The Ladies of Horror
Picture-Prompt Writing Challenge!

Behind the Door
by Suzanne Madron

The clink of the padlock against the doorjamb woke her and after a century of sleep, she opened her eyes. Immediately she regretted the action as dust and debris scratched upon entry past the lashes.

She sat up and blinked away the tears, noting the feel of layers of time upon her rotting clothing. How long this time? She wondered. Her story had been told so many times over the centuries that it had become muddled. She had helped to dilute it until it featured a box, and all the things held within that box.

There had never been a box. It had always been her.

The gentle clink of the padlock gave way to hammering, followed by the sound of metal hitting the ground as the lock fell. The door’s hinges screamed out a warning to the unsuspecting innocents beyond, but went unheaded.

With a smile, Pandora got to her feet in order to properly greet the next generation.

Fiction © Copyright Suzanne Madron
Image courtesy of Pixabay.com 

More from Suzanne Madron:

For Sale or Rent

The house across the street seems to go on the market every few months, but this time nothing about the sale is normal, including the new owners. No sooner has the for sale sign come down and the neighborhood is thrown into a Lovecraftian nightmare and the only way to find out is to attend the house warming party.

Available on Amazon!