Hide and Seek

Chapter 1: Lights off

When you live in a small house owned by strict parents, hiding spots are limited. Don't touch this, don't touch that, watch out for this and watch out for that. My mom would explode at the sight of a pillow on the floor and my dad, well don't get me started. He hated messes more than my mom, which is why I was always careful in the house.

I had lots of friends, but only one could come over and her name was Abby. My mom and dad knew Abby was a clean freak, but, they did not understand how reckless she could be when they weren't home, just like now.

The wooden floor creaked beneath my bare feet. I tip-toed through the hallway as my brother, Caleb, counted to twenty.

"7... 8... 9... 10... 11." He shouted out loud.

Abby, my best friend, grabbed hold of me, accidentally pushing me into the wall. "Emily, where should we hide?" She whispered into my ear. Without waiting for my response. She pulled me into the laundry room before I could even say a word. It was dark, and I couldn't see a thing. That's what made hide and seek in the dark more fun.

"Ready or not, here I come!" Caleb yelled, running down the hallway and past the laundry room. I could hear his little feet stomping hard against the floor. Abby and I both hid behind the dryer, struggling to keep our giggles contained. The darkness played tricks on my mind. Shadows formed and spiraled around me, shaping into strange figures and sending my imagination out of this world. The dark was scary, very scary, but I loved the thrill of it.

Abby took out her phone for a quick second. Using my hand, I covered the screen where she had been texting her father. "He's going to find us if you don't turn that off," I said.

She did as she was told, placing it inside her pant's pocket.

Quiet giggles escaped from our lips as Caleb rummaged around in closets. I pulled Abby's ear closer. "Let's run to base."

Abby stepped out from behind the dryer first. I shook my head because she was so gullible, always falling for my tricks. To win hide and seek in the dark, sometimes you had to eliminate those closest to you, and that's what I had to do.

There was a door behind me that led into my parents' bedroom. While Abby stepped out of the laundry room, I snuck into my parent's room, closing the door behind me. There was a loud clicking sound when it shut, and I thought it would give me away. I sat against the door, fearing Abby had figured out my trick. I was alone in the darkness. I felt the surrounding nothingness. My mind started to play tricks on me, filling my imagination with monsters and creatures that could lurk through the darkness. I closed my eyes, feeling afraid, but I enjoyed it too much to get up and leave.

"Found you!" I heard Caleb scream. "You're it, Abby!"

"Yes," I muttered under my breath. I ran out of the room and into the hallway to turn on the light. The look on Abby's face made me laugh. Caleb smiled and danced around knowing he would not be it again. He had been it three times in a row.

Abby looked sternly at me. "Ha-ha. Hilarious."

"Come on, it was funny!" I retorted with a smile. Abby, it's just a game."

Abby continued to argue with me. "You know this isn't the first time you've done that. It's the hundredth. And the only reason he found me is because of you. That noisy door gave me away. You should be it." She pointed at me.

I am never it. I'm the best when it comes to hide and seek. If anyone wants me to be it, they have to find me first. It's not my fault I'm so good at the game. My dad even told me that I should get a trophy for my excellent hiding skills. I was the best at hide and seek. Everyone knew it.