The Wall

Do you want me to follow you little one?
What am I doing talking to a cricket ...!!? I must be crazy. Maybe not as crazy as being in this place..in this time. Why not ? Nothing else is making sense at the moment.

Following this little creature accross the room, to what seemed to be a panelled area of the wall. Small wodden panels adorned the wall about the size of a postcard. Smoothly poolished. The cricket seemed to settle at the bottom of the wall and cheerped loudly. What was he trying to tell me ? How does the key fit into all this ?

Trying to read the inscription again ..."The key u..ocks t.. .... ...uble the second bes... the fifth." The wordings seemed worn and it was difficult to make out the whole sentance.
Another riddle. I was feeling that this was going to be a long journey when suddenly a loud crash followed by a chilling shrill came from the corridor.

That shook me from my self pity and I re-focus on the issue at hand. How was this wall and the inscription on the key link together ? I look at the cricket and was in half a mind to ask it. Man I was going to be committed to a mad house if I survived this.

I thought what the hell...worse case I would just get another chirp. "Look you proably don't even understand what I'm saying but do you know how to use this key and where I need to put it ?"
For some strange reason, looking at this small creature, I felt that it understood what I was saying.
It looked at me for a what seemed like ages and then suddenly took off. Flying upwards, towards the middle of the wall, it rested on one of the panels. Almost like tapping the panel with its feet, it motioned with intensity. Looking at the panels, it seemed to have rested on the fourth panel from the ground and the sixth panel from the left. Four is double two which is the second so four should be double the second which should be the first half of the inscription. "bes....the fifth" That should be "beside the fifth". Six is beside the fifth ! "Oh you wonderful creature you ! " I bellowed.

But how do I use the key ? There were no key holes or anywhere to insert the key. I pressed the panel to no avail. How do I use this darn key ?

Click Click Click

A movement in between the books caught my eye. There it was...a cricket ! What was this creature doing ?
Why was it here ?

Questions streamed through my head. It seemed to be hovering around a particular book. I tried to make out the title. It was quite worn so the word were hard to read. I pulled the book out from the shelf. 
"DAWN" Could this be the clue which was written about earlier ? "the sun rises where the moon sleeps" ?
As I opened the book, a key dropped out on the floor with a loud clink. As I reached for the key, I noticed a faint writting on the key. Trying to read the inscription in the candlelight, the cricket flew and hit me on the chest again.
Was it trying to get my attention ? Can this be part of the clue ?

A message ?

Suddenly something flew and hit me square on the chest. I looked around but could not see what it was.  I heard a soft rattling sound. I tried to pinpoint where the sound was coming. It was very faint, but it seem to be coming from the book shelf. I grabbed the candle and move closer to the book shelf.  A rustling sound of sorts was coming from there.Where was it ? What was it ?

Looking up and down I still could not find it but I could hear it. Rustling amongst the books. Somewhere. Could this be the help I needed or just another weird apparition from this strange place ?

Any help out there ?

Looking around I could not see anything remotely looking like a sign or indication of where I should start. Who can help me...?

A dash of hope

Moving swiftly down the darken corridor, I suddenly saw a glimmer of light in the darkness. Hastily moving towards this very dim glimmer of hope, it glowed brighter as I moved closer. The sounds behind me seemed to have stopped but I was not taking any chances. Closer and closer to this sole glimmer of hope. What will I find there ? It has to be better then the darkeness I was in.

The light grew brighter and brighter. Finally I reached the door where the light was coming from. As I peaked around the corner, I saw what looked like another lounge with walls of book cases. The light came from a lone candle on a writing table. What was this candle doing here ? There was no one or nothing around. Who lit this candle ? What were they doing here ?

Slowly I gathered myself and entered the room. A splendid looking room which seemed to belong to a scholar of some sorts. There seemed to be a scroll on the table. I ventured nearer to take a look.

"I fear that the curse has taken its hold on the mansion. Unearthly creatures roam the grounds and it is only a matter of time that they enter the mansion. The only way to stop this lies within the secret room that grandfather spoke about. Tis my hope that I will be succesful in my quest else I will leave this in a hope someone else will be able to undertake this frightful task and finally rid this place of the curse. My first clue is the sun rises where the moon sleeps."

What can this all mean ? It would seem that whoever wrote this may not have succeeded. Looks like some how this burden was being passed to me. How did I get this responsibility ? Who decided ?

As I sat down to digest what this all meant, I heard another noise coming from where I had been. I better get my head straight and think of where to find this room for whatever that was making that noise is surely going to be heading down this way at any time. If I don't figure a way out of this...NO I need to find a way out of this.

