The Toy Room
Ben and Rosie had kept running as fast as they could, hand in hand, never looking back. They heard Jack yelling but couldn’t stop. They bolted through the winding hallways; at first the twists had been annoying, now they were maddening. They stumbled into the room of six and stopped dead in their tracks.
“Which way babe?” Rosie shouted.
“I…”
“Which WAY??”
“I don’t know!”
Jack and Prudence came sprinting in behind them and nearly knocked them over. Rosie turned to Jack. “WHICH WAY?!”
He spun around at the identical pathways. “Shit shit shit.”
It was Prudence who knew but was finding it hard to speak up. She weakly squeezed his hand and pointed her bloody one. “Are you sure?” He asked. She replaced her hold on her neck and nodded, weakly. She had paid attention when they were wandering back and forth through here, she didn’t want to forget the way out if they decided to turn around; the path that lead back had a chipped wall.
The giggles, squeals, and laughter came echoing through the halls behind them getting steadilly louder; closer. They didn’t hesitate, the four of them took off. Running down the hall with barely enough light to see by, they nearly tumbled down the staircase that was supposed to lead to their way out. Not wanting to take a fall they had to ease their pace, taking one step at a time rather than two, yet still quickly enough to feel safe. Ben leapt from the third-to-last step and nearly pulled Rosie flat on her face. She caught herself before hitting the ground. He didn’t even have the chance to apologize, she was up and moving. Jack and Prudence did the same thing but jumped together and landed together.
The wooden door before them had no handle and opened up towards them. “DAMNIT!” Jack and Ben began kicking it furiously. This one was the most forgiving of them all; with only a few tries it exploded off its hinges.
The room opened up to them and they quickly were hit with a new chill; it was the toy room. It was the preview to this whole mess that they blinded stumbled through. It was the evil behind them that left the evils strewn about them. There were two wooden doors. Ben thought quickly but chose poorly. His attempt left him facing a brick wall. “This way!” Jack ran to the other door; but it had no handle.
“No no no no!”
It was the only door he hadn’t had to break down because it opened into the room, now it was refusing to budge towards them because he had closed it behind him; trying to leave the darkness of the crypt on the other side alone. Stupid stupid stupid!
He and Ben began slamming themselves against it, hoping to bust through it like the others, but this one was stronger. It took both of them six tries each before they even began to hear a splintering sound. Rosie kept staring back at the path that was behind them, there was a door but no way of shutting it any more. She just stared in fear as the noises grew louder; they were closing in.
“Hurry guys.”
“We’re trying!”
Prudence was severely light headed, she could hear her own heartbeat pounding her eardrums, her vision was spinning and blurring; she had no choice but to sit down while the others tried to break through. She slowly closed her eyes, it was the only thing that helped.
It wasn’t long before Rosie noticed.
“Come on hun, you gotta get up. We need to get out of here.”
“I...I can’t.”
“You can, come on just stand with me.” Rosie tried to lift her but she was dead weight.
“Just...go...leave me.”
“We’re not going to do that.”
“You...have to.”
Rosie spun around, not taking her arms off Prudence. “Jack!”
“A little busy Rose!”
“JACK!”
He turned around, eyes full of anger he snapped, “WHAT?!”
That look quickly faded as he saw Prudence slump against the wall. Her body stained with blood as it continued to pump down her neck. “Oh my god.” Jack rushed to her side.
“Jack?” She said weakly.
“I’m here baby, I’m here.”
“Babe I’m dying.” Her eyes barely able to focus on him. He tried to help her put pressure on it, but it was no use; she hadn’t the strength to keep it on so it had been freely bleeding for some time now.
“NoNoNoNO! You can’t!”
“I am…”
“Baby...you’ll be okay...we’re gonna make it...you gotta be strong for me…”
“I could use a little help here!” Ben called out with irritation, the door was cracking but nowhere near enough.
“SHUT THE FUCK UP!”
Ben spun around about to curse at him but saw the scene unfolding. “Shit.” He whispered, but had no choice but to push on, he was now their only hope at getting out of this room.
“I tried…”
“You can still do this! I know you can.”
“I…”
“Please don’t do this. Please god.” He was crying as he pulled her tight into his chest, blood began to soak his shirt.
“I…”
“Come on Prude, you’re tough remember? Tougher than anyone, tougher than me!”
She struggled to open her eyes, she leaned her head back which caused more blood to shoot out. She placed her hand on his cheek, smearing blood down; mixing with his tears.
“I…I...”
“Yes baby? What is it?”
“I...I love you…”
She let out a deep and wet breath and her eyes glazed over. He held her tighter as he sobbed.
“NO NO NO! YOU CAN’T DO THIS!” He was shouting at the heavens as opposed to her, she was perfect, it was fate that was terrible.
Rosie didn’t know what to do. Jack was weeping, tears pouring out like a faucet as he rocked her back and forth whispering ‘no’ over and over again.
Ben finally broke through the door, causing Rosie to lose focus.
“Come on!”
Rosie ran to him but Jack remained cradling her, rocking back and forth, weeping.
“Jack come on!”
“GO TO HELL!”
“Dude, I’m sorry but we can’t stay here, those things are getting closer!”
“Then GO! I don’t care anymore, I don’t care about anything anymore.”
Ben couldn’t take it. He had been in the group long enough to know the rules; We all go together, we leave no one behind. He rushed over to Jack throwing his hands in his underarms and pulled him up. Prudence tumbled off his lap onto the ground.
“GET YOUR GODDAMN HANDS OFF ME!”
“IT’S FOR YOUR OWN GOOD!”
Jack was done, absolutely done. He balled his fist up, put all the rage that he had at the gods and struck Ben in the face.
“YOU PIECE OF-”
“LET HIM GO!” Rosie shouted. “He’s not leaving, but WE have to!”
Jack didn’t even look back at them, he sat back down and pulled her lifeless body back into his arms; little spurts of blood shot out at every movement, emptying her even more.
Ben rubbed his jaw but understood he couldn’t take it personally. Especially not if they planned on escaping this hellhole.
“I’m...I’m sorry Jack.”
“Just go, save yourselves while you still can.”
Before heading out the door he turned back, “You’ve been a damn good friend mate.”
Jack wanted to return the sentiment but couldn’t take his eyes off hers.
Rosie pulled Ben through the door.
Jack sat there sobbing, petting her hair and staring into her vacant eyes. The sounds of the children growing steadily louder as they approached. He rubbed the tears from his eyes, smearing more blood across his face. Out of the corner, he saw the kids start to enter the room. They slowed down, then stood there staring at him, teeth still cracking their smile.
He took a deep breath and turned back to her, whispering “I love you too. I always have.” He delicately closed her eyelids and carefully set her on the ground. Another deep breath and then he stood up cracking his neck and his knuckles. There were close to twenty of them in that room, eyes fixated on him, creepy smiles all around.
He put that rage back in his fists, ready to make them pay, any of them, even just one of them; he was going to make them suffer for what they did to her.
He narrowed his eyes at them, “I’m going to enjoy this.”
They all laughed and then they swarmed him.
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