Note: this was written for the Aberdeen University Creative Writing Society halloween meeting! :)
The
Elphinstone Curse
Thick fog covered King's College
that night. The ground lamps just reinforced its haunted nature from below. I
shouldn't have gone there, but still, I couldn't resist. I got a letter, nah,
rather a quick note in my hall room, was slipped in under the door. At last, it
wasn't a flyer, which would've turned me into slaughter-mode. It said:
"see you at King's College, 10 p.m." It was mysterious, but the handwriting
was so nice, it had definitely to be a girl. So maybe, a date. Who has nice
handwriting, must be beautiful, or at least, have some style. To be honest, at
that moment, it was enough for me if she had some style. I was desperate,
that's why I went there, it's all right.
But the place didn't seem to be all right at
all. Why was there fog? There shouldn't
be fog, it scares me. Fuck off, fog. I thought, but it didn't go. I started
to walk around. The place was all died out. Somehow I had the feeling as a
ghost would appear, such that it happened in A Christmas Carol. But I'm too young to be Scrooge. I shouldn't
be here, am I trapped? I thought. Oh,
shit, I'm Scrooged. But what would a ghost say to me anyways?
'Hey ya.'
'Aaah.' I screamed, turning around to the direction where the sound came from.
There stood a girl, who exactly looked like Samara from The Ring. She wore a
white dress, had long black hair, and extremely white skin. I didn't know what
say. So I said..
'Aren't you cold?' with a fake smile. Do
not mention my scream, do not mention my scream, please.
'No, your screaming keeps me warm. Actually, it was so powerful it radiated
microwaves.' the girl said.
'What's your name?' I tried to get her distracted.
'Tamara' she smiled so innocently that it was creepy by then 'And yours?' Now she seemed interested a bit.
'Sam, Sam Mould.' I imitated James Bond, because our names somewhat rhymed.
'Screamould?' she asked. I can never get
rid of this.
'What's the point?' I asked, impatiently 'Was it you who wrote the...'
'Letter. Yes, I did. I want to show you something, in King's College.'
'Please' I said 'I know King's College, you can show me nothing new there. I
picked all of my tutorials to be there.'
'Sounds a bit creepy.' she said. Actually, there wasn't any problem with her,
she was nice, and funny.
'You study here as well?' just get her
distracted, just get her...
'Kind of.'
'What do you mean by kind of?'
'Don't ask stupid questions. Just follow me' and she started to walk slowly in
the corrydoor. 'You'll have a night you'll never forget.' she smiled. YES.
- I cheered in my thoughts - sex in King's College. Always wanted to do.
So I followed her with a sinister smile. You'd call it pedo. But something was
strange. Why was there fog inside the building? No point. Anyways, we went
upstairs to the third floor, and she opened the door of the toilet. Finally - I
thought. - Lucky enough that I brought a condom. Slowly I got a hold of her
hand.
'Are you already scared or what? We're not even close.' she broke free from my
arms, and slowly removed the toilet from its place.' Do remember the secret
tunnels in Hogwarts?'
'You're just joking.' I said.
'If you don't believe me... don't come after me.' and she dived into a huge
hole next to the toilet's sinker. I don't know why, but I jumped after her
without hesitation. Must have slipped like 4 stairs downwards, it was crazy.
We ended up at a dusty corridor, with paintings on the wall. There was fog as
well. Fog, everywhere. It didn't fuck off.
'Now we're closer.' she said. As we crossed the corridor, I started to hear
some choral music, it sounded gregorian, only one line sung by everyone, male,
female. I'm not getting laid tonight. - I was more and more
sure, but I wouldn't ever expect what I finally saw. A door lead to a huge room
built of stone, at least 500 years old. Huge grey columns filled the space and
protected the place of falling down. There were at least 500 people singing a
choral in huge white dresses, resembling the one of Ku Klux Klan, or the
Templars. When we entered, they all stopped. This was the first moment when I
was actually scared. A bit too late, isn't it?
A man, looking to be a chief, or a president came forward to us, very slowly.
He raised his hands, and said:
'Finally, you are here. Welcome.'
'What is it?' I asked.
'We are the Templars of Kings College.' he started. 'As you may know, King's
College, or, if you prefer, Aberdeen University was founded in 1495, being one
of the oldest universities of the world. But it's not only fame and thrilling -
the institution was cursed at its very foundation, over 500 years ago. The
founder, Bishop Elphinstone, who gave his name to one of the roads as well, had
pledged a serious vow. As you can see, the University is climbing the ladder,
becoming more and more developed. It's no coincidence. Bishop Elphinstone made
a pact with the dark side. On the 1000th anniversary, in 2495, it will be the
best university in the world, kicking Cambridge, Oxford, and Yale. But for
this, it has to give a soul from its freshers every year. We have to seduce him
or her here, and cut...'
I heard enough. I just started to run, but it was pointless. They caught me
right away, and fixed my hands with a rope. I was hung over a fire, and they
started their chorals again.
'On 1000th year, we all will be free. We can leave this building, and finish
our studies, and restart our lives.' A huge acclaim and cheer followed this. 'Tamara,
last year's fresher. Now you have the pleasant opportunity, to sign the 518th
name in the book with his own blood, right after yours.' he yield a knife to
her hands. I gave up. I wanted to die, and I still didn't believe. With a great
smile she cut my hands, and it started to bleed very heavily. Then wrote my
name in the book, it was the 518th in the row.
So, yeah, this is what happened with me last year when I went to King's College
at night. I dare you, Jack, my dear fresher friend, that you do not have enough
courage to come with me there, alone.
