The Toymaker's Daughter

Intro

Heartbeat racing in my ears. Sweat dripping off my face. Adrenaline pumping.

I'm running down the halls of my home, tripping over dead bodies, trying to get away from... Him

 The lights are dimmed at every gloomy twist and turn. No beacons of sunlight shine down into this gruesome playhouse. As he hunts me down the halls all I hear is his evil chuckle; a mind-breaking, blood boiling, stomach churning chuckle.

I feel the ground beneath me rumble as he bounds down the corridors after me, his laughter chases me down the halls as he enjoys this game of cat and mouse. 

Why can we never play a subtle game of hide and seek, I wonder to myself. 

The rumbling of the ground begins to fade away and the laughter soften, as I leave him in the dust. I keep my pace, no matter how far away he seems. I need to make it to my father, I need to get to his office. Suddenly I hit a wall that wasn't there at first,  I fall onto my back so hard the wind is knocked out of me. I look up and there he is, grinning at me. In the darkness all I see is a dark silhouette and his white teeth spread from ear to ear. He cocks his head to the left and begins to move closer to me, that's when my senses kick back in. I get up and stumble in the opposite direction as quick as I can. I see a door to my right and burst into it, slamming it behind me. I feel a gooey, warm substance beneath my feet. I look down and see blood covering every inch of the floor. Dead bodies scattered; children bodies. I stifle the urge to scream and look for a way out. I check every nook and cranny of the room. The only exit is a window. As I contemplate jumping, I hear the horrific chuckle behind the door. I try to summon my dad.

"Daddy, Daddy! Where are you?" I think to myself as hard as I can.

I try and try again, to no avail. The door swings open and I see the tall disproportionate body of my uncle, with that unholy grin upon his face. I jump out of the window and land with a loud, bone- crunching thud. Instead of leading me outside I am in another main hallway in my house. I look up and see my uncle's face and sprint off down the hall. The hall is filled with bright, blinding florescent lights that bounce from wall to wall. I run as fast as my injured 6-year-old body can withstand. My body slowly begins to give way under me. Ahead I make out a large, wood door with the glorious outside light behind it. I use my last bit of energy to sprint towards the door, tears stream down my face as I realized the freedom and safety beyond that door.

I am swept of the floor, long black tentacles wrap around my body. I bow my head and sob; abandoning hope. I stare at my uncle ass he slowly drags me closer to him. His tall, slender body; unnatural long arms; tiny black pupils; and bloody blue, black, and gray jester suit.

" 'Some forms of terror are fresher than others. The more intense the fear, the more the emotions die. Terror in its truest sense, is not a static state, but a dynamic one. It is the moment when hope turns to despair.' Ahh... a great demon by the name of Gilles once taught me."

He smiles in my face as he brings me closer and closer to my doom, grinning the entire time. I wait until he pulls me closer , then I jab my fingers deep into his eye sockets until blood pours down his face. He drops me, I spin around and begin running once more. Behind me, he screams to the top of his lungs. A scream only the worst of pains could extract; a scream from the deepest depths of one's soul. The door to the outside has gone, I spot a door to my left and crash inside. The room is empty, with no windows or another door. I search for a crevice big enough to fit me; I find none. As a desperate last chance I call out to my dad.

"Daddy! Please, PLEASE! Come save me!"

For a moment nothing happens. Suddenly, my father appears from the shadows. Relief flows through my body, my face lights up.

"Da--"

As he comes into the light I notice the waterfall of blood drenching his face, hair, and clothes. My heart drops and the fear sets back in. I slowly back away from my dad with every step closer he gets, until I am cornered. Has he lost it? Does he not remember me this time? Is this the end?

"Daddy! It's me, your Laiylah."

His eyes glow green instead of the normal gold, his hair is white and wild instead of red and neatly combed, and his trusty red bunny has a sharp-toothed grin as it stares at me from the opposite corner. His red shirt and fluffy black jacket are torn to shreds. He slowly stalks up to me and lifts me up. The door flies open and my bloody-eyed maniac uncle stares me down, tears running down his face. His hypnosis spiral nose begins to twirl, I bury my face into my father's jacket and begin to sob as I realize my dad lost it and there will be no salvation for me. I will surely die tonight.

"Sweetie, Look at me." My dad commands, and I comply.

"My sweet, sweet Laiylah. I know it is you, fair maiden." He plants a huge kiss on the tip of my nose.

"Jack stop that. Now!"

Jack's nose stops spinning and he huffs, eyes and face still bloody. He looks my dad up and down, then grins a slyly.

"Had fun Jason?" He giggles as he remarks towards my dad's blood stained clothes.

I give my dad a sadistic smile and he gives me one back, "Of course I did, Jack. Always do."

Daddy puts me down, I run to my Uncle Jack and give him a big hug. He lifts me up and kisses me on the forehead. The blood on his face has gone away and his eyes healed.

I look at my dad ad say, "Soon we'll all have fun. Together"

We set off through this Toy Factory we call home. The lights brighten and the blood cleans itself off the walls and floors. The bodies even bury themselves.

My father is Jason. Jason the Toymaker.

My uncle, Jack. Laughing Jack.