The Fright Train

The Dark Games Part 1

"Let's play a game," said John, giving me an easy smile.

John. Such a dependable name. I'd never admit it out loud, but that's a big reason as to why I accepted his request from the online dating site. He suggested coffee while walking around the park. A nice public place, so it seemed pretty harmless. He was decent looking and seemed 'normal' and harmless from his profile description. But Ted Bundy would have too if he'd ever had the chance to internet date.

I'm glad I came out today though. It's been a beautiful sunny afternoon, and this is my favourite park in the area. I've been having a really great time.

The lights lining the paths around the park suddenly come on, and I jump. My heart hammers in my chest. "Holy cow, that scared me." I hate the nervous laugh that I give, but John just smiles a bit wider at me as if I'm cute. I take my phone from my pocket to check the time. "I can't believe it's twilight. Do you realize we've been walking around this park for five hours now?"

We're deep along one of the heavily forested paths. And we haven't seen anyone else in a long, long time. I mentally run through the park's layout to figure out exactly how far we are from the exit. Considering it's almost dark, we're a lot farther away than I'm comfortable with. Night falls quickly at this time of year, and I've only got on a light sweater against the chill that ripples through me.

John shrugs nonchalantly. "I had a feeling when I saw your picture that we'd get along really well. I kind of have a gift that way. I just know who I'll have the most fun with."

Maybe it's just my burgeoning realization that I'm out here alone and isolated in a darkening wood with a man that I don't know, but there's an ominous ring to his tone when he said that last line that sends the not-good kind of tingles racing over my body, leaving goosebumps and raised hairs in their wake. I give myself a shake and hug my arms across my body to get rid of them.

Of course, I give another nervous laugh. "Sorry, but that sounds just like a line from a comic. You'd have a speech bubble over your head and everything."

I need to crack a joke, because for the first time in five hours I'm not having a good time. When I think back, it hits me that he's kept me talking non-stop by asking me question after question. It helps that I'll ramble about anything and everything, but he has been in complete control of the conversation, even if I was the one doing all the talking.

It's mean to think since I'm probably just having a moment of irrational panic, but if we really were in a comic, the little rectangle at the bottom would probably say "Ominous music plays" before the big reveal he was a vampire or wraith or something, and then he'd attack the hapless heroine. Me being the hapless heroine. If I was a comic book drawing, sweat would be dripping down the side of my face. As it is, I swallow hard to remove the lump of fear in my throat.

We're between the light fixtures, and something rustles in the brush off to our right. I look hard into the trees that line the path, but it's complete inky blackness. There isn't even enough light to make out the individual trunks. The moon isn't out yet, and the only source of light is coming from the twenty-foot tall fixtures that line the path every thirty or forty feet. And I'm out here with a guy who thinks he'd have the most fun with me.

When I give another nervous giggle, John looks at me from the corner of his eye. My mouth has gone drier than Death Valley, and I need to really to suck my cheeks to get any saliva flowing so I can speak normally. "That wasn't a very nice thing to say. I'm sorry. I must just be spooked from the lights coming on. I make jokes when I'm nervous. Obviously not very good ones." He doesn't respond. Just sticks a hand in his pocket and keeps walking through the dark.

As we enter the next pool of light, I decide to break the silence that is stretching between us. "Tell me more about what you do for a living, John. You said you're in private acquisitions. What exactly is that?" My nerves make it sound more like a demand than a request. He's facing forward, so I can't be positive, but I swear I see anger flash through his eyes. He's been grilling me for five hours about myself. Is he upset I want to know about him too?

John stops at the edge of the pool of light. He turns his head and smiles at me, showing every one of his brilliant white teeth. "Let's play a game. You get to go first."