Author's note: This story is written for a competition called Write Across Ontario. So the first two paragraphs are the starters given by the competition. The competition URL: http://www.openbooktoronto.com/write_across_ontario_2013
The Game
I’ve walked past that alleyway every single day for the last seven years, ever since we moved to the East Side. But I don’t look. I never look. It’s just an alley, right? Trash bins, fire escapes, shadows… nothing special. Tonight, the game went late and it’s dusk as I walk. But in the alley, it’s dark. I stop and look. A thready fog creeps up out of the cracks around the manhole covers. And a low door at the end of the alley swings open. Pale blue light spills out. Music, laughter…
And someone calls my name.
I turned around quickly.
“Who’s there?” I cried.Suddenly, the street was pitch black. The music and laughter stopped. A high pitched scream and a long chain of curses came from the doorway. Crash. Chink. Scream. I felt flowing air brush across my face and heard the sound of running foot steps.
“NO! DON’T LEAVE ME HERE!” a woman’s voice cried.
I blinked back to my senses and lifted my legs to run. The screaming quieted the further I ran and the harder I breathed. Finally, wheezing, I slowed down to a stop.The footsteps were behind me. I could hear them sloshing through the puddles. I tried to run again, but my legs were mush. I stumbled forwards. Someone was calling my name over and over again.
I felt something scratch the skin on my back. My shirt was torn, but I wasn’t bleeding. With all my strength I propelled myself forward. Then, something grabbed my right shoulder. Despite the pitch dark night, I could see three fingers with shiny black pointed claws. I screamed in panic. My heart’s thumping noise now overpowered the breathing, the splashing, and the woman’s voice calling for me.
Suddenly, the hand on my shoulder let go and I immediately fell face first into a puddle. My nose was bleeding and my hands were cut. I forced myself to get up, but was pulled back down by an invisible force.
“Let go of me! Let go of me!” I cried.
Tears of frustration and fear flowed down my cheeks. This is it. I’m going to die…Ahhhh!!
A bright blood splatter blinks on a computer screen - “GAME OVER”.
