Young Writers Society

Prologue

“Yes, I’m coming to the door,” Kira called down the stairs, “I said that like fifteen times already.”

She was getting dressed to go trick-or-treating and hang out with her friends at an abandoned building afterwards. They did the same thing every Halloween; it had become a tradition. She could already hear her friends, Sherene and Haru, talking downstairs with her parents.

Hurriedly, she changed into her costume, a green dress (with oozing fake blood on it; she had a knack for making her Halloween makeup look a little too real). Halloween was her favorite holiday, so she had to go all out for it. She decided to go as Bloody Mary this year. After making sure she had everything, she made her way downstairs.

As usual, her parents set their ground rules, “Be back by ten, Kira,” “Stay in the group,”—it annoyed her. Did they think she was nine or something? She hated the fact that her parents had to control every aspect of her life.

“Bye Mom and Dad!” she waved as she headed down the driveway, planning to break every rule they had set.

Haru was fifteen, but he acted as if he was twelve, despite the fact that he was one of the smartest kids in his grade. He was dressed as a shurigame, a Japanese Death God, with blue skin. His dark hair and eyes completed the look.

Sherene was more of the quiet type who always remained at the back of the pack. She rarely spoke, but when she did, it always seemed to be exactly what people needed to hear. Her costume was not nearly as dramatic as her friend’s this year—I wouldn’t even call it a costume. She was dressed as a librarian.

After quickly discussing the plans for the night, they headed into the darkness beneath the cloudy sky.

Chapter One

There was a building that could be seen from every house in the distance. Various rumors about what went on in there were often heard around town. The Building, as people called it, was built by an elderly woman the year before she committed suicide. By a sick coincidence, it was now used as a place to care for the mentally disturbed or plain old lunatics. The doctors followed every practice that was used in the old days – and I mean every practice. Electro therapy was often used, and it was basically electricity sent straight to the control center of your body, causing twitching, pain, and lack of control over any bodily functions. It was a gruesome practice, yet some of the so-called doctors got a sick, twisted, pleasure out of it. Warm water was unheard of in that place; baths were ice cold and were administered as if the victim was falling into a stream in the middle of winter. They turned your body blue, and your lips pale. It would make your skin crawl if you had to witness it—that is unless you were as twisted as they.

Then, there was the most extreme practice to calm the people down. It was so gruesome, they would take a knife—stained, clean, or rusted; it didn’t matter—they would cut into your eyeball, going deeper and deeper, the pain and horror of it growing stronger and stronger every second. Then, they would hit the frontal lobe of your brain and all of your desires, thoughts, and personality was gone, turning you into an obedient little dog to them. The place was known as hell-come-to-earth; a killing machine for patients and doctors alike. Such were the rumors of this place that went around town.

It was a special day when the most recent patient entered. It was a girl with eyes as pure green as a shamrock.

Little did they know she had no intention of becoming a patient.

Chapter two

“Haru, what do you think you’re doing, scaring those poor children?” Sherene asked.

“Oh come on,” Haru replied, “It was just a little fun. Besides, a little traumatizing helps build character—just look at me.”

“Yeah, like you’re a good example,” Kira snorted, “All E’s and you could be getting A’s.”

“Oh, come on!” Haru said again, “It’s not even a challenge! I’d do it, and you know I would if I actually had to think a little bit before writing out the answer.”

“Yeah, yeah, keep telling that to the people that think you cheated on your ACTs. Almost a perfect score across the board for an all academic E’s student,” Kira said.

“Okay, let’s not talk about this,” Haru said, growing defensive, “it’s Halloween, we’re supposed to have fun, scare some kids, eat candy, then go to The Building like last year and the year before when Kira first started our school.”

“Yeah, I’m so glad your parents adopted you, Kira, or else you wouldn’t be with us right now.” Sherene said, sarcastically changing the subject.

“I know, but they’re such a drag sometimes,” Kira rolled her eyes as she spoke, “Hey wait, get behind that tree,” she ordered, looking into the distance, “here comes Dove, Asleir, and Treit.”

By the way Kira said his name; everyone could tell that she had a thing for Treit. Every time she saw him with Dove, she got really depressed.

Although Treit had a good sense of humor, he always wore black. He wrote poetry all the time—even at school when he was in the middle of his classes and then put them on his wall despite claiming that they were no good.

Dove, on the other hand, tried to get along with everyone and often had no luck at it (and in return, she was often made fun of) so she often went along and did whatever Treit did.

Asleir was a complete asshole. I mean, he had some good characteristics, but overall the guy made people want to stay away from him. Maybe that’s why they were friends with him, because he kept all of the annoying kids away.

“Okay, okay,” Kira whispered to her friends, “here they come. When I say ‘go’, you go around the tree, sneak up behind them and scare the hell out of them.”

“How?” Haru asked, dumbfounded.

“Well, how do you think? Go up behind them and say boo or something!” Sherene rolled her eyes at Haru; he always seemed to question the obvious. Haru shrugged and crouched behind the tree momentarily, before leaping out at them with a loud roar.

