A Deadly Game, A Dangerous Midnight

Pure Torture

"Alex!"

'Stupid!' I scolded myself. 'How could you let her out of your sight?'

She had been right behind me, whimpering and sobbing quietly as we crept silently around the house. I had been heading up the staircase leading to the third floor when I sensed that she was gone. I had whipped my head around, only to find nothing but an empty flight of stairs, the last step rising only inches above the floor of the darkened hallway. Immediately, I turned around, bounded down the steps in a hurry, and called out her name frantically, my voice rising with each call. 

'Where is she?' 

I stopped running immediately as a thought clicked in my head. 

'Of course!' 

 I ran down to the first floor. 

 'She must be with Paisley!'

Sure enough, I heard the muffled sounds of crying as I approached the spot where Paisley lay. I still could not see them, and was about to turn around the corner when I froze. Not just because of the immediate fear, but because of the chilly air. Right away, my right ear picked up the hellish whispering. 

'Oh no, oh no oh no oh no.' 

I was about to turn and head for the opposite direction of where I was going when a sudden thought struck me. 

'Alex!'

She was right around the corner, I was willing to bet. I could tell by the repeated "I'm sorry" that she was, in fact, there, mourning and obviously regretting what she had done. I could not just leave her there, so vulnerable. The Midnight Man was right-

"Jacob." 

I sucked in a breath of shock, staring at the menacing figure. 

"Hello."

I took in another sharp intake of oxygen. How, how could-

"Don't just stand there." he grinned. "Come closer."

"N-no." I stammered, starting to back away.

"Don't you run from me. You can't run away now."

I ignored that and instead voiced my own question.

"Y-y-you can speak?" 

He laughed then, the sound so evil my whole body tensed, just waiting for him to attack. 

"Of course I can, boy. You think that just because I am inhuman, I am forever mute?"

"N-no, I mean-"

"Silence. I know what you humans like and think and do. You like to do rituals such as this, summoning me for your little games and fun. You think you are more superior than others. Your kind disgusts me. And it is my duty, and my pleasure, to torture you until you break." he spat.

I blinked in disbelief and took another step backwards. This was a completely mad spirit. And madness was what made most souls dangerous. 

'I have to get out of here.' 

'No, I can't possibly leave Alex behind!' 

"Do you not know that I can read minds?" 

My heart practically stopped. 

The figure chuckled deeply, reminding me again of hell.

I had to stall him. I had to buy time. 

"Then why didn't you just kill us, since you know where we are headed all the time?"

"Because I want to torture you."

"What?"

"You see, Jacob, waiting is the greatest torture there is, aside from my personal work, that is." he edged closer. "Waiting for something horrible to happen. Waiting for someone to get hurt. Waiting for you to get caught. Yes, it indeed drives us insane." 

There was a long moment of silence. We both stood there, motionless, until he spoke once again.

"All right, then, Jacob." 

I looked up at him, confused.

"Enough talk, now lets get to business."

I knew exactly what he meant by 'business'.

"Wait!" I cried out, not being able to hide the fear and panic out of my voice, although it did not matter; he already knew what I was feeling. "What will you do to her?"

"Losing your precious ones, that would surely drive you to the highest point of grief, won't it?" he asked, obviously enjoying this. "And guilt, too. Knowing that you could've done better to stop her. Guilt will confine you, torture you, destroy you. It is a black wall. It is a thief, Jacob." 

"You are a fool to ever come back into this, but I think I understand why. And I will use that one reason to torment you for the rest of your life."

With that, he disappeared around the corner. 

A/N: Finally!!! Another one!! And I'm so sorry for the late update! I'm in the middle of exams and it's been one busy week!