Don't Keep the Lights On

Chapter 6

"What the heck?" Andrea asked into the darkness. "Where are we?" I shrugged. "I don't know, but we're definitely trapped." Hannah groaned beside me. "This is terrible. It's not possible. We're going to die in hell!" I patted her on the back, which was the only solid thing I found in the darkness. "Hannah, it's okay. We'll make it out. I promise." "Yes....you'll find your way out...if you can outsmart me..." a voice hissed through the dark.

"Who are you?! Just let us out! Please!" Andrea begged. A figure stepped into view. I felt vomit splash onto my shoes and realised that it was Hannah. "We are totally in Saw IV right now." Andrea gulped. "What do we have to do, saw off our own legs? Pick who we're going to shoot?" The figure laughed. "You don't know who I am. I am the Red Man. You will play my games uncomplainingly, and I will let you leave. If you refuse, I will kill you. If you try to leave...well, you can't. The door is gone. If you win, you may leave, unharmed and untouched. All of you." All of us moaned. This was the last thing we needed. "What's the first game?" The question was raised by Dolly, who was the only one who seemed unfazed by all of this.

"Ah. The first game is my favourite. Obstacles." The Red Man said smugly. "Why does that not sound good?" Andrea asked, trembling. "Ha! I assure it is not. Saws and other sharp objects will be flung or otherwise dropped on you. Get to the end to win. Good luck!!" The room was suddenly brightly lit. No, stuff that, it wasn't a room. It was a full fledged corridor full of dangerous things that we would need to dodge.

"3...2...1...start!!" The red man commanded. I started running. I couldn't see or hear anything. I dodged and jumped, but I felt oddly invincible. "Ow!" I gave a small cry as one of the flying knives hit my cheek before flying past. When I reached the end, I finally plucked up the courage to look back. Dolly was making it through, gliding swiftly through the traps set at her. Andrea was dodging the most dangerous traps, too, but at the flying knife area one of the curved blades cut an arc in her arm. She gave a whimper of pain but continued, her bad leg leaving a trail of red in it's presence. Hannah was last, but just like me,  she went swiftly without any problems, except for when an axe grazed her shoulder.

"We made it." Andrea panted in exhaustion. "Yeah." Hannah replied, touching her shoulder. She retracted her hand almost immediately, wincing. I touched my face. It was bleeding, but by all means I felt perfectly fine. At least my blood was flowing. Dolly was unscathed, which nobody was surprised at, because she was a ghost. The red man clapped his hands. "Very well. You all performed outstandingly! Next challenge...Tag."

Tag used to be one of my favourite games. I used to play it, with my mom, my dad and my friends. A dull ache formed in my chest as I came to the realisation that I might never see my parents again. "Now now. Tag is very fun. If you're it, tag a person...with a knife. You can't tag any of your friends, but they will be wearing masks, so you can't tell who they are. Of course, my friends will be joining the game." The red man seemed so incapable of having friends I didn't believe this.

Until twenty children stepped from the darkness.