The Man In The Fields

Chapter 4

Addilyn didn't get what the fuss was about. It was just a sleepover. You make cookie dough and eat it, you also eat a lot of junk food until you feel like puking and you tell scary stories before you sleep and fir in some games in between those activities. Or maybe she's read too many books that included these type of things. "Come on Addy! Let's sit down," Priscilla patted St the spot next to her. Everyone was arranged in a circle. Sighing, Addilyn set her sleeping bag next to Priscilla and sat down. "Didn't know you had the guts," Waylen smirked while wiggling his eyebrows. Addilyn cocked her eyebrow at him. "Huh?" Bethany tilted her head at her. "You know we aren't here for just a sleepover, right? God, sleepovers are for babies," Bethany rolled her eyes. "We just used that as an excuse for Scilla to tell her parents to allow us here," she explained. "An excuse for what?" Addilyn asked, looking specifically at Priscilla when she asked that question. "Well...we wanted to experiment something," Priscilla started to explain. "We actually heard about this game called The Man In The Fields," she continued. Addilyn's eyes widened once she heard the name of the game. "You bought me here to get me killed?" She shouted. "Not if we win," Waylen interjected. Addilyn, of course, has heard about the game from her granddad. She remembered when she was 6, sitting on her granddad's lap as he told her about the legend of The Man In the Fields. "If I want much of a coward, I would've played that bloody game," he'd joke around and Addilyn would giggle. She still vividly remembered the details to it. If you win the game, you'll be granted with physical and financial protection for an entire year. Of course, Addilyn would love for that to happend and help her mom in some way if the stories about the game were true but if you lose, The Man In The Fields would drag you to his field and claim your life. The rules to it were quite simple and so was the hand itself. It can be easy to win it but it is also easy to lose it. Was she really that desperate? To even consider betting her life for a stupid game? Taking in a deep breath, she nodded and said, "Fine. I'll play along." Most probably, the game isn't all that serious. "Finally. We can get this started," Bethany said, tying her hair in a messy bun. Addilyn glanced at Jacob, who was sitting next to Waylen. She forgot that he was even here seeing how quiet he was. "So how do we play?" Waylen asked. Priscilla was twirling her hair avoiding everyone's gaze. 'Are you serious?' Addilyn couldn't believe Priscilla wanted to play a game she didn't even collect the details of. Seemed as if Addilyn wasn't the only one thinking the same thing. "You don't know how to?" Jacob asked. "Well-," Addilyn covered her mouth to save her the time to come up with an excuse. "I do," she said. If anyone knows the game better, it's got to be her. "So what?" Bethany asked. "There's not much to playing the game. We'll need a candle that's never been lot before and a lighter," she explained. Priscilla perked up and dashed out if the living room, presumably to try to get the candle and lighter. "What's next?" Waylen asked. "Uhmmmm..." Addilyn scratched her head. "Well once we have the candle, well obviously need to summon The Man In The Fields," Addilyn started getting goosebumps as she was explaining. Was she really going through with this? Well she couldn't back down now, right? Priscilla came running back with a pack of candles in one hand and a purple lighter in the other. "Jeez Scilla. I think we'll only need one candle, right Addison?" Bethany asked looking directly at Addilyn. "It's Addilyn and yes, we'll need just the one," she took the pack of candles and took one and set the rest aside. "Okay, once lit," she took the lighter, "we'll have to go outside to the yard and the one holding the candle had to repeat the question 7 times, 'But who will scare the crows away?' and if you hear a voice, then the game has begun." Addilyn stopped and took deep breaths. She looked down at her hands and the candle was shaking. No, her hands were shaking. "If anyone of you wants to drop this game we still can," she suggested. They looked at each other and said nothing, besides one person. "Are you scared Addy?" Bethany smirked. She knew she called her Addy just to tease her and that made her blood boil with anger as she gripped the candle tightly. "Bethany stop that. Do you wanna stop Addilyn? We can do it ourselves," Jacob spoke up, worry visible on his eyes. "No no. It's fine," she smiled before continuing. "Okay before doing the whole candle thing, we have to find something like a safe room. Where we can go when things start to go a little too crazy." Priscilla scratched her head. "We can use my bedroom upstairs," she suggested. 'Upstairs?' Addilyn thought. Would they make it up there in time? "Sounds good. I don't see a problem with that. We'll need to close everything in it from windows to drawers and bags etc. Once we leave that room, we'll find everything that can be opened will be open." "And our job is to to close all of them?" Jacob asked. "Exactly. You have to finish before midnight. Oh and if you see a shadowy figure ignore it." She stopped to make sure everyone is following and also, this was the longest she's ever spoken with people who weren't her family and it felt weird. "What's the shadowy figure for?" Waylen asked. "Maybe to monitor how we're doing. During the duration of the game, we can't look out at the yard. If you do, you have to go back to your safe room and close your eyes until 6 am otherwise The Man In The Fields will catch ya. And if you've successfully closed everything, you'll have to do the same procedure." Addilyn then stood up and looked at everyone. "Got it?" They all nodded. "Good. Then let's begin."