Trickey

Hurry!”

I hold the candle as I looked at the darkness surrounding me. We played a goddamn joke. Me and my friends, and now, we’re paying the price. We shouldn’t have been here. We shouldn’t have messed up with the ritual. We shouldn’t have opened something that has been shut close on purpose. It is our stupidity that led to four of my friends dead. I couldn’t speak, my hands are shaking. The fire is lighting up the only space that I could breathe in.

“Now, listen Maya. You have to do this.” I heard Ron reminding me again from the nth time so we will not any mistake again. This is frustrating. I am panicking. My eyes are wild and I couldn’t focus. The darkness around us is getting darker and darker. I couldn’t breathe properly. My vision is spinning.

“Maya!”

Snapping out of it, I saw Ron holding my shoulders. His hands were cold. I can feel mine as well. We are sweating profusely. I don’t know if it is because of the heat or from the cold dead air.

“Do you remember what I said?”

“Y-yes.” Nodding, I held the candle tighter.

“Just circle the cave and don’t let the fire went out.” He repeated.

I nodded again.

“I know” Looking him dead straight in the eyes.

I know Ron. One mistake and we are all dead.

“Okay, you got this.” His grip tightens. I saw Lydia behind him kneeling and crying. I felt like crying too but this is not the time to be weak. We need to fight. We need to fight the monster that we let out.

Determined, I turned around and face the darkness. I just need to walk around this cave, where that monster was initially locked up. Biting my lips, I started to walk. I can feel my back being farther and farther away from my remaining friends. I felt cold. Colder. I felt all alone, facing that monster but no. Ron and Lydia need to recite a prayer as I circle the cave. Trapping that monster again and getting it into a deep slumber. I felt their stares are on my back, silently supporting me. I need to do this. I got this. When I make past a corner, I know that Ron and Lydia can no longer see me.

The wind got colder that I almost stopped dead in my tracks. Getting scared and freaked out, I let out a breath. I remember Ron said that that monster will do its best to distract me. It will do anything but it cannot physically harm me, as long as I am holding this candle.

I need to be fast though, I know that Ron told me not to be afraid and take my time but we don’t have time.  Before it strikes 12 and we weren’t able to finish off the ritual, we were doomed. Our souls we’re devoured and will be food for that vile creature.

I need to be fast, I am barely in the middle.

Quickening my steps but being careful not to trip. I skipped a lot of rocks and onto my last step on the pavement when something fell in front of me.

My heart jumped. I became alert. My body went cold as I saw the body of my friend hanging. My hand instantly covered my mouth as I stifled my scream. Eyes bulging out, I continued my task. My hands shook even more. The light on the candle flicker that it got me anxious.

I tried to keep myself steady as I walk past the body.

It is Myca, she hanged herself in the doings of that creature.

It is poisoning our minds. Its cunning ways will make us do things that led to our demise. It is like we were a game. A game, we are the players, and that monster is the game master. We were losing but the hope is binding us to fight and move.

I make a sharp turn when I screamed as that creature stood in front of my way. This is the turn where I can almost finish the ritual. Ron and Lydia are in the corner; I can hear them praying.

I almost lose my balance and cower on the floor. It stood right there. I can’t get past her, she’s blocking the way. I looked at my watch and saw that it is almost 12.

Shit!

How can I get past her?

Ron!

Lydia!

Think!

This must be a trick!

She can’t put the fire out herself, so she is now delaying the time so we cannot finish the ritual!

That’s it!

I straightened my back as I observed her. She did the same, craning her neck.

I can feel the cold creeping on my spine.

She is smiling. That smile so wide that it stretches her face so much, blood trickling down from it. Her skin is pale, with splatters of blood. Her eyes are so black that when I stare at it, it pulls me in, sucking my soul deep.

“Hi hi hi…”

She bit her fingers while staring at me, amused by my fear. Danger and wickedness emitting around her.

