CHAPTER 13
"So how did you see the pancakes?". Said Laura.
"It was sweet". Said Joshua, holding his plates as he stood up from the dining and walked into the kitchen, he dropped them into the sink and sat back on the couch.
"Tomorrow, which is Saturday, I'll make another one, how about that".
"Yeah, I'd love that". Said Joshua, in a heap of excitement.
"So hold on a second, let me go and wash those dishes, I'm coming". She said putting her right hand on Joshua's cheek.
Laura's phone rang on the dining table and she walked towards the area and picked up her phone, she looked at the screen, it was Mrs. Bullock, and she picked up the call.
"Hello, mum".
"Hello, Laura".
"So how are you?".
"I'm good"
"How's everything".
"It's fine".
"How's Joshua, hope he's okay".
"Yes, he's fine".
"So you were able to do those things that I wrote as a to-do list".
"Yes, I was able to do them".
"Hope, it wasn't too hard".
"No, it wasn't, going to the supermarket, cleaning up, and doing other chores".
"Glad to hear that".
"So how's the conference going".
"It went on well, we finished like about 5 hours ago, so I went back to my hotel room and slept off".
"Oh, you must have been exhausted".
"Yeah, I've been so exhausted since I entered the plane, but it's fine anyways".
"Alright".
"So there's no problem, no issue, everything is going on well right".
"Sure everything is going on well, Joshua is doing just fine with me".
"Thank you, Laura". She said, laughing from the other end.
"You don't have to thank me, you've done enough for me and Zach and I'm very grateful". Said Laura, smiling.
"You can say that again, so we'll be back by Sunday, tell Joshua not to miss me too much that I'm coming back on Sunday".
"Alright, till then".
"Till then, so take care of yourself, Laura".
The phone call hunged up on the other end.
Laura dropped her phone on the dining and headed back to the kitchen, washing the dishes.
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Patrick sat at the recreation area on the left wing of the company, on his thigh laid his small handbag, he held his phone with his hands as he played the game with a heap of excitement.
"It's 6 o clock". He said, checking the time on the phone with a feeling of a shrug.
"Patrick, I just love it when you are so into the game".
"Yes I do, I'm in episode five already". He said, smiling
"That's why you are my best friend and I love you".
"I love you too".
"So my best friend, keep on playing the game".
"Yes, I'll always play the game".
On the phone screen, a couple was seen running from a maniac, hiding from one spot to another, I AM KELLY AND THIS IS MY HUSBAND LIAM, PLEASE HELP US ESCAPE FROM THE MANIACS HOUSE, WE WERE ON OUR WAY HOME AND DECIDED TO TAKE A WALK TO THE PARK, IN A FLASH, WE WERE ATTACKED AND THE NEXT MINUTE, WE WOKE UP HERE IN THIS MAD MAN'S HOUSE, HELP US ESCAPE, was displayed on the screen. The characters begin to rally around from one location to another in the maniac's house. The couple was on the staircase, when all of a sudden, they heard footsteps, then an inscription read, GO TO THE BEDROOM AND HIDE UNDER THE BED. Patrick controlled the couple's movement as they ran hastily to the bedroom and hid under the bed, the maniac came in dressed in a butcher's outfit with blood over his body, holding a knife and a cutlass, he moved around the room slowly then walked out and closed the door, then Kelly said to Liam, we have to find a way to escape, then the inscription read on the screen, GO TO THE KITCHEN AND PUT ON THE MICROWAVE, Kelly and Liam walked hastily out of the bedroom, climbed the stairs and walked down to the kitchen, when they got to the kitchen, The inscription displayed on the screen, OOPS, THE KITCHEN IS LOCKED, FIND THE KEY. Zach clicked on the timer and it displayed 8:20, "I don't have time, I'm using the hints".
