is one, and fear is the other.
  19. >Only, there’s no question that one is stronger than the other.
  20. >After an unknown amount of time, she slowly creeps up towards the entrance, cursing herself for leaving the windows covered.
  21. >Trying to regain control of her breathing, she contemplates for a bit before deciding what to do.
  22. >Raising a shaky hoof, she goes to knock on the door, but hesitates.
  23. >Mainly because it’s her own home, and politely requesting access is totally ridiculous.
  24. >It was intended to be a set of four knocks, though only one had enough force to be heard due to her hesitation; and faintly, at that.
  25. >She repeatedly asks the question ”why?” in her mind, each time inquiring about something different, yet all related to the core issue.
  26. >As if to answer her unspoken questions, the door’s handle begins twisting.
  27. >It’s not but a moment later that the door itself swings open, revealing the inside.
  28. >With nothing but the sight of an empty room to greet her.
  29. >Her breathing increases in speed, and her heart beats wildly against her chest.
  30. >”S-stop this!” She yells into the empty home, pleading with whoever is behind this cruel joke, and voice breaking as she continues. “You’re scaring me!”
  31. >Tears gather in her eyes, threatening to fall at any moment.
  32. >Fear is one, and anger is the other.
  33. >Her desire to find and scold this mystery prankster just barely outweighs her desire to run, and she steps into her home once more after she’s wiped away her tears.
  34. >Thinking ahead, she closes the door behind her so that it can’t be used to escape.
  35. >On high alert, she makes her way forward as she eyes the room carefully.
  36. >”Whoever you are, I’m giving you one chance to give up this game,” She warns, her fear betrayed by the shakiness in her voice. “Please, s-save it for Nightmare Night...”
  37. >Her eyes land on the candles she lit, and she furrows her brow.
  38. >Of the four that were burning, only two remain lit.
  39. >She starts to feel really unsafe, and eyes the dimly-lit room with caution; as if an assailant will show themselves at any second.
  40. >Preparing to yell out once again, her words are caught halfway as a soft, yet unmistakable sound is heard behind her.
  41. >A knock.
  42. >Her heart skips a few beats; the blood freezing in her veins as she becomes completely still.
  43. >She wishes, more than anything, that somepony would jump out and say “gotcha!”, right now.
  44. >That naïve wish isn’t coming true, and she knows this.
  45. >She blinks, and, when her eyes open after the very short interval, only one candle remains lit.
  46. >Mind reeling from all of the confusing and unnerving things happening around her, she still can’t help but feel that there’s a connection between these two things.
  47. >Not wasting time thinking about it any further, she turns and sprints towards the cursed door.
  48. >She grits her teeth as she reaches it in no time, but has no plan use it as normal.
  49. >”Sorry, not sorry, door.” Is all she says before spinning and bucking it with all her might.
  50. >The resulting *bang* assaults her eardrums, and the wood splinters from top to bottom after just the first strike.
  51. >”Whatever this is, I’m not just gonna stand here and let it happen!” She declares, gritting her teeth as she prepares another.
  52. >Surprising even herself, the second buck splits the door into two jagged halves, which both simply slump against the door’s frame on either end.
  53. >She’s heard of hysterical strength, but sweet Celestia...
  54. >Breathing a sigh of relief, she allows herself to relax just slightly, as she knows that, at the very least, she did what she could to prevent... whatever was about to happen.
  55. >Stepping over the mess that was once responsible for protecting her home, her mind tries its hardest to come up with a culprit.
  56. >She’s more than a little saddened that somepony would go to such extreme lengths to mess with her.
  57. >”What kind of pony would quietly keep the joke going after seeing their victim experience so much real fear and stress?” She wonders.
  58. >”Is this what ponies are into, nowadays?” She asks aloud, closing her eyes and taking in one last, adrenaline-addled breath of fresh night air before turning to retreat into her compromised home.
  59. >A thud, as well as an impact on her muzzle, causes her to jump back in fear and pain.
  60. >”N-no... no bucking way...” She trembles as she realizes that the thing she’d bumped into was the door.
  61. >She feels as if she’s finally lost her mind.
  62. >She could understand the other things, sort of, but the door was broken only moments ago.
  63. >Even if it had been magic, she would’ve heard the door being fixed or replaced, as it was mere inches behind her.
  64. >She doesn’t even jump when she hears it this time.
  65. >Either because she’s exhausted, or just doesn’t want to give them the satisfaction any longer.
  66. >”The candle...” She whispers to herself.
  67. >She wants to see it.
  68. >Maybe one of her many questions will finally be answered.
  69. >Curiosity is one, and resignation is the other.
  70. >Raising a hoof, she grabs the handle; twisting it and swinging the door open.
  71. >What she sees doesn’t surprise her.
  72. >Of course, it was her.
  73. >”Who else could it have been?” She asks herself, chuckling as the both of them share a smile.
  74. >Feeling content and relieved, she watched as she blew out the candle.

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