The Game Of Death

5

All the children walked towards the kitchen upstairs. I took in the house as we all walked. It wasn't huge but big enough for all of us. It was old and dust littered everywhere. The smell of rat droppings and smoke was suffocating me. But more than that, the smell of boiled flesh burned my nostrils.

I held my breath to not inhale the dirty smell, but I could only hold it for a few seconds. We reached the living room, and I saw the main entrance door. It was a normal wooden door with no deadlocks or security pins. Just the door knob. That was it. I chill ran down my spine at the thought of Mommy being so confident that no one would dare step towards the door.

I quickly dragged my gaze away from the door. If I wanted to live longer, pretend to follow the rules. A red couch was placed in the middle of the living room. A dark blue rag under the couch. It was something about the windows that caught my attention then.

It was pitch dark outside, no outline of trees, no sound of night breezes. It was too odd. "Are my children hungry? Come here quickly, Mommy has put so much effort into cooking tasty food for my babies." Her voice echoed through the large living room and pierced into my ears.

"Yes, Mommy!" Everyone said in unison, and I could move my lips to catch up on words. All of us began walking towards the kitchen now. It was at the other end of the living room. A large door opened wide and inside stood a long dining table with enough chairs for all of us. At the further end, a smaller door opened to kitchen, which reaked with the smell of boiled meat.

Everyone gathered around the table and sat in their places. I didn't know where to sit, and the only place empty was near the head of the table, near Mommy's chair. I shuddered at the thought of sitting so close to her. But everyone was already seated, and I had no other choice but to sit at the only empty chair left.

I slowly made my way towards the chair when a hand gripped my wrist and pulled me towards the other end of the table. I looked at Darren. He had no expression on his face, eyes cold and distant as he didn't even spare a glance towards me.

He took me to the chair beside his where a red-headed girl was sitting. Her eyes sharply watched me and our hands. "You wouldn't miss an opportunity to sit beside Mommy. Would you now, Gina?" His cold voice sent shivers down my arms. The red head stood angrily and marched towards the empty chair beside Mommy's.

I watched in amusement as she didn't even reject the idea of sitting close to Mommy. Darren pulled me again to sit on that girl—Gina's chair. I wondered why she obeyed Darren without a thought. I looked at him. He was still not looking at me. I sighed softly and looked down on my laps, fiddling with my fingers.

Mommy was nowhere to be seen, although the constant clanking of utensils told she was in the kitchen. The smell of boiled meat only grew stronger by each passing second.

Then, I saw Mommy entering while pushing a large bowl of some soup like liquid in a trolley. The smell killed my appetite entirely, instead making me want to vomit. I clutched my dress tightly on my lap as Mommy began serving the soup to everyone in a white bowl.

One by one, she served everyone while humming a tune I didn't recognize. It sounded like a nursery rhyme, but I was too stunned to think anything as she reached me with a bowl of soup. I nearly gagged at the sight of it. It was nothing but raw body parts of humans boiled in water. I could make out the shape of the fingers and some other flesh.

"Here you go, children! Enjoy your favorite supper." I choked on my tears, and my throat went dry. I was shivering in fear. I could not eat this. How could anyone eat this? How are they alive eating this? No. I won't eat this. I can't eat this. I saw everyone slowly start consuming the soup. Tears blurred my vision, and my fingers trembled.