The Shadow World

[niteluver]

Michael:

I wrote down my biggest fear, shuddering as I did so.



Summer:

Shit. I was late for the party. Without knocking I ran inside the house, where, oddly enough, I saw the group surrounding a doll house making paper dolls of themselves.

"What's the theme for this party? The occult?"

[alex]

Juliette

"Where do I put... it?" I said and looked down at the small (ugly) replica of myself. I also folder the note where I'd drawn my biggest fear.

[Callie]

Kata

I made a face at Juliette. "Like I said earlier, the nightmare goes wherever you can find an empty room. And everyone can put their dolls in the living room." Then I looked up at Summer. "Nah, we're playing some game that Natalia found. It's horror-ific." I smirked.

[alex]

Juliette

I grimaced at Kata and then put my fear paper into a room of the house and put mini-me in the living room.

[Callie]

Kata

I grinned. "Are we ready?" I asked, looking around the room.
"Yeah," Christian said.
"Seconded," Devantae replied, smiling. He looked excited, at least, if no one else did.

[Louise]

Natalia

I nodded. "I'm ready, I guess."

[Callie]

SPOILER: Click to show

Name: Maxwell "Max" Maverick
Age: 18 years old
Gender: Male
Picture:
Shadow Man/Human?: Human
Bio: Max's parents are happily married and blah blah blah. He has two little sisters, and he's recently moved out of that house. Max sort of lives with his uncle. As in, if he's actually home and not at one of his friends' houses or clubbing, he's there. Max pays rent to stay there. One problem, though. His uncle is partially insane. He keeps going on and on about these Shadow Men that he escaped from years ago, but he won't tell anyone when, where, or what they were like, what they did to him. He just tells Max to watch out for them. They watch your every move, just waiting for a chance to torture you to insanity. He says he's lucky he's still sane, though no one believes him. Some nights he's gotten so bad that Max had to leave, leaving his uncle alone with his "Shadow Men".
Personality: Friendly, loyal, outgoing, playful, joking, sarcastic, greedy, fighter, short tempered.
Other: Call him Max.

Max

I threw open Natalia's door and frowned a bit. "Sorry I'm late," I said with a small smile. "Did I miss Devantae's birthday suit dance?"
"If you did, then I did, too. Thank God," Kata answered.
Devantae grinned. "I didn't wear my birthday suit today, for the sake of everyone's sanity." He threw me a paper doll.
"Guys, I thought we grew out of dolls when we turned like, eight," I said, arching an eyebrow curiously.
Kata grinned barbarically. "We're playing a game. Draw yourself on that doll, then put down your worst nightmare on this paper, then fold it up and put it in a different room," she instructed.
I shrugged and got to work.

[Louise]

Natalia

I frowned and hugged Devantae tightly. I didn't know whether I really wanted to play this game or not. That Shadow Man thing....God, did it freak me out. But there was nothing to worry about. It's just a game, right?

[Callie]

Devantae

I hugged her back briefly, and kissed her on the head, grinning at her. "Calm down, Lia. It's just a game. We'll be fine," I assured her as Max finished up his doll and nightmare, setting his paper doll at the beginning and putting his nightmare in an empty room.

[Louise]

Natalia

"It's a creepy game," I replied.

[Callie]

Kata

"It's a fun game," I exclaimed, grinning as I looked at the instructions again. "Now we have to swear that we know the Game is real, that we know it might kill us, and we're playing of our own free will."
Christian rolled his eyes. "I swear that I know this Game is real, that I'm playing it because I want to, and I know that it might kill me before I can drink legally."
I smirked. "Touching," I told him as Devantae, Max, and I all said the vows, each with our own variations of the last part.

[Louise]

Natalia

I sighed and said the vow after everyone else did. Was it neccessary, saying all this stuff? It was not helping me feel any better.

[Callie]

Kata

"Awesome. Now we draw the cards," I said after Natalia and Juliette had said their vows (since Alexio isn't here, I'm improvising and hoping she doesn't eat me when she gets back ). "Dev, as the birthday boy, goes first."
Dev gave a confident smile and drew a card. "'You have gathered here with your friends in this room to begin the Game.'"
"Fun, fun, fun," I commented. "Who's next?"
"I will," Christian said, drawing a card. "'Each of you has a secret you would rather die than reveal.'"
Max took the next card without being prompted. "'You hear the sound of footsteps from one of the rooms above.' Nat's house is a one-story, though."
"We're in the dollhouse, stupid," I reminded him with a roll of my eyes. It was silent for a moment, but then I froze.
"Footsteps," Christian whispered.
He'd heard them too, then.
"Next card?" Devantae prompted, oddly quiet for him.

