Day 398

Your bathwater began to run grey from the taps.
As you tried to turn them off the faster it flowed, ashen and smelling faintly of meat.
More water poured than should be possible from such small taps.
The bath had yet to overflow though it was nearing the rim.

As suddenly as it had started it stopped.
The water remained right near the rim, grey and rippling from unseen movement.
A pale shape began to rise from the murky depths - a body.
It shouldn't have been possible, were you dreaming still?

The closer it got to the surface the more detail you could make out.
Large closed eyes, black and sunken round the edges, far larger than human eyes.
Its mouth was open, seemingly breathing the water around it.
It kept rising slowly until its entire face was above the surface, water flowing from its maw.

The gurgling breaths it took gradually ceased as it began to breathe air.
You were so focused on this creature that you hardly noticed the bathroom door locking itself.
With such suddenness that made you jump back the taps sprang into life, pouring grey once more.
The body rose with the water, beginning to tip over the edge.

You reached out to try and push it back but the second your hands touched its skin it woke.
Those eyes, those inhumanly large eyes fixed on your frightened face, mouth opening wider.
Its teeth were like a forest of needles, breath hissing in and out steadily.
You tried to back off but it grabbed your hand in its own, pale and bloated with a grip of steel.

The water continued to rise as you struggled to free yourself, unable to break its grasp.
It slowly sat upright, eyes still staring at you unblinking and empty.
Now the overflow was at knee height and the creature was moving to stand.
You reached for the nearest object - a small mirror - and began to beat it down.

It made no sound yet its expression was that of agony.
The mirror broke and glass shards became embedded in its forehead, face and neck.
Its grip gradually went lax and it collapsed, sinking back into the water with a loud splash.
As the grey fluid seeped down the drain you were left with a corpse and the sound of your breath.

Shakily sitting on the toilet seat you tried to calm yourself, closing your eyes and breathing deeply.
Something still felt off, you held your breath and heard a faint gasp nearby.
Trying not to show your awareness of the other living presence you slowly opened your eyes.
The creature was still breathing, it hadn't been after you beat it down and yet now it was.

You wondered how long it would be before it opened its eyes again and what it would do.
The door might have opened by now, you crept over to it as quietly as possible.
Seems the water had somehow rusted the handle, it crumbled damply in your hand.
There was something solid inside of what was left of the handle.

A key yet your bathroom door had always locked by a latch, not an actual lock
The idea struck you to try and peel away more of the rust to see if the lock had changed too.
Wiping your hand over the rotting mass you found it almost dissolved, revealing a keyhole.
You figured you were dreaming yet the ache in your arms from killing the creature persisted.

The key turned with a metallic squeal, you heard the creature groan.
You didn't realise it could make noise.
Time clearly wasn't on your side, you had to leave there and fast before it was fully alive.
As the door creaked open you saw that even your hallway had changed.

The red carpet was muddy brown and as sopping wet as the bathroom.
Grey water was pouring from somewhere on the stairs, creating a waterfall.
You heard footsteps downstairs, thudding wetly down the hallway - you had more company.
The hallway upstairs was sagging halfway, your choices were stay and die or risk a drop.

Taking a few steps back you ran and leapt over the sagging area as it collapsed behind you.
Two sets of groaning came from behind you.
One creature (the first judging by the glass embedded in its skull) peered around the bathroom door.
As you turned back around the second creature stood before you, its bloated face grimacing at you.

It left you no time to think as it brought the broken mirror down, sending you into darkness.
You awoke some time later, wrist tied to a ceiling grate of some sort in a concrete looking pit.
The water here was shoulder deep and so cold you couldn't feel your legs nor your other arm.
A snicker drew your attention above as the creature waved at you with your unfelt limb.

It tossed your arm through the grating and you watched helplessly as it bobbed in front of you.
Your legs were next, one at a time they were thrown down, leaving a faint redness to the water.
The creature seemed pleased enough with this, slinking away despite your screams.
Your dead arm began to swim towards you, fingers digging into your flesh as it climbed your neck.