He clicked on the hint and a RED ARROW POINTED TO A DRAWER AT THE LEFT CORNER, Zach controlled the character's direction to the drawer, they opened it and saw a key, Liam took it out and walked back towards the kitchen and opened the door. Then an inscription displayed on the screen, NOW TURN ON THE MICROWAVE TO HEAT THE ICE AND TAKE THE KEY AND THE BUCKET INSIDE THE FRIDGE. Liam opened the fridge and saw different parts of human bodies, he was horrified, he took the bucket out and closed the fridge, let's get out of here, he said to Kelly as she turned on the microwave and began to heat the ice, then the ice melted and she took the key, "I've got it". She said to Liam, then all of a sudden, the microwave sparked and the maniac shouted from downstairs, "who's in the kitchen, I know it's you two that I've been looking for". A RED ARROW POINTED TO THE SCREEN, HIDE BEHIND THE BACK OF THE LARGE LOCKERS. The couples walked towards the locker and hid beside them, the maniac came into the kitchen and walked around hastily, he walked out and slammed the door, the couples came out of the hiding spot, and an inscription displayed on the screen, GET TO THE ATTIC AND FIND THE CHAIN SAW, the couples went up to the attic and saw what looked like trapped souls, unkempt dolls, clothes, and dirty mannequins as they searched for the chainsaw and they found it, then the inscription read OHH NO, HIDE HE'S COMING, GET UNDER THE BED, the couples hid under the bed as they heard footsteps of the maniac coming up to the attic, the maniac walked around with a dead body and dropped it on the floor, Kelly wanted to scream but Liam put his right hand on her mouth, "I thought I heard a rat". Said the maniac to himself, he walked hastily out of the room, then an alarm sounded with an inscription displayed, YOUR TIMER REMAINS 0:09, GO TO THE STORE AND BUY MORE TIME, Patrick clicked on the store and saw a variety of times, he clicked on buy 10 minutes for 20 coins. The game continued and Kelly and Liam came out from the bed and an inscription displayed, GET TO THE BATHROOM, LOOK FOR PIECES OF WOOD AND A SCREWDRIVER, the couples went to the bathroom and the inscription read PUT THE BUCKET UNDER THE SINK AND REMOVE THE PIPE, THE SCREWDRIVER IS STUCK IN THERE, Liam placed the bucket under the sink and removed the pipe, water that looked like blood sprang out and he saw the screw inside the pipe, he brought it out while Kelly looked for three pieces of wood, she found two inside the toilet cover and one beside tap. "Found it, now let's get out of here". She said to Liam. Then the inscription displayed, HEAD OVER, TO THE BASEMENT, Patrick controlled the couple's movement into the basement as they walked in, they saw a heap of dead bodies hanging on rails and hooks like an abattoir.
"This episode looks sick". Said Patrick to himself with disgust.
Then an inscription displayed on the screen, USE THE PIECES OF WOOD TO BLOCK THE DOOR, the couples took the pieces of wood and blocked the door, then they saw a metal door locked with a chain on the left corner and it displayed, USE THE CHAINSAW TO CUT THE METAL CHAIN, Patrick controlled the character's movement to the door and Liam turned on the chainsaw and began to cut through the chain, he was almost done when he heard a violent bang on the door. "You two, open this door already, or else if I break it, you're gone", shouted the maniac from the door. Liam was done and they ran out. YOU HAVE COMPLETED EPISODE FIVE, NOW SOLVE THIS PUZZLE TO ENTER THE NEXT EPISODE was displayed on the screen as a puzzle emerged the screen in form of a mahjong game, he played it and the inscription displayed, SUCCESSFUL, EPISODE 6 IS OPEN.
Patrick looked over to the notification panel on his phone and checked the time.
"6:40, it's getting late, I better head home".
As he stood up from the seat, he heard an eerie voice that sounded like a little girl.
"Oh Patrick, don't you love the game". Said the voice.
"Is that you, I don't even know your name". He said, looking around the area.
"Then why don't you keep playing".
"I'm tired, I need to go home".
In a flash, the lights started to flicker, then he saw a dark shadow lurking around.
"Hello, who's there".
Then he heard the sound of a little girl crying.
"Is anybody here". He said looking around as his sight caught the figure of a little girl sobbing and walking slowly. "Hey, are you alright, you need help". He said, walking towards the girl and putting his right hand on her shoulder.
The girl stopped walking, turned around, and looked at him as her eyes and dress were covered in blood.
"Play with me". Said the girl, walking towards Patrick.
"Oh my God, what is this". He said, looking scared and walking backward as the girl walked towards him.
His heart began to beat faster as every hair on his body began to stand and goosebumps appeared on every part of his body.
"Where are you going, don't you love me, let's play".
"No, I don't want to play". He said, reluctantly.
He looked around and the atmosphere was strange as everywhere was dark, there were no doors and windows, the floor was filled with blood and the girl kept walking towards him.
"No, no, I don't want you and I don't want to play with you". He said, putting his hands on his face.
He put his hands down but the area was still dark, it looked as if he traveled to another portal.
Then in a flash, he saw what looked like a dark figure with no eyes, his head was bent downwards, raising its hands towards him.
"Come to me, Patrick".
"No, no never". He said running.
