16 GRIM TALES

A Game With Death

A Game With Death

A dead body laid in front of me.

His throat cut open.

Like marbles, his eyes were wide and glassy.

I listened.

Not a breath.

It all began when I woke up in a room.

My wrists roped together and ankles knotted to the chair.

Light too, seemed to be held hostage as a few gleams barely illuminated the room.

"Pat patt pat."

Footsteps.

Not heavy, though. I thought to myself.

A figure appeared in front of me dressed in shadowy clothing.

He wore a mask which was smoky white but as I began to look closer, I noticed the mask stuck too tight to his face. That it was in fact his face. Four bony hands appeared from behind his back. I screamed. "No. No! NO! Let me go!" Then I froze as he yanked me by the leg. I kicked him. He looked at me and tilted his head. Much more than he should have. "Listen here little boy. You don't make the rules. I work for my master, Death. I have lots more souls to eat, after yours so stop squirming."

"I'm not a little boy. I'm 21."

"And dead, due to your little car accident."

"I died in the car crash?"

"Yes, and since you were such a delightful little boy, I get to gulp you down." He extended his jaw to show me his thousands of jagged teeth. Each more blood stained and grimy than the last. Then from the depth of his mouth emerged a giant worm like tongue. He licked my head tasting each strand of my hair.

"Ewe! Let me go! Please! Please! I'll do anything!"

"Anything?"

"Yes. Tell me what you want. I'll get it for you from our world. The human world. Just let me go."

"Hmmmm. Fine we'll make a deal. We'll play a little game."

"What game?"

"A game of life and death. That's if you want the chance."

"When I said I'd do anything. I meant it."

"Fine, so be it. Find the answer to my riddle and you'll find your fate. Lies heavy the head that wears the crown they say, yet the head of the betrayer may not even lay. My heart desires the man whose eyes are shallow. Whose face has three scars that can be seen from the afars. Don't forget the mention, his mind is always full of tension. One who will die all because of a smile. Find him."

With the snap of his fingers, I found myself in my bed. Awake and alive.

Suddenly a shadow vanished under the door leaving a note behind. "It begins with him and ends with you." I glared out the window to see the shadow circle around Mr Michael in the garden across the street. A wrinkled man with hair turning grey and a baby beard. He was a nice old fellow who I grew up with. He let me play in his garden since I was five. He shared cake on his birthday with us and sometimes offered to give our garden a trim.

I hadn't spoken to him in a while because he knew the man I'd become. The man he warned me not to be...but I'm not entirely at fault for all the things I've done? Am I? He saw me staring at him through the window. Mr Michael waved his hand and called me over. I shook my head with a fake painted smile but he still called. I groaned. As I ran over to him, I squinted. He had three scars on his cheek.