Children of Death (Under Construction)

Chapter Sixteen

Roger was kind of nervous to enter the painting. He wasn't sure what lay behind it, after all, it could be very dangerous.

He turned around to face the others as if asking them if he should proceed. They all nodded their heads, telling him to move it, and he gulped before he took a step in.

He was blinded by the sudden light, and birds chirping everywhere. The place was feminine, the flowers were vibrant, as they set the tone of the scene. Dragonflies, birds and butterfly danced on the buds. Decorate white swans and ducks swam peacefully in the pound not far off.

He was so invested in this place's beauty that he almost forgot why he came here in the first place. “Pam!”

His voice echoed through the fabricated Utopia, but there was no reply.

He walked on, looking for her.

“Pam!” He called out again, but again. It was as if she were not there.

“Who are you?” He heard a sweet, soft voice ask.

He turned around and saw her, Pamela. Her red hair appeared redder in this extraordinary light, and her green eyes were soft, she clutched her hands into fists and stood with her chest out. Was she scared? But why would she be afraid of him? He's her friend, although they're not that familiar with one another yet, he was still someone she could trust.

“Oh, Pamela, you're fine.” his heart sunk in relief.

“I'm sorry, who are you?” She asked, dead seriously.

“It's me… Roger, your friend.” He said, but her face remained the same. Hard, cold,  terrified.

He took a step forward, and she took two back. She didn't know who he was, it was now evident and it cut into his chest. How is he supposed to convince her to go back to the real world when she doesn't know who he is?

“Pamela… Everyone is waiting for you, depending on you. You need to come back and finish the game.”

She brought her eyebrows together and slightly cocked her head to the side. She had no idea what he was speaking of, and it dawned on him.

"You don't know me?"

She shook her head.

"It's me, your friend. Roger."

She shook her head, "I don't have friends, just my mom and dad here."

Roger closed his eyes as she shook his head, "no! You need to remember, Pam please. This world is fake, it's not real. Your dad ran away when you were a kid, he's not here."

She frowned, "stop that! Stop saying mean things."

He stepped forward but this time she didn't move back, "please, remember. For a long time it has only ever been you and your mom, and she's worried sick about you. You need to return to her."

He grabbed her hands and she allowed him. "Pamela... I know you love it here, of course you would, Mr Aldin would make it as comfortable here as possible."

She looked at the ground then quickly up into his eyes, "who?"

"Mr Aldin... Do you remember him?"

She shook her head, "Mr Aldin, it sounds familiar." She said softly.

"Mr Aldin, the game, Becca... Does any of these ring a bell?"

Her eyes widened, "the game! It's not finished."

He sighed loudly, "thank god, do you remember me?"

She stared at him intently, then she gasped. "Roger!" She wrapped her arms around him squeezed him tightly, he gripped her as well, relieved that she finally knows him.

She pulled away and looked at him.

“The game? Mr Aldin's game.” She said and chuckled, "how could I forget something so significant?"

“You need to help us, Pamela. You need to come back and finish the game.”

''No!”

“What? Why not?”

“Look around Roger. This world is remarkable, it's my heaven. I can do what I want here, I have both my parents. There's no heartache, and no moving from town to town.” She said he listened intently to what she said. How was he going to convince her otherwise?

“It's not real, Pam. It is all fake…"

“… I know that!” She snapped; “I know, Roger, but it feels so real.”

“In here, everything is perfect and everyone is happy. But that's not life, Pam, life is not all sunshine and rainbows. Out there… Out there are frozen kids that Mr Aldin is about to sacrifice, and he's possessing an innocent Becca. But more than that, out there is your real mom, sad and miserable because she doesn't know where you are. And here you are, running from it all.” He scolded her, and she just listened.

He was right, and she knows it, it's just that in here everything flows so easily, and she is so much happier here.

“So you're not coming back?” He asked and dug his hands into his jacket's pockets. She had to decide here.

“I'm sorry, Roger, I think it's a best if you leave now.” She said he looked at her with the most disappointing eyes ever.

“Okay, cool. I'll go.” He said and was off.

He came out of the painting, and everyone's faces lit up. They were waiting for Pamela to come out with him, but when they realized she wasn't, their faces lost their light.

“She's not coming?” Asked Lacey.

“Of course not, I made sure she enjoyed it far too much to care about you all.” They heard Mr Aldin's voice coming from Becca's mouth. He stood in the doorway.

Their hearts stopped cold for a second. He smiled, he loved the fear that he was reading on their faces.

“Welcome back home.” Mr Aldin said and started laughing, a laugh that only made them more scared. Mr Aldin walked deeper into his art room, studying his frozen kids. “I suppose since you're all here, we can play again.” He said and grinned.

“Yes! Let's play, what are the stakes?” Asked Austin.

“Can't we just play for fun? And I get to sacrifice the losers?” He asked playfully.

“No, we need to get something out of it as well.” Said Lacey as bravely as she could.

“Fine, what do you guys want?”

“Our complete freedom. We want our souls back, Mr Aldin.” Said Todd.

Mr Aldin smiled.

“Okay, you losers can be replaced. Let's do this.” He said and snapped his fingers, and when he did, they were in the entrance area downstairs; “this is how it will go. You fools play against me and my demons. We find every one of you, we freeze you. If we freeze you, you die immediately. You become a sacrifice immediately.” He said.

They agreed.

“The last one standing gets to live.” Mr Aldin told.

“Wait! No, Mr Aldin, let's not. I have a deal to make with you.” Said Austin, Mr Aldin looked at him long, deep thinking.

“I'm listening.”

“We play for my soul. If I am the last one standing, set my friends free once and for all, but if you win; you get my soul as well as the rest.” Mr Aldin didn't say anything, he just looked at Austin, wondering if it was the right thing to do.

“You're on.” He agreed.

“Lights off.”

Mr Aldin's voice filled the air, and darkness surrounded them. The ground beneath them shook, and bright blue light made cracks in the ground, trying to break through. The next thing they know, the light gushes out from the ground and countless spirits came from it.

They had blue eyes, it looked like ice. Their skin was a pale blue, and they had long plain white fingernails. They had razor-sharp teeth and mischievous smiles on their faces. The kids were all trembling, and that's when Mr Harmon gave his final instruction;

“Begin!"