It’s Spooktober!!! My favorite time of year when all the Halloween decorations are out and no one can tell me I can’t be dressed in something creepy each day of the month. Halloween has always been one of my favorite experiences as a kid. I’m a sucker for scary and absurd things and typically I stick to just doing different creepy looks every day. This year I decided to dabble in some Spooktober writings though. I’m not sure how many I’m going to achieve but there’s definitely a lot of different works brewing in my brain so anything not used this year will definitely be on the list for next years prompts. I present the first of many for the ongoing future.
Every October is filled with mischief and an indescribable haunting energy. One that is purposefully enhanced by many for fun and games to their twisted ways. Some take the tales and tricks seriously, to the next level. When a group of friends think their frights are something to be proud of they get the chance to experience an even more unnerving horror.
The horrors about to unfold are not for the faint of heart, even the ones participating are not prepared for what’s to come. In a comprehensive home a group of young adults stand gathered in a living room basement. The whole home is scattered with various creepy decorations; cobwebs with moving spiders litter the corners of rooms, skeletons sit propped in unaccompanied chairs. A grim animatronic stands to greet those who dare join downstairs where those who are more daring join to begin the game of the night while the party upstairs pumps away.
Purple and orange strobe lights phase behind a young man dressed in tethered clothes, red dripping from the teeth marks on his arm. Dressed in varying costumes, people scramble to surround in front. Jumping over the sofa, pushing into one another to fight for the best spot all to see who will be chosen. The booming music becomes slightly more faint in the daunting basement, the man begins to speak as he presses a button cuing a dooming sound track.
“Where lie our darkest fears? In the depths of the unknown? Or could it be the darkness that frightens us most.”
The strobe lights go out and the man holds a flashlight to his dirtied face. He tilts his head slowly with a maniacal grin.
“Maybe it’s the boogeymannnn.” He laughs as two women yelp in fear, surprised by the hands that so eerily wrapped around their shoulders.
“Whatever it is, tonight we will push your limits. Now, I know you all know how this game goes but per tradition and given that we have new blood with us tonight; I will go over the rules once. Our beautiful vamp Ari will give everyone a piece of paper with a number on it. There should only be four 1’s if you have a 1 you will meet me over at the bar. If you receive a 2 then you are free to find your temporary or non-temporary hiding spot. 1’s will be blindfolded, given rope, and a retractable knife. 2’s it is your job to keep from being captured by the Hunters. If you are caught, Hunters must drag you to the bathroom where once they bring in their first victim, they are allowed to undo their blindfold. 2’s, our Escapee’s, willingly participating in this game means you have agreed to the terms. Hands will be put on you; Hunters have the right to drag you, tie you to furniture and hell other players, they can and will use force to get you where they want you to be. Number one rule is to have fun and scare the shit out of each other. Now please keep the manhandling to a reasonable amount- and no choking anyone out this year please! We don’t need Kyle’s mom thinking he’s into some freaky shit again.”
Gore, blood, uncontrollable fear, that’s what fun and games are to a real twisted soul. That’s showing the real horror.
A young woman dressed like a kids temper tantrum doll slaps a younger boy on the back.
“Don’t shit your pants and embarrass me Mannie and maybe we’ll let you back next year.”
The boy's face grew cold, the veins in his hand nearly burst as his grip tightened around a wooden staff with a blue sphere atop it.
“That’s everyone! 1’s go meet Andrew at the bar, 2’s after they’re blindfolded you have a minute to disappear.”
They split, a group of deranged characters huddled together in whispers they spoke of their varying plans and expectations before setting off. The others surrounded the bar being blindfolded one at a time. The wall behind the bar held up multiple props as their hands began to be occupied by silk rope and fake knives. The minute the two groups waited felt like an eternity. Someone rapidly tapped their knife on the bar table. Another shifted their weight from side to side so heavily those beside them shuffled in place uncomfortably. A phone alarm rang, cuing the start of their twisted game.
“HAPPY HAUNTING!!” The Host, Andrew shouted. He jumped off the bar stool he was so carefully perched upon. Switching it up this year to play as an escapee, starting dangerously close to the hunters. Two of his friends immediately reached for him while the other two hunters went on their own way.
In the night screams of fear were drowned out by the ongoing party upstairs. Through the thin cloth over their eyes hunters snuffed out escapees. They squeezed the wrists of other players fighting to drag them where they could finally be allowed to see. Others tried blindly wrassling those on the opposing team in anticipation to wear their energy down and drag them out. The first victim wasn’t successfully brought into the visible room until an hour after the games began. A player head to toe with hay sticking out from their ragged clothes struggled to escape a masked clown's grasp. The clown blindly made their way to the bathroom, the grip they had on the scarecrow intensified with the fake knife to their neck.
Entering the bathroom with their victim, the clown removed their blindfold. Smiling and finger waving at their target so deviously. Screams and booms of haunted tunes trickled their way to the room creating what felt like another domain. The scarecrow kicked themselves backwards as the clown closed the door behind them. The only light came from blood red string LED’s in the shape of vampire fangs. What was better? The eerie lights or the darkness that came with a blindfold being transferred over your eyes instead of your hunters? The clown began tying their victims wrists to the metal storage shelf despite their best efforts to escape. The door creaked open slowly behind them.
“I’m a little busy here but rooms all yours once I’m”
A noise something similar to choking on your words came out followed by complete silence. The tiled floor suddenly felt warm before it chilled over. The scarecrow bent their fingers and twisted their wrists in an attempt to escape from their restraints.
