The High Window

I don't know why I hadn’t noticed it. I had taken this cottage in the middle of nowhere to get away from what had just happened in my life and I needed time away.

I had taken a taxi here from the train station and the taxi left so I was here alone, to soak in the quietness and regroup my senses after what had happened.

The cottage was small but in the ground of what was now a derelict decaying stately home weather lots of castellation and stained glass, but there were a lot of broken windows as well. The reason I had taken this place is I knew the stately pile would not have any visitors but would give me something to explore during daylight hours.

When I got into the cottage I was expecting it to be bare but it looked like someone had been there recently and left clothes, boots and a suitcase. In the fridge were several cans of beer and two bottles of wine as well as some fresh milk, but they could have been left by the proprietor rather that the previous tenant or guest.

I made myself some tea and drank it, and though it was dark I thought I would take a walk outside just to look at the stately home. Outside I looked and at the eastern edge was a tower and there seemed to be a window in it which seemed to have a ghostly light behind it, although it could have been the moon shining on it. Then I thought I saw a shadow either move across it or behind it, although it could have been a bird or the shadow of a tree or something.

It was late, and I was tired so, I went back in and took to bed. I could check out the high window tomorrow.

The following morning I got out of bed having had a good night’s sleep and had tea and toast for breakfast. The cottage was well stocked with food but I didn’t really feel like much to eat.

I got dressed and walked towards the derelict stately pile, it was a grey day but he was sure there was something moving behind the high window, and there were no birds or trees that could be causing it. There was something behind the window.

When I reached the house it was fenced off with warnings of danger and notices to keep out. It looked solid enough to me, just disused rather than dangerous, and it had not been kept in a state of good repair. I found a gap in the fence and got to the front door but that was locked and solid. I then saw some broken downstairs windows and wormed my way into the building that way.

Once inside I headed for the eastern tower although the corridors did not seem to want me to go that way. I thought there may be an entrance on an upper floor and I went up two flights of stairs which were in remarkable good repair, and headed east once more and found an entrance to the tower, but the stairs up to the top were to longer there, the tower was empty.

I could see the high window and figures moving across it but they could not be outside.

This was weird.

I looked down at the bottom of the tower and was shocked to see what looked like bodies and the bottom of the tower.

Although they were two stories down I could see that their skin was leathered and desiccated like they had been drained, of life. I was now scared and turned back but there was just a brick wall where there had been a corridor. I went to the wall and thought it must be a trick but it was solid brick.

And then the voices started.

“We have another, we have another, we have food, we are going to feed”

Shadow forms streamed from the high window and whispered horrors as they entered my mind.

I was being bitten and blood started dripping from my nose, eyes, mouth and body but it did not hit the floor, I was food for these shadow vampires that had lured me to their tower.

I was feeling faint.

I could not fight as I felt myself being pulled towards the tower doorway, knowing full well I would be joining the bodies two floors below when they were finished with me …..