The Game. (on hold)

Chapter one.

     "Bailey!" Miranda grabbed her arm feircely, keeping her away from the edge of the dark woods that stood before them. It was a chilly October morning, and they were about to play manhunt with two friends from school. "I don't care if it was Rick's idea, we are NOT going in there!" She snapped. Bailey looked longingly towards the foggy forest where her crush Rick was probably waiting for them. She then whipped her head around and faced Miranda.

     "Oh relax Miranda!" She really wanted to go into the woods and play. Bailey aggresively pulled her arm out of Miranda's hand. "It's just Rick and Tommy!" Her light brown pony-tail bobbed as she began her descent into the thick woods, disappearing in seconds. "What's the worst that could happen?" She called behind her, before breaking out into a sprint.

     "Bailey! People, especially girls, go into the woods to get KILLED!" She reluctantly chased after her, and soon she was engulfed in mist and darkness. The crunching of the red and brown autumn leaves beneath her boots seemed to echo loudly; she became uneasy and nervous. It felt as though a pair of eyes lingered on her where she stood, carefully she spun in a circle. "Bailey?" Her high pitched voice bounced through the wood surrounding her, but no response came. "Where are you?"

     Many yards ahead of her, Bailey had decided to stop and take a break from all the running. She hadn't heard a single step or seen any trace of Tommy or Rick, so she was safe here. Laying against a tall tree, she began humming to herself, and pulled out a bottle that was cool to the touch. Her mouth opened, sucking in the cold air of the morning, and she pulled the bottle upward sending the ice cold water down her throat. Her eyes darted from one tree to another trying to find an open path, but she saw no paths back here. She allowed her eyes to close, and was soon awoken by the snap of a twig and brisk walking. "I've been found." Her whisper was louder than intended as she cursed under her breath. "Alright guys you cau-" She  started to say while standing up to face her capturer, but it was not someone she knew. "Who are you?" Her voice sounded shaky and weak, perhaps this was a bad idea after all.

     "Bailey my dear" He extended a pale white hand out to her. She took it without thinking and instead of shaking it he pulled her in for a kiss; shocked, she hit and pulled away. He let out a low growl-like sound, and his once pretty blue eyes turned a cold black. "You should have listened to your friend!" He lurked forward, grabbing her hands, and wrapped a thick piece of twine around them. Shoving her against the tree, he pushed his body against hers, and whispered into her ear words that made me yelp in fear. "Listen to me. You have 15 minutes for a head start. After that it's fair game for me to come after you. Let the game begin." He backed away and watched her, she stared at him frozen, and terrified. "GO!" He ordered.

     Soon she was bounding through the woods as fast as she could, but still trying to keep quiet, as she didnt want to be found. This was sick and twisted, and certainly not a game she wanted to play, becoming faint and ill she came upon a pond. On the water's surface was a boat, she climbed in thinking this was her great master plan to get away. Then she remembered that her hands were bound with twine, so she couldn't paddle the boat. "No, this can't be happening now." She cried loudly hoping that someone would hear her, and help. It had been 15 minutes and her head start time was up, he was coming.

     He ran towards the lake, knowing that she had gone there, he had watched her run in that direction afterall. He wondered aloud. "Where is she." Bailey tensed up in the boat, and held her breath; it was so cold that you could see it. The boat swayed slightly as she slipped, this caught the man's attention. His steps were slow, he had to be careful in order to not get caught, so he couldn't leave any evidence behind. Bailey was curled up in a ball, shaking and crying in fear; he stepped into the boat and pushed it away from shore. She looked up at him with pure terror in her eyes.

     "Help me!" Her voice was deeper than usual and scraggly. "Please someone!" He held his hand over her mouth and nose, teaching her that she needed to be quiet in order to live. After a minute he released, and let her breath. The last thing Bailey remembered was a cloth bandana being wrapped around her head forcefully, and the dark smile of the man looking down at her. She let out one last scream, only wishing that one of her friends would hear her.

     Miranda heard a loud scream that sounded like Bailey in the distance, she started to run towards it. When she reached the edge of a pond, she saw nothing but an empty boat, she headed out of the woods, shaken and frightened.

She had no idea she was now a player of the game.