Allure of the Unknown (Horror)

Part 7

As the days passed by, an unnatural lust for the key had entirely possessed Robert. Every night, once Philip had gone to sleep, the man of solemn determination returned to his host's door. Every night, he eased the door to Philip's chamber open. Every night, he would look for the tattered old coat to be hanging on its rack.

There was a night of unprecedented darkness. It was then that the coat in which was so desperately sought after, or rather, the contents of its inner pocket which were so desperately sought after, were hanging invitingly on the coat rack. A certain confidence was instilled within Robert as the thunder crashed outside and the rain battered the roof. Proceeding slowly to the fateful coat pocket, he stretched his hand out. The moment his fingers first grazed the object of his yearning an explosion of light engulfed the room as lightning struck just outside of the room's wide paned window. Robert jumped with a start, and as his heart began to thrash about madly within his chest. Rashness overtook Robert's sense of reason, and he violently snatched the key from its pocket and sprinted from the room and its accursed misfortune.

All sense of fright fell away as the man looked down at his new prize. The key was a tarnished silver, and icy to the touch even within his cold hands. A sensation of unexpected accomplishment filled Robert. Relying solely upon his own ability, he now had the means in which to experience the presence beyond the door.

Now realizing what he had achieved, he tore down the hallway, northward unto the room he had dreamed of the in the previous weeks.