A Deadly Game, A Dangerous Midnight

Merciless Time

Alexandria's P.O.V

"Someone's in trouble!" I broke into a run.

"Wait for me!" Paisley yelled.

"Run faster!"

I was getting panicky. Judging from the wails and screams, I could tell that the person was going through a great deal of torture. That made me run even faster. I followed the sound of the continuous begging to the home theatre. As I entered the doorway, my heart almost stopped. Cold prickles ran up my arms, all the way to my neck. I couldn't stop shaking at the sight of Walter writhing on the ground. He was all scratched up and bloody, his eyes were rolling violently, and he was crying earnestly. 

"Pleeaaase!" he moaned. 

"Walter...." my voice broke and I looked away, unable to watch him suffer. 

There was no doubting it. No matter how skeptical I might be, I couldn't deny that the Midnight Man was indeed real. I couldn't just simply put a stop to this game, I had to get through it. I had to make it until 3:33 a.m, at all costs. 

"Alex!" I caught sight of Jake standing behind two rows of couches. "Get out of here!" 

"What?" 

"Don't you see what's happening to Walter?" he shouted. "He's close! Get out of here, now!"

"And you're coming with me!" I ran over, grabbing his arm and pulling him back towards the doorway. 

"I can't do this." he groaned once the home theater room was out of sight.

"What are you saying?"

Jake covered his face with his left hand. "I can't go through this."

"But you have to." I insisted. "Jake, you know there's no turning back."

"Yes, I know that all too well." he muttered. 

What was that supposed to mean?

"In fact, I-" he shook his head, cutting himself off. I didn't want to press, so I just stood there silently. 

"C'mon then, let's go." 

He heaved out a sigh and nodded wordlessly. 

As we entered the living room, I glanced at the ancient grandfather clock. 1:27?!!! I groaned. So much had happened in less than two hours! A little more than two hours left for me to endure this horrifying nightmare. I sighed, sitting down on a plush sofa, trying to recollect my thoughts. More than a few times, the disturbing image of Walter flashed back and forth throughout my mind. I sighed, relieved that it hadn't happened to me. In that instance, I felt a pang of guilt. How could I be so selfish as to rejoice in the fact that I was not suffering like Walter was, back there? Selfish, how selfish I was!

 I forced the thought away, trying to focus on more positive things. 'At least Monique is safe', I thought. 

Two more hours. Two more hours......