“God dammit guys, quit playing around, let me out or finish what you were up to.”
The scarecrow's blindfold was removed and with it came a shrieking scream. They kicked themselves back again but only to be greeted with defeat; they could go nowhere tied to the metal and even if they could they’d surely slip. The figure looming above them held a kitchen knife, liquid dripping from its blade. Its victim lay sprawled on the bathroom floor, throat slit like scored meat.
Their raspy voice tried calling for their fallen opponent. They wouldn’t call for much longer.
The hooded assailant dropped to their level, head tilting wondering what their next move would be. Before they could scream again, the attacker ripped the hay from their costume.
Dark makeup ran down their cheeks pleading for their life.
“What’s wrong? I thought you guys said you like horror. Isn’t that why we’re all here?”
The hooded person took a fistful of hay and forced it down the others throat. Gagging and gasping for air they kicked their legs frantically. Trying to fight only made the pain worse, and with it his patience grew thinner. The hay stuck out of the disheveled scarecrows mouth, eyes wide open nearly popping out of their sockets. Firm hands placed themselves carefully on red cheeks before changing their position; his right hand found itself intertwined in the back of their knotted hair while the left lifted their chin slightly. With a swift motion and a loud crack their head dropped; few pieces of hay found their way back out, saliva still connected the costume to its owner.
Their bodies lay empty of life on the cold tile floor while the game remained. Players pass with no knowledge of what horrors lie beyond the closed door. As the game continues, players drop without trace. Two unfortunate souls become familiar with the art created in red.
The door flies open, a Hunter and escapee stumble in.
“Damn Kyle can you be any rougher?!”
A tall woman complains. A squelching sound comes from underneath her feet as she catches her balance by sitting on the toilet lid.
“Well you got me in here dumbass just gonna let me escape now?”
His eyes grew wider with every second, no sound came out but his lips moved.
She snapped her fingers rapidly in front of his face. While waving her hand frantically she flicked the bathroom lights on. Kyle nearly collapsed at the clearer sight before him. The female spun around to understand the horror; she gasped and gagged.
“I think I’m gonna throw up.”
Yet she stumbled out of the room, opposite the toilet.
“Andrew stop the fucking game!”
The once mannequin of a man shot over to his friend, throwing his hand over her mouth. He shushed her pleadingly while dragging himself and her back to the room of the crime scene. Locking the door behind them, Kyle slid his back down, cradling his head in his hands. He mumbled to himself repeatedly, rocking back and forth.
Kyle looked up at her confused, a fearful chuckle released.
“Are you fucking insane? Two of our friends are dead, who the hell knows where the rest of them are, there’s a killer on the loose and you want me to move. You’re fucking funny Bec.”
He shook his head in disbelief. The female's face turned stone cold, anger brewed inside of her. She went to shove the terrified male out of her way.
“You heard me I said fucking move!”
He didn’t budge much. With a disgusted look Kyle stood his ground, shaky but stern.
“Rebecca there is a fucking killer out there-”
“My brother is out there so move now!”
Kyle’s ground was shattered, Rebecca nearly throwing him into the two pale bodies.
She turned the lock, staring down at the handle before releasing it.
“Stay here, I'll be right back.”
Kyle didn’t say a word, his adams apple just barely heard scratching against his dry throat as he gulped staring down the two bodies he’d be left with.
Rebecca carefully closed the door behind her, sure to not make a sound. She reached for a clip in her hair, a cute pink bow that one side detached from another. Fit into the costume but also came in handy for dire situations like the one she found herself in currently. She held the sharp side at guard, searching for anyone alive.
“Maybe I’m lucky and he pussied out and left the game early. I’ll just check if his stupid stick is still here, he wouldn’t leave without it.”
She quietly spoke to herself.
Hugging the walls, Rebecca was faced with a line of various fake weapons and accessories from other costumes. In the line stood a wooden staff, light shined perfectly on it, a beaming blue, and dark red running down. The room felt colder as she approached it, coming up on the bar Rebecca swore she saw something like a twitch. Despite it being dark, enough light illuminated the basement for her to make out a figure face down on the ground. She didn’t check for a pulse or bother speaking to them. She held back puke as she stared directly into a void of mush. Blood, brains, hair, they stained the carpet; embedded into it.
Horror is a concept. What is terrifying to one seems to be disgusting to another; and one fun and games.
Begrudgingly, she made her way stealthily back to the bathroom. With her mental energy drained, Rebecca knew she would need help finding her brother; especially knowing it's very well possible he could be one among the dead. So she returned to Kyle, hoping to gain some assistance from him. She slid back into the room expecting to find him more than likely rummaging through the bathroom for some sort of protection. Rebecca paused, leaving the door swing open. She wailed at what lay in front of her.
The shower curtain has been ripped from the pole above the tub, it lays over the two bodies on the opposite side of the room now. Rebecca’s chest rises and falls rapidly as the air in the room thickens.
She mumbles the words splattered on the shower backwall.
Kyle hangs from the shower pole a sort of terrified look still stuck on his face.
An uneasy energy ticks Rebecca’s attention causing her to quickly turn around, hair blade in hand. Never in her life would she believe the horrors the night consist of and never in her worst nightmares could she conjure up this. There she stood face to face with the culprit of the night. The music continued to boom a level above them. A bloody grin splattered across his face.
