Return To The Abyss

Terrance woke up in shock, he was greeted by the morning sun, Holly’s arm over him, and a knocking at the door. Terrence moved Holly’s arm over, threw on a robe and began down the stairs to answer the door. The man went to ring the doorbell, but Terrence flung the door open before he got the chance.

…”Hello, sir I’m from the water company, just wanted you to know we will be here checking out the water pipes and ensuring everything is up to code.”

…”Yes, no problem, just please try not to be too loud my wife is still upstairs sleeping”

…”Yes, of course we’ll try to get this done quick, and just to confirm this is 21 Abyss lane right”

Terrence’s head began to spin, he felt chills and light headed. He couldn’t respond to what the man just said. He began to come in and out of consciousness, the Eyes of the lake flashing through his head. He finally snapped out of it at the man’s beckoning of him.

…”Sir, sir, excuse me sir are you okay.”

…”Yes, I’m okay, sorry it’s just… Um, I just woke up. What did you ask?”

…”Is this 21 Orchard lane”

…”No, it’s not, this is 18 Orchard Lane. The housing numbers are a bit weird out here. If you go back down the road there’s a turn that’s easy to miss. 21 orchard lane is over there, quite a bit behind this house.”

…”Aaah, I see thank you sir, I’ll go head over there, sorry to bother you this morning.”

…”No problem.”

Terrence was still in a bit of shock, thinking of what he thought the man said. He made his way over to the kitchen, grabbed a glass out of the cupboard and fetched himself some water from the sink. Terrence began to drink the water and after his first sip, he looked at the water and it slowly turned black. Pitch black, and eyes began to appear in the glass. Terrence began to sweat profusely and stared into the eyes of the water, petrified, unable to move. Then he heard someone calling his name. He looked over at the entrance of the kitchen and a figure slowly came around the corner. It was Robert, calling his name.

…”Terrence, Terrence, TERRENCE!

…”Terrence!”

It was his wife Holly, he failed to recognize her until she was right in front of him with her hand on his shoulder.

…”Are you ok, you just been standing here looking at your water”

Terrence looked down at his cup, and the water was clear, he slowly looked around in the kitchen and Robert was nowhere to be seen.

…”Sorry baby, yeah, I’m fine, I think i’m just a little under the weather today”

…”Um, yeah I can tell, look how much your sweating, do you have a fever or something”, Holly said as she reached to put her hand on his forehead.

…”Yeah, I think I’m going to take the day off of work I’m not feeling my best”

Terrence slowly made his way back up the stairs, to go back to sleep. This time luckily he had no dream, just a peaceful sleep. He woke up to Holly not yet back from work. He sat on the couch and turned on the TV to watch the news. While he was watching, suddenly the TV, cut off and all the lights in the house with it. A sudden feeling of anxiety came over Terrence. His breathing quickened, it felt as if he was hyperventilating and his eyes couldn't focus. Suddenly, sounds began coming from the TV. He stared at it and slowly got up and put his ear to the TV. It was the sound of water, splashing. The sound someone makes when they get out of a pool. Then began the steps, the wet steps, at first sounding far away and slowly, getting closer, and closer, and closer, until it sounded as if someone was right next to him walking with wet feet in his living room. Terrence grimaced, and held his eyes shut, he could hear dripping coming from behind him, but with all his might he tried to resist turning around. When he felt a hand on his shoulder, it was too much to bear, he quickly turned to no one in the room. Turning to look back at the TV suddenly there was a pitch black humanoid figure standing in front of him. He couldn’t scream, he couldn’t look away, he tripped and fell onto the couch. There were no features on the being, just a black, wet, figure. Wet feet sticking to the floor with every step, slowly the figure towered over him, and slowly began to bend down and place it’s hands on his shoulders. Terrence couldn’t move, tears began coming from his eyes. If his body wasn’t already paralyzed, the intense fear would have stopped him from moving. A black wet face got closer and closer to his, he didn’t see the black figure mouth move. But a sound rang intensely in his head. “As the abyss gives to you, you must give back to the abyss. Did you enjoy your past year. There is a price for everything, and now it’s your turn to give back. You must give back to the abyss”. “You must give back to the abyss”, began ringing over and over inside of Terrence’s head. Blood started coming out from his nose, his ears, then the figure’s eyes began to glow and stared deeply into Terrence's. “You must give back to the abyss”, the words wouldn’t stop, Terrence’s body began to convulse.

Holly returned that night, when she walked into the door, she was greeted to a pitch black house. She saw someone sitting on the couch. She spoke out, “Terrence is that you”, she went to turn on the lights, then suddenly she heard a scream and a figure lunged at her, she screamed as she flipped the switch. WHen she opened her eyes and looked there was nothing, just Terrence, sitting on the couch. Maybe living in these woods is finally getting to her. She stood for a moment and calmed down her heart, which was beating out of her chest. She began talking to Terrence.

…”Terrence, Terrence. Oh my god are you fucking sleeping sitting up. All the lights are off and I’m seeing and hearing things and your just fucking sitting there. I’m sorry, for cussing so much, I'm just startled. Terrence?”

Terrence didn’t say anything the entire time and she slowly walked over to Terrence sitting straight up with his eyes open. Holly began to question if he was sleeping or if something was wrong. She never seen someone sleep with their eyes wide open. When she finally stepped in front of him, she felt that the floor was wet.

…”What the hell happened here, did you spill a gallon of water or something? Terrence?”

She began shaking him, to which Terrence snapped out of his trance and quickly grabbed Holly’s arms, scaring her. She let out a slight yelp and then smacked Terrence in the chest. “What is wrong with you, you scared me, you idiot. Stop playing around, you spilled water everywhere.” Terrence looked around and saw there was water all over him.

“I’m sorry, I don’t know what happened”

…It’s ok, I know you weren’t feeling well, I’ll go get some towels to clean it up”

…”Thanks, baby”

…”So what did you end up doing all day, just sleep on the couch and spill water”

Terrence thought back, he doesn’t remember anything he did all day, but a phrase keeps going through his mind.

…”Give back to the Abyss”

… “I’m sorry, Terrence, what did you say”

… “Nothing, I just watched TV all day and I guess I fell asleep at some point”

… “Well I guess your going to be up, tonight huh”, Holly said as she chuckled

…”Yeah, I guess so”

Terrence rubbed his face, trying to pull himself together. Once the water was cleaned up Holly made a simple meal for the two of them, since Terrence's stomach may be upset and they ate. She went up to bed, but Terrence said he wasn’t tired and stayed downstairs. He sat on the couch staring at the TV as if he was waiting for something to happen. But there was nothing, Terrence started to become Physically irritated. He stood up pacing around the room, he grabbed the TV and began to shake it. He was grunting and the shaking became more violent, the entire TV stand began to shake and right before it seemed as if he was going to snap the TV legs off, a knock came at the door. A soft knock, as if it was someone who has come to the home many times before. Not the knock of a stranger, checking if someone’s home. A simple knock, as if they know someone’s there and they are waiting for them to open the door. Terrence walked over to the door and hesitated for a moment. He took a deep breath and opened the door. He was greeted by darkness, with a resolved look on his face, Terrence walked outside. There was an axe by the door, Terrence grabbed and began to walk down the path, dragging the axe across the ground leaving a line in the dirt. cradled by the darkness.