We descended the stairs, the air growing colder and more musty with each step. I felt a chill run down my spine, and I had to fight the urge to turn back. I was determined to prove to my friend that I wasn’t scared.
“I’m sure the wine is down here somewhere,” I said, trying to sound confident.
My friend looked at me skeptically. “You said you weren’t familiar with Poe,” he said.
I shrugged. “I’m not. But I know a good bottle of wine when I see one.”
We continued down the stairs until we reached the bottom. The room was dark, illuminated only by a single candle in the corner. As my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I saw a figure in the corner. It was a man, dressed in a long black coat and top hat. He was staring at us with an expression of pure malice.
My friend gasped and stepped back, but I stood my ground. I knew we were in danger, but I refused to show my fear.
“Who are you?” I asked, my voice shaking.
The man smiled, revealing a set of sharp, yellowed teeth. “I’m the keeper of this cellar,” he said. “You have trespassed on my domain.”
I felt a chill run down my spine. I knew we were in trouble.
“We didn’t mean any harm,” I said. “We were just looking for some wine.”
The man’s smile widened. “You will find no wine here. You have disturbed my slumber, and now you must pay the price.”
My friend and I exchanged terrified glances. We knew we were in for a fight, and I knew that I had to be brave. I reached into my pocket and pulled out a cross. I held it up, hoping it would ward off the evil.
The man laughed. “Your puny trinket cannot save you.”
He lunged forward, and I screamed. We ran up the stairs, but I could feel the man’s cold breath on my neck. I could hear his laughter echoing in my ears. We finally reached the top of the stairs and slammed the door shut behind us.
We ran out of the house and never looked back. I knew I had been foolish to lead my friend into the wine cellar. I had been foolish to think I could outwit the keeper of the cellar. I had been foolish to think I was brave.
