Repeat After Me...

“Repeat after me, I, state you name, devote my whole life to Delta Sigma Si.”, Christy’s eyes were wide as if scared of something.

“I, Lacie Anderson, devote my whole life to Delta Sigma Si.”

“I promise to be loyal to my sisters, and I place this sorority and my sisters, before anything.”

“I promise to be loyal to my sisters, and I place this sorority and my sisters before anything.”, I smiled as I blew out the flames on the candles and the room became dark. Once the applauding ceased someone said, “Alright, turn the lights on.”

“I’m trying!”, Christy’s voice was as if trembling with worry.

“Come on Chris...”, I was becoming afraid of the dark.

A cold breeze flew in through the window that was supposed to be closed, “Lacie, I told you to close the window! Why didn’t you?!”, Christy shouted.

“I did!”, I yelled, not sure why this was such a big deal and why the girls were freaking out. Suddenly all became quiet, “Girls? Someone turn on the lights! Girls! Is this apart of getting into Delta Sigma Si? Come on sisters this isn’t really funny anymore I’m a bit creeped out.”

“Walk to the tree, pull the blue ornament.”, a raspy whisper flew by my ear. Chills ran down my spine as I spun around stuttering,“Wh-who’s there? Who ar-are you?”

“Walk to the tree, pull the blue ornament.”, the hoars voice got louder. I ran towards the door trying to escape, but the door was locked, and the doorknob was cold.

“Follow my orders!” the voice shouted and the Christmas tree shook. The room dropped to a low temperature as I fell on my knees, surprised from the force.

I walked slowly to the tree, my teeth chattering and my feet going numb, I searched for the blue ornamant. The toy was shaped like a perfect ball, a royal blue covering it and I saw my pale face through it’s reflection. I gently pulled it and a strong metallic scent tingled at my nose hairs. As the tree slowly turned it gave off a loud scraping sound and revealed a deep, curvy stairwell.

“Follow me”, a gust of air flew passed me down the stairs nearly knocking me off my feet. As I stepped down, the lights got dimmer and dimmer and finally I stepped into a small dark room, with only two long chains attached to it’s rough wall. I gasped and turned back to run, but I was met with another stone wall.

“Let me go! Please! I didn’t do anything!”, my voice cracked as tears raced down my dry cheeks.

“That’s where you’re wrong,” the painful voice was behind me, “You shouldn’t have ever promised that oath.”

I screamed as a force pulled me into the wall and my wrists were chained. “Don’t hurt me! Please! Who are you?!”.

“Who I was, is the better question. I was a college girl just like you, who tried to get into Delta, but they would never accept me,” I cried as the chains tightened around my body and the voice continued, “When I drove off a bridge the Delta girls cried like they cared, but the next day they carried on with their life. So now, each Christmas Eve when a new girl decides to join, I let her, and then take her down here and she’s trapped to see how horrid and cruel this sorority is.”

I yanked at the chains, my eyes soar from crying, looking at my bleeding and bruised wrists. I had no idea what was expecting me as I squinted my eyes to look for the spirit. “Please, let me go” I could barely make out the words.

“Too late.” I felt a sharp peircing in my throat and blook tickled my neck as I tried to scream in pain, but nothing came out. I heard the voice whisper once more, “Lure in more girls, let them suffer too.” the spirit flew into my throat and a sudden darkness swallowed me.

As I bolted my eyes opened, I saw a beautiful, bright, Christmas tree in front of me. The calendar read “December 24, 1896”. In front of me stood a young girl ready to join Delta Sigma Si.

My eyes widened with fear as I opened my mouth to scream, to warn the girl, but all that came out of my mouth was,“Repeat after me...”

#flashfiction #gothic #christmaseve