Let's Play A Game

Chapter 7 - Nathan

Nathan opened his eyes to a strange buzzing sound that seemed to fill his mind, masking behind it whispers, voices that he couldn't recognize. They seemed to be talking to him yet they were talking so low that he couldn't hear them. The louder their words got, the louder the buzzing became, doing everything it could to keep some unknown truth hidden away.

His head pounded with pain as his eyes struggled to focus on something. Everything before him was a blur and for some reasons his legs had forgotten how to function. Instead of walking upright, he found himself stumbling forward as his hands reached out for something to hold onto.

"What's happening?" he asked the people that were supposed to be around him but instead his voice echoed in a seemingly empty house.

He couldn't remember where he was nor could he remember how he got here or the events that took place to lead him to this state. All he knew was that something sinister was coming. He could feel it in his bones.

Worried and confused he called out to his friends but the only thing that came back to him was the sound of his own voice. Even his own voice sounded utterly lonely and broken.

The voice in his head seemed to get louder, making his head ache even more until he could no longer think of anything but the pain. Closing his head and pressing his hands against his head, all Nathan could do was cry out but somehow that helped.

Silence began to creep in as the voices softened, hearing him cry. It was as if they had gotten what they wanted and stepped away from him.

Then through the silence cut through one single voice, clear and loud but also full of fear.

Nathan, help me.

The voice seemed familiar, reminding Nathan of the things he had forgotten yet memories he couldn't get back. Whoever was calling out to him seemed to be crying, her sobs filling the room and compelling him to find her.

Moving forward, Nathan looked around for the owner of the voice with his damaged vision. Then in the distance, he saw her silhouette in the corner, her features blurred in his eyes.

Nathan, I need you.

Trying to place the voice, Nathan blinked his eyes repeatedly, hoping that he would finally be able to see properly.

Nathan, please.

The pain in her voice seemed to only increase as he wasted time looking and remembering.

Nathan, I love you.

"Anysl?" Nathan called out and suddenly the sobbing came to an abrupt end.

As his vision finally cleared, he expected his beloved red head to be standing in front of him but it seemed that his mind had deceived him. While he had been sure that he had heard Ansyl's voice, the person standing before him was Cat.

She stared at him with eyes full of tears and betrayal, her clothes stained with fresh blood.

"You forgot me," she cried as Nathan shook his head.

However, before he could utter a single word to defend himself, something strange happened.

He watched as darkness swarmed around Cat, cocooning her body, swallowing her whole while Nathan watched. He could only watch.

In the face of the darkness, he felt his blood freeze and his breathing come to a halt as fear pumped through every part of him. He didn't understand why the shadows terrified him so but he couldn't ignore the feeling either.

Soon Cat was one with the darkness, her everything turned to black mist and Nathan was left staring, crying for the friend he had failed to save.

His cries rang out in the room like a record put on repeat to remind him of his pain and his cowardice. However, even in the song of his own mistakes, he could hear a voice calling out to him. At first he chose to ignore it, thinking it was just his mind playing a trick on him to remind him of how he failed to save Cat. Then the voice grew louder and louder until he felt like there was someone screaming in his ears.

Flinching and covering his ears, his body curled into him. When he did finally open his eyes, he found himself standing in Brianna's apartment, surrounded by all his friends, including Cat.

In front of him now she seemed so normal, not a scratch or a tiny drop of blood on her body. Yet he was sure that he had lost her.

"Are you okay?" Ansyl asked him, worried breaking his gaze of Cat.

Not knowing what to say or how to explain what he had experienced, the emotions he had felt, Nathan pulled Ansyl to him, holding her tightly.

"Nathan, what's wrong?" she asked, wrapping her arms around him and comforting him.

"Just let me hold you," he whispered after which she didn't question him again.

Nathan would have wanted to stand like that for a little longer to calm himself down, however, the circumstances wouldn't allow it. He had his face buried in Ansyl's hair when he heard Brianna's voice, screaming and shouting.

When he did look up he saw Kyle holding onto Brianna who seemed to be crying out of fear.

"It's too late! It's just too late!" Brianna screamed, tears streaming down her face.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Kyle asked, holding her arms so she wouldn't do something drastic.

"Bri, you need to calm down and just talk to us," Sia said in a gentle voice.

"It's too late for that," Brianna whispered and then looked Nathan in the eyes. "You should have never given in."

Hearing her words, Nathan felt his heart stop beating as he stared at the girl before him.

"Why do you say that?" Nathan asked carefully but she never answered his question.

"Hide. Don't let it catch you," she warned them, pulling away from Kyle.

"Bri, what are you going on about?" Kyle asked, stepping towards her but she just shook her head.

Then it all went downhill.

Nathan watched as Brianna's tears suddenly stopped falling from her eyes. Instead, they were replaced by a thick black liquid that seemed to stain the white of her eyes as well. He heard someone gasp in surprise, he heard someone call out Brianna's name but he couldn't take his eyes off her.

"Run," Brianna whispered.

Suddenly from the darkness he emerged, his faceless body painted black. He stood behind Brianna as if he had been there all along, as if he had been watching her all that time.

Even though it all happened in the blink of an eye, for Nathan time seemed to have slowed down.

Slowly the faceless man stretched out his arms and then slowly he wrapped them around Brianna's face, covering her mouth and her eyes.

He watched as Kyle screamed her name and reached out for her but he would never be fast enough no matter how hard he tried. Soon Brianna was pulled into the darkness in front of everyone but no one could help her.

Nathan hadn't even tried to help. He hadn't even cried for her. Instead he stared into her eyes that were full of regret, eyes that never once stopped looking at him.

Then just like that, Brianna was swallowed by the darkness and now they were next.