FillTheFear

Let's Make A Trade

"Alyson hasn't even told us what kind of game it is we're playing, Marty. Give her a chance," Veronica craned her neck, squinting her eyes at Marty. He knew Veronica was only trying to get Alyson to like her, even if it did mean that somebody had to die.

"Yeah," Jillian elbowed Marty in the ribs. "Come on boyfriend, let's give it a try. What's the worst thing that could happen?" Jillian giggled.

Did they miss the part where somebody dies? Marty thought and shook his head. "Whatever."

Alyson's gaze went from piercing to warm and fuzzy. She kicked up a leg in excitement, plopped onto the dirty brown sofa and wrapped her arms around two very quiet boys. A girl from Marty's math class stood behind the sofa, smiling wide in amusement.

Alyson cleared her throat, licked her lips and started, "The rules of the game is this; the three of you, Marty, Jillian, and Veronica will be pitted against each other. Whoever wins gets kicked out of the house and is allowed to live out the rest of their natural life. Whoever loses will be slaughtered by these three."

"How come they don't have to play?" Jillian looked puzzled. Her usually perky voice sounded inflated.

"Because I said so," Alyson sneered. Hey eyes went dark, icy almost.

"That's not fair," Veronica's voice faltered, she was clearly nervous.

"Come on," Marty thundered. "Do you guys really believe in this stuff? All that will happen if someone dies is just that, they die. Nobody is getting brought back from the grave. That's just insane! Whoever is using special sight in Alyson's family is obviously using some pretty foggy lenses."

"After all the things you've heard about Fear Street and you still don't believe. Poor Marty," Alyson stood up, stepped in closer to Marty. She whispered in his ear, "I hope the loser is you."

"That's it," Marty spun around and made his way across the candlelit room. A flash of lightning flooded the room as Marty froze in place. A chill ran down his spine. "Where did the door go?"

Alyson burst out in a hideous laughter. It shook through the house, setting Marty's teeth on edge. "Did you really think I'd make it as easy as walking out the door?"

"How did you do that?" Jillian cried.

"Can we please just get this game over with?" Veronica sounded irritated, which in turn irritated Marty. Veronica was the one egging Alyson on and now she was over this too.

Okay, how can I get out of here? Marty wondered.

"Sure," Alyson turned and smiled at Veronica. "We'll finish the game as soon as Marty's ready to participate."

Marty rolled his eyes. He wasn't sure how Alyson made the door disappear, but it was pretty clear there was no getting out of this. He just hoped this was part of some elaborate Halloween prank, and that they all got to go home without losing a single drop of blood.

"Do you have a problem with blood?" Alyson grinned at Marty.

"How did you do that?" Marty's heart skipped a beat, or twenty. "How did you read my mind?"

"It's not like special sight is the only inherited power in my family," Alyson stood with her arms crossed. Her trio of zombified Shadyside goons stood at the ready. They looked like they were itching to kill.

What has she done to them? Marty wondered. That girl is in my math class. She's too shy and quiet to be a killer.

"I think she'll be an excellent killer," Alyson bit her lip.

"Stop doing that," Marty demanded. He felt violated. His mind was private, and Alyson was intruding on that

Before Alyson answered, she walked away. She was only gone for a few strikes of lightning, strikes that kept getting nearer to each other. When Alyson came back in the room she was holding a strange bottle and three glasses.

"What is that?" Jillian frowned.

Alyson smiled and set a glass down in front of Jillian. Alyson then filled the glass with a bubbling red liquid. "This is just a potion. It will show me whose strong enough to carry my sister's spirit."

"How does that work?" Marty rolled his eyes in disbelief. "If the loser is dead how will they carry her spirit? Doesn't her soul need something to latch onto?"

Alyson poured Marty's glass and spoke, "You're very observant. Yes, the loser will be dead, rendering the corpse vacant. That's when my sister will take over the body. Sounds like fun, now drink up."

Marty hesitated but put the glass to his lips. The small swig he took was harsh and metallic, as if it was blood.

Maybe I can trick Alyson into thinking it made me pass out, Marty thought, hoping she wasn't reading his mind.

Marty felt no effects from the potion. In fact, he felt totally fine. That wasn't good.

"You're faking," Alyson stood over Marty. His eyes were closed.

If I move, even a little, she'll kill me, Marty thought.

A sharpness slipped into the depths of Marty's stomach. A hot, sticky substance soaked through his t-shirt. It was blood.