Don't Keep the Lights On

Chapter 7

"Oh my god...who are these kids?" Hannah asked. Dolly stood there, shocked, before her hands grabbed the mask off on child. "Leo! James!" Dolly clutched her friend and brother's masks in her hands, sobbing. "Oh...my..what did they do to you?!" The masks were snatched away from Dolly as she shook with renewed sobs. "Monsters! Monsters! I will save you both!" Dolly cried. "Don't interfere with the masks." The red man snapped. He handed us each a mask. "Be quiet. And put these on." We obeyed quietly, shocked and afraid.

I found Dolly's hand, and gave it a squeeze. For a ghost, Dolly sure felt and looked like a solid human. "Alright. Five seconds. Someone is it. Now...go!" I ran. In the dim light of a few broken light bulbs, I saw in front of me a small closet. If someone caught me, I wouldn't have anywhere to run, but it was my best bet. I opened the door...and stifled a scream. The smell of rotting bodies filled the air as I exposed the red man's many victims. There were mutilated limbs and stabbed children and adults.

I backed away, horrified, and ran down the other way...into James. I swore under my breath. "James? Please, I'm Dolly's friend." I whispered uncertainly. "I know." His voice came back in a ragged whisper. "I will..spare you. Go, Madison, run." The thought of James knowing my name sent a chill down my spine. "AHHHHHHH!!!!!" I turned to the sound of the death scream. Then back at James. Or what used to be him. He had melted into the shadows.

"Oh no..." I muttered. I went over to the sound. James had disappeared, but I saw the body. It wasn't anybody I knew. Sighing, I leaned against the wall. "Alright, someone's been caught!" I yelled. "Good...sit down." The voice echoed around the halls. We were soon gathered back into the same room, in a circle. The red man looked possibly gleeful. "Ooh, who was it?" He searched us. "Mmm. I know. It was that bratty girl, Taylor or Tennis or whatever." The red man waved his hand dismissively. "Monster." Someone said. I couldn't tell who said it, because they were wearing a mask.

"Who said that?" The red man snapped. "I did." A tall boy with brown messy hair stood up. He tore off his mask, his brown eyes challenging everybody to say anything to him. I froze. It was Tanner.