Hide And Seek With The Devil

Chapter~I~

Years have passed after the first time Dorothy and her childhood friend, Sue, started playing hide and seek and even now she wasn't able to win a single game. As the years would be passing by she couldn't understand where the creatures were coming from. She was always the one running around the huge manor of hers, hiding at the best places, away from the sight of these monsters but every time her attempts to hide were a failure.

The woman was currently running in the hallways of the house, darkness surrounded her and only a glimpse of light was coming from a small candle she was holding. These halls were only reminded her of long chases with her stumbling and falling to the ground while a beast was right behind her. This time was not different. She was trying to hide from one but whenever she was trying to go back in her own room and hide, she felt a sharp pain on her chest and the next thing she was seeing was darkness. Was she fainting? Her hands touched the wooden door, a creaking sound was heard as she cringed and narrowed her eyes. Her white gloves were still all dirty but now, after touching that door she would realize that she touched a red liquid that was crawling all the way down to it. By noticing it she took a silent, shaky breath and turn around.

Not this time.

She said to herself. She had to win. She had to get out of there and not fall into darkness again. Every time a monster was catching her she felt the same pain, the same  agony and tears but then everything went black only to wake up again in her own room. Dorothy opened the door and looked around. The carpet was all with blood stains, silence was filling the air yet only a disturbing sound was heard, as if claws were scratching on the walls. Her black shoes tapped once and twice on the ground before she step onto the carpet. Across this hallway was the door of the exit and right next to it was a light and an other huge door heading to her living room. She knew the exit was locked till she wins the game. She knew there was a chance of her finally leaving and only with that dream and hope she slowly walked to the hallway. She had already blown off the candle, there was an other creature around, she wasn't alone and she knew it. If it saw the light she would be dead. Knowing well her own house the woman stick her back to the wall when she heard footsteps and slowly started dragging her feet in order to reach the door. Her arm raised only to find the doorknob of the living room's door and open it but at this time a loud growl echoed. But letting out a gasp she hurried and tried to unlock the door with the single key she had, the monster behind her running towards her, it's steps were hear every time closer and then.. A thud and then a cry escaped her lips. She felt the claws pinning the skin of her leg. Dorothy gasped as she tried to pull away and push the creature away, the door was open and it was her last chance to finally escape. With an other cry of pain, Dorothy kicked with all her strength the hand of the beast before she rush in the room.

The seventeen years old girl once again had ended this game, she was standing there, leaning back on the door as she let out a silent whimper. Her eyes were closed and her lips opened to breathe quickly. After a moment or two she looked around to find the dark brown haired friend of hers, something had changed. Sue was there, standing with his back facing the door she just came from as if he was waiting for her. But why? He never appeared to her in the end of the game. Even if many things were changing throughout the years this one remained the same. Sue was only seen in between the challenges he was giving to her and never in the end of them. It looked like this entire circle of events changed today and that made Dorothy give him a nervous look.

"You have to try harder next time~"

He almost murmured amused. With a soft and silent pant of hers she tried to catch a breath since she just ran all the way there. For years, as it seemed, she tried to get out of there but every time it ended up the same, with her losing. Finally glaring at him, the girl huffed and tightened up her fists.

"What? I've done everything you wanted here, thousands of times! Played your games again and again...and you tell me to try harder?! Will you even let me go?"

She breathed out with trembling voice and placed her hand on a nearby chair to stand still. Someone could say that she truly changed. The clueless girl had long gone and its place was taken by the young woman,who would still be shy to start an argument even with her best friend, but at the same time she was too desperate to leave this hell house. To live her life.

Sue, on the other hand,found this tone of hers too funny to resist and not let out a silent chuckle. With a soft shrug and a small smirk on his face he would open his orange eyes only to look back at her while he was sitting right in front of the fireplace.

"Go ahead

Leave"

He continued as her expression changed from a glare to a surprised one. All he needed was a question and a glance of despair? Was it too easy? No.. He was maybe planning something. The orange haired woman looked up at him in disbelief.

"Really? Did I win?"

An answer never escaped his mouth though, her lips drew a small, bright smile and didn't wait any longer. She had already waited for this moment years now, listening these words escaping his mouth was too good to be true but if she didn't leave now he would may not suggest this again. With a rapid move she almost cheered a 'finally' and ran out, the doors were...open! He was really okay with her leaving the manor?! The man left a silent chuckle under his breath and smirked. After all, thinking of a new game were one of his many hobbies.

Once Dorothy was outside she could feel the breeze, her hair curling because of the soft wind and her long purple dress with white apron was gently waving. How she missed this. The bright light of the sun, the warmth and the smell of the house's yard, the trees, the flowers... All she could see from inside the house was completely darkness. But what she noticed after a while was that...her leg was healed. No wound. No bleeding.

"How.... "

Her eyebrows furrowed and her fingers crawled on her skin. Yes, she was glad that it had no wound but...how the hell did this happen? Her orange orbs raised to look up at the house and how bad preserved it was. It's walls were grey. Windows broken and the nature started to take over with plants climbing on the walls. Her eyes scanned the place, she remembered the fire that started while she and Sue were playing hide and seek back then but..she could only feel the warmth of the flames in the closet she was hiding. Sleep took the best of her and her eyes had closed while hiding and the next thing she remembered was her leaving the closet only for these games of her friend to begin.

Dorothy took a sharp breath and turned around. She shouldn't worry about the past, now she was free. Free to go wherever she wished. A bright smile appeared and the woman started walking away and having that feeling of someone watching. She didn't turn around to look at the house. If she did she knew she would find the man staring at her and honestly she wouldn't be able to leave. She didn't want to leave him behind even if she knew he had her locked in for so long.

She wasn't wrong though. Sue was really there behind the window, his dark orange eyes looking down at her as his slim suited form was standing.

"Let the game begin, princess"

His voice cold yet too silent as his constant smirk was mirrored by the window.