Chapter 1
Morgan’s phone buzzed to life, shredding the room with unforgiving white light. She groaned, cursing herself for leaving it on before going to sleep. The teenager waited for it to turn off again, but t buzzed twice, one text after the other. Morgan sighed and picked it up, typing the code with practiced ease and opening WhatsApp. She was surprised to find that the texts weren’t from a group chat or from her parents, but from Sam.
3.08 a.m.
From Sam.A: Morgan its Sam
From Sam.A: I messed up I’m sorry I messed up
Morgan looked down at the screen, confused and with a feeling of dread building in her chest. She hadn’t talked to Sam in years after…
3.09 a.m.
From Maguna: Sam, are you ok? What happened?
From Sam.A: I went back to the woods
From Sam.A: I had to make sure it was all in my head had to make sure it wasn’t real
From Sam.A: but it is Morgan it’s all real. He’s real
Morgan tried to laugh, but she was too angry and freaked-out for it to sound convincing to her own ears.
From Maguna: You think this is fucking funny Sam?
From Sam.A: I heard him whisper just like when we were kids
From Maguna: Stop It Sam, I’m not stupid
From Maguna: We made him up. Mr. Stane was just a dumb game that went too far
From Maguna: He doesn’t exist. He never did.
From Sam.A: He’s real Morgan. I’m with him now
Her hands were starting to shake and her eyes burned with unshed tears. She blinked twice and clenched her left hand into a fist.
From Maguna: Sam where are you?
From Sam.A: I can hear him whispering
A harsh and sudden tapping noise from the window made the girl jump, dropping the phone. She whipped her head around, heart hammering in her chest, and saw a figure crawling into her window. The creature took a couple of steps towards her and Morgan reached for the light switch pressing it to reveal Sam, standing in front of her with a somber look on his face.
“What the hell Sam” she whispered harshly. She glanced over Sam’s shoulder to Peter’s bed, but the teenager seemed to somehow still be fast asleep. She turned her attention back to Sam and looked into his eyes. They looked empty. “We need to get the others” his voice sounded wrong to Morgan’s ears. Too emotionless, too sharp. “Who?” she asked shakily. Sam looked at her as if she was slow and answered “Riri, Toni, Peter, Anne, Ganke and Miles. Our friends.” He drew out the last sentence childishly, and for some reason it caused goosebumps to erupt on Morgan’s arms. She licked her lips, cowering beneath her old friend’s expecting gaze.
“Sam, we haven’t talked since we were kids. Why would…” Sam interrupted her angrily “Everyone has to be there, it’s the rule”. Morgan’s forgotten phone buzzed again and she quickly reached down, welcoming the break from the terrifying conversation with Sam. She automatically opened WhatsApp and froze when she saw who the texts where from.
3.13 a.m.
From Sam.A: Are you still there? I think I’m lost
From Sam.A: Morgan, my phone’s about to die. Please help me
Her eyes stayed glued to the dimming screen. She could feel herself shaking like a leaf. Sam’s voice rang through the room. “We have to go back to the woods Morgan” Slowly, she raised her eyes to meet the other’s unrelenting gaze. “Sam?” A grin spread over the boy’s face, a grin that stretched more than it should. “Morgan…” he said in a sing-song voice. Morgan tried to get away but he reached out and gripped her wrist tightly enough to bruise. The girl kicked and punched at him with her free hand but he didn’t seem to feel the hits in the slightest. She clawed at him and realized with horror that his flesh was crumbling beneath her fingers. He got close enough to her face that Morgan could feel his breath on her face, close enough that she could smell the mold and blood on him. She tried to scream for help but he clamped a decomposing hand over her mouth. “Everyone plays together Morgan” Sam started melting in front of her eyes, flesh falling off to reveal a horrifying creature made of mud and blood. It pressed it’s free hand over Morgan’s throat and the girl felt the edges of her vision getting blurry, shadows writhing in the corners of the room. It took it’s hand away from Morgan’s mouth, but she didn’t have enough air left to shout. She tried to tear his hand away but her movements were shaky and uncoordinated. Morgan felt her body go limp beneath the creature's hands and darness started to spread through her vision. Then, everything went black.