The Dark Chapter 3

As Scott's hand approached Ted's shoulder, he involuntarily froze. All motion and sound around him ceased. The cars on the street stopped in their places, and all conversation stopped. One by one, heads turned in to face Scott as he stood helplessly frozen in his tracks. They all seemed to stare through him as if he didn't exist; as if he was some kind of void. Then he saw what they were looking at. Ted. Ted turned to face Scott, and what Scott saw, he would never forget. Ted's face had been horribly disfigured, as if it had been burned by an incinerator. The only problem was, he was smiling. Or at least appeared to be smiling. Scott swallowed and said "What is this, some kind of practical joke?" No one answered. Then Ted laughed. Not laughed, screamed. Maybe both. "Do you really think this is a game?" he said as he laughed. Scott just stared in horror. "Maybe you are right, maybe this is a game! The kind of game where I hunt you down, and you run like a scared child! Sound like fun?" More laughing. Then something changed. Scott, still frozen in place, felt a chill run down his spine. Ted's face began to twist into a shape that Scott didn't think was possible. "You will succumb to me! You will be mine, do you understand? This is a game that you cannot win, because YOU ARE MINE!" With that, The face that no longer looked like Ted at all burst into flames and let out a wail. "You better start running!" it said with a horrible cackle. Scott realized that he was no longer frozen in place, so he did exactly that. He ran. The day was no longer bright and clear; the sky was black, but not with cloud cover. He didn't have time to think about it. He ran back to his house, hearing that "thing" screeching all the way home. As soon as he got through his door, he slammed it shut and locked it. He gasped as he leaned against the door and tried to catch his breath. There, he was in the house with the door locked. All is well now. But something told him all was not well. Something told him to go into his bedroom. He felt a familiar tingle run down his spine as he approached the door. He slowly pushed the door open dreading what he would see next, but not knowing why. What he saw next made him freeze in his place again, but for an entirely different reason.