Very well written! The beginning sets a mood for a fairy tale style little story, but when the door opens... the story takes a looong step towards horror. Very nice trick, the story sucked me in and kept me in its clutch while it lasted and I really enjoyed the twist, how horrific it might be. I liked especially this sentence:

"They stepped back as nothing gently pulled them in, tenderly swarming around the pair."

Believe it or not, but I smiled after reading this. "Nothing gently pulling in" just had that nice effect... what the hell is happening in here!

Anyway, very nice read, I enjoyed this a lot. Also, this is your first Thursday Prompt response, yes? If it is: Welcome! Welcome to the Thursday Prompts. Hopefully you enjoy your time with us, both writing and reading.

Thanks for the praise/welcome. I was concerned that the shift in tone was a bit too abrupt (and I do kind of think it could be smoothed out, still) but I feel better about it now. Which is nice.

Thank you very much for reading.

I thought the shift in tone was the best part. Like most good horror or tragedy, the beginning relaxes you enough for the ending to hit you as hard as possible. The contrast is what makes it work. Also, there's just enough darkness in the beginning of the story - the older kids and the first few apartment-dwellers in particular - that it doesn't seem completely random when it takes a turn for the worse. The pacing is just about perfect. As short and inexplicable as it is, I think this is one of the best stories I've read on here.

Makes me think a bit of this: http://www.ranting-gryphon.com/Audi.....LSD-Thebox.mp3

I can't decide whether this bothers me, or I like it. "There was no sound, no light, no dreams, no nothing, only nothing, always nothing." Double negatives, what you shouldn't not know.

Another enjoyable read from BoaD.

You could take the middle road and remain apathetic, if you like. I won't mind.

Thanks for the comment.

I forgot to mention! That link is creepy!

Makes me glad I listened to it while it was still daytime.

2 is quite the character isn't he? Did you investigate any further than just the link I posted? He has another "Lucid Sonic Delusion." Posted up as well. They are quite entertaining of their own right.

"And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." - Nietzsche