“Hi hi hi…ha ha ha….HA.HA.HA. AHHHHHHHH HAHAHAHAHA”

She laughed hysterically that her face stretches so wide, it almost looks like her face will be ripped apart. Her blood-like saliva splatters everywhere and her eyes were glued to me; wild, vicious, and full of trickery.

I sucked in a breath. I am feeling like I want to cry.

I can’t do it.

My fear is getting to me and I am running out of time. 11:59 pm and 50 sec.

10 seconds…

I need to do this!

Suddenly, an idea came to me.

That’s right it can’t harm me.

Her laughter stopped when she saw my whole demeanor changed. She became vicious as well.

“KSHHHHHHHH...”

I smirked.

Covering the fire with my hand, I made a run through her.

“AAAAAAHHHHHHHH” screaming, she floats in the air and made her way through me as well.

All can see is gray smoke, dark. She went through me. I am Almost like I'm in some fog, but I kept my pace until I saw light. The candle is made by Ron and Lydia when they perform their prayers.

I smiled. I made it.

They saw me as well.

It is over.

Finally, we are saved.

“Maya. We did it” Ron said as he hugged me.

Everything was a blur and I passed out.

“Maya!”

I woke up and it all went by in a blur.

A month had passed since that incident. We couldn’t explain to the police what happened back in the cave. I guess all we can say that time is that we are foolish, drunk, and made fun of a forbidden place.

We thought it is just a scary story that adults made to scare off little kids so that they will never go into the cave. Boy, we were so wrong and it cost the lives of our friends. I can also vaguely remember what we did to get out or how did we get out. I don’t know, but I guess what matters most is that we survived.  

When the police find our answers

rubbish, they could not believe what they are hearing from us and we were almost got into jail because of our missing friends but they have no evidence.

We do not know as well though, where the bodies went. The cave was clean when the authority got in to investigate, at least that what Ron told me. I was out a week after due to trauma and stress. Ron and Lydia are the only ones who woke up a few days earlier.

It is still a mystery and tragedy for the families of Myca and the others but they understood us. They believed us.

I went to the cave after I got discharged from the hospital. I placed a bouquet in front of the entrance and prayed.

When I went home, it is already dark. I walked in the front door and reached for the lights. It is so dark inside our house, but when I flipped the switch on, it didn’t turn on.

The cold got to me again.

No…no…no…

Not again!

We already escaped!

I was having a panic attack when a light suddenly lit from the distance.

It is a candle.

A birthday candle on top of a cake…

and mom was holding it.

A lot of candles were lit and I saw everyone, smiling as they sang happy birthday.

I smiled.

I felt relieved.

I could feel my eyes burning up as they walk towards me.

“Happy Birthday~”

I laughed at Lydia when she put some party hat on my head as she sang.

“…to you!”

The song ended and I looked at them. They were staring at me happily, waiting for me to make a wish.

I didn’t think about it but something is nagging me. It is making my heart beat loudly.

I blew the candle and I saw the gray smoke lift in the air.

Clock standstill, when I remembered my childhood.

Since when did my mom celebrate my birthdays?

“You’re a piece of trash!”

“Mom!”

“Get away from me!”

“Mom, it hurts”

 “You’re not my daughter!”

“It is okay Maya”

“Myca”

 “We got you”

Everything went dark for a moment, then when I knew it. I am in front of Ron and Lydia; they were a few feet away. They were staring at me with horror.

Huh?

“Ahhhh…Maya!” Lydia screamed with horror as her hand flew to her mouth as her knees collapsed on the floor. Tears streaming down her face as well as Ron. “No...no…”

What happened?

I noticed a gray smoke lifted in front of me and I looked at it. There I saw the candle.

The fire was gone.

Dread filled my chest as I looked at my watch. 12:00am and 0 sec.

No…

Laughter came from behind me, making my body slowly turn towards it.

“hi…hi…hi…”

The end.