This is an automated archive made by the Lemmit Bot.
The original was posted on /r/nosleep by /u/CallMeStarr on 2024-09-21 12:30:58+00:00.
We drove.
The drive lasted forever. At first, I didn’t notice, I was too busy fidgeting with my shiny new phone. In my naivety, I figured this venture (rescuing my girlfriend from the hounds of hell) would take a couple hours, and I’d narrowly make it to school on time. Oh, how wrong I was.
The cop didn’t speak; no music, no conversation, nothing. Just the sound of the V-8 engine barrelling down an anonymous side road. Finally, I spoke up.
“Um, where are we going?”
The cop grumbled something under his breath, gripping the wheel tightly, and kept driving. Earlier at the coffee shop, he introduced himself as Doug. He didn’t say much else. Only that he knew of this frozen hell-world Rowan was trapped inside. And that we should go get her, before it's too late.
We drove.
I was getting fidgety, my phone no longer of interest. Ugh. Where was he going? We weren’t even in the city anymore. I began to worry. Maybe this disgruntled cop was going to torture me, and make me do unspeakable things. I imagined the worst. Many unthinkable scenarios played out in my mind. Doug was old, but he was tough as nails. His wrists were like logs, his eyes as cold as a killer’s heart.
I was sitting in the back, which somehow made it worse. It was an old car, with the old-style seat belts, and old car smell. I didn’t like it. The old car blundered onward, until finally we pulled into a plot of land next to a cabin so derelict, it should’ve had a sign declaring: Hillbilly Haven.
“Wait here.”
His revolver, clenched tightly within his large hands, made a good argument.
I waited.
My heart was leaping inside my throat. I hated myself for being so gullible. Like, why would I get into a car with some strange man? Yes, he was a cop (retired), and he claimed he could find my girlfriend. Still. I truly am an idiot.
I watched him disappear behind the makeshift cabin. The only sound was the squawking jays, warning others of our presence, and the endless chorus of crickets. By now, I’m freaking out. Clearly, I wasn’t safe. I scanned the old car, looking for a weapon. Anything. There was a ballpoint pen on the dash. I grabbed it and stuffed it inside my sleeve, just in case. When I looked up, he was standing over me. I nearly screamed. He tapped on the window. I rolled it down manually, which I’d never done before.
“Keep out of the bag.”
Before disappearing again, he tossed a large khaki backpack onto the passenger’s seat. Despite the warning, I considered rummaging through it. Just a peek, right? But I didn’t dare. When he returned, gun in hand, he got into the vehicle and drove away.
“Like, what’s going on?” I asked, trying to sound brave.
“Needed supplies,” he grunted. “You didn’t think we’d just show up unprepared, did you?” His laugh was as dirty as an ashtray.
I didn’t know how to respond, so I kept quiet. If this psychopath was gonna kill me, let’s get it over with. After a summer of depression (the guilt of abandoning Rowan weighed heavy on my heart. And why wouldn’t it?) I enrolled in college, taking a welding course. I wanted to improve my life. Whatever that means. Now, this?
He drove fast, trailblazing through a series of rustic roads. I closed my eyes, and must’ve fallen asleep, because the next thing I know we’re in the parking lot of Brews and Wash. To my surprise, the lot was empty, save from a few druggies mucking about.
“It’s closed,” I said, bewildered.
The cop rolled his eyes, like this was yesterday’s news. Maybe it was.
“We’ll enter through the rear.”
Those words didn’t sit well with me. I still did not trust this man. My heart was pounding so loud, I’m sure he could hear it. He stepped out of the vehicle and tapped on my window, rolling his fingers impatiently, until I got out. Above us, the sky was bleak; a storm was brewing. Surely, a sign for things to come.
“How are we gonna get in?” I asked.
Grinning, he licked his lips. This is a madman, I realized, not happily, as he produced a golden key.
“This here’s the City Key. It’ll open anything.”
“We’re…?”
I didn’t have the heart to ask. Nor did I need to. Of course we were breaking in. It’s not like Ray would voluntarily let us pass through the door that declared: DO NOT ENTER! Besides, for whatever reason, Ray closed shop. He’s owned the laundromat for as long as I can remember. Nothing made sense. The cop rammed the City Key into the lock and turned. CLICK. His eyes danced with possibilities.
“You go first,” he said.
I can’t believe I’m going through with this. Like, I should be in class right now! Ugh. With a pouty face, I flicked on the light. No light came. Something was wrong. All the machines were gone, replaced by piles of black soot. The smell was like burnt plastic. The cop nudged me onward.
