Post by angel on Jan 25, 2007 21:30:49 GMT 1
THE FORBIDDEN GAME THE KILL CHAPTER FOUR
What in the name of god is it? Shane asked as he sat down heavily on the bench he was staring at what looked like a car from a circus train with a red roof and silver bars thrust between the bars was a lion’s head muzzle gaping open in a big friendly smile I’m Leo the paper eating lion! The voice was bright and peppy and it come from the muzzle the timing bothered darcey she felt something like the quick cold touch of an ice cube at her neck
I eat all kinds of paper the voice continued joyfully I eat cardboard too old gum wrappers orange peel popcorn containers so feed me it’s a trash can kian explained squatting to look up the lion’s muzzle it sucks up like a vacuum cleaner a mother wheeled a double stroller up to the car both kids stared at the lion with hard expression’s want to feed him? The mom said the kid in the front nodded still unsmiling she wadded up a paper napkin and threw it at the lion’s mouth
No you have to give it to him here the mom retrieved the napkin for the kid the kid still unsmiling leaned forward hand outstretched I bet Ill have a tummyache tomorrow! Leo caroled forward –forward the little hand reaching Leo’s always hungry… darcey jumped up and clapped her hand over the hole in the lions muzzle just before the kid’s finger’s got there the kid stared at her never changing expressions the mom squeaked
Sorry darcey said everybody was staring at her she didn’t move her hand the kid sat back the mother after a flummoxed moments turned the stroller sharply and wheeled it away the back of darceys neck was still prickling as she slowly withdrew her hand she’d been afraid that what? All right she said defiantly to the others so it was a stupid thing to do so sue me
Were all kind of jumpy Shane began soothingly and then proved it by ducking as two small figures charged him with a blood freezing battle yell marie crouched defensively by the lion before she realised that the two figures were children they dived under the wrought iron bench and came up screaming triumph we got it! We got another one! Got what Marie said blocking them with her hip a doubloon dummy the boy said in friendly tones holding something up something round and shinning between dirty nailed fingers
To darcey it looked like one of those chocolate candies covered with cheap gold foil then he pointed cancha read? Darcey twisted her neck there was a large billboard behind them swashbuckling crimson letters announced all-new attraction! Collect three gold doubloons and be the first to set foot on… Treasure Island you get three tokens and they letcha in free the day it opens you get to go over the bridge first they’ve got em hidden all over the park said the young boy
Spotting something else interesting the kids ran away on the billboard a pirates treasure chest slowly opened and shut like a clam’s shell behind it darcey could see the central island of joyland park a manmade island in a artificial lagoon the last time darcey had been here it had been a sort of stage with acrobatic shows and bands now it was clearly under construction with a tall lighthouse in the middle she couldn’t see any bridge to it
Why would that make her feel uneasy? Just pop those discards in my mouth Leo’s waiting…lets go darcey said her stomach was churning and she felt she had distracted herself lets do something stupid something kiddie lets go fishing dark water swirled around and around a channel at the fish pond booth like a sushi bar Bryan said watching the water come in one side and go out the other you know those kinds where the plates float around
For a quarter you could dip a line into the water a claw at the end picking up a number and you got a prize when I was a kid all these prizes seemed like treasure darcey said she lowered the claw into the opaque swirl a bite kian said she raised her rod at the end dripping was a wooden bar with a number on it the attendant glanced at it then tossed it back into the water he handed darcey a plastic change purse pink just what I always wanted Shane felt a pull on his line a sharp tug almost as it were a live fish on a hook he lifted it and gasped oh god oh god…
Beside him darceys breath hissed in she was staring her dazzling brown eyes wide and frightened there was no wooden bar on the end of Shane’s line instead hanging neatly over one claw of the hook was a slender dripping circlet of gold darcey didn’t need to look at it twice it was the ring the ring tristian had given her the one with seven words inscribed on the inside of the band where they would rest against her skin and bind her with their magical power all I refuse and thee I chuse meaning that darcey refused all the world and chose him
A promise that tristian had tried to hold her to she was free of it now but the reminder was chilling she’s been wrong about them being able to enjoy themselves until tonight tristian was watching her this minute the way he’d watched her for years there was no getting away from him not here not anywhere nothing to do except go and face him lets go home darcey said surprised at the steadiness of her own voice she took the ring off the claw and dropped it into the dark swirling water
