Stories to Tell in the Dark

Greatest Game

It's been so long since I've had a good night sleep, or any sleep for that matter. My eyes are so heavy and my body feels like I have run a marathon. Twice. I haven't slept for two weeks and the reason is because I'm afraid. I'm afraid of what will happen should I close my eyes even for a moment. Energy drinks and coffee became my new best friends, and if it weren't for them I'd probably not be around to write this.

Time is slowly losing its place in my life, the day fades out and the night fades in. My reality is beginning to warp and transform before my eyes. Though, I bet you are all wondering what brought about this series of sleepless nights and subsequent terror into my life.

Well I'm sure quite a few of you have heard of ritualistic horror stories right? Well a few weeks ago just as my spring break was getting started, I received a link from a friend of mine. Him and I are both avid horror fans and we do enjoy a good chill late at night. Anyway the link was a strange one, a string of numbers and characters that would be very difficult to mimic. Normally I don't even click on youtube links that get sent my way but it was what he said that captured my attention.

"Try it."

After I clicked it, I was brought to a black page bearing the title "Greatest Game", with white text almost looking like a check list. It was a simple list at that, grab a few candles, draw a symbol on a piece of paper, open a window, shut off the lights, etc. Boredom and skepticism combined into a terrible cocktail that led me down this road. I preformed the tasks to the letter, following each instruction carefully as I scrolled down the page.

As I lit the final candle, a gust of wind through the open window blew out all the candles simultaneously. Immediately turning on a light, and looking around my room, nothing was out of the ordinary. Returning to my computer to check and see if I missed something, I scrolled down.

Underneath, written in small red text were the rules to the game.

'Those who initiate the game must not sleep for 14 days and must not leave the building. Failure to do so will result in death.'

I brushed it off as an exaggerated consequence to a lame ritual. Until I heard a noise coming from the darkest corner of my room, when I turned to look what I saw caused me to fall out of my chair. The creature is tall and covered in a thick fur. If I believed in werewolves I'd say this was a prime candidate, the only difference being this creature has long curling horns protruding from its head. My first instinct was to run, but that proved to be useless as I made it to my front door, the creature appeared in front of it blocking my only exit. Finding a place to hide, I pulled out my phone in an attempt to contact the authorities but refrained as they wouldn't believe me at all. Days started to pass, I noticed the creature never blinks and only moves when I get near the windows or the main doors. Other than that it just remains motionless and watches me carefully. I would like to say I've gotten used to the thing being around but every time I'd enter a new room it would be there, in a corner watching me. I've attempted to contact my friend, the one that sent the link but he hasn't responded. I don't have many other friends to talk too. Even if I did, what would I say? "Hey what's up? Me? Oh you know giant monster waiting to kill me." It brings me to now, I've exhausted my reserve of energy drinks and my coffee has long since run out. I still have two more days to go, but I'm just so tired. I know I'll just post this and close my eyes for just a second. One second can't hurt, right?