The Game Of Death

2

The coldest I had ever felt in the morning was today. I remember waking up feeling slightly dizzy and completely drained of energy. As soon as my eyes opened, I found myself in an unknown surrounding. Cold floor, an old dusty room. When I fully became aware of my situation, panick aroused within me. I was scared, and I recalled the events that happened yesterday.

No, I can't be trapped here. I have to escape. I have to do something. "Look, she's awake." I heard a soft voice say.
"Wait, let her realize her surroundings first. She seems scared." Another a bit older voice spoke.

I sat up and found three pairs of curious eyes looking back at me. A girl is a bit older than me and two boys, one younger and another the same age as the girl's. "Hey, don't be scared. You are okay for now." For now? What does she mean?

"Where am I? Who are you all?" My voice was hoarse. They looked at each other as if expecting such questions already. "Listen, kid, you are at the wrong place. We all are basically, and there's no escape till you're alive." The older boy spoke crouching in front of me with a comforting voice, but his words were anything but comforting.

"C'mon Max, you'll scare her more this way." Younger boy spoke this time. "I don't know what else am I supposed to say, she needs to know how fucked up her life has become. We can't let her be comfortable." He is right, I can't get comfortable, I need to know more about this place so I can search for an escape.

"Tell me about this place." I asked the girl, who was staring at the boys silently.  She looked at me and smiled softly. She came and sat beside me and started speaking. "First of all, I'm lizzie, and I'm 19. I was brought here 4 years ago, and I know what you're feeling. We have all felt that in the start. This place is just...wrong. there is nothing right about this place. There are only four rules :
1. Never come in front of her unless she wants to see you.
2. Never make noise unless she wants you to answer her.
3. Never disobey her.
4. And never ever try to escape.
If you want to live just longer, then these rules will keep you alive here."
She finished leaving me speechless. I needed a moment before I could react to anything.

So let me get this straight, according to them, they too have been brought here and got stuck, and I need to follow these stupid rules as if I'm a slave just to keep myself alive? What is this place exactly? Annabelle's home?

"Well, I'll leave you to process everything. I know it's not easy, but it is how it is. I'm Max, by the way." The older boy, Max, said with a smile. "It's Darren." The younger boy said.

"Riley." I gave a rather short reply. I looked around the room, letting each corner sink in my mind. It's a small basement like room with grey cement walls. There is a small door in the corner, i suppose a restroom. Another one wooden door leading outside the room.

I looked at my right, and there was a small window in the top corner just big enough to lit the room. By the height of the window, I can assume this place is in the basement. I can't tell whether it is a house or a building, but whatever this is, it seems like finding the escape won't be easy.

————

*wooden creaks*

The sound was so light that I thought it was just in my mind, but I knew it came. It came from somewhere far from the corridor outside. I noticed how the expression changed on others' faces. It must be the woman who they were talking about. Is she gonna beat us? Or torture with some equipment like it is shown in those movies? I didn't know, and I won't know until it was already happening in front of my eyes.

"We need to hide. She is coming for us." I gulped in fear hearing the girl. She is older than me, and yet she seems petrified than I am. She took me at the further end of the room away from the door. The two boys hid inside the closet and us under the bed. Lizzie held my hand firmly. She was trembling, but her expression was stern.

"Do you think it's a good idea to just hide under the bed? She would find us anyway." I whispered softly, but Lizzie just shook her head, "you'll see." So I turned my head towards the door to see.

I couldn't hear the strange footsteps anymore. Does that mean she left? Are we saf—the wooden door creaked open slightly. Just enough to see a silhouette of a woman standing and staring blankly. The temperature of the room dropped, bringing chills to my skin.

All of us were holding our breath, waiting. Wanting her to just go away. But instead, she stepped inside, i watched her feet slowly entering. I looked up just enough to see her face and—

She had no eyes? Her sockets were empty and dried with blood, her skin was pale, and she looked old, but her body was young. Her grey hair matched with the colors of the walls and the floor. She tilted her head, and her empty sockets were directly facing me, as if she stared right at me. I was frozen in my place. It felt familiar. Too familiar. I've been through this before.

Under the bed. Just like this

Hiding.

From whom?

Who was it?

Someone tried to kill me.

A woman

Who was she?

Wait....

It's from my dream, I saw it in my dream.

This is....

Mommy's house....