A Night of Horror

A Night of Horror

Our game was simple. The one rule was to make someone scream before the fire dies.         No one had come close to winning yet. Now it was my turn to come up with a scary story, but I didn’t know what to say. Everyone was gathered around the fire. I was holding the flashlight unsure how I should start my story. The dying warmth from the fire made everything seem more ominous. Everyone’s story so far had been interesting, and they were the creative ones, not me. I took a deep breath and started the story.
        “Long ago,” I knew I had failed already by the disappointed and bored looks I was receiving from them. “A cult gathered in this forest. Not far off from where we are right now. Anyways, these cultists had brought six teenage kids along. These teens had thought that the group of cultists were taking them to a low profile party.”
        “Is that it! What happens next!” Sasha said.
        “Nothing! Amara is probably done with her story.” Alex got up and looked at me with hatred in his eyes. “I’m gonna go pee.”
        I watched Alex get up and leave our small ring around the dying fire. Fighting the urge to stick my tongue out and call him a loser. I wondered who's idea it was to bring him along for the overnight. Everyone knew he was a jerk at school.
        “I’m not done.” I was upset that Alex thought so little of me. “The teens learned the truth before the cultists could knock them out. The group ran, the cultists following them and rapidly gaining on the small group, pushing the teens to run. Until one stumbled.”
        I saw Sasha lean forward and James and Leo hugged each other. The only one of my friends who was not affected yet was Zoey who was rolling her eyes and holding her hands near the fire trying to get warm.
        “Come on Amara. Tell us. You can’t leave us hanging!” Leo said.
        “Yeah! Come on Amara.” James joined in with Leo, moving away from him and closer to his girlfriend Sasha.
        “Okay! Okay!” I was smiling now motivated to continue on with the story. “The one who tripped was the youngest, Flora. She had asthma and couldn’t breathe. As soon as the cultists caught up to her they slit her throat, they drew the blade across slowly, carefully, not letting a single drip escape. Letting all her blood rush into a sliver chalice.”
        “That is really gross, Amara!” Zoey started gagging and turned away for a second. Probably to get her composure back. I had finally gotten her involved with my story. Now all I needed was to get Alex interested and make someone scream.
        Alex came back from the forest and moved to sit down next to Zoey. She scooted away from Alex. He put his grimy hands near the fire for warmth. “Hurry and finish up your lame story Amara. I want to go to bed.” I wished he would burn them.
        “Whatever.” I just blew him off. He was bound to get mad like he always did at school. “So anyways… The group looked back and saw what had happened. One of the others fell and soon only one was left to run away. He got to the edge of the forest.”
        “This is a really boring story.” Alex was getting on my nerves now. He let out a yawn and leaned against a tree.
        “Alex! Shut up, we want to hear the story!” Zoey waved off Alex.        
        “Thanks Zoey. So he made it to the edge but he couldn’t move forward.” I held the flashlight tighter shining it perfectly on my face. “He was trapped by a drop off. He turned around to see that the cultists had circled him. He moved back, knowing he couldn’t escape. All he could do was surrender.”
        “What happened?” Leo looked panicked and eager to hear the end. I smiled at him and he shrank back.
        “All the boy could do was cry for them to spare him. Not to kill him as he had too much left to do.” I shifted on the ground getting uncomfortable. “The cultists promised he wouldn’t die before the set time.”
        I stopped and looked around smiling at my friends who were eager for me to finish. “So what?” Alex seemed to be leaning forward. I had finally gotten the most stubborn of all people to be excited for what was next.
        “Oh, you want me to continue?” I said.
        “Please, I need to know what is going to happen.” Alex was leaning forward more and more. I knew if he leaned forward anymore his butt was going to go off the ground and he would end up in the fire.
        “So. In the end they took the only boy left the clearing the cult had originally planned to bring all the teens. They had tied him up and blindfolded him so he couldn’t see what was going to happen. They took a long silver knife that was still coated in his friends blood, and sliced off his fingers. All he could do was scream. They say you can still hear his screams to this day.” I finished and saw their faces. The looks on their faces caused me to laugh evilly. Sasha let out a small scream and the others held onto on another. The fire finally died out and I heard several yawns. It was time to sleep, but the fact stuck with me. I had won.