The Mafia | An Original Horror Story

Chapter 3: Man From Next Door

I cautiously pulled my car up to the curb. It was met by a crippling old abandoned house. The perfect place to play Mafia.

Dani, Jason, Kayla, and I all poured out of my car and walked over Brandon and Samar who stood in front of the stairs that led up to the front door of the creepy house. The moon shines brightly overhead.

"Where's Dean?" I wondered asking the two.

"Said that he's on his way." Samar stated.

I nodded and bit on my lower lip. Suddenly, I hear something on the side of the house.

"Someone's her." I whisper.

Brandon looks like he's about to make a run for it. Samar stands straight up like a sitting duck and Dani keeps her distance. However, Kayla's curiosity overcomes her conscience.

"Kayla. Get back here." Jason quietly demands.

I could already feel myself following Kayla to the strange rummaging sound. What the heck are we doing? We could be arrested for entering private property. Didn't think anyone lived in this house anymore.

"Oh my gosh, Tyler what are you doing?" Jason quietly wonders.

But he already knows what I am doing.
Suddenly I see Kayla stop in her tracks. I race up to her and see a old man stand before us. The old man clipping and trimming bushes on the side of the house.

He sees us. Both Kayla and I take a step backward.

Jason stomps his way around the corner for us.

"Guys what are you do---" he stops with his words and sees the man standing before us. "Oh sorry sir. We were just leaving." Jason assures.

Immediately, Dani, Brandon, and Samar appear behind Jason. All with blank faces of fear.

"Why not stay? Kids like yourselves come by here all the time. I don't mind you guys having a little fun in my house." The old man states.

"I'm sorry, your house?" Dani wonders.

"It's been in the family for centuries. But I don't live here. I live next door. Every once in a while, I come here to make it feel more, well...alive."

The mans eyes widen with the word alive. But the way he says such a word almost disturbs me.

"Be my guest. I would love for you to have a little fun in my humble home." The man laughs.

Samar seemed convinced.

"Okay, let's go!" Samar happily replies while skipping her way to the front stair well of the house.

"Wait!" I demand raising my hand to stop her.

As expected, Samar stops in her tracks before she can place a hand on the railing to the stairwell.

"Is there something wrong Miss Tyler?"  The old man asks out of curiosity.

How did he know my name? Okay now I am really concerned.

"Sorry but we need to go." I confidently state to the old man.

While immediately acting out and grabbing the two closest people's hands. Jason and Kayla. I head straight for my car.

"What's wrong Tyler?" Kayla wonders as she stumbles closely behind us.

Suddenly, Dani grabs my shoulder and pulls me to my heels. Whipping my head around, I shoot her a glare but her concerned eyes motion to look in front of me. Confused I turn around and there stands the man.

My heart drops when half of his face melts revealing and flesh. We all step back in shock. Kayla screams and her grip on my hand tightens. I am to scared to move.

"Miss Tyler, you will be going no where." He assures.

But something was weird about his voice. Two people were speaking at the same time. One voice was his own but the other... The other was worse. It was like a record player playing back wards.

What I was experiencing was like the horror that would make me wake up at night. And now I am living it. Am I dreaming? If I am, I sure as hell want to wake up.

With every step the demonic old man takes a step forward, we take a step back. 

Seeing Jason accidentally step on Dani's foot, Dani is to scared to be angry with him. Our eyes don't leave the old man's gaze. We all go no further when we hit the front stairwell of the house.

We're trapped.

I watch in fear as he raises a crowbar in his left hand.

Then everything goes dark.

                                ***

I awake to see nothing but darkness, I heard people mumbling and talking all around me.

Suddenly lights flicker on revealing to what seemed a living room. Innocent and disturbed eyes stared at me. Some were familiar like Jason, Kayla, Dani, Samar, and Brandon, others were not. There were three other girls and two boys all scarred and wounded. Almost tortured. One of the boys that look no older than 12 had blood on his hands.

The blood made me feel sick to my stomach.

Next to me, Kayla nudges me. I meet her gaze and she motions for me to look up.

Before us stands the old man. His face no longer distorted.

"We are missing one but we will just have to start the game without him." The old man explains.

Who are we missing?

1...2...3...7...10...11...

Dean.

He is expecting Dean. But what does he mean by game. If 12 people are playing then we are playing...

"Mafia," the old man states, "you all must be familiar to the game. Or at least that's what you all came here for, correct?"

We all sit in silence. Mostly to stay unnoticed because we feel that if we are noticed then he will target us more.

All our eyes follow the man as he walks over to the boy with blood on his hands.

"This little guy just had his first kill." He humors and combs the boy's blond spiky hair.

However the boy doesn't look proud he looks sad, extremely sad. Guilty almost.

It makes me wonder how long these kids have been here? How much they've sacrificed to survive? Kill even?

What did we just get ourselves into?