Click, I excelled sharply as I lowered the revolver from my temple. Today
marks the fifth anniversary of Nardia's disappearance. How to believe it's been that long.
We had so much time left, so much life to live together,
but that all came to a screeching halt half a decade ago, and the
day we found those stairs without her, I have no purpose. I've got
no family, no friends, no one to keep me tethered to this world.
So every year and the night that Nardia went missing, I stumbled out
to the spot that it happened, with my six shooter in hand, half
way drowned in a handle of vodka, and I let the forest decide if
I'm going to live for another year or if I'm going to be reunited with
her wherever she is. Now that it's determined that I have at least one
more trip around the sun, I'll tell you how I ended up here at
rock bottom. I need to get this out while I still have the guts
to tell this story. Don't know why, though, I'm going to wake
up sometime tomorrow afternoon with a massive headache and no recollection of tonight's events.
I'd better tell you while I still can. I've lived on the outskirts of
Bear Creek National Park for my entire life. Don't bother looking it up.
It's a fake name, so nobody tries to seek out the evil that lurks
here. It's safer that way. As I was saying, I used to
live out here in a cabin with my dad. I miss him so much.
He passed away eight years ago, leaving me all alone. Cancer sucks.
That was before Nadia and I I started dating. It's funny how things
work out. I actually met her at a coffee shop on my way back
from visiting Dad's grave. When she approached me and asked if the seat across
from me was taken. I was instantly smitten. Her deep blue eyes shimmered
like the ocean, long brown hair cascaded down to her shoulders in waves,
and that smile. When Nadia smiled, it was as if time stopped just
for a moment, so that the whole world would soak in its breath taking
beauty. We were inseparable after that day. In a month, we were
dating. In nine more, we were living together in my cabin, and
in another year we were set to get married. Had a date and a
venue picked out. In everything, I was on cloud nine, but that
was all torn from me in an instant. God, I wish I never
would have taken her out there. I had my first experience with the stairs
when I was seven. Dad had always warned me never to climb them.
That wasn't a problem for me, though. The stairs exuded a malevolent presence,
like anyone who dared to walk up their steps would be eaten alive from
fear alone. I remember it like it was yesterday. I was playing in
the woods near the cabin when I saw it, a black, winding set
of metal stairs that stretched maybe a story. They didn't lead anywhere. They
just kind of ended. All the stairs are like that. They vary in
size and shape and model, but the one thing they all have in common
is that they don't lead anywhere, and they're never in the same place twice.
They just sort of materialize. No one knows how or why, and
truthfully, we don't want to know, most of us. That is,
Nadia wanted to know, and that knowledge cost her everything. Come on,
baby, just a little further. I want to see the sunset. Nadia
wind in protest and my proposal to head back. Nadi. I know you,
but we didn't bring flashlights and our phone batteries aren't worth crap. I
don't know about you, but I don't feel like smacking into trees every few
feet on our way home. How fine, you win. I'll go back
this time, but promise me we can come back tomorrow, she requested,
puffing out a lower lip and gazing up at me with her best puppy doug
eyes. I'd be lying if I said they hadn't worked. All right,
I'll take you back out here tomorrow, but only if you um. I
trailed off, entranced by the sight of them. Nardia's brow knitted together in
confusion as she traced my gaze. Then her jaw fell open. Directly before
us stood a polished cedar wood staircase. I got a sinking feeling in my
gut the moment I laid eyes on that thing. It looked so out of
place, like a rat in a fish tank. What is that thing?
Nardia muttered, gazed still fixed to it. It's nothing. I'll tell you
later, I said, snatching her hand and leading her in the opposite direction.
Oh, Jason, let go. Why are you making such a big
deal out of this. Tell me what's going on. I'm not going to
move another in inch, Nardia protested, crossing her arms defiantly, I sighed.
There was no point in hiding it any longer. She was going to
find out eventually. Okay, so this is going to sound completely unhinged,
but please bear with me. Ever since I've lived here, ever since anyone's
lived here, really, people have been finding random staircases in the forest.
They appear and disappear all the time, and you'll never find one in the
same place twice. The stairs are a bad omen. Something awful happens if
you climb to the top, but no one quite knows what. All I
know for certain is we need to stay far, far away from them.
Nadia rolled her eyes in response. Come on, Jay, do you really
expect me to believe that a bad omen? May you some kind of spiritual
medium? Now? Ooh, A staircase so scary, she said, waving
her hands in a mocking gesture. Nadea, do I look like I'm joking.
I know it sounds crazy, but I wouldn't lie to you. She
softly took my hands into hers and met my gaze. Baby, you know
I wouldn't accuse you of that. It's strange, but if it really irks
you that much, I won't press it. Okay, thank you. Now
let's go home. I'm starving. Once we're out of sight of that wretched
thing, I could sense the tension starting to disperse. It was as if
a veil had been lifted. I fell asleep that night with a stomach full
of dumplings and not a thought in the world besides the batitue girls snuggled in
my arms. The stairs had vanished from my brain, just like they always
did until the next day. We both had the entire day work, and
before I knew it, Nadia was pulling me back down the same path as
the day prior to watch the sunset. Butterflies danced to my stomach as we
approached the spot that we'd seen the stairs the day before. Even so Nadia
noticed it first. Hey, isn't this the same place you pulled me away
from yesterday? Those stairs that are gone? See? I told you they
were a bad omen Now do you believe me? I never said I didn't.
It's just a strange phenomena, you know, like seeing a unicorn.
You don't really expect to find it, or in this case, not find
it. It's a lot to process. I didn't know what to say.
