Smiley

I can hear him; he is here, in the house. He is downstairs waiting, trying to lure me into his grasp.

My names James Fernando, 15, and I live in England, Manchester if you want to be exact. Me ma and pa are both dead. They were killed in a bank robbery 2 years ago.  I live alone, well except for my uncle who on rare occasions comes in to check on me.

This is…I guess it would be called a last statement, because I know what is going to happen if he finds me and… I’m not scared anymore. But I have to write this, to tell everyone about what is happening and who smiley is.

It all began two years ago, yes the same time me parents died, my uncle had brought me this game called uprising. He told me to play it and forget about what had happened, this was after the funnel.

I had begun to play the- sorry, I heard something break downstairs.  As I was saying I had begun to play the game. It was a first person shooter but it had a twist, instead of fighting in a war doing some missions you just ran around murdering people, you got extra points if you did it quietly and no one noticed.  I loved the game, as you could expect from my adolescent mind. A game where there was no one telling you what to do? Where you can kill anyone you want? Who wouldn’t love a game like that? Well… That’s how I thought back then.

My thoughts on the game changed, drastically, when on the game I butchered an elderly women named Mrs Magreedy and I got extra points with a message saying

“Scare bonus”

in my mind, I remember, I was thinking about a women who used to live down the road from me. Her name was Magreedy too. But, as you would expect, I just waved this thought away and brutally killed her husband with a carrot.

On the next day- hang on I hear footsteps…its outside my door, ok never mind it just walked past-

Anyway, the next day I was woken abruptly by sirens outside my door, two police offers were waiting outside.

I think I ran down stairs and opened the door; I must have looked a mess because one of the two cops stared at me as if I was a madman.

I ushered them inside and made them both tea, just being polite I guess?

I remember asking them why they were here and said that a Mrs Magreedy and her husband had been brutally murdered last night and they were asking if anyone had seen someone entering their house.

I…shook my head, I was confused because on the game…I had killed Mrs Magreedy, and now…in real life Mrs Magreedy is dead, In my mind I was trying to comprehend this event. Surely it wasn’t just coincidence?

I shook my head and I said I was asleep most of the night and the offers left.

My young mind was trying to comprehend what I had just been told… this game…could it actually affect real life?

 *never Sherlock, Jesus I was an idiot, guess that’s why I’m in such a state now, listen everyone is reading this. Please, if you ever find this game…do NOT play it, for god sake does not.

Ok on with the story…

I had gone back to playing the game, to find out if my little theory was true, and for some odd reason I had chosen my best friend’s house to see if this was true and it was.

The following day David’s parents, David’s my best friend, came to my door sobbing over each other. They told me, in-between tears, that David was killed last night.

Then something clicked in my little head, I had the power to choice who died and who lived. I remember I walked into school, head held high, and I remember with a smile on my face, going up to josh (one of the schools jocks who frequently tried to ruin my life) and I remember the fantastic feeling as my fist smashed into his cheek. I had felt invincible, but I remember josh grabbed me beat me to the floor…it wasn’t a pretty sight and my adolescent mind had told me to kill this guy, he doesn’t deserve to live. He ruins other people’s lives and I, stupidly, listened to it.

I waited after school went to josh and asked him a question; I still remember it now,

“Josh…do you repent”? I still remember now because I know for sure my younger self didn’t know what repent meant. I don’t remember his answer but I can guess because, again, police came to my house telling me josh Mackenzie had been murdered.

I went on like this for some mouths in till people began to get the message, mess with me and you die, I still remember the pride and joy I got when no one dared to insult me. I did feel invincible, that is until two days ago, and my grandma had come round to visit.  She didn’t come round often and it always used to bring a smile to face when she did, but not this time however. This time I remember she said something about how I had no friends and that I should go out more.

I look back now and it seemed such a miniscule thing, but back then I saw it as an threat to my power…and…and…I can’t say it, it’s still too raw to put it into words, even in my last day.

I still feel myself welling up with sadness every time I try to approach the subject.

I…I had killed her.

I remember clearly what I had done after that, the days after are still clear in my mind.

I remember yesterday, for example, I just sat on the swings all day, alone waiting for someone or something to come and play with me, but alas I was forever alone, trapped in a pit that I dug myself into.  This morning I had given up on life and I started up the game I walked to my house, on the game, and crawled through the open windows.

I moved into the corridor and just left the player there. If I open my door I would be able to see him, right now, but I’m too scared.

I hear them. The people I have killed. There screaming. There always screaming. Please, everyone who is reading this do not play this game…it has a very bad ending, picking up the control I guide my player into my room. I can see him now.  He is staring at me; his face is scared. blood oozes from his mouth. He is just standing in front of me, awaiting my command. His mouth is carved into a gruesome grin that is as wide as his face; inside I see an array of glittering sharpened teeth.

I tear escapes from my eyes, I’m typing this as I last message, I’m sorry for everything I have done.

I’m going to pick up my controller and bit fare well to this world and enter another. Farewell.