Marmalade

The old hotel stood tall and desolate, its faded facade holding secrets from years gone by. Whispers of a dark presence circled among the townsfolk, tales of a demonic dog that haunted the corridors and made the bravest souls shudder. Its name was Marmalade, an ill-fitting moniker.

Of it's appearance there were only rumours. The most often recounted being its eyes. Well, what was where the eyes should be. The only vibrant feature amidst the darkness, pierced through the shadows with a ghastly white glow, like twin beacons of malevolence.

The legend told of how the ears would learn first of an impending attack. As it hunted through the halls of the hotel, a cacophony of echoing footsteps rang out, each beat reverberating through the ancient building like a rude urgent knocking on your door. Startling, terryfying, unexpected. "Bang... Bang... Bang... Bang... Bang... Bang... Bang... Bang..." One floor. "Bang... Bang... Bang... Bang... Bang... Bang... Bang... Bang..." Another floor closer. The sound of its paws racing down the stairs from the upper floors, closer and closer, sent chills down the spines of those who heard it.

But the most terrifying aspect of Marmalade was the effect it had on its prey. When faced with imminent danger, the name suddenly made sense. "I can't run!??" The sheer terror one experienced upon hearing the malevolent creature left their legs as heavy as if they were submerged in viscous marmalade. The instinct to flee gripped their very being, yet their muscles refused to respond. They couldn't run away, not fast enough. their anguished faces contorted with effort and an urgency seemingly not available to their limbs.

It was on a moonlit night, when the hotel sat draped in an eerie silence, that an unsuspecting traveler found themselves trapped in Marmalade's clutches. Samantha, a young woman with an adventurous spirit, had checked into the hotel, oblivious to its haunted reputation. As midnight approached, the corridors seemed to grow colder, and an unsettling presence filled the air.

Samantha, restless and unable to sleep, ventured into the dimly lit hallway outside her room. That's when she heard it—a distant knocking sound, like the soft whispers of impending doom. Her heart raced as the knocking grew louder, closer. "Bang... Bang... Bang... Bang..." Marmalade's approach was imminent.

She fought to move, her mind screaming for her legs to respond, but the fear was overwhelming. Her body was held hostage by the specter of the demonic dog, its presence closing in with every step. Panic took hold as Samantha felt the darkness creep into her soul, the realization that escape was impossible.

Marmalade emerged from the shadows, its white eyes fixed upon Samantha, unblinking. A low growl escaped its throat, reverberating through the hallway. Frozen in place, she watched as the dog shambled forward, teeth bared, ready to claim its victim. Time slowed to a crawl as terror washed over her, her scream silenced by the grip of paralyzing fear. The dog's head turned, as did it's grotesque shadow on the wall. Like she was being hunted twice. Marmalade bowed on the last half turn of the stairs infront of Samantha. Muscles shaking ready to explode. Samantha thought the two last thoughts she would ever feel in this life. "Those eyes don't care". Then "Fuck".

And in that moment, as Marmalade's jaws closed in, Samantha felt her consciousness fade away. The legends were true—the black demonic dog had claimed another soul, its horrifying effect etched into her very being.

So that's the legend of Marmalade. But don't worry it's probably all made up. However if you are ever alone and vulnerable, and you hear something tearing ever closer down the stairs, I hope for your sake you can get those legs to work.

Marmalade [modern style]

The old hotel loomed in desolation, its worn exterior housing ancient secrets. Whispers of a malevolent force coursed through the town, tales of a demonic dog haunting the corridors, instilling fear even in the bravest hearts. Its name was Marmalade, a misfitting label that masked the true horrors it unleashed.

Speculations surrounded its appearance, but one detail seized attention—the absence of eyes replaced by twin beacons of ghastly white light, slicing through the darkness like an ominous signal.

As the legend went, the first inkling of Marmalade's approach manifested in the ears. The hotel's halls echoed with thunderous footsteps, crashing in your ears like a rude urgent knocking on your door. "Bang... Bang... Bang... Bang... Bang... Bang... Bang... Bang..." The sound escalated, each floor drawing nearer, its paws racing down the stairs in a bone-chilling cadence, sending shivers down the spines of all who bore witness.

Yet, the most terrifying aspect of Marmalade lay in its ability to paralyze its prey. Confronted with imminent danger, the name took on a chilling significance. "Why can't I move?!" The sheer terror evoked by this malevolent entity left victims with legs as heavy as if mired in treacle. Their instinct to flee pulsed through their veins, only to be thwarted by muscles that defied their desperate commands. Helplessness etched itself onto their anguished faces, the urgency to escape unattainable by their own limbs.

One moonlit night, as the hotel languished in an eerie silence, an unwitting traveler found herself ensnared in Marmalade's clutches. Samantha, a young woman driven by an adventurous spirit, had checked into the hotel, blissfully oblivious to its haunted reputation. With the midnight hour's approach, a frigid chill pervaded the corridors, and an unsettling presence hung heavy in the air.

Restless and unable to sleep, Samantha ventured into the dimly lit hallway outside her room. That's when she heard it —the distant knocking, akin to foreboding whispers heralding imminent doom. Her heart pounded, the knocking intensifying, drawing nearer. "Bang... Bang... Bang... Bang..." Marmalade's arrival loomed ominously.

She fought to move, her mind commanding her legs to respond, yet fear shackled her in its merciless grip. The specter of the demonic dog held her captive, creeping ever closer with each relentless step. Panic surged within Samantha, darkness seeping into her soul, the realization of her inescapable fate taking hold.

Emerging from the shadows, Marmalade fixed its unblinking, white eyes upon Samantha. A low growl reverberated through the hallway, intensifying the paralyzing fear. Frozen in place, she watched as the dog advanced, bared teeth poised to claim its victim. Time stretched to a torturous crawl as terror consumed her, her screams stifled by unyielding dread. The dog's head turned, casting a grotesque shadow on the wall, as though she were being hunted twice. Marmalade paused on the final half-turn of the stairs, a menacing presence before Samantha, its trembling muscles primed to strike. Two final thoughts raced through her mind: "Those eyes possess no mercy." Then: "Fuck."

In that chilling moment, as Marmalade's jaws closed in, Samantha's consciousness dissipated into the void. The legends held true—the black demonic dog had claimed another soul, forever etching its horrifying effect upon her very essence.

So that's the legend of Marmalade. But don't worry it's probably all made up. However if you are ever alone and vulnerable, and you hear something tearing ever closer down the stairs, I hope for your sake you can get those legs to work.