[Louise]

Natalia

I picked up the next card. "You go to the door to get some air, but it seems to be stuck," I read aloud.

[Callie]

Devantae

"See? A chance to prove we're all freaking out over nothing," I said, going over to the door, twisting the knob and pulling. It wouldn't budge. "... It won't open," I mumbled.
Kata made a face and pulled out another card. "'You hear a clock strike nine,'" she said, uncharacteristically quiet for Kata.
I wondered if I was the only one holding my breath as I walked over to them and sat back down next to Natalia.
A clock started striking distantly.
One. Two. Three. Four. Five...

[Louise]

Natalia

I bit my lip. I knew this game was strange...first the Shadow Man that looked just like the cashier, now this...

[Callie]

Christian

Once the ninth bell went off, I felt funny. Drifting, and everything was blurring. Then I blacked out, and I couldn't see anything.


OOC: That happens to everyone there.

[Louise]

Natalia



ooc: Because I don't know what to say. xP

[Callie]

Kata

What was going on? was the first coherent thought as I regained consciousness and looked around to see Max, Devantae, and Christian getting up, too.
"Where are we?" Devantae asked, looking around.
I did the same, taking in my surroundings. This wasn't Natalia's house.

[Louise]

Natalia

I stirred and opened my eyes, gasping once I had came to my senses. "I think we're in the dollhouse," I pointed out.

[Callie]

Devantae

"Oh, God," I said, getting up and going over to Natalia, at which point I helped her up.
"Come on, come out," Kata said pointedly, staring at the shadows.
I wondered what she was talking about before a tall guy dressed completely in black, with white hair and blue eyes emerged. He looked - he was - the Shadow Man.
"Enjoying the Game?" he asked pleasantly as Christian and Max also scrambled to their feet. Kata stood her ground.

[Louise]

Natalia

I shivered in fear as I saw the Shadow Man. He was the cashier from the store - there was no mistaking it.

[Callie]

Gabriel

"Do you think we're enjoying it?" Kata shot back, eyes narrowed.
I gave her a dangerous smile, but didn't answer her question.
"Who are you?" Devantae asked, his arms protectively around Natalia.
"Why don't you call me Gabriel?" I suggested.
He looked wary. "Is that your name?"
"It's as good as anything else."

[Louise]

Natalia

I frowned and hugged Devantae tightly. I did not like this Gabriel person; he really made me feel uncomfortable. Yet somehow, I found him to be irresistably gorgeous, which I would not admit - Devantae would get jealous. Extremely jealous.

[Callie]

Kata

"So... what now?" I asked pointedly.
"You play the Game, of course," he replied calmly.
"By?"
"Following the rules, Kata. Didn't you read them?"
"How do you know my name?" I asked, narrowing my eyes.
He just smiled. "You know, every Game has a prize," he murmured softly, looking over to Devantae and Natalia.
Devantae understood before everyone else. "No," he whispered, hugging Natalia more tightly.
"Every Game has a prize," Gabriel repeated, "Winner take all."
"NO!" Dev yelled this time, letting go of Natalia and diving towards Gabriel.

Gabriel

Not a smart move, I thought to myself as Devantae suddenly fell to the ground on his knees, looking at something in horror that was only visible to him. Snakes. Spiders. Rats. All the creepy, crawly things that made him squirm. I watched as he backed up to Natalia.
"Run," he told her, eyes wide. "Don't let them hurt you!"

[Louise]

Natalia

I tilted my head in confusion. "Don't let what hurt me?" I asked. I couldn't see whatever Devantae was seeing, and that concerned me.

[alex]

Juliette

When I saw that strange, strange man I screamed. It was a reflex but I was still shaking with fear for no reason. Out of sheer panic I grabbed hold of someones hand, whoever it was that was standing to my right. I couldnt tell, my eyes were shut.

[Callie]

Devantae

"The snakes... or the spiders... or the... the rats!"

Christian

"Calm down, Juliette. And loosen your death grip a bit, wouldja?" I said playfully, wondering how I was able to speak so calmly when I was scared shitless.

[Louise]

Natalia

I looked at Devantae as if he was insane. "I don't see them," I told him.

[Callie]

Kata

"What are you doing to him?" I growled angrily at Gabriel as Devantae let out a shriek that should not come from a teenage boy's mouth.
He smiled dangerously again, causing chills to go down even my spine. "Oh, he's just getting a little taste of his nightmare beforehand."