The Devil's Dungeon

By Cassie Smith

Three girls taken from their neighborhoods for no reason. Snatched up and carried to a faraway place. What happens to them, you might ask? Well, the things of nightmares of course. Unspeakable things. This story will take you to depths of darkness that you never thought possible. Old rickety stairs, Alice in Wonderland type doors in the middle of nowhere. Let me taken you on an adventure that begins with an innocent girl and the terrifying world that she stumbles upon.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Cassie Smith
• Release date: Oct 23, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223544913

Cassie Smith

Cassie Smith grew up in Indiana and has always wanted to be a writer.  As a child, she would write stories all the time for her parents. Cassie lives with her spouse and child in Indiana.  

Book preview

Three girls taken from their neighborhoods for no reason. Snatched up and carried to a faraway place. What happens to them, you might ask? Well, the things of nightmares, of course. Unspeakable things. Why, see this door? It leads to a place deep underground. Nothing that’s underground in a dark place can ever be good, right? This story will take you to depths of darkness that you never thought possible. Old, rickety stairs, Alice in Wonderland type doors in the middle of nowhere. Why do people in horror stories always go down the dark tunnels or through forbidden doors? WHY?

I do feel that it makes for a much more interesting, albeit terrifying, story when they do. In this one, there are things that one would never think possible. But in stories, everything is possible! Let me take you on an adventure that begins with an innocent girl and the terrifying world that she stumbles upon

The Devil’s Dungeon

Cassie Smith

Prologue-1964

At​ ​age​ ​fifteen, ​Helena​ ​had​ ​experience​ ​far​ ​beyond​ ​her​ ​years. She​ ​excelled​ ​at school, always getting perfect grades. At fourteen, she graduated high school. One of the youngest in her home city of Portland, Oregon to do so.​ Despite Helena’s intelligence, her favorite courses weren’t academic but sports. She loved to run​ ​cross​ ​country and​ ​had​ ​won​ ​many​ ​medals​ ​for​ ​her​ ​agility and swiftness.​

When she​ ​was​ ​a​ ​child, ​her​ ​aunt​ was granted​ ​guardianship​ ​of ​her​ ​due​ ​to​ ​her​ ​parents​ ​alcohol​ ​and​ ​drug​ ​abuse​.​ She never saw her parents again, but she didn’t care. Her​ ​aunt​ ​was a much better guardian anyway. She taught​ ​her​ ​how​ ​to​ ​cook​ ​and​ ​clean, and​ ​even​ ​some​ ​basic​ ​car​ ​maintenance​ ​skills.​ ​Helena​ ​had​ ​lived​ ​with​ ​her​ ​aunt for nearly five years;​ ​but​ ​her​ ​aunt​ ​was​ ​old​ ​with​ ​a​ ​bad​ ​heart​ ​and​ passed away​ ​before​ ​her​ ​fifteenth​ ​birthday.​

On the day of her aunt’s funeral, Helena decided to run away to avoid Child Protective Services. She fled in tears, not knowing what she was going to do or where she would go so long as it was somewhere far from the empty house that now awaited her.

She had no idea how long she ran. It could have been hours, or it could have been days. But when she stopped, it wasn’t due to exhaustion but because of a strange cabin she happened upon in the pre-dusk gloom. It was a rickety old thing that sat out in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by trees. By the looks of the place, nobody had been in residence for some time.

Helena​ ​walked​ ​up​ ​the​ ​front​ ​stairs,​ ​which​ ​were worn and withered and creaked​ ​with every​ ​step she took. ​She paused on the​ ​small porch. Its planking looked just as rotten as the stairs, so she tested her weight before proceeding for fear the wood would crumble underneath her. Once satisfied the planking would hold, she​ continued​ ​to​ ​the front door​ ​and​ ​knocked.​

No​ ​one​ ​answered.​ She knocked again and this time the door ​swung inward on its own. Helena was disturbed by this, but she was also cold and hungry. Night was falling, and she had no intention of sleeping out under the stars.

​She​ ​asked if anybody was home, shakily at first, but when no one answered her voice rose in confidence. Certain the cabin was abandoned, Helena stepped​ ​inside​ ​and​ ​looked​ ​around.​ The​ ​place​ ​was​ ​empty​ ​save​ ​for​ ​a​ ​couch,​ ​a​ ​fireplace​ ​with​ ​wood​ ​next​ ​to​ ​

the​ ​hearth,​ ​and​ ​a​ ​small kitchen​ ​with​ ​a​ ​little​ ​round​ ​table​ ​next​ ​to​ ​it.

As​ ​she​ ​crept​ further inside,​ ​she​ ​saw​ ​a​ ​couple​ of ​abstract​ ​paintings​ ​hanging​ ​on the​ ​wall​ ​in​ ​the​ ​living​ ​room.​ The​ ​cabin​ ​seemed​ ​quaint,​ ​but​ ​ancient.​ ​The​ ​wood paneling​ ​on​ ​the​ ​walls​ ​was​ ​withered​ ​and​ ​oxidized. She​ ​looked​ ​to​ ​her​ ​left ​and saw​ ​a​ ​long​ ​narrow​ ​hallway.​ ​​After​ ​walking​ ​down​ ​it​ ​and​ ​through​ ​a​ ​mass​ ​of cobwebs,​ ​she​ ​discovered​ ​a​ ​door​ ​which,​ ​upon​ ​opening,​ ​revealed​ ​a​ ​large bedroom.

