The Slender Sickness

Chapter 8: Meeting

James got to the very bottom of the grimy basement stairs. The air smelled very foul, the explicit sounds of flies buzzing were heard. James couldn't see a single thing in the basement, so he had to feel around with his hands to find a light switch or something that could help. James slid his hand along the wall, his hand gliding over some moss every now and again.

That was when James felt something, a switch. Yes, a light switch on the wall, finally! A sigh of relief escaped James as he flipped the switch, and the light came on. The room was finally illuminated, but James let out a gasp in seeing the three figures standing there.

There, three people were all standing next to each other, each one of them wearing plastic masks covering their faces. Two of them donned plain white masks and gray hoodies, nothing special. Whilst the person in the middle wore a mask as red as blood, and a black hoodie. Clearly the leader of this ...cult, or whatever it is.

"Why, hello there." The one in the red mask spoke to James, his voice eerily calm and his hands behind his back. James held onto the machete tightly, and he tried his best not to sound scared when he asked him "Where is he?!"

A small chuckle came from the guy on the left, as the man in the red mask replied with "None of your business." The red-masked guy slowly approached James, his crazed eyes barely visible through the darkened sockets of the mask. It looked as if he hasn't slept in days.

JAMES: Listen here, asshole. Tell me where Matthew is or else!!

???: Or else what? You're gonna kill me with that little prick ya' have there? I don't think so.

JAMES: I already killed one of your guys back there! I can take three more assholes!

???: I don't think so. He is almost here.

JAMES: "He"? Who are you talking about?

???: The Feral Other. The... thing you encountered in the forest not long ago.

JAMES: You're insane... You're sending that fucking thing after me?!

???: Well, you've interrupted our meeting, and now you must pay.

JAMES: Meeting?

???: Yes. We were just about to begin the sacrifice.

JAMES: You were gonna fucking kill Matthew?!

???: It is completely justified, we were doing it for him.

JAMES: Who?

???: The Operator, our god. The one who rules the universe with great power. He has already got half of humankind under his control, and rightly so. A wild animal could be cornered and fiercely fight for its life, whereas a human would normally piss themselves and cry for mercy. We are different, though. Under the Operator's control, we are strong...

JAMES: You're insane!!

???: No, we aren't; We just know the truth. You will be with the real lord soon.

JAMES: I'm not leaving until you let Matthew go, you shitheads! You aren't killing my friend!

???: Well, then, since you're so stubborn.. I guess we're just gonna have to kill you first.

With finishing his sentence, he pulled his arms from behind his back,  revealing that in his hands, he held a handgun, which he aimed at James, ready to end his life right then and there. But James didn't quite like the idea, as he dodged out of the way as the bullet hit the wall loudly.