“God, that was way too easy,” Kira laughed, “why did you guys jump so much? Especially you, Dove. A little scared, aren’t you?”

Treit laughed as Kira taunted Dove. He could tell that Kira only wanted to taunt Dove because she didn’t like her.

“I’ll tell you exactly why I jumped,” Dove shot back, trying to think of a witty comeback, “it’s because your costumes are a little too good. Did you finally kill your parents, Kira? Or some bum off the street?”

Kira jumped forward to attack Dove, but Treit’s arm reached out and held her back.

“Why the hell did you stop me, Treit?” she shouted, “she was asking for it!”

“Yeah, right, exactly, started this little drama, plus, I’d have to explain to her parents how she got a black eye. They already think I’m the worst kid for her—“

“You are the worst kid for her,” Kira interrupted, “why don’t you just dump her? It’s not like any of us actually like her, you’re just using her.”

“Shut the fuck up, Kira. If you think I’m just using her, then you have no idea what kind of person I am, do you?”

“Hey, you two, let’s just get some trick-or-treating done then we can take Dove home and we can go to the building,” Haru said, stepping between the two of them to break the eye contact.

Dove shivered at the mention of The Building. She had never been there before, but she had family members that used to be patients there. She promised herself she would never go there unless she was forced to.

Chapter three

The dark haired girl approached the steps of the building’s lobby with a wicked grin on her face. She thrived on the horrors places like this provided; she could always sense when they were about to lose her interest.

I tell you, as she approached the landing, all of the things that building had seen flashed before her eyes. All of the pains and unnecessary misdeeds were like a lifeline for her. She probably would have said she was seeing things that would guarantee her a front-row seat for all the horrors and drama the simple pains of a crazed person or someone with a simple case of bipolar disorder would see.

As she entered the lobby, she glanced around at the patients that were sitting (if you could even call it sitting—really, they seemed to be laying half-dead around the room) and picked her victim. She always took the ones closest to sanity first. It was her method; it tasted better, in her opinion, and they were most likely to report the crime to someone.

“But how will I do this?” As she wondered, the image of the girl writhing on the floor, trying to get away, clasping her neck as the horrible, maroon colored liquid seeped out of her neck, leaving her colder and colder by the second. Just before the lady’s death, she would lean down and whisper, “I’m only doing what’s best for both of us. Don’t you see?” Then it would be over—the girl would be limp, lying in her own blood as if she took her own life.

“Almost too perfect,” she thought, “oh, what fun I’m going to have in this place!”

Clasping her hands together and feeling very much at home, she walked over to her victim and started talking to her.

She learned that the victim wasn’t entirely insane. She was admitted to the asylum because she hadn’t wanted to give her daughter up to her parents. The more they talked, the more like friends they felt, and they talked about everything—time, her daughter, and what she would have been doing with her daughter had she not been out of the horrible prison.

The dark haired girl’s vision was close to perfect, and when the time came to kill the victim, it had worked out just as she had hoped—no doctor or orderlies around—just the two of them.

However, there was one thing that made her uneasy. Something that told her in the near future a kid would come to find her mommy.

Her name was Dove.

Chapter four

“Dove, why the hell are you so afraid of that place? It’s not like it’s haunted or anything. We’ve all been there. Why don’t you come with us?” Treit asked teasingly.

“God, why do we have to go through this every time you guys go to the building? I don’t feel right in that place. It’s not normal. If you guys want to go so bad, Kira’s gonna be there with you. You’ll have fun, won’t you?” Dove snapped.

“You know I don’t feel that way about her, I’d rather spend my time with you.” Treit said, wrapping his arm around her, “besides, it it’s because of Kira that you don’t want to go, I’ll tell her to back off of you. She usually listens to me anyway. Just please come; besides, I wanted to give you something tonight, and I thought The Building would be a good place to give you a present.” He pleaded.

“Fine! I’ll come. Just make sure she isn’t going to scream or try to trick me into a fight with her again like she did earlier.”

“Okay,” he whispered, “okay, I will. Just leave it to me; I’ll be there to make sure she doesn’t start anything.”

“Okay,” Dove sighed, “I just have to tell my parents I’ll be staying out later.” She had never told anyone that her real mother was dead, and her mom—as she put it—was her grandmother. She was told that her mother had died at the age of twenty-two from suicide, and she was given to her grandparents.

“Hey mom, can I stay out a little later?” she spoke into her cell-phone. “We just have to hit up a few more houses, and then I’ll be back, okay?”

“Okay, but be safe—and be nice to Kira!”

“I won’t,” she retorted, “I told you I don’t like her, why should I be nice to her?”

“You know why you’ll be nice to her,” her grandmother said sternly, “If you don’t, I won’t talk to you, or better yet, I’ll tell everyone how afraid of the dark little-miss-Dove actually is.”

“I told you never to bring that up!” she hissed into the phone, “Fine, I’ll be nice. And never bring that up again, or you’ll be sorry. I’m not afraid of the dark, it’s just all of those horrible images pop into my mind and I don’t know why. I’ll be nice though, mom, bye!” she hurried to finish the call as her friends approached her.

“So are we ready, Dove? Is it okay with your parents if you go to the building with us?”

