Young Writers Society

“Matthew…”

He heard a voice. It sounded so warm...so familiar.

“Dad?” Matthew stirred his muscles to no avail. He felt so weak. What was happening?

“Matthew…” The darkness was illuminated by a soft white star, shining a warm light into him. His father felt so close….

“Matthew...follow me...into this beautiful light….” Silas’ voice was a calming hand on his shoulder, leading him up into the heavenly radiance. Matthew felt himself moving forward....passing on....

He jerked back suddenly as something hit his forehead. A smothered snickering emanated from the darkness. “Haha...that was priceless.”

The lights flicked on sharply, and Matthew found his father dangling a flashlight in front of his face. An impish grin pervaded his features. “You really are a gullible little brat,” Silas said.

Matthew breathed out a sigh of relief. “Dad...thank goodness. Where am I?”

“The hospital,” Silas replied absentmindedly, gesturing to the machines beside him, “Chaser did a pretty good job of wrecking your shiz.”

Wrecking your shiz? Sitting up, Matthew shook his head and sighed. “Chaser...yeah.” The one who’d started it all, warping the stage from behind the scenes. He’d played them all for fools. And killed Alfie…

The thought darkened his demeanor, and his hands balled into fists. Writhing, burgeoning anger pulsed through his veins, leaking out through his clenched teeth. “I’ll make him pay for what he did to…” He trailed off, staring at Silas. “You.”

Silas grinned, his eyes closed. “Something wrong, son?” His eyes shot open, revealing Chaser’s blood-red orbs invading their sockets. He gave a low chuckle as Matthew gasped.

Chaser. Chaser was here. Chaser would kill him. Matthew struggled in blind panic, his feet kicking out. Why couldn’t he move? Why couldn’t he...his arms. They were wrapped, tied to the mattress. He had been chained to the bed. In other words, trapped.

“You know, I think I recognize that expression. Yes, it’s the same one Alfie had on before I killed him! That lock-jawed grimace, those frantic eyes, that crumbling soul! Sheer, delicious, terror.”

Chaser’s hand dipped swiftly into his pocket, withdrawing a Swiss army knife. “I told you I’d skin you, remember? Back in chapter one? And, well,” he chuckled, his chaotic eyes driving stakes of fear into Matthew’s heart. “I’m not one to disappoint, right? An equal experience for all Oracles.”

Matthew trembled, his eyes watering, transfixed by the wicked gleam of the knife’s blade as it flicked out. Screams of terror died in his throat, snuffed out like candles under Chaser’s suffocating fear.

“So come on, little daydreamer,” Chaser spat, the humor drained from his face, leaving behind pure, unguarded bloodlust. “Show me how well you can die.”

Matthew’s mind collapsed beneath mountains of fear, the courage vanishing like mist from his heart. The knife drew closer, the blade eagerly seeking his neck.

But then, strangely enough, jewelry was his savior.

A silver broach sailed through the air, striking Chaser’s temple, sending the nightmare staggering, cursing while clutching his head. Matthew whipped his head around, and standing there at the door was Sophie, cradling a pile of twinkling jewelry in her arms.

Chaser stumbled, holding his temple. “What-”

He was cut off as a heavy stone bracelet collided with his nose, inducing a sharp cry of pain. Barely a second later, two gem-inlaid necklaces wrapped around his neck, pulling him downwards.

A flurry of jewelry flew through the air, burying Chaser beneath an avalanche of metal and gems. Sophie was relentless, whipping the brutal projectiles from her hands one after another. Chaser screamed as an earring stabbed into his eye.

In hindsight, Matthew questioned the wisdom of making them so heavy.

After half a minute or so of heavy metal hell, the fusillade petered out. Sophie took heaving breaths, her shoulders slumped. Chaser’s muffled cries could be heard from beneath the mountain of gold and bronze.

At that moment, John burst into the room, panting, his cheeks flushed from running. Wiping sweat from his brow, he leaned against the doorframe, gasping for air. “Heh,” he wheezed, “you win this time, but next time we race, I’ll definitely-” He broke off in a fit of coughing, taking deep, heaving breaths as the Oracles waited in silence.

Fully revitalized, John looked from Matthew, to Sophie, to the pile of jewelry on the floor. “So, uh, what happened here?”

“What happened?” The sarcastic drip was accompanied by the miniature landslide of ornaments from Chaser’s body. Battered, shaking, Chaser stood up. “I’ll tell you what happened, Johnny. This maniac-” he jerked a thumb toward Sophie, “is nothing short of a dominatrix lunatic. Diamonds are a girl’s best friend, and trust me,” he growled, pointing to his eye, “they sting.”