Patrick ran hastily and he ran into what looked like a cemetery, there the dark figure walked towards him.
"Come to me Patrick, there is no way you can run to".
"No, never". He said, running around the cemetery, as his body gnashed on gravestones.
The figure pursued him around every corner of the cemetery, as Patrick walked on the graves, hands that looked like skeletons began to come out from the sand and they began to hold and pull his legs into the graves
"O my God, I need to get out". He said, panting as he fought and pushed the skeleton's hands with his legs.
He saw a black door that appeared out of nowhere and ran across it, he opened the door and ran in, but it shut violently on him.
"Where is this place?", he said, looking confused as drips of sweat began to form on his face.
"Where you belong". Said a tough, nasal voice. "You belong here".
"No, I don't belong here".
"You are not going anywhere". Said the voice as a figure in the shape of a man appeared to him, his face dismayed and peeled off as if it was dripped in acid, then maggots and houseflies appeared all over his face, his hands filled with sand and maggots as blood began to drip from his hands. "You're not going anywhere". Said the dead man, stretching his hands towards Patrick as he walked towards him.
"No, no", said Patrick, walking backward.
The dead man walked hastily towards him. Patrick ran hastily and he reached a dark place.
"I don't even know where I am", he said, with a tear in his eye.
Then all of a sudden, he saw thousands of hands coming out from a wall filled with blood, reaching toward him, chanting JOIN US, PLAY WITH US, then he screamed.
Then in an instance, a hand tapped him on his shoulder, he looked back, it was a security man, dark-skinned, hefty in stature like a bouncer, dressed in a black uniform with a bulletproof around him, he held a torchlight on his hands.
"Mr. Patrick are you alright?".
"Yes I'm fine, I mean no, or I don't know". Said Patrick, panting.
"You looked like you seen a ghost"
"You think so".
"Everything okay with you".
"Yes sure".
"It's seven o clock already, I was about locking this place up, then I met you here, you were just staring at the wall, then I tapped you on the shoulder".
"I'm good and I'm okay, goodnight Stanley". Said Patrick, tapping the man on his shoulder.
Patrick walked hastily out of the company like someone who had just been to hell as he headed home in disbelief.
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The sun shined brightly amid Portland, Laura sat upright on the bed and looked over to the small size alarm clock. "Wow, it's nine already". She said, standing up from the bed. "I'm very sure Joshua is still sleeping".
She walked out of the room over to Joshua's and stepped into his room.
"Wake up sleepyhead".
"But it's Saturday, it's a weekend".
"I know but you and I have work to do". She said.
"Okay, I'll be downstairs in some minutes".
Laura went downstairs to the living room, looking for her phone, as she wondered where she had dropped it, she looked around the sofa and found her phone tucked beside the pillow. "There it is", she said, picking up the phone as she thoroughly went through the notification panel and saw missed calls from Zach. "I've been so busy with everything in the house that I couldn't even call my brother". She said to herself. "I guess I better call him".
She clicked on the contacts and called Zach but it went on to a voicemail, HELLO THIS IS ZACH, IF YOU'RE CALLING AND CAN'T REACH ME, THEN I AM VERY BUSY, then the call hunged up with a dead end. She thought of how Zach would still be asleep as her mind raced back to those videos she took from Mrs. Bullock's room, she walked towards the television set, bent down slowly, and brought out those videos from the left side cabinet.
"Well today is a weekend and since I'm leaving tomorrow, I better watch these videos of me and Zach". She said to herself.
Laura inserted the video into the DVD player and pressed the PLAY button, it emerged with each wearing a boxer and Laura wearing a bikini, standing at the pool with Mr. Bullock, running around and playing with each other, she picked up the remote and paused the video.
"This was when we went to the swimming pool". She said to herself.
She watched the video till it ended, then she went towards the DVD player, brought out the video, and inserted another one. It was herself at her birthday party with a cake and candles lit on it, people gathered around her with Zach and Mr. Bullock edging her to make a wish and blow the candles. "This was me on my 13th birthday". She said to herself as she watched the video till it ended and inserted another video: it displayed her and Zach in their younger self, running around the kitchen covered in flour, with Mr. and Mrs. bullock yelling and laughing at them. Laura paused the video and laughed. "This was when Mr. and Mrs. bullock was trying to do a cooking video but we just messed it up, it was a disaster ". She said, playing the video and then rewinding it to the beginning after that video had ended, she inserted another and it displayed numerous people dressed in different lovely outfits standing and clapping their hands to Mr. and Mrs. Bullock as they kissed each other. She paused the video and said to herself "Their 20th anniversary, my God, they tried". She said, staring at the video vaguely till it ended.