“Take this.”
He reached into his bag and handed me a flashlight. The light was welcoming, as we descended into the dark and dingy basement, careful not to wack our heads.
“What the…?”
I stopped and stared, not believing my eyes. It looked like a nuclear bomb had detonated. The cardboard boxes were obliterated, the mop bucket now a pile of ashes. The basement stank worse than upstairs.
“Get going.”
The cop nudged me towards the door. The door with the DO NOT ENTER! sign. Only now, the door seemed different. Smaller somehow. The skull was colorless. It seemed sad, like its hopes and dreams were shattered.
I was handed the skull key.
“Open the door.”
I didn’t appreciate being ordered around. I should jam the key down his scruffy throat. Instead, I took the key and shoved it into the large lock.
Nothing.
I tried again, and shrugged. Doug’s face was blazing red, his eyes burning with rage.
“Lemme try!”
He snatched the key and fed it to the lock and turned.
Nothing.
We stood side by side, crouched awkwardly, while staring at the door with the DO NOT ENTER! sign. Doug’s face took a sour turn. I didn’t trust what he’d do next.
An idea came to me. “Try the other key,” I said.
“Other key?” His eyes lit up. “Of course!”
The City Key worked! Finally, something was going our way. In the excitement, the cop shoved me aside and disappeared through the strange door, gun in hand. I turned and smashed my head and swore. Oh, how I hated this basement.
A layer of mist was rolling in. The door was shimmering. It’s now or never. So, with a million thoughts crashing my mind, I entered the frozen hellscape. The door slammed shut behind me.
The cold hit me straight away. Why didn’t we bring warm coats? I could kill myself right about now. Ugh. My eyes were slow to adjust. Torrential winds pelted me from every direction. The snow was merciless. I could barely see my own hand in front of my face. The flashlight did nothing.
“Doug!” I shouted. “Where’d you go?”
My voice was flattened by the oncoming storm. Shivering, I scanned the vicinity, shocked that the door we came through, now closed, was floating midair. Behind it, only snow.
As my eyes adjusted, I noticed something resembling a snowy cave. I went towards it and slipped, falling flat on my face. Ugh. When I looked up, I groaned. Something was circling above me. Something huge. It looked like a Pterodactyl, with a long beak, spiky teeth and glowing red eyes.
“Doug!”
Anger enveloped me. This was stupid. We were walking into certain death. Then it hit me: The cop has no intention of helping me. Clearly, he has his own agenda. Whatever, I’m here now. The least I could do is try. I jumped to my feet and shouted as loud as humanly possible.
“Rowan!”
Something struck the back of my head. Rocks. That stupid Pterodactyl was dropping rocks! I was on my knees, cowering, when a series of tortured screams startled me. The sound was abhorrent, like the screaming of a billion tortured souls, bellowing in despair. One thought sprung to mind: ESCAPE.
Admitting defeat, I turned back, thinking the door was behind me. It wasn’t. In the confusion, I must’ve gotten turned around. Oh, why didn’t we bring markers, or something. This was stupid. I wondered what the cop was up to, and if he was having better luck. I scanned the area, looking for the dreaded door. There! The door was to my right. Lying flat on my belly, which kept me warm, I crawled towards the door. Meanwhile, the dreaded dinosaur continued dropping rocks the size of Texas.
I heard a familiar voice call my name.
“Rowan!”
“Jackson! Is that really you!”
My heart found my mouth. I couldn’t believe it! She’s actually alive! Deep down, I thought she was dead. The only reason I went – besides the fact that I was ambushed and put on the spot – was to alleviate the life-destroying guilt, gutting me. The ground trembled. The wind and snow whirled. The terrifying screams reached a fervor.
“Jackson! It’s a trap! Go back!”
Her voice was coming from below me. I tried following it, but I was stuck, frozen to the ground. The Pterodactyl swooped down and snatched me up; and the next thing I know, I’m high in the air, trapped inside its massive beak. The beak, as sharp as a surgeon’s blade, dug deeply into my back and neck. The pain was tremendous.
A shot rang out.
The high-flying creature went berserk, flinging me like a toy in a dog’s mouth. I jammed the ballpoint pen into its eye. It made a sound like a Harley. Then it dropped me, and I crashed onto the icy surface.
The ground below me groaned. The ice was cracking. Before I could move, the ground opened up and swallowed me. While falling, I saw the cop, revolver in hand...
Content cut off. Read original on https://old.reddit.com/r/nosleep/comments/1fm1xe9/the_door_said_do_not_open_i_opened_it/