OPEN THE DOOR
A door to fantasies.
To new worlds.
To new beginnings.
A life worth living.
A door to your imagination.
Where words flow like water.
Ideas ride the tides.
Stories to live by.
A door to your heart.
Love and happiness in store.
Clear blue skies for all.
Beauty set free.
A door to possibilities.
Where mysteries abound.
Blood may curdle.
Clouds may seep out.
A door to The Dead.
Where darkness rules the night.
Flying creatures reign free.
And no one is safe.
Open the door.
THE DEAD GAME
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Chapter 8
End House appeared through the mist: a massive daunting
shadow silhouetted against the black sky. The house stood
tall and imposing before its invited guests.
That was how End House appeared to Linda. Her first
glimpse of the foreboding house caused her body to shiver.
The house resembled all the scary houses in her imagination
and in every Gothic novel she’d ever read. But having to face
it on this dreary and isolated hilltop, with the wind blowing,
sharp branches slapping them across their shocked faces, made
the encounter more real and much more horrifying.
Tom, Edward, Mike, and David were already walking up
the gravel path, while Gregg, Judy, and Ryan were waiting
for them by the massive front door. It was a very quiet group
that stood close together…staring up at the dark, menacing
structure.
The front of the house faced the mountain with its wrap-
around porch, wide stone steps, and thick white columns,
while the rear had its large patio and built-in pool facing the
crashing waves of the ocean. A tall black iron fence—its pointy
spikes jutting upward to the sky—encircled the house and
pool before following the stairs in its straight descent to the
deserted beach below.
Todd heaved open the huge steel door and walked in first.
He disappeared inside, leaving them no choice but to trail
along behind him.
Huddled together as one, they entered the house and stood
in the dark hall.The only light came from two lines of lit candles traveling up the banisters of the marble staircase, and a third row of candles hanging from wall sconces in the right hallway. The sconces served to illuminate this hallway, while leaving the second hallway to the left of the staircase in complete darkness.
No one was there to greet them or to tell them where to
go. The group stood still, in awe of the sweeping staircase with
its majestic red carpeting. Todd returned from somewhere in
the dark recesses of the house and suggested that they split
up into two groups. He directed Linda, Shana, Gregg, Ryan,
and Judy to proceed upstairs with him, while Mike, David,
Edward, Tom, and Louise were told to follow the long line of
candles along the right hallway.
Louise was upset that she was stuck with Mike, David,
Edward, and Tom—when she really wanted to be with Todd.
Todd had arranged the two groups, purposely placing her in
the second group. How much worse could this evening get?
Her group followed the flickering candles, which cast ee-
rie shadows from their elevated positions on the hallway’s left
wall. The dark paneled walls made the hall feel smaller and
even darker.
David was lagging behind the others. He stopped walking
and said, “It’s not too late for us to leave and return home. I
don’t want to be here anymore. We should just—”
Mike tugged hard on David’s arm. He said in the annoyed
voice that he reserved for David, “Don’t whine like a baby,
David. And try to have some fun.”
“Yeah, right,” David said and pulled his arm away from
Mike.
Edward and Tom assumed the lead and were following the
wavering lights. Faced with two closed doors on the right wall,
Edward opened the first one and walked in.
The room before them appeared to be a large, cavernous
living room, empty except for the enormous unlit marble
fireplace on the opposite wall. The wallpaper was dark and
stained; the wood floor was dull and dirty. A connecting door
led them into the dining room, which turned out to be a large
room dominated by a long wood table without chairs.
The bleakness of this room and all the other rooms in this
house made Louise feel uneasy. The house was very dismal-
looking with its dark paneling, and it lacked any furnishings
that would have made it feel more like a home.
And where was everyone? Where was their elusive host?
This was supposed to have been a party for them, but the house
looked deserted—as if it hadn’t been lived in for a long time. She really didn’t want to see any more of it. Who knew what could be lurking behind any of the closed doors? Now she was just scaring herself with her own gloomy thoughts. She caught up to the others, who were standing in the hallway waiting for
her.
As they continued along the long hallway, the candles in
front of them lit up…while the ones behind them went simul-
taneously dark.
It was leading them somewhere but where? She didn’t want to find out.
THE DEAD GAME
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FOREVER MORE
Give me water.
Give me light.
Quench my thirst.
Light my fire.
And I'll be happy
Forever more.
Give me color.
Give me fragrance.
Paint me pink.
Perfume my petals.
And I'll be happy
Forever more.
A DOOR IN THE FOREST
The house is gone.
All that's left is ash
And the door.
The door to the dungeons.
Where The Dead lived
And died.
I can see dark shadows
In the distance.
Are they coming for us?
I thought they were all gone.
What happened to The Dead?
Are they gone or still lingering?
The earth is rumbling.
The door is shaking.
We'd better leave.
Right Now!
THE DEAD GAME
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Come to me, my sweet love.
