Alaris prepared himself for bed. He was exhausted but he can still manage a few more hours if it means he could read his book. He grabbed said-book from the bookshelf and switched off all the lights. He settled into a comfortable position in his bed and switched on the lamp beside him. It was silent. It was lonely. No one lived with him. His mother was dead. His father is in God-knows-where. He doesn’t have friends. His dog ran away. And he doesn’t have a sister. He was alone. But he didn’t mind. He opened his book, the light of the lamp casting a soft, golden glow on the page.
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The woman cried and stared at what was in front of her. The little girl was giggling, while staring down at the unmoving body of the woman’s brother. His body was ripped in half, his blood and organs spilling out of his body. His jaw was broken, hanging limp. One of his eyes was gouged out and his hair was torn off. The woman screamed in agony, grabbing a dagger from where it lay on the floor and stabbed the girl in the chest. The little girl didn’t scream in pain. No. She just laughed louder. The woman fell back in terror as blood burst out of the girl's mouth.
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The story was about a woman named Tara Calwin. She had a brother who’s name was never mentioned in the book. It was a story about—
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The sound of creaking wood made him look up from his book. He remembered very clearly that he had locked the window. Why the heck was it open? A chill breeze swept into the room causing the hairs of his arms to stand up. Alaris ignored the quickened beats of his heart. He swung his legs over the bed and placed them on the floor. He placed the book on the table and stood up.
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He silently walked towards the window and closed it. Clack. The lock fell into place. He turned back and looked around his room, his gaze swiping over everything. It was dark and empty.
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He sighed. Him and his stupid anxiety. It’s just him misunderstanding. He probably forgot to lock the window. That was it. Alaris sat down on his bed again and took the book into his hands.
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Red seeped through her hands. Tears flowed down her cheeks as she looked down at her hands, tainted with blood. Blood of her brother. Her brother’s lifeless eyes stared at her. A child’s laugh resonated through the room. She looked towards the nightmare. The little girl was laughing, blood dripping down her chin. The woman screamed as the girl—
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Alaris slammed the book shut. Maybe this wasn’t the best book to read. He threw it on the bed, away from him. He clenched the sheets and tried to control his breathing.
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I’m over-reacting, he thought. I’m being foolish—
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Knock.
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Knock.
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Knock.
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Three steady sounds of knocks came from his window. His heart-beat picked up again. With shaking legs, he stood up and walked to the window. A shiver travelled down his spine, his shoulders aching from the tension he carried. Trembling hands opened the window.
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Alaris screamed and fell back, tripping on his feet and falling to the floor. All his life! All his life he’d believed the supernatural were nothing but lies and delusions! But as he stared at the little girl in front of his window, he was proven very wrong. There she was! The little girl from the book he’d read. The same bloody, disgusting smile etched on her face. The same dagger inside her heart.
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“No, no, no,” Alaris mumbled, his eyes wide. He crawled back until he hit a wall. The girl was still by the window, her head tilted curiously, watching him with her crazed eyes, her grin never vanishing.
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“Come and play with me!” the little girl said. The man watched, a bead of sweat trailing down his forehead, his as the girl started floating towards him, drops of blood dropping to the wooden floor.
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“G-Get away from me!” Alaris yelled, his hands flailing, trying to do something.
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“PLAY. WITH. ME.”
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The thing was floating towards him, she had stopped grinning.
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“P-Please, please, no—” Alaris whispered, he clutched at the surface of the walls, wobbling to his feet.
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“Play. Play! PLAY! PLAY! PLAY!”
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He ran towards the door but the ghost suddenly appeared in front of him.
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“DON’T LEAVE! PLAY WITH ME!” The girl started chanting and screaming. “PLAY WITH ME! I SAID, PLAY WITH ME!”
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Alaris hobbled backwards, his breathing starting to come in short gasps. He clenched his eyes shut, the palms of his hands pressed against his ears. He let out a startled yelp as a small hand placed itself on his chest. His eyes flew open as he felt something wrap around his neck. Very, very tightly.
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His body felt hot and cold at the same time, he could feel the nerves on his face, His lungs were burning, as if they were turning to stone. Tears stung his eyes as his body was dangled in the air by nothing.
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God, please help me!
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He let out a strangled sob as dark spots swam in his vision.
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And then the pain stopped.
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* * *
Alaris woke up with a scream, his hair pasted against his pale, sweaty forehead. His exhales came out in wheezes and cries as his tears dripped down to the messed-up, twisted bedsheets.
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He looked around and his eyes stopped at the book in his lap. He laughed softly. He had fallen asleep while reading. Yes. It wasn’t real. None of it was.
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He stood up and walked to the bathroom door. His legs gave up as soon as he reached the sink and he collapsed to the floor. He took a minute to regulate his breathing properly and he stood up again, with stable legs this time. He opened the faucet, some of the water slipping through his fingers. He splashed cool, clear liquid on his face, humming at the pleasant feeling.
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He looked up to see his reflection in the mirror. He gasped, his jaw hung open.
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Behind him, near the corner, the girl was there. Right there! She was just grinning at him. There was blood streaming down her eyes. He stayed frozen in his spot, bent over the sink. He blinked. And the girl was gone. He turned around, hesitantly and looked around him. He titled his head back and stared at the ceiling, and then down at the floor. Nothing. No little girl. No blood.
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“Oh Lord!” he gasped out in relief, leaning heavily against the sink. It was just his mind playing tricks on him. Maybe it was because of the dream. He straightened up, rolling his shoulders back. His shivering had stopped. He headed for the door, wiping his face along the way, his eyes missing out the single drop of blood where the girl had stood.
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* * *
Alaris woke up the next morning in a better, healthier manner. No screaming girl. Just a peaceful, dreamless sleep.
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He glanced at the page of his open book. His head jerked forward when he read the words, “Come play with me!” He rubbed his eyes and blinked rapidly, glaring down at the book, reading the line again.
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“Corie, please wait for me!” it read. Alaris frowned. He turned to the cover. The title read: ‘That was how the story went ’. It was the book he’d been reading all along. And in that book there is no character named Corie.
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He clenched his fists and shook his head. He grabbed the book and walked downstairs. He picked up a bottle of perfume and a lighter along the way. He walked into the garden and hurled the book at the floor aggressively. He sprayed the perfume on the cover and on every page of the book. He flicked on the lighter and set fire to the book.
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Alaris watched as the book was drowned in flames. It was still quite early, the morning fog and the sparks of the fire creating a desolate atmosphere.
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* * *
TWO YEARS LATER . . . .
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Knock.
Knock.
Knock.
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Alaris opened the door and he was immediately wrapped in a hug.
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“Brother! I’ve missed you!” the stranger yelled as she backed off. Alaris made a face and retreated away from the strange woman.
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“W-What on earth are you—” He stopped abruptly. The woman was crying. His pupils wavered as he stared at the stranger standing in front of his door-step. Brown hair tied up in a bun, haunted silver eyes, dressed in a white blouse and blue jeans. Tara Calwin. The crying woman from the book. Two years and he still remembers everything.
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His eyes dipped downwards and there she was. The little girl. She stood beside Tara, a smile so innocent, pure and sweet, The girl giggled softly and asked, “Can you play with me?”
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Alaris understood now. Tara Calwin was his sister. And him? He was the dead brother, Alaris Calwin. The little girl? She was their nightmare. She was his death.
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After all, that was how the story went.
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Sorry it sucks. I tried. And I only remembered yesterday that this contest exists so I only had one day left to write haha 😅😅 Hope you enjoyed it tho :]401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlWbKiICvPr
~ Hale 401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqzUELyJUyn
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