The Pit: My Writers Games Entries

3. Dark, Descending Eradication

I wake up in a world of eerie stillness, the pale green canvas giving off a feeling of unease as I slowly sit up. The silver pyramid is the first thing I see after I blink away the last fragments of darkness. It's sitting a few metres away, one side hanging open. How'd that get here? Wasn't I just outside in the spooky forest? No, I was just in the darkness, and before that I was in the spooky forest. But that doesn't explain how that pyramid got here.
I only just notice there's no one else here. I'm alone, why am I alone? Why have I been left alone in this scary place? And how did that pyramid get here? I didn't put it there, did I? No, I most certainly didn't.
I don't even want that pyramid here! Why is this place full of pyramids? The pyramids are killing all of my friends! Ross was killed by a blood-haired girl, who made him kill himself, and Skye was killed by a fireball, which made her kill herself. The pyramids are messing with people's brains. The whole place is a giant pyramid that's trying to kill all my friends! It's trying to kill me too! Why are there a bunch of pyramids that are making fire-eyed people kill us? What could this possibly be good for?
I feel something inside me, something familiar yet foreign. It burns, but not with heat. I don't know what it is, but I can feel it simmering beneath me, buried inside me somewhere. Without thinking, the feeling inside me explodes as I pick up the pyramid and launch it at the wall of the tent. "Go away, pyramids! I hate you! You're trying to kill all of my friends and I don't know why!" I shriek, the pyramid crashing to the floor, knocking over a pile of supplies. A muffled scream fills the tent as I curl up into a ball, my body wracked with violent sobs. I hate The Hunger Games. I'm surrounded by evil pyramids and fire-eyed monsters, my brothers are gone, I have no idea where I am, Saralee's left me, and two of my friends are dead. Why would anyone want to play these games?
Wait. Maybe this isn't how the games are played. Maybe it's like when I play board games with my brothers and sometimes I lose. It makes sense that I'm losing, because I have no idea how to play. Saralee knows how to play The Hunger Games, she said so herself. But she's not here. Is she dead too? I hope not.
Maybe I should go find her. Out there, in the scary evil world of the pyramids and the fire-eyed monsters. Yes, I must find her. She could be in trouble!
I lean against the wall of the tent as I pull myself to my feet. I should see what's in that pyramid as well. Maybe it'll help me find Saralee.
There's a note on the floor that says, "You heard your loved ones call, and you came here, a stroke of luck. However, if they call again, neither parties shall be so lucky." Loved ones call? Oh yes, my brothers were calling for me before I got lost in the darkness. Saralee told me it wasn't really my brothers, just their voices. The thing is, how did their the sound of their voices get from home to here? I don't get it. I also don't get what the rest of the note means. I know I came here, but how was it a stroke of luck? And there's no parties, no reason for anyone to be celebrating. And what does luck have to do with this?
I find the evil pyramid amongst a pile of tinned food and vials of medicine. Inside is a piece of paper and... Berry! The evil pyramid has Berry!
I pull the green stuffed dog from out of the box and give him a cuddle, gently cradling him in my arms the way my brothers did when I was a little girl. He's a pastel green dog with purple spots, long, floppy ears and button eyes who smells like crayons. I've had him for as long as I can remember. And now I saved him from the pyramid! Wait, how did he get in the pyramid? Oh well, at least it didn't hurt him.
I find a spot for Berry in my backpack, leaving the zipper open slightly so he can breath. I reach for the piece of paper in the pyramid, but just as I begin to read it, the world takes a sudden plunge into darkness. Not nighttime-darkness, the kind that's dotted with stars and the moon and the warm glow of fireflies. Not under-my-bed darkness, with the familiar smell of lemongrass and sage and crayons. Not gloomy-day darkness, on days where everything is cold and dull and grey. Not even midnight-darkness, like in the dark room filled with hurting and fire and fear. This is nothing short of complete, pitch black, where everything is invisible. Not even my fluorescent orange backpack is glowing in the perpetual blackness.
What the...? I didn't realise such pitch-black-darkness was possible! I fold up the piece of paper and fumble for the pocket in my outfit, slipping the paper inside so I can read it later. I feel for my backpack in the dark, slinging it onto my back and find my way out of the tent, tripping over several times on the way out.
I just make it outside the tent when there's a sudden metallic, sepulchral sounds that booms across the land of the pyramids. It reminds me of when I'd go into my brothers' work, and the workers would try to get a train moving. But there are no trains here, so what was that noise?
There's the sound of scraping metal, and something similar to a wheel turning. What's going on? Can everyone hear this? They'd have to, it's so loud! I hope Berry's okay in my backpack.