She stood up from the floor and took the last video that lay on the couch. "I think this must be Zach's graduation day because I haven't seen it yet but I know that we filmed it that day". She said, inserting the video into the DVD player. She was about to click the play button when her phone rang, she looked back and walked over to the couch and picked up her phone, it was Zach, and she picked up the call.
"Hey Zach, how are you?".
"I'm fine, I've been calling you but it's been going straight to voicemail".
"I know I've been busy with the house, it's kind of a bit stressful".
"Oh sorry about that, there's been something that I wanted to discuss with you, it's about the game". He said.
"Yeah, about the game, it can talk".
"And how's that even possible".
"I don't even know but the game creeps me out, I mean it even knows my name".
"Yeah me too, I was shocked, there's something weird about the game".
"I know, something just doesn't feel right". Said Laura.
"What episode are you in".
"I'm in episode five".
"I'm also in episode five, the episode looks a little bit scary with all those human bodies that were chopped up bits by bits".
"Yeah I know, I've failed like two times, always telling me the timer has ended, use coins to buy extra timer". She said with a bit of anxiety.
"It looks like it's kind of tough, this particular episode".
"I know".
"So when are you coming".
"I'll be coming back tomorrow by evening I guess".
"Alright till you come so that we can talk more about that weird game".
"Okay".
"And one more thing, how's Joshua".
"Joshua is fine".
"Alright, just say hello for me, tell him uncle Zach is greeting him".
"Okay, I will". Said Laura, laughing.
"Bye".
"Till then".
The call hunged up from the other end.
"Joshua, it's ten already, get off your bed". She said, looking at the time on her phone and climbing upstairs, heading to Joshua's room.
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Sunna chu sat on the ironing board table staring at the laundry machine as it simultaneously circled and washed the clothes in all directions, on her hands was her phone, her mind was so engrossed in the game.
"I'm so in love with this game".
"I'm glad that you love it".
"I know right".
"I love you Sunna and we can be best friends forever".
"And ever". Said Sunna, giggling and completing the words of the little girl's voice. "But episode five seems creepy, what's with all the human bodies".
In an instant, she heard thumps of footsteps coming from upstairs.
"What's that noise, seems someone has broken in". She said, standing up from the table and listening carefully to the sound of the footsteps.
The footsteps grew louder and louder like that of a monster running hastily around the woods. Sunna's heart began to beat faster, as her pulse ran fast, every hair on her body began to stand as goosebumps appeared all over her body.
"Hello who's there". She said walking towards the living room.
The lights started to flicker and they went off, the room was dark, then she walked further and peeped into the darkness around the passage and her eyes caught a dark shadow standing still as it pointed at her.
"Hello, are you lost? what are you looking for". She said, with a feeling of anxiety.
The figure didn't move, then she walked further and the figure moved its body and walked towards her direction, she walked backward but the shadow walked hastily towards her direction and what she saw was a horrified strange figure with no eyes, sharp teeth like a vampire, and with decaying hands stretching towards her. It opened its mouth and wailed to her like a monster.
Sunna fell to the ground and closed her eyes, then she stood up and heard a little girl's voice.
"Don't you want to play with me, come play with me Sunna"?
"No, I don't want to play". She said in dismay.
"I said come play with me". Said the voice.
Sunna felt a tap on her shoulder, she looked back and saw a little girl in a white outfit covered in blood, her eyes dripped out blood, and her hairs were wet as they dripped out water.
"Sunna, do you hear me, come and play with me".
The voice that sounded like a little girl erupted into a dark nasal voice like that of a demon. Sunna ran hastily across the hallway and stood in the center of the living room, then she heard voices and footsteps of little children running around and playing in the room with her.
"See why you should play". Said a tall figure with decaying skin, its hands decomposed like someone crumbling to death, its face filled with maggots, and flies came from its mouth.
"No", she screamed in terror as she ran into the kitchen.
She stepped into the kitchen but she didn't see what looked like a kitchen, all she saw was herself in the woods, a large tree stood in front of her amidst the forest, she felt as if she traveled to another dimension.
"Where am I". She said to herself.
All of a sudden, a lady with pale skin came out of the tree, her body looked decomposed like someone rotting to death, her eyes were plucked out and filled with blood, and her legs were peeled off like someone who had just dripped them in acid, the flesh revealed her bloody bones, she walked towards Sunna limping, stretching her hands filled with blood, flies flew from her mouth.
