THE DEAD GAME CONTINUES — PRELUDE TO BOOK II

I must see if End House is still standing.  
I was there when the house was destroyed.  
When the evil creatures were dragged  
From the windows by our chanting   
And cast into the raging sea.

The house had disappeared before my eyes.  
But yet, one section had remained standing,  
Before becoming transparent,   
And then poof,
It was gone for good.

I’m on a mission to see if the house is truly gone.  
No one else happened to notice the shadowy section   
That had hovered and wavered until it dissolved.  
But I know it’s still there.  
I need to know.

The forest is quiet.  
I don’t hear birds chirping.  
I’m alone but I can feel eyes watching me.  
I should’ve parked closer to the house.
I don’t remember the path snaking around the trees.

Here’s the black fence with its spikes pointing upward.
Not a comfortable place for birds.  
How convenient, the gate is wide open.  
All I have to do is walk through the trees.
No gloomy house should be waiting for me. 

There is something up ahead.  
A large shadow in the mist.
It must be the pool. 
It can’t be.   
The house can’t be back.

I can see through it to the trees beyond.  
The sky is growing darker by the minute.  
The shadowy house is beginning to fade away.
It’s dissolving into the ground,  
Like it had done on that other fateful night.

All that remains is a deep hole.  
Why did I come alone?
I don’t want to check out the hole.  
I don’t want to be here.
I’m leaving.

Where did these heavy gusts of wind come from?
It was such a nice and balmy evening.
Now the winds are blowing their heads off.  
The trees are thrashing their branches at me.  
They won’t let me leave.

I’m being bounced from one tree to the next,  
Like a football being tossed around.  
“Stop it! Let me go!”  
They don’t listen to my cries.  
I believe they are laughing at me.
 
“Here’s that!” I jab my foot into a thick root.  
The tree stretches out its branch to swipe at me.  
“No please! Save me!”
Too late.
I’m falling down the dark hole.

I can’t grab hold of anything firm.
The sides are too slippery.
Rocks and dirt are falling on me.
I can’t stop myself from sliding down.  
This was such a bad idea.

I’m falling too fast.
No light is coming from above.  
It’s just me and the darkness, my old friend.  
The darkness can’t save me now.  
Nothing can save me now.

I feel dizzy.
I’m being twirled in circles by the wind.  
Round and round I go.  
Where I’ll stop, nobody knows.  
The silly things that enter your head at the end.

I’ve hit rock bottom.   
I’m sore.  
My bottom hurts.  
And I don’t know  
Where the hell I am.

THE DEAD GAME CONTINUES

PRELUDE TO BOOK II