Suddenly, an invisible force tosses me to the floor, pinning me down just like in the dark room. I can feel the ground shifting beneath me, throwing me about like a leaf in the wind. My feet struggle to find purchase on the constantly moving surface as my hands scrabble to find something, anything, that could possibly help to steady me. A yelp of pain escapes my lips as I crash into what I think is a tree, my side throbbing slightly.
What's happening? Why is the ground moving? Why can't I see? What are the pyramids doing to us now? Am I going to die, just like my friends and Easton? I don't get it! I want to get it, but I don't!
All I can feel is pain and disorientation. All I can see is pitch-black-darkness. All I can hear is the sound of cogs turning and scraping metal. Wait, I can hear something else, but I'm not sure what it is. I strain my ears as I'm being tossed about. Oh, I know what it is! I can hear other people! Where are they? It sounds like the people are screaming. Is Saralee amongst them? Is she okay?
I hear lots of loud thumps as everything goes still after a long time. I can feel the ground beneath me. It's a lot colder than before. Am I still in the spooky forest? I don't think I am.
I slowly begin to stand up on my wobbly legs, which have turned to jelly after what just happened. My head aches from the dizziness, and my stomach feels sick. Everything is spinning. Around and around and around. I can still feel my side throbbing. It hurts.
I don't like this pitch-black-darkness. I like the other kinds of darkness. They feel peaceful and tranquil, like a giant bubble of personal space. This darkness is scary. Monsters live in the pitch-black-darkness. I wonder what kind of monsters live in the evil land of the pyramids. There's the fire-eyed monsters, and if they live here, who knows what else there could be out there.
"What the heck, Gamemakers?" I hear a voice call out in the darkness. There are other people here! But I can't see them. I don't know if they're friends, like Saralee, or evil fire-eyed monsters. It didn't sound like Saralee. My chest tightens as my heart begins to palpitate. If that wasn't Saralee, then who was it?
There's a sudden blinding flash of white that hurts my eyes after being in the pitch-black-darkness for so long. What's happening? I didn't realise light could hurt so bad! I can hear several of the other people groan. The light goes away again, before flickering back on and off again. Wow, the light is being really indecisive right now! It can't be both bright light and pitch black, it has to pick one! The constant change is making my eyes sting and my head go dizzy. I don't get what's happening. This isn't normal, and I don't like it! I want things to be normal again! Not blinding light, pitch-black-darkness, evil pyramids, fire-eyed monsters and dying friends!
The light comes back, and actually stays this time. I can now see that I, along with all the other people from the land of the pyramids, are standing in a giant metal bowl. It reminds me of the bowls we use at home to cook with. Maybe the whole world grew and we're standing in a giant cooking bowl. Oh no, are people going to eat us?! No, there's no way we could've just gone from the land of the pyramids to a giant kitchen with a giant bowl. Or maybe the land of the pyramids turned into a kitchen. I certainly hope not. I really don't want to be eaten!
"Daicellyn!" A familiar voice rings through the air above all the other confusing tangle of shouts. I turn my head in the direction of the voice. Saralee! It's Saralee!
I turn to run towards her, when I'm interrupted by a noise similar to that of jingling bells coming from the sky. I look up and see five small parcels attached to little white pieces of cloth. One of them falls in the space just above my head. Is the parcel for me? Maybe it's a gift from Thalia! Wait, then who are the other gifts for? They're not above me, so I think they're for the people who it lands on.
I reach up and grab the parcel just before it lands on my head. I gently pull away the grey cord wrapped around it and open the fastidious white box. Inside is a large, grey metal torch that's freezing cold when I pick it up. It has a plastic frame attached to it, which fits perfectly around my wrist. Now I can hold the torch and have both hands still free! I like it.
There's a black squishy button that makes the torch light up when I press it. Why would I need a torch? It's not pitch black dark anymore. But what if the pitch black dark comes back? Maybe that's why Thalia sent me a torch. But how would she know if it comes back or not? How does she even know where I am?
The light suddenly disappears again as the room once again descends into darkness. Not complete darkness, but enough darkness so I can barely anything. However Thalia knew about the darkness, she was correct in the fact that it would come back. I turn the torch back on and look around.
"Saralee?" I call out into the almost-complete-darkness. Any possible response is cut off by a loud clicking noise, combined with a terrifying shriek. What was that? Is it a monster? I've never met a monster, but it sounds like one.
I use Thalia's torch to look for any monsters. I don't see any. Suddenly, an absolutely ghastly abomination of a creature crawls into the beam of light. It looks in my direction and let's out a horrible hiss, raising itself on its exorbitant legs. A wave of trepidation crashes inside of me. The force of my fear is so strong I topple over, lying despondently on the cold metal floor as I take in the creature.