“Yeah, it is,” she said reluctantly, “they said be back by twelve. So, we’ve got a couple of hours before then. Let’s go.” She sighed as they began to walk, and then whispered to herself, “Yeah, a couple of hours.”

Chapter five

Life was awesome for her. She had everything she needed—a steady supply of patients, and she met someone just like her. God, the guy was almost as good as she was. He was a volunteer, but she could tell from the beginning that he was just the same as her.

She had witnessed him make a girl so paranoid, that she had jumped the full five stories of the building ending up looking very much like a pile of blood and guts, just laying on the ground. Yes—of course he was the same as her.

But that wasn’t what excited her. He had keys to all of the fun toys. It had been a year since she had entered The Building, and it was scheduled to be put out of operation next year. She could kill plenty more people by then, but she wanted those toys first.

Her next patient (or victim, I shall say) was a guy. He had killed a little girl, so people would say it was only what he deserved.

Oh, what a giddy little day this was! She had planned it all—but she liked the thrills of playing with people. There were lots of things she could learn, and she planned to discover what hurt them more than pain.

Of course, it was fear.

Ironically, her victim’s biggest fear was spiders. They were completely harmless for the most part, but she made a good toy out of them. All she would have to do was deposit on in the corner of his room and listen to his screams later on that night.

She would get him over that fear by the end of the week, only to put a black widow in his room. She could imagine his screams for the next week, coming straight from right down the hall from her.

She chose a silent night to take the box from under her bed. Carefully, she removed the top from the case, gently lifting the spider out and stroked its back. She had a gentle way with her pets, although it was hard to believe she could be so kind; she never once got bitten by one of her minions.

A gentle tap was heard on her door, and then the sound of a key turning in the lock. Her friend, Mike, entered, a wolfish smile playing on his face to match the devilish one she wore. As quietly as possible, she rose, and the two of them went down the hall together hand-in-hand.

She crouched before her victim’s door, and slid the spider through the narrow crack. The only thing left to do was wait.

Smirking, they joined hands again, and headed back to her room, where they fell asleep in each other’s arms.

Chapter Six

“Kira, what the fuck is wrong with you? I told you not to bring up those rumors, especially when I got Dove to come along. You know she hates this place.” Treit was doing his best to sound supportive to Dove, but his constant talking wasn’t helping her calm down.

“Yeah, I know that,” Kira said, before being cut off by Asleir.

“And let me point out that we’ve only come here for a good time,” he said.

“Wow, what the fuck,” Haru said, sarcastically, “You scared me, man, you never talk.”

Asleir rolled his eyes, “Just leave her alone, please, Kira, if not for me, then at least for Treit.”

It was Kira’s turn to roll her eyes, “Oh does mute-little- Asleir have a thing for Dove?” she teased, “Ha-ha, sorry, I didn’t mean that… you know me, you know how my mouth overloads, you know?”

“Yeah, I know how your mind works, Kira,” Asleir said, “and right now, you’re thinking of the best way to piss Dove off, right?”

“Oh, and don’t forget, ‘in a way where Treit doesn’t figure it’s you’, right?” Sherene chimed in.

“Sherene!” Kira hissed. She had hoped that she would at least have Sherene on her side.

“What did I tell you about telling others what they need to hear?” Haru whispered sternly to Sherene, “It’ll get Kira in trouble!”

“Shut up, all of you,” Kira said, “I’m sorry I said that, Asleir, but you also see why I said it, right? I mean, you do always stick up for Dove.”

“It keeps you from getting in trouble,” Asleir mumbled under his breath, “just think about that. Now who am I sticking up for?”

“You’re not sticking up for either of us,” Kira quipped, “You’re neutral. Just like Canada or Switzerland—no help to anybody.

“Kira, you’re going to end up doing something insanely stupid tonight,” Asleir said, “I know it. So does everyone else—probably, except for Dove—but when you do, I’ll be there to catch you. Just don’t complain when I save your life.”

Chapter seven

“Attention to all patients! If anyone hasn’t had a checkup, head to the front of the building.”

The building was closing down. It had fulfilled its duty, and even outlasted it.

Unfortunately, the girl had to find someplace to live, after finally convincing the doctors that she was sane. It was relatively easy to get a sane person to believe an insane person is sane. Just look at history—there’s a perfect example.

She would probably be put up for adoption, and she would become the perfect little girl. Her eyes were the final touch in getting her perfectly adopted. Humans are fascinated by death, and few of them would realize that it was death that they would see in her eyes.

The Building was her home. It had been the happiest place for her. She thought it deserved a final touch, so she dreamed of conducting a play at this building in a few years. She would invite the people who had the most intimate ties with it to act out her final wish. It would give the building the ending it deserved, right?

The only question she had in mind was the invite list. It had to be short, but it had to be the type of people that normally go in buildings. How would she find those people? She didn’t know. She had only seen the people who were there.

She thought of attending school. Mike could probably help her out in her schemes, after all.

As she left the building for the first time in years, Mike’s favorite saying came to her mind; “Just look at the slideshows. That’s where life was meant to be.”