A Dark Game

A Dark Game

      Darkness conceals me. The smell of sweat fills the air. The dead silence comforts me. Pencil thin gaps separate the sturdy black wooden slats that imprison me. Vertical knives of moonlight shoot through the gaps and stretch across my back wishing to expose me. They cannot, for I can blend with the shadows and disappear. Clad in black armor I wait, unmoving. Through my only exit, I watch for others. I see a boy foolishly run from his discovered hideout to try and escape, only to get cornered in the enemies’ trap. Everyone is an enemy, or they will be soon. I could try to run as well, but I know I would meet the same fate as that boy.
      My thoughts hush as I hear footsteps approach. I pray it is not a monster. My prayers obviously go un-noticed as I hear the dreaded demon groan, “Brains!” I dare not move. I dare not breathe. Every breath I must take is a gust of wind through the trees. Every movement I make is a white flag of surrender. The footsteps are closing in. With each step I feel my heart beat stronger and louder. It pulses through my temples like a subwoofer through the floor boards, it’s every beat deafening to my ears and surely loud enough to be leading the beast straight to me. It’s standing right beside me. Only the wooden beams separate us. I peer through the slats to see who it might be but he is standing too close for me to see anything higher than his knees. From what I can tell the boy has large, once white sneakers on his feet and very hairy, thick muscled legs, legs that could easily outrun me. I freeze as the feet turn toward me. I fear that I am found, but then they keep moving. The boy proceeds up the stairs that serve as my roof. Every footstep reverberates loudly through the wood surrounding me. Just as he passes me I hear the call, “who’s still alive?” The suicide call. “Anna!” I yell out. I know it’s risky with an enemy so close, but I have to answer the call. Sure enough, I can hear him rushing back to find me. I...