Game Gone Wrong

This is the third instalment of a Halloween collaboration series for our group Saloon For Writers.

Please read the first part by Angela Derscha here (& check out her profile!).

Please read the second part by Paula Shablo here (& check out her profile!).

* * *

While the rest of us stood in shock staring at Melissa's body, oh God there was so much blood, Tony rounded on Tabitha again screaming in her face, spit flying at her.

"What the fuck have you brought us into, you freak? Is this what you've done to Amy? WHERE IS SHE?"

Tabitha backed away from him until her back hit the door to the garden.

"I, I, I didn't do anything I swear! My uncle, he promised that he wouldn't hurt anyone. We were just going to scare you all a little bit, teach you a lesson about how you treat people."

"What do you mean, how to treat people?" Tony grunted.

"Well, um, you know, you say you want to hang out with me and you're happy to come here because it's sufficiently spooky for Halloween but I hear what you all call me behind my back. I see the snide little looks when I come to school wearing something out of the ordinary. I'm not as stupid as people think I am you know!"

She started off quietly but her voice gradually grew to almost a scream but she must have wound herself up because she started crying, fat tears carrying wide streaks of mascara down her cheeks. While he didn't try to comfort her Tony did at least back away from her, heading off out of the room calling Amy's name.

I went over to talk with her, although it took me some time as I was still feeling the effects of the apple and trying not to look at Melissa's body so I almost crashed into all the furniture along the way. When I got to her I plastered what I hoped looked like an authentic smile on my face, covering the fact that I felt thoroughly sick with fear. I squeezed her hand in a comforting gesture and tried my best to keep my tone level and calm.

"Look I'm sorry we don't always give you the respect you deserve. We're just kids, I think popularity went to our heads the last couple of years. It's something I've been trying to work on in myself for sure. But Melissa did not deserve that, so I need you to tell me how to get out of here before it happens to the rest of us. I'm begging you."

I stopped before I began to cry myself. It took a while for Tabitha to force her words out between sobs.

"He, he, was just meant to come through the board. He promised he wouldn't hurt anyone. This, this, this wasn't how it was meant to go," she composed herself slightly with a shuddering breath, "you can't go out the front, he'll be waiting for you there I'm sure of it. You need to head up the stairs and turn right. There's a bedroom with a large wardrobe on the right side wall. You, you will have to climb out the window and down. There's ivy on a trellis, it'll be, um, a bit difficult but you'll be fine."

Jeremy grabbed my hand firmly then and began to pull me.

"Come on babe, we need to get the hell out of here right now!"

He ignored my protests about leaving Tabitha, Tony and Amy, and as he pulled me up the stairs Tabitha yelled to us once more,

"I was only chasing Amy to scare her a little, I didn't do anything, I don't know where she is I swear!"

As we reached the upper floor and tumbled into the bedroom, Jeremy slammed the door behind us and pressed his ear tight to it to listen.

"Doesn't seem to be anyone up here so I guess that freak was telling the truth. We should get out of here just us two and send help for the others."

I thought about reprimanding him for still calling Tabitha names after everything she'd just said but my mind was swimming with terror so all I could muster was a small nod. Jeremy crossed over the room and slid the window open.

"Ladies first?" He said with a weak smile.

I decided to throw down my shoes before me as I would get a better grip in bare feet. They seemed to fall into the darkness below for a long time before I heard them clatter and my knees went a little weak at the thought of following them. Jeremy squeezed my hand in encouragement and helped me out the window.

I think I was about a third of the way down when I heard his panicked, pained scream. My brain rejected both fight and flight and I just froze there, clinging tightly to the trellis unsure what to do next. It wasn't long before it was decided for me. I couldn't believe my eyes as a hand as big as me came out the window above, showering me with glass. The enormous hand pushed my shoulder and the shock of the movement sent me flying down to meet my shoes on the ground, and all the air left my body. As I lay there fighting to get my breath back that unholy hand followed my descent, grabbed me by the waist with ease and began to pull me back into the house.

To be continued...

The final part will be posted by Kelsey O'Malley, be sure to check her profile to see how it ends.