"Come with me Sunna and we can play forever and ever". Said the lady, walking towards her.
"No, no". Said Sunna, looking terrified and walking backward.
Multiple voices began to call her name in unison as hundreds of hands that looked skeletal began to emerge from the ground, they surrounded her and began to pull her legs into the ground, she struggled violently, pushing the hands from her legs.
"Sunna doesn't fight hard, come so that we can play forever and ever". Said the lady, limping to the floor.
"No". Said Sunna, covering her eyes tightly with her hands, she began to scream and sob.
She opened her eyes and saw herself back in the kitchen, she wandered around the house in every corner but everything was normal, it was like she never left the house, then she heard the bubbling sound come from the laundry room.
"My clothes". She said to herself in disbelief, as she headed towards the laundry room.
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Mark sat on the bench at Washington park, he held in his right hand a pack of bird food as he threw the seeds to the ground, flocks of birds flew around the sky as they descended to the ground as soon as he threw more bird seeds to the floor.
"How are you today my friend". Said the voice.
"I'm fine".
"Don't you want to play the game, let us play today"?
"Not now, I'm already in episode five". He said, smiling
"I know but let us play".
"I know, please keep your voice down". Said Mark, throwing more bird seeds to the ground as the birds swarmed around the floor, eating the food hastily.
"Nice work, young man, you must be so generous", said an old lady dressed in a grey gown and a black coat, average in height with a walking stick to her left hand, passing by.
"Thanks, granny". He said, smiling.
He dipped his hands into the pack and felt something moving around his fingers, he brought his hands out and it was filled with blood and maggot.
He screamed as he threw the pack of bird food to the birds, in a flash, the birds from the sky started falling one by one to the ground, and they all began to drop dead on the floor.
"What's happening to all of them". He said, staring at the dead birds on the ground.
In an instant, he heard someone call his name, he looked back but he didn't see anyone, the park was silent and calm like a cemetery, not even a soul was there, he stood up from the bench and looked around, wondering what had happened to everyone that was in the park, he looked around simultaneously and discovered he was the only one in the park, he looked at the sky, it was light red, like it wanted to rain drips of blood, then in a flash, he heard his name from his left view and he looked at his side and saw a man sitting beside him, he had pale skin, his face was bloody as a side of his face revealed his bones covered in blood like one who's faced was smeared with acid, the other part of his face down to his body was decayed and rotten, he smelled like Sulphur from hell, he stretched out his hands that were inoculated with decayed flesh towards Mark.
Mark stood up in shock from the bench and startled at the man in horror
"Mark, behind you". Said a little boy with his eyes plucked out, blood dripping from his eyeballs over to his shirt.
Mark could see his lifeless eyeball as he looked deep into them, his head was bashed and his skull was seen, his skin deteriorated and decomposed as he smelled like death.
"Oh, Mark, don't you want to play with me".
"God no, I don't want to play with you, whatever you are".
"You must play with me, let's play hide and sick". Said the boy, walking towards him.
"No, no". Said Mark, looking horrified and walking backward.
Mark's heart began to beat faster as drips of sweat started to form around his forehead, every inch of hair on his body began to stand and goosebumps appeared all over his body.
"I said let's play". Said the boy, as what sounded like a little boy's voice transformed into a deep demonic voice. "You are mine".
He heard what sounded like little children playing and running around the place, he looked around but he didn't see anyone. Then it began to rain blood, in a flash, something caught his eye, he saw a dark figure heading towards him, it resembled a grim reaper, his face looked like a skeleton, he held a sickle in his hands, and he wore a dark robe.
"No, no". Said, Mark. Walking backward.
"I'm coming for you and I am coming for everybody".
"No, you can't", said Mark, screaming.
Suddenly he felt a hand on his shoulder.
"Sweetheart, are you okay". Said the old lady. "You look so scared, then you threw your bird seeds to the ground". Said the old lady, pointing to the ground. "You can see the birds are eating the food just fine".
"No, I'm fine".
"Are you sure, I can help you feed the bi---".
"I said I'm fine". Said Mark, feeling a bit shacked up. "Thanks, granny". Said Mark, giving her a fake smile.
"Alright young man, take care of yourself.
Mark looked around the park, wondering how in a moment he didn't see anybody but now there were people, he walked back to the bench and sat on it in disbelief and shock, rambling about how dead birds were alive and healthy all of a sudden.
"I must have time traveled". He said to himself with a heap of astonishment.