Mrs durash was waiting outside of the house darcey breathed out slowly OK bry keep your cool and don’t look nervous please darcey said Bryan held onto her hand I wont Dee I promise she said hello you must be darcey Lexington said Mrs durash with a smile yes am darcey am sorry I had to call you I lost my grandparents key a few years ago said darcey oh it OK my dear my don’t you look like your grandmother very pretty and you have your grandpa’s dazzling brown eyes too she rooted around in her black purse and pulled out a set of keys here we go now Ill show you how to turn off the alarm system
She listened intently as she had to the opening instructions of the PSAT she went down the porch stairs muttering three six five-five on the pad then press enter off enter three six five- five then enter… we’ve got a time limit she added to the others who were watching around the corner the last thing she said was to have my parents call her tomorrow because she didn’t even know we were visiting when what is gonna happen when nobody calls her she’ll know something is going on said darcey
But we didn’t get any sleep last night Bryan pointed out and it’s a mile back to your grandparents’ house at least lets take a taxi then marie said impatiently we cant we paid thirteen ninety five apiece to get into the park not to mention all the corn dogs and ice cream Bryan ate we’ve spent all the money that was supposed to last us for days were broke princess said darcey its my fault I should of taken more money from my dad’s account he wouldn’t of minded I guess said marie they all looked at her Shane shook his head at her
We don’t need money for anything really know were here to get mark and nix out remember anyway we can eat the power up bars in the camp bags we brought they’ll fill us up and last us anyway said kian some of us can sleep while the other’s look through my grandpa’s things we’ll take turns okay? And we can eat some of the power bars from the camp bags we brought said darcey but what if we don’t find it tonight? Said Marie
We have to we’ll do it because we have to marie said darcey the old brick house still had electricity presumably to fuel the alarm system it was spooky inside furniture draped with white sheets clocks stopped on the walls darcey kept having the same lurching feelings familiarity unfamiliarity back and forth or sometimes both at once by far the worst was the basement darceys legs didn’t want to take her down the stairs she’d seen this place last month in a sort of dream a hallucination created by tristian but she hadn’t really been here in over ten years
Not since the day the neighbours had heard terrible screaming next door and the police had clattered down the stairs to find a five year old darcey on the floor arms scratched clothes torn hair wild and tangled and screaming screaming and staring at an open closet door with a strange symbol carved on the front screaming in a way that made the biggest policeman run back upstairs to call the paramedics
To be continued in chapter five…
What in the name of god is it? Shane asked as he sat down heavily on the bench he was staring at what looked like a car from a circus train with a red roof and silver bars thrust between the bars was a lion’s head muzzle gaping open in a big friendly smile I’m Leo the paper eating lion! The voice was bright and peppy and it come from the muzzle the timing bothered darcey she felt something like the quick cold touch of an ice cube at her neck
I eat all kinds of paper the voice continued joyfully I eat cardboard too old gum wrappers orange peel popcorn containers so feed me it’s a trash can kian explained squatting to look up the lion’s muzzle it sucks up like a vacuum cleaner a mother wheeled a double stroller up to the car both kids stared at the lion with hard expression’s want to feed him? The mom said the kid in the front nodded still unsmiling she wadded up a paper napkin and threw it at the lion’s mouth
No you have to give it to him here the mom retrieved the napkin for the kid the kid still unsmiling leaned forward hand outstretched I bet Ill have a tummyache tomorrow! Leo caroled forward –forward the little hand reaching Leo’s always hungry… darcey jumped up and clapped her hand over the hole in the lions muzzle just before the kid’s finger’s got there the kid stared at her never changing expressions the mom squeaked
Sorry darcey said everybody was staring at her she didn’t move her hand the kid sat back the mother after a flummoxed moments turned the stroller sharply and wheeled it away the back of darceys neck was still prickling as she slowly withdrew her hand she’d been afraid that what? All right she said defiantly to the others so it was a stupid thing to do so sue me
Were all kind of jumpy Shane began soothingly and then proved it by ducking as two small figures charged him with a blood freezing battle yell marie crouched defensively by the lion before she realised that the two figures were children they dived under the wrought iron bench and came up screaming triumph we got it! We got another one! Got what Marie said blocking them with her hip a doubloon dummy the boy said in friendly tones holding something up something round and shinning between dirty nailed fingers
To darcey it looked like one of those chocolate candies covered with cheap gold foil then he pointed cancha read? Darcey twisted her neck there was a large billboard behind them swashbuckling crimson letters announced all-new attraction! Collect three gold doubloons and be the first to set foot on… Treasure Island you get three tokens and they letcha in free the day it opens you get to go over the bridge first they’ve got em hidden all over the park said the young boy