From the heavens above.
I want to spend life with you.
One heart that will beat like two.
Come with me to our secret place.
I cannot wait to see your face.
Our love is honest and true.
Come to me from the dark blue.
WHAT DOES HAPPINESS LOOK LIKE?
I've never been a happy person.
More of a serious person.
So what does happiness look like?
Is it the smile on a mother's face?
Is it the laughter of a toddler?
Is it the loving look of a lover?
Look around you.
Do people really look happy?
Or do they look preoccupied?
Maybe a little impatient or hurried?
Do people even look happy at a party?
Some may be smiling.
Some may be off to the side, watching.
If you supply some liquor,
Then you might see some happiness.
So who is happy?
My dog rubbing his back across the rug
Is the epitome of true happiness.
Animals have cornered the market on happiness.
They are content to be alive.
We should learn from them.
I'M A JOKER
I'm a joker.
I'm an evil queen.
I'm a gamer.
I play games with
People as mere pawns.
Jump, jump, jump
And you're gone.
Move a space and
You're caught in a trap.
Back and forth we go.
I have the expertise.
I have the ambition.
I have the board.
I'm cunning.
I'm devious.
I'm always the winner.
INTO THE FOREST
I will lie down on the forest floor.
I could not ask for anything more.
A soft bed to hold my head.
Flowers to cover me red.
The night turns windy and chilly.
At least it's not too hilly.
The moon is moving into place.
I'm beginning to fear this place.
Time for me to go home.
No time for me to roam.
I hope to meet only friend, not foe.
Too bad I forgot which way to go.
WHY DO WE WRITE?
Why do we dream?
Our minds want more.
We want to explore the world.
We want to explore the unknown.
If we can't fulfill our dreams in our daily lives,
Then we can fulfill them in our writing.
We can write short stories and novels
About evil creatures and deadly games.
That is exactly what I have done.
I picked an exotic locale.
I picked Florida.
Not exactly exotic but it has palm trees.
I grew up in a big city
But always wanted to live in a small town.
I created a small town
And called it, Oasis.
I created the main character to be me.
I love books and bookstores.
The main character moves to Oasis
And opens a bookstore/coffee shop.
You get the idea.
The main character, Linda,
Is living my dream life.
She makes friends and is happy.
Then my mind turns darker.
Life is too good for Linda.
I create a dark life for Oasis.
At night, the town turns deadly.
The wealthy residents live in a forest.
They come out at night.
Do you see where this is going?
If not, you can always read The Dead Game.
I finally got my small town
By the shore,
Where fantasies come true,
And some just don't.
LET US OUT
The walls hold us tight,
Though we still must fight.
Cement and mortar keep us in.
But we are more afraid of him.
He has trapped us inside.
From him we run and hide.
He is the cult leader of The Dead.
He lurks in each and every head.
He's still unknown to us.
Help us without a fuss.
Please save us from our certain doom.
We're tired from the doom and gloom.
We can hear his footsteps in the distance.
We can't help you with any resistance.
You must fight the battle for us all.
Many will be freed but some may fall.
THE DEAD GAME
OOZING
I sit in the dark.
I hear a soft drip.
Drip, drip, drip…
Coming faster.
Sounding louder.
I look up.
A red stain spreads across the ceiling.
Red liquid oozing down the walls.
What’s happening in the room above?
Is all this blood?
The ooze is moving closer.
Creeping towards me.
Raising its arms.
To grab me.
I close my eyes.
I’m inside it.
I see a beating heart.
Thump, thump, thump…
It explodes into thousands of pieces.
The explosion forces me down a tunnel.
I’m falling through a blood red abyss.
Leading where?
To my own doom?
I shouldn’t have come to this house.
The Dead take no prisoners.
THE DEAD GAME
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HAPPY FATHER'S DAY FOR WHOM
My in-laws are coming today.
Hooray! Hooray! Hooray!
I must clean the house
And be quiet as a mouse.
My in-laws are coming today.
Hooray! Hooray! Hooray!
There's food to cook for the barbeque.
Enough for the whole town--that's who.
My in-laws are coming today.
Hooray! Hooray! Hooray!
It's Father's Day but for whom?
I'll go get my duster and broom.
My in-laws are coming today.
Hooray! Hooray! Hooray!
THE SUN SHINES ALL DAY
Come and swim with me
By the deep blue sea.
Where fish and dolphins play
And the sun shines all day.
The ocean sparkles green and blue
Like a wrapped present just for you.
The soft sand is so white and clean.
Perfection has no in-between.
Oasis is perfect to get away.
It is the best place I can safely say.
Except for the desolate night
That might offer us a big fright.
Dark shadows come out from their homes.
The sun uncovers only bones.
What happens at night is a mystery.
Along with Oasis' long history.
Come and swim with me
By the deep blue sea.
Where fish and dolphins play
And the sun shines all day.
THE DEAD GAME
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