Should hit the nail on the head with the analysis, except the staircases were
no unicorns. No, there was something far more sinister. We continued our
walk in silence until we finally reached our destination. That evening we'll always stand
out in my mind. The sky looked like a painter's canvas, a gorgeous
amalgamation of purple and pink and orange melded together behind a smattering of light,
wispy clouds. I'd never seen anything so picturesque. We stayed there well past
the sunset, staring up into a sea of stars illuminating the night sky.
Thank you for keeping a promise. Today was perfect, Nadia yawned, sleepily,
resting her head on my shoulder. Every day with you is perfect.
Thank you for dragging me out of the house. This really has been incredible.
I love you so much. You're welcome, bonehead, I love you
too. Nadia giggled quietly, her eyes struggling to stay over. All right,
sweetheart, I think it's time for us to go back. You can
hardly stay awake just a little longer. You're so comfy, she protested,
bearing her head into my chest. My heart felt so full in that moment.
What had I done to deserve such an amazing girl? All right,
hope we go, I said, hoisting my weary girlfriend into my arms.
If your legs won't move, I've no choice but to carry you. Oh
no, how terrible. Whatever shall I do? She quipped, wrapping her
arms around my neck. Nothing, just stay still and let me My froze
mid stride, I swallowed a dry lump in my throat, and sweat began
to beat atop my brow. In the darkness among the foliage, my flashlight
beam fell upon a large, bulky object. They were back, Jason,
what's wrong? You look pale, Nadia said, following the ray of light
until she realized what I was looking at. A wide set of weathered concrete
steps ascended to nowhere. They called to me, begging me to climb them.
Just one step, just one, that's all, Jason. I feel
it now what you were talking about yesterday. I feel it. It's all
wrong. They shouldn't be here, Nadia whimpered, fear jolting across the pupils.
Yeah, yeah, you're right, I said, ripping my gaze from
the awful thing. Just don't look at it. We're going to be okay.
This time, I was in as relieved once we'd escaped the staircase as
a lowering pull. I'd never see the stairs two days straight before. They
were always more sporadic in their appearance, never showing up with any rhythm or
consistency, so to see them twice made me feel a bit uneasy. Nadia
and I didn't mention the stairs again that evening. We were both absolutely exhausted
and we were itching to get some much needed rest. I'd be damned if
I wasn't going to let some stupid staircase ruin a good night's sleep. Nadia
was already snoring when I joined her in bed, and I was out the
second of my head hit the pillow. If only we could have made it
until morning, maybe then she'd still be here. I awoke in a pitch
black room. Nadia was missing from her side of the bed. I didn't
worry at first. It was an abnorm more for her to sneak off to
the bathroom in the middle of the night every once in a while. I
didn't want to drift back off until I had her beside me, though I
waited and waited to no avail. Then, after what felt like an eternity,
I finally called out, hey, babe, are you coming back to
bed soon? I received no response. That was when the panic set in.
Nadia would never ignore me like that. I leapt out of bed and
beelined for the bathroom. It was empty. My heart began to pound against
my rib cage like a jackhammer. Sirens were blaring in my head, telling
me that something was wrong, and I felt helpless to silence them. I
turned the whole cabin inside out with no results. Nadia was nowhere to be
found. Then, amongst all the chaos, an idea flickered in my head.
Why hadn't I thought of it sooner? Nardia's phone was missing from the
bedside, but I could track a location and find my friends. I fumbled
to unlock my own phone and opened the app. I had to know that
she was okay. I loaded up the app and located Nadia's icon. She
was close. The app said that she was only a few hundred feet from
the cabin. I threw on a pair of shorts and darted out into the
frigid night air. I raised barefoot across the leaves and rocks and acorns.
I didn't have time to grab shoes right then. I didn't care if my
feet would taunt of ribbons, as long as Nadia was okay. I eventually
reached the point where a phone should have been. I frantically called it,
praying that she would pick up. This time, I saw something ill illuminate
amongst the leaves, and not far beyond it, I found who I was
searching for. But instead of being overcome with joy upon finding the love of
my life, my blood turned ice cold. Nardia's face was partially illuminated by
the moonlight trickling through the canopy. She was gazing down at me, with
tears streaming down her cheeks. Below her feet sat a staircase. This time
it was ornate, white, glassy marble stairs gleamed even in the darkness.
Topped off with the pristine red carpet. The stairs looked as if they would
lead straight to Heaven itself, and that terrified me. Dread crashed over me
like a tidal wave. As we stared at each other. I wanted to
move. I wanted to sprint up to her and sweep off those god forsaken
things, but I couldn't. I was rooted in place, forced to watch
as the girl of my dreams ascended the final step. Jason, Please,
I don't want to go. I love you and I want to stay with
you forever. I had to know. I could feel them calling to me.
Please don't let them take me. Nadia sobbed uncontrollably, reaching out a
hand toward me. I wanted to grab it, to pull her into my
arms, to tell her that everything was going to be okay, but I
was stuck. I was forced to watch in abject horror as Nadia involuntarily took
that one last step to the top. It felt as if time had slowed
to a crawl. One second I was paralyzed, eyes locked, and Nadia
and is vile stairs, and the next I was alone. Nadia and the
staircase had vanished into the cool night air, like they never existed at all.
The burden of that night will stay with me until the day I die.
I wailed, I screamed, I pounded the earth, and to my
fists were bloody and my throat was hoarse. Nadia had been taken from me
right before my very eyes, and I did absolutely nothing. I blame myself
for a long time after that. Hell, I still do. I don't
think I'll ever be able to move on. That's my punishment, I suppose,
living out a dull, meaningless life while images of my lost girlfriend run
through my head day in and day out. That's why I drink. Strangely
enough, I've never seen the stairs again. Very really the only reason that
I'm still here because maybe if I just give in, maybe if I convince
myself to climb that one last looming step, then there might be a chance
that I'll be reunited with Nadia. And for me, that's the chance that
I have to take.