Chapter Thirty-Six
Afraid Of The Dark
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Kevin stared around in shock to see himself in the middle of yet again, another
hall, lit only with a few candles. “Damn these halls,” he muttered. He slowly
stood up and checked around, worried about what he might find in the hall.
Finally, Kevin just sighed and decided that he might as well just walk along the
hall, knowing that sooner or later he’d have to play ‘The Game’. He just wasn’t
looking forward to whatever would happen to him.
Kevin began walking to his right, following the winding twist of the hall, carefully
peering around when he came to a sharp bend, making sure nothing too horrible
lay ahead of him. So far, all he saw was black, with the occasional flickering light
from the small candles that were on the wall here and there.
After about 15 minutes of walking, Kevin was becoming frustrated. The hall was
never ending and was leading him no where. Also, the wearies of the past night
were beginning to wane on him and he was becoming greatly tired and
distressed at the idea of losing ‘The Game’.
“This isn’t fair. Why do we have to go through this?” Kevin questioned to no one.
Not expecting an answer, he continued walking, so wrapped up in his thoughts,
he didn’t notice the bright glow of light at the end of the hall. He looked up
eventually though, muttering to himself about something. Kevin stopped short
and stared in shock at the bright white glow that wasn’t too much further down
the hall from him.
“Aww damn, what is that?” Kevin said, fear evident in his voice.
As if to answer him, the light dulled a little bit and started to move towards him.
Kevin backed up, considering whether to run or not. Just when he was about to
run out of there as fast as he could, he saw what the light exactly was.
It was a girl, around eight years old, with dark brown hair and dark, chocolate
colored eyes that had an innocent glimmer in them. She was wearing a pure
white dress that was dragging slightly on the ground. The dress had lace all over
it and she had white sandals on her feet. In her hand she was holding a
kerosene lamp and in her other hand, a white rose.
Kevin stared at her strangely, not knowing what to make of the girl. She seemed
innocent enough but he knew nothing in this house was innocent. The girl
stopped about five feet away from him and stared back, her eyes looking almost
black and evil in the light.
“Who are you?” the girl asked in a young, high pitched sounding voice.
Kevin hesitated for a second and then thought saying his name wouldn’t do too
much harm. “Ummm...my name is Kevin.”
The girl nodded slowly. “I’m Maria. What are you doing here?”
“Umm...me and my friends are kinda stuck here,” Kevin explained slowly, still a
little unsure of Maria.
Maria took a step closer and spoke again. “I might be able to help you, follow
me.” She then turned and started back the way she had come. Kevin stood still
for a second, not wanting to move because he knew he’d get himself in trouble if
he followed the girl. He began to back up slowly, about to run off again.
Maria stopped and turned around though. “Come on, I said I’d help, don’t you
trust me?”
“N..no,” Kevin stuttered. He almost kicked himself for sounding so scared, it
wasn’t helping him much.
“You don’t?” Maria said, sounding hurt, “you should, I’m not gonna do anything
to you.....” she trailed off.
Kevin held his breath, knowing something was going to happen. He knew there
must be more to this girl that what met the eye. Suddenly, her eyes gave an evil
flash and her lips curled up in an odd smile. “...except...are you afraid of the
dark?”
Kevin’s mouth dropped open. “Wha...what....?” he stammered out.
The girl smirked. “Have fun playing in the dark,” she stated, then she lifted the
lamp up and blew out the light. At the same time, every other light in the hall
went out and Kevin was left in complete darkness.
Kevin felt his heart racing as he listened for anything. Only silence hit his ears
except for his own rapid breathing. “Oh God, this is really not good..” Kevin told
himself, “I think I might just leave this hall nice and quiet...”
Kevin slowly began to back up, keeping his back to the wall and his one hand
out so he could feel if he was to bump into anything. Suddenly his hand hit
something warm and sticky. He pulled his hand back quickly. “What the hell is
that?” Kevin said aloud, his voice echoing off of the walls.
A weird moaning noise came from somewhere at that moment and the sound of
something creaking was heard also. Kevin took in a sharp breath and his eyes
widened. “Oh shit....I’m outta here.”
Kevin took off down the hall, he was barely down it when he tripped over
something in the middle of the hall and fell face first. He could feel something
wet seeping through his clothes too. He hurriedly stood up and shakingly backed
into the wall. The creaking noise came back and something dripped on top of
Kevin’s head. The darkness pressed more at him and his heart raced, he pushed
away from the wall and stood stock still in the hall.
An icy cold feeling then gripped him and Kevin shuddered, partly from fear and
partly from cold. “Never stay alone in the dark,” a voice suddenly whispered next
to him.
Kevin screamed and ran off down the hall. The moaning filled the hall again and
the creaking noise started up again. He ran blindly, running into the walls often,
with something liquid like hit him everytime he did. Just then a light flicked on in
front of Kevin and he skidded to a stop, his eyes wide with horror.
A totally mangled man stood in front of him, his skin hanging off in pieces, blood
pouring out of him. His eyes held a haunting look and Kevin shuddered at the
sight of him. He caught sight of the blood running down the walls and soaking
the floor and noticed it covering all of him. “Be afraid of the dark,” the man
suddenly said.
The light went out and Kevin gasped when he felt something slam over his head
and he slowly fell to the floor, unconscious.
Chapter Thirty-Seven - The Clock Is Running
Go back to 'The Game'