Horror

Let's Play A Game

Let's play a game.

Get a small group together, one as evenly divided

amongst boys and girls as you can, or, all of one

gender. Make sure to say whatever you need to say

to each other before you start. After this, you won't

get another chance. This game isn't for the faint of

heart, and it isn't for the frail in spirit. If you do not

think you can handle it, now is the time to back out.

Meet in any park, woods, or abandoned complex, as

close to midnight as you can, on a night of the new

moon. Be sure, where ever you choose to meet, that

it is someplace you all know very well. You will

need every advantage you can get. Everyone should

be dressed completely in black, and everyone should

wear a mask that covers their whole face. If any of

you stand out from the rest of the group, or your

masks don't cover your whole face, the game will be

over quickly. To be extra careful, it is best that all

of the clothes be new, bought that day if possible,

and nobody be able to recognize each other. If you

can guess who each other are, you've done it wrong

and you should try again another time. Once you are

there, do not speak to each other. Don't speak to

anyone, not a single word. Plan it out in advance.

If you are all there, and you're ready to begin, place

bowls, bells, or something that can make a ringing

sound when struck, on the ground in a line. All of

them must be identical, and there must be one for

everyone participating in the game. We will refer to

them as "ringers" from now on. Everyone must kneel

on the ground and begin striking their ringer with

some form of instrument. Sticks from the ground

will work, and so will spoons, knives, or anything

else really, as long as no one can tell who you are

by yours.

The air will start to get cold. You might feel

something brush up against you, or the wind

shifting around you. Pay no mind to this. Just

ignore it. Don't look up, and don't look around. If

you see something moving in the shadows, ignore it.

The soft ringing has called the spirits for the game.

The movement, and noise will continue to grow the

longer you continue the ringing. Don't stop until

everything becomes silent and still again. If you

stop before that, the spirits will close in on you and

you will die a most pitiful death.

Once the ringing has stopped, the game has begun.

If you've ever played hide and seek, then you should

get the basic idea of the game. The rules are as

follows:

1. Do not leave the chosen area until the game is

over. The spirits know what the specific area

you chose is, and if they think you are leaving

before the game is over, they will make you beg

for death.

2. The spirits can only know a player's name if

they hear that player's voice, or if they see that

player's face. They will try anything to get you

to talk. They can read all of your memories, with

the exception of your name, and may take the

form of a loved one, or even (unknowingly) one

of the other players. You might here a familiar

voice calling out to you, or face your darkest

fears, but you must never speak or remove your

mask.

3. If a spirit is able to call a player's name, they

will tear that player to pieces. The most

horrendous death awaits one who loses this

game. Their skin will be peeled from their still

living body, and their limbs will be twisted and

contorted in the most inhuman ways. As their

last, gurgling breath leaves their body, the

spirits will take their soul. They will be a spirit

the next time the game is played. They may only

earn their freedom by winning the game as a

spirit.

4. If a player faces a spirit, it may be forced to flee

with a flashlight. The spirits fear the sun and

will flee from the light, but be warned. This is a

temporary safety. The spirit will return after a

moment, when it realizes it has be fooled. The

spirits do not like to be tricked, and they will be

furious afterwards. After a few times, the spirits

may not flee from a flashlight anymore.

5. The game is over when either all of the players

have been caught, or the sun rises.

At sunrise, any surviving players are declared

winners. Congratulations, you may now remove your

masks and speak freely. Winners of the game are,

from then on, gifted with the greatest of fortune, and

the best of luck. However, you may notice that not

all the spirits have left after the game is over.

Maybe you will see something out of the corner of

your eye and turn to find nothing there. Maybe

certain objects will not be where you left them.

Maybe you will notice a few more things going

"bump" in the night.

You should start preparing, because the real game

has only just begun.