“Chaser,” Sophie boomed, “this is the end of your reign. You may have held the advantage in your dream-world, but this is our domain, and I assure you that we shall...we…” Her voice faltered as she realized that Chaser wasn’t even listening.

The Prince of Nightmares was holding a finger to his chin, lost in thought. “Well, great. I don’t have time to skin three people....maybe I could just skin Matthew. But I do so hate the other brats, too. Maybe I could just take their heads…? No, scalping never was attractive. Maybe I could stitch them together, make some sort of-”

“Hey!”

“What?” Chaser looked genuinely annoyed. “I’m sorry, I’m trying to solve an actual problem here! Honestly, the nerve!” He rolled his eyes and continued muttering. “Maybe...no. Ah! I’ve got i-” A giant iron bracelet suddenly crashed into his cheek, cutting him off mid-sentence.

Sophie’s eyes blazed with fury. “Look at me when I’m talking to you, dammit!”

“Whoa! Okay,” Chaser chuckled nervously, slowly backing away. “O-K. I-I get it, alright? Strong female lead, also a little scary…” He shrunk back against the window, shivering. “Very scary…”

“Chaser.” It was John speaking now. “You need to stop this, right now. I swear to you that nothing good will come of this.”

Chaser’s fearful expression suddenly dropped away, replaced with serpentine contempt. “You and I both know that you’re lying, Johnny. Something good will come of this. I’ll be the king. I’ll save the nightmare world.” His tongue flicked out over his lips, his eyes narrowing to slits.

John’s eyes seemed to take on a darker aura as well. “Even so, that’s hardly relevant if we stop you here. Although, I am curious. How are you possessing Silas’ body?” John walked up to Chaser, tapping his forehead. “Are you still conscious in the dream-world?”

“Maybe, maybe not. What’s it to you?” Chaser’s smug look was mirrored on John’s face.

“Fine. I won’t ask silly questions. From this moment forward-” John’s hand snapped at Chaser’s side, snatching the knife and holding it against his throat. “I’ll cut to the Chase.”

A curt chuckle was Chaser’s reply. “The comedy’s done here, Johnny, so I suggest you drop the puns. You won’t be needing them where you’re going.”

John leaned in closer. “Is that a threat?” he snarled.

“No, it’s a...actually, yeah. It is a threat,” Chaser said.

“Excellent. It’ll make killing you all the more satisfying.”

“And you’re saying that you can pull that off?”

“I’m guaranteeing that I will.”

The two held their gaze for the longest of three seconds before breaking into smiles.

“Then a wager?” Chaser grinned.

“You bet.”

“Seriously, the puns aren’t funny.”

“So they aren’t.” John shrugged. “Conditions?”

“Whoever can kill each other in the most epic way possible," Chaser cackled.

“Deal.” Their grins kept growing, pervading the room with a uniquely creepy aura.

“And the prize?” John asked.

“Your little princess girlfriend, Tessa.”

“What if I win?”

“A single wish. But it’s merely hypothetical; you won’t win. And remember, night lasts forever in the dreamworld. I’ll be sure to enjoy Tessa thoroughly in our time together.” Chaser flashed a wicked grin.

John’s expression hardened. “I’ll kill you twice just for that.”

“I encourage you to try.”

The two broke their gaze suddenly, staring at Sophie. “The terms are set,” John said calmly.

“Set indeed,” Chaser echoed with a grin. “And with that, I’ll be on my way. See you tonight, kiddies.” Pushing past John and Sophie, he whisked out of the hospital room, leaving a bemused John, a flabbergasted Sophie, and a bewildered Matthew in his wake.

---------------------------------

Tessa stood outside of the hospital, wondering if it was the right place. It certainly didn’t seem too impressive. But it was where fate had called her.

Reaching around her neck, she fingered the pendant Exem had given her. As soon as the emerald gem had been removed from his neck, the ringmaster had vanished into thin air, leaving Tessa stranded in the city, in front of the building.

A burly-looking man strolled jazzily out the door, but Tessa barely paid him any attention. Taking a deep breath, she steeled herself. The possibilities that awaited set her heart aflutter. John...the chance to finally meet him. She could envision it unfolding perfectly, like a romance novel. The thought lifted her spirits like a gale of angel wings.

Giving in to her excitement, she dashed forward into the hospital, where, arguably, great disappointment awaited her.