Author's Note: This seriously shouldn't have taken as long as it did, I was planning to release this last month but between multiple rejections and re-writing the first draft because I wasn't happy with how it went I was pretty delayed. Well that and I'm a lazy ass, and I apologize for that.
*****
Philip awoke quickly and out breath, feeling like he only escaped sleep by physically running from it, he slowly got out of bed and groggily took note of his surroundings.
He was no longer in the dungeon, as he had come to know it, but he was still in the manor back in one of the bedrooms on the second floor.
At this point he didn't feel upset, just pissed off.
That was twice now this hell hole got the best of you! Came his judgemental thoughts.
He should have been more careful, faster perhaps and maybe he wouldn't have been caught up in that trap, but regardless he couldn't just sit and dwell on things he could have or should have done.
Dragging his tired body off of the warm sanctity of the bed he quickly scanned the room, resting his glare on the corner and the doll, petite with a single ginger braid, that stood there with its arm outstretched an a card in her hand.
He snatched the card away immediately and scanned its contents, just as before it mocked him on one side:
One more time and you're here forever!
And on the inverse were his instructions:
Next to the attic among the spares.
As he turned to leave he caught a glimpse of the attending doll and thought something about it seemed off. Physically it looked like any of the dolls - bar the ones from the basement. Aside from their small but shapely proportions it shared the same faux flesh, the same lifeless, unseeing eyes and-
Ah that was it - this one was smiling.
Objectively there was nothing off-putting about the smile, it was simple and sweet, full of innocent intent like a loyal maid encouraging her master to face the day with healthy enthusiasm.
But to Phil, after all he'd been through, it felt as though a malicious imp was ridiculing him and his failed rebellion, as if it were expecting him to fail and was egging him onward to his demise simply so that he could hurry and get it over with.
In a moment of blind fury, Phil was dimly aware of a hollow impact on his knuckles and that the doll was now lying on its side with its head rolling steadily to the opposite corner of the room its loving smile still stretching its cute face.
The sight disturbed him, not because of the smile but because of the possibility that these dolls were once living people.
Did she feel that? Was she even aware of what was going on?
What did it matter though? In the end he was leaving and never coming back.
He left the room and stalked down the surprisingly, and unnervingly, empty corridors to where the attic was.
As he walked he reflected on his memories of his rape in the dungeon.
Despite his unresponsive and tired state he could recall almost every moment and minute sensation during that time with one factor leaving a great impact on him:
A day had definitely passed during his time in this mansion, perhaps two days if his first rape was equally as long.
Did his parents not think him staying at the mansion this long was suspicious? Or was there something stopping them from reaching him? If only he still had his phone.
Not wanting to waste any more time, Phil decided to get to his destination as quick as possible, hopefully this time the room wasn't rigged to shut him in with whatever buxom beauty was willing to accost him this time.
Phil stopped before the two doors at the end of the mansion, the door on the right was indistinct and ordinary.
Originally this simple wooden frame had him spellbound, his heart quickened and his body flushed when he was near it and he felt urged to find what was inside it but now the spell was gone.
Because the dweller within the room was gone too.
Phil clutched at his chest when his thoughts lingered on the purple-eyed girl, the spectre haunting the mansion that stirred an uncomfortable familiarity and passion in him.
Surely she couldn't have been the witch that cursed the mansion all those years ago. But it was entirely possible she was related to the witch in some way wasn't it?
Philip shook his head, aggressively beating down his thoughts and feelings to focus on the task at hand.
All that mattered was leaving, and then none of this bullshit would mean anything.
Phil turned to the iron door on the left, its appearance mirroring the basement door did little to allay his nerves.
Initially, this door was locked but now it swung open with as little ease as the basement's door as if it too wished to urge him into a welcoming trap.
Concerned that this one would close behind him, Phil paused a moment and took to the attic next door where he acquired an assortment of boxes, filled with antiques and junk alike, that he piled in front of the neighbouring door.
It was enough to keep the door from closing completely yet light enough that, in the case of an emergency, it could be kicked away to close the door and seal inside whatever demons pursued him.