Spotting something else interesting the kids ran away on the billboard a pirates treasure chest slowly opened and shut like a clam’s shell behind it darcey could see the central island of joyland park a manmade island in a artificial lagoon the last time darcey had been here it had been a sort of stage with acrobatic shows and bands now it was clearly under construction with a tall lighthouse in the middle she couldn’t see any bridge to it
Why would that make her feel uneasy? Just pop those discards in my mouth Leo’s waiting…lets go darcey said her stomach was churning and she felt she had distracted herself lets do something stupid something kiddie lets go fishing dark water swirled around and around a channel at the fish pond booth like a sushi bar Bryan said watching the water come in one side and go out the other you know those kinds where the plates float around
For a quarter you could dip a line into the water a claw at the end picking up a number and you got a prize when I was a kid all these prizes seemed like treasure darcey said she lowered the claw into the opaque swirl a bite kian said she raised her rod at the end dripping was a wooden bar with a number on it the attendant glanced at it then tossed it back into the water he handed darcey a plastic change purse pink just what I always wanted Shane felt a pull on his line a sharp tug almost as it were a live fish on a hook he lifted it and gasped oh god oh god…
Beside him darceys breath hissed in she was staring her dazzling brown eyes wide and frightened there was no wooden bar on the end of Shane’s line instead hanging neatly over one claw of the hook was a slender dripping circlet of gold darcey didn’t need to look at it twice it was the ring the ring tristian had given her the one with seven words inscribed on the inside of the band where they would rest against her skin and bind her with their magical power all I refuse and thee I chuse meaning that darcey refused all the world and chose him
A promise that tristian had tried to hold her to she was free of it now but the reminder was chilling she’s been wrong about them being able to enjoy themselves until tonight tristian was watching her this minute the way he’d watched her for years there was no getting away from him not here not anywhere nothing to do except go and face him lets go home darcey said surprised at the steadiness of her own voice she took the ring off the claw and dropped it into the dark swirling water
Mrs durash was waiting outside of the house darcey breathed out slowly OK bry keep your cool and don’t look nervous please darcey said Bryan held onto her hand I wont Dee I promise she said hello you must be darcey Lexington said Mrs durash with a smile yes am darcey am sorry I had to call you I lost my grandparents key a few years ago said darcey oh it OK my dear my don’t you look like your grandmother very pretty and you have your grandpa’s dazzling brown eyes too she rooted around in her black purse and pulled out a set of keys here we go now Ill show you how to turn off the alarm system
She listened intently as she had to the opening instructions of the PSAT she went down the porch stairs muttering three six five-five on the pad then press enter off enter three six five- five then enter… we’ve got a time limit she added to the others who were watching around the corner the last thing she said was to have my parents call her tomorrow because she didn’t even know we were visiting when what is gonna happen when nobody calls her she’ll know something is going on said darcey
But we didn’t get any sleep last night Bryan pointed out and it’s a mile back to your grandparents’ house at least lets take a taxi then marie said impatiently we cant we paid thirteen ninety five apiece to get into the park not to mention all the corn dogs and ice cream Bryan ate we’ve spent all the money that was supposed to last us for days were broke princess said darcey its my fault I should of taken more money from my dad’s account he wouldn’t of minded I guess said marie they all looked at her Shane shook his head at her
We don’t need money for anything really know were here to get mark and nix out remember anyway we can eat the power up bars in the camp bags we brought they’ll fill us up and last us anyway said kian some of us can sleep while the other’s look through my grandpa’s things we’ll take turns okay? And we can eat some of the power bars from the camp bags we brought said darcey but what if we don’t find it tonight? Said Marie
We have to we’ll do it because we have to marie said darcey the old brick house still had electricity presumably to fuel the alarm system it was spooky inside furniture draped with white sheets clocks stopped on the walls darcey kept having the same lurching feelings familiarity unfamiliarity back and forth or sometimes both at once by far the worst was the basement darceys legs didn’t want to take her down the stairs she’d seen this place last month in a sort of dream a hallucination created by tristian but she hadn’t really been here in over ten years
Not since the day the neighbours had heard terrible screaming next door and the police had clattered down the stairs to find a five year old darcey on the floor arms scratched clothes torn hair wild and tangled and screaming screaming and staring at an open closet door with a strange symbol carved on the front screaming in a way that made the biggest policeman run back upstairs to call the paramedics
To be continued in chapter five…