Looking around, I thought, it must start from this room as the writer must have left on his search from here. What was that clue ? ".. the sun rises where the moon sleeps."  What in the world does that mean ?

A flicker of hope ?

Suddenly a flicker of light caught the corner of my eye. It seemed to come from the far corner of the building, a little glimmer of hope perhaps. A little hope is better then none. Hurriedly I moved back into the mansion and which was pitched dark. Not a soul was to be seen. Stumbling in the darkness, I tried to find the entrance that I came through earlier. With a little luck I stumbled upon the opening. The corridor was not much better, but I groped around and tried to head towards where I saw the light. I prayed that I don't stumble upon any of those creatures that I saw earlier or any other creatures stumbling on me in this darkness.

Every little sound and flicker in the darkness played on my imagination. Slowly edging through the darkness, feeling my way through this murkiness. Suddenly, a loud crash behind me. My heart pounded faster as I moved as fast as I could in the darkness. Was it just the storm or some creature catching on my scent. Fear drove my adrenaline as I hastened down the corridor. Still no sign of light or of anything for that matter. Another crash. Seems closer or was it my imagination ? Move I told myself. Move !

Run or Hide ?

Closer it got, the faster my heart beat ...
Is it going to discover my hiding place? How can I escape from this predicament ? Questions racing through my brain like a freight train. Should I make a break for it now ? Where would I go ?

It approached closer and closer.

Something suddenly distracted it and it seemed to stop. I could not see or hear what it was. Suddenly I saw it's back next to the table as it sat down right next to my right hand. I almost let our a scream but managed to hold myself. My heart raced faster as I slowly moved my hand away. I could hear its deep breathing just next to me as I slithered lower down to the ground.

Seconds became minutes as time seemed to be in slow motion. Eventually it got up and moved away. It was several moments before I had the courage to peek round the table. I could not see any sign of it or of anything else for the matter. The mansion was dark and not a flicker of light could be seen. I seemed to be safe for the moment but what now ?

Looking around  I could not see any of the creatures I saw earlier. The garden was empty. The wind was still howling and a storm seemed to be brewing. Looking further, I could see the balcony edge. Should I venture further to see if there was a way out over the balcony or go back to the relative safety of the mansion with its undiscovered secrets ?

The scream

The loud piercing scream coming from the mansion was chilling and spine tingling. I was frozen where I was for fear of going forward or backwards. The storm was brewing stronger and the wind howled with the scream. Instinctively out of fear or just shear weakness in my legs, I collapsed down behind the over turned table in front of me. From behind the table I could hear a series of loud roaring screaming sounds emanating from the mansion.

My curiosity was greater then my fear so I edged to the end of the table to peek at the source of this terrifying sound. At first I could not see anything as the mansion was dark, but suddenly out of the void a huge creature sprung out. It was a huge baboon. Almost 8 feet in height with terrifying sharp teeth. It swiped the nearest chair out of his way as if looking for something. Slowly it moved towards my direction. Holding my breath and praying that he would not detect me, cowering behind this flimsy table. What have I done to get my self into this ? What kind of place was this when the laws of nature was so crazy ? 

As it got nearer my heart beat faster and faster like a freight trains. So fast and loud that I feared it would hear it. Near and near he approached until it was almost on top of me.

It Begins...

I awoke as if from a dream. Yet it seems like it was no dream. I found my self walking hastily through a darken corridor of a strange mansion with no one in sight. I felt like the body I was in was not of my own yet I continued down this strange path with no control of the destination.

Upon reaching the end of the corridor, I saw a door and pushed it open. There were two Indian gentleman talking in the room and I excused myself to them. They seemed unperturbed and continued their conversation. I entered the room which seemed like a large lounge of sorts. A Victorian style lounge no less, with huge sofa lit by various candle lights in a dim light. Large doors opened out to a court yard. As I drew near I saw that it was a garden extending out into the distance. The strange fact that I believe we were on the second floor of this mansion was confirmed as I saw the edge of the balcony. Where was I ? What strange place was this ?

As I moved outside, I saw an old man slumbered in the deck chair just beyond the door. Deck chairs and garden tables were strewn every where. An odd sight to see especially on a balcony. Moving further out I felt the wind picking up, like a storm brewing. The grass blew with the wind and a chill drove deep within me. I suddenly noticed a lion amongst the tables in the distance and common sense told me I should venture back in. 

I turned to go back into the room when I saw what seems to be a man but not a man. He was more of half a man and half a lion, busily eating something which I could not make out. A great fear came over me and I wanted to run into the room when suddenly I huge sound came from there.