She​ ​stepped​ ​inside.​ To​ ​her​ ​right ​was​ ​an​ ​antique​ ​dresser​ ​with a​ ​large​ ​mirror​ ​and​ ​six​ ​drawers,​ ​three​ ​on​ ​each​ side​ ​of​ ​the​ ​dresser.​ ​Directly​ ​in front​ ​of​ ​her​ was​ ​a​ ​king​ ​size​ ​four-poster​ ​bed​ ​with​ ​a​ ​down​ ​comforter​ ​on​ ​it. To​ ​her ​left was​ ​a​ ​bathroom​ ​with​ ​a​ ​spa​ ​tub​ ​and​ ​a​ ​small​ ​shower. She made her way from​ ​the​ ​large​ ​bedroom​ ​and​ ​walked​ ​across​ ​the​ ​hallway​ ​to what​ ​looked like​ ​a​ ​little​ ​girl’s​ ​bedroom​.

Beside it sat another​ ​bedroom that ​looked identical to​ ​the​ ​master​ ​bedroom​ ​except​ for the lack of a​ ​bathroom​ ​and​ a twin​ ​mattress​ ​instead​ ​of​ ​a​ ​king for the bed.​ ​The​ ​bathroom here was located across the hall and featured​ ​a grotesque​ ​looking​ ​pink​ ​and​ ​red​ ​tile​ ​floor,​ ​a​ ​gaudy​ ​red​ ​toilet,​ ​and​ ​a​ ​hot​ ​pink shower​ ​curtain.​ Helena​ ​looked away in disgust. The garish over-decoration was too much for her senses.​ She wondered if the decorator was high when they worked on this room.

She saw a closed door at the far left hand side of the hallway and walked over to it. She tried the knob. It turned in her hand, but the door wouldn’t budge. She forced it open with her shoulder and stared down a long wooden staircase that lead into utter darkness.

Helena got a sinister feeling as she stared into that dark abyss. Could there be somebody down there, like the cabin’s owners maybe? It wouldn’t hurt to go down and check, at least let them know she wasn’t a burglar. Then again, maybe nobody was home. Maybe this was like one of those summer cabins where people only came to stay a few months out of the year.

She searched for a wall switch but couldn’t find one. The realization brought relief. She didn’t see any kind of light bulb and she didn’t have a flashlight handy. There was no way she was going to try exploring that ominous basement in the dark. No, best to wait until morning. At least then the place wouldn’t feel so spooky.

Helena​ ​walked​ ​back​ ​down​ ​the​ ​hallway​ ​to​ ​the​ ​kitchen​. She searched​ ​for non-expired​ ​food​ ​in​ ​the​ ​fridge and found some grape jelly, some yellow government cheese, and a few condiments.​ She had better luck in the pantry, where the canned soups and easy-bake items were stored.​ Her​ ​stomach​ ​rumbled​ ​but​ ​she​ ​dared​ ​not​ ​eat yet.​ ​She​ ​decided​ ​that if the place truly was empty then she​ would​ ​hide​ ​out​ ​here​ ​for​ ​a​ ​while. But first, she had to be sure she was alone.

Helena​ ​sat​ ​in​ ​the​ ​living​ ​room​ ​for​ ​a​ bit,​ ​listening​ ​for​ ​any​ ​sign​ ​of​ ​the​ ​cabin’s owners.​ This soon grew tiresome and ​she​ ​grabbed​ ​a​ ​book​ ​off​ ​a​ ​shelf​ ​to​ ​keep​ ​herself​ ​occupied.​ ​It​ ​grew dark​ outside, ​and​ ​after​ ​a​ ​couple​ ​of​ ​hours of waiting,​ ​she​ ​reached two conclusions. First: nobody was home. Second: nobody was coming home, at least not tonight.​

Feeling better, she​ ​took some​ ​cheese​ ​from​ ​the​ ​fridge​ ​and​ ​found​ ​some​ ​crackers​ ​in​ ​the​ ​pantry. With a thankful sigh, she​ ​sat​ at the kitchen table and allowed herself the luxury of a late dinner, such as it was.

She​ ​looked​ ​around, noting the layers of dust and cobwebs that adorned the shelves and furnishings. If not for the food in the refrigerator she would have thought the place abandoned. Maybe it’s a hideout, Helena mused. Like in those gangster films her dad liked to get high to.​ ​She​ ​went​ ​to​ ​the​ ​hearth​ ​in​ ​the​ ​living​ ​room​ ​and​​ ​contemplated gathering​ ​wood​ ​for a​ ​fire.​ ​​After​ ​a​ moment’s indecisiveness,​ ​she​ ​decided​ ​against​ ​it. ​She​ ​wanted​ ​the warmth, ​but​ ​the smoke might draw the wrong kind of attention.​ ​Instead, she went​ ​ ​to​ ​the​ master​ ​bedroom at the back of the cabin and ​settled​