Short Stories for Writing Class

Don't Open The Door

      The new horror game that Matt was looking forward to playing was finally released. It seemed like a simple enough game, but apparently it took a few months for the devs to sort out some bugs they were experiencing. Some of the well known gaming Youtubers got the first taste of playing it and that's where Matt found it. He loved horror and he searched for all the new spooky games with good reviews. 

   After getting home from work Matt started up his computer, opened Steam and in the search bar typed in "Don't Open the Door", the name of the game. He completed the $15 transaction and then watched a video while he waited 20 minutes for the game to install. Once it was installed, Matt opened the game and eerie music started playing through his headphones. While on the main menu he adjusted some settings, then hit play. A synopsis popped up, explaining that you are a journalist investigating a missing persons case and that there have been rumors of a tall monster that lurks in the shadows and victims found with missing hearts. It brought him to a Create your Character menu and Matt designs a character that looks close enough to himself, except with purple hair. He always thought having purple hair would be cool, but was never brave enough to dye it. Finally he named his character after himself and was thrown outside of a large, concrete building in the middle of the night. Most horror games took place at night for the creep factor, but in reality, why wouldn't any journalist just go during the day?

   He tapped away at his keyboard, searching down crumbling hallways for clues, the only light emitting from his monitor as the sun began to set. He'd seen enough playthroughs on Youtube to know where most of the clues were or the answers to puzzles. Matt wasn't much of a puzzle guy, but so many horror games used them for whatever reason. The game started off slow, but was soon throwing in weird noises and small jumpscares once his character passed a certain point. Footsteps start following his character and doors creak loudly open. One door shuts loudly behind him and Matt jumps out of his seat. He heard the slam from outside of his headphones. He swivels around in his chair and sees his own bedroom door, which he had open, was tightly shut. He then looks at his window that was opened a few inches and blamed the wind, although he couldn't recall feeling much of a draft. 

   Matt shrugs it off and focuses back on his game. The footsteps get louder and a few times he takes off his headphones to listen around his home. "The game is tricking me" He thinks, "the audio is just really good". He lived alone, the footsteps had to be coming from the computer. He shook his head, finding himself silly for being so paranoid. It was just another horror game like many he played before.

   About two hours into the game, Matt came to a long hallway, stained wallpaper peeling off the walls, dim lights flickering. It's a memorable part of the game. There are 6 rows of doors on each side of the hall and although he knew they were all locked, he checks them anyway. At the end of the hall is a final door, painted bright red. It's out of place compared to the rest of the dusty, dingy building. From the other side of the door is growling and loud banging. As he approaches it a bubble of text pops up asking, "Will you open the door?"

   Picking yes will cause a loud jumpscare as the monster pops out and rips out your character heart, while choosing no causes you to turn back and find a secret lever. Matt picks no, he's already seen the jumpscare enough times. He spins his character around, but heavy, sudden banging causes him to jump from his chair again, except this time it's not his imagination. Directly behind his desk on the other side of his closet door is the same growling and banging from the game. On the outside of the door the same question is scratched into the wood. "Will you open the door?" 

   Matt ripped off his headphones and stared at the door. Hell no was he opening it. He thought he was still being paranoid and quickly shut down the game and his computer, but the banging and snarling continued. From his nightstand he took out a hunting knife he got as a gift from his father, rolled his chair in front of the closet and sat there with his bedroom light on for hours. He didn't know what the hell was in his closet or why, but he wasn't going to open it or look away. That was, until he eventually drifted off into sleep.