The hideous monster resembles that of a giant rhinoceros beetle combined with a spider. It has a gargantuan beetle-like body that's the same colour as the pitch-black-darkness, with royal blue glowing lights along its sides. Its translucent grey wings are the same colour of its bulging, orbicular eyes. It towers over me on six giant insect legs with long talons that look like knives attached to each foot. It has two mandibles that look rather like tree branches attached to either side of its mouth, which is massive and filled with several rows of fangs. The teeth are pure white, just like when it snows back home, and have a slight green tinge to them.
The monster's spherical grey eyes focus on me as it lets out a particularly loud shriek and clicks it's mandibles together. A scream, almost as loud as the monster's petrifying call, curls at the edge of my lips, exploding through the air. I instantly jump to my feet and sprint in the opposite direction in a desperate bid to escape. The monster isn't far behind me, though I'm good at running. I can see the other end of the bowl. I look to my left and see other people battling different monsters. Maybe I can lose my monster if I run through there. I quickly change direction and run through a maze of people and more equally terrifying creatures. They're absolutely terrifying. There's hurt everywhere! I see one tall boy with light brown hair and dark brown eyes with golden flecks get decapitated by a giant flying snake! The horrid sight makes me collapse to the ground, tears running down my face.
It's at that moment that I remember I'm in a giant cooking bowl, and I can't escape. The thought of being devoured by that beast is enough for another scream to escape from my mouth.
I can't be eaten by that creature! My brothers were going to take me home! But they can't take me home, so I have to get there myself. But how can I do that when I'm being chased by a terrifying monster?
Wait. Maybe there's something in my backpack that could help! I quickly search through my backpack, supplies flying everywhere. I make sure Berry is still tucked safely away from the monster.
My slingshot! I can use it to defend myself against the monster! I find the rocks I put in my pocket earlier and position one so I can launch it when the monster finds me, which it does almost instantly. It lets out several ear-splitting hisses as it hovers almost a metre above the ground, mandibles gnashing, as if it's trying to eat the air. I begin to shake with fear, but I focus myself on the task at hand; defeating the monster and getting home. Using my torch so I can see, I draw back my slingshot and fire a rock at the monster. It hits one of the monster's wings, causing it to crash to the ground. The monster lets out an angry roar as it falls, its legs crunching underneath the weight of its body.
Wow, I did it! I did it! I actually did it!
The monster slowly brings itself back to its feet, the injured wing buzzing faintly. Oh, maybe I didn't do it. Maybe if I hit it again, that'll defeat the monster.
I find another rock in my pocket and load it into the slingshot. Now, I have to turn around and stop running so I can launch the slingshot. But what if the monster gets me when I stop running? It's not very far behind. Although it doesn't take long to launch a slingshot. How else will I get home?
I draw back my slingshot, and turn around mid-stride so I can launch it at the monster. The rock flies through the air and hits the monster's front leg. It lets out a scream so loud that I have to cover my ears. It hurts! Buy at least I did it!
The scream rings out for a long, long time. I keep my ears covered and my eyes squeezed shut. Maybe that'll help keep some of the hurt out. Ouch! No, it doesn't work. Wait. Something doesn't feel right. I can feel myself flying. How am I flying?
I open my eyes to find myself suspended in the air between two charred tree branches. Am I back in the spooky forest? Wait. I'm not in a tree. The monster has me in its mandibles! Oh no! The monster has me! I'm going to die! I don't want to die!
I let out a scream that hurts my ears and my throat as the monster brings me closer to its mouth. Its teeth are even bigger up close! They're scary!
Wait. Maybe the monster will let me go. No, that's ridiculous. Monsters are evil! But maybe I can make the monster let me go.
The monster flips me upside down so my feet are closest to its mouth. I try to squirm out of the monster's grasp. It's not working! I'm getting closer to those giant, green-tinged teeth! I keep trying to escape the monster's strong, tree branch grip. I feel my foot hit something hard as something louder than I thought humanly possible invades my eardrums.
Wait. Why am I thinking humanly possible? Monster's aren't humans.
I feel myself flying again, then an intense pain as I collapse on the ground. Ouch! My ankle! The monster dropped me! Wait. The monster dropped me! I'm free! But my ankle hurts. It really hurts! I grab it to make sure it's okay.
Wait. What's this in my boot? I pull out a small, sharp knife. My knife! Skye put it here back at the rainbow-cornucopia-thing.
'Skye...'
An idea forms in my head as I load my knife into the slingshot. Maybe I can defeat the monster with this knife. The monster is writhing on the ground, blood pouring out of its mouth. I draw the knife back and launch the knife through the air. It soars straight into the monster's gaping mouth and down its throat.
Another horrible noise invades my eardrums as the monster starts coughing up blood mixed with some other disgusting liquid substance that makes me feel sick just looking at it. The monster sounds like it's choking.
'Just like Ross...'
Its bulbous grey eyes go dim as the monster stops convulsing. The whole world turns pink for a split second as my legs turn to jelly and everything goes black.