The Slumber Games

The taxi rolled to a stop in front of the apartment complex. A boy stepped out, hauling his bags after him, blinking against the light as he handed the driver some cash and rubbed at his tired eyes.

“You know kid,” the driver said, eyeing him through the mirror, “you should get some sleep. Or you’ll never grow.”

“Yeah, yeah. Sure,” he replied dismissively.

Shaun West—seventeen, sharp-eyed, with nappy dreadlocks, stood there for a moment longer than necessary. His posture was that of someone who rarely left his bed unless he absolutely had to. With both parents working overseas as doctors, moving away from his old neighborhood had been unavoidable. New city. New apartment. New school.

He dragged his bags down the hallway and unlocked the door to his apartment.

It wasn’t much. Bare walls. Stale air. But it was good enough for someone like him.

Shaun dropped his bags, kicked off his shoes, and collapsed onto the bed. From one of the boxes, he pulled out a light novel and flipped it open, skimming the first few pages.

“I really hope this one’s good…” he muttered. “I swear my fear thermometer doesn’t spike anymore.”

Minutes passed. Maybe even more. He wasn’t sure.

With a quiet sigh, he snapped the book shut and let it fall onto his chest.

“Yeah. As expected,” he said flatly. “Dull.”

He stared at the ceiling as the silence pressed in, his thoughts drifting.

Well, I might as well take a walk, he thought. New place. I should at least try to develop new habits.

He stepped outside and took a slow walk down the road.

So this is Lakestown, huh?

Lost in thought, he didn’t notice the girl jogging toward him until it was too late.

They collided.

Their heads knocked, and she stumbled, falling onto him. For a brief moment, their faces were uncomfortably close.

The girl blinked. “Oh-oh my! I’m so sorry! I didn’t see you, I was wearing headsets and—” Her words tumbled out in a rush.

“Okay… I get it,” he said, glancing around. “But can you get off me? People might get the wrong idea.”

Realization hit her a second late. Her cheeks flushed as she scrambled to her feet, bowing repeatedly.

“I’m so sorry! Really!”

Shaun brushed himself off, barely listening. What caught his attention instead were her dark eyes, almost pitch-black and her black hair, shining like silk under the sunlight.

“Sure,” he replied simply.

She paused, then blinked. “Hey… wait. I don’t think I’ve seen you around before.”

“Yeah, I’m new around here. I’m actually ten minutes old.”

She chuckled, covering her mouth. “Who says that?” Then she reached out her hand. “I’m Suzan. And again, I’m really sorry.”

“I’m Shaun. Again, it’s no issue.” He shook her hand.

“Well, I should get going. See you.”

She put her headsets back on and continued jogging. Shaun watched her for a moment, thinking, Man, I really wish I could’ve talked to her a bit more.

He shrugged. Nah. I’ll probably never see her again.

And with that, he continued his walk.

*****

The next morning, Shaun adjusted his tie while getting ready for school, his eyes half-lidded.

“Man… I knew I shouldn’t have stayed up reading that volume of Terror.”

He stepped out of his apartment.

As he turned his head, the same girl from yesterday stepped out of the neighboring door. They both froze.

“We’re… neighbors,” they said in unison.

They blinked.

Suzan smiled. “And we go to the same school. It’s almost like we’re destined to be friends.”

Or just a coincidence, Shaun thought. It happens a lot in light novels, actually.

He smiled faintly. “Well, we might as well walk together.”

They headed down the street toward school.

“So, Shaun,” Suzan asked, “where are you from? And what possessed you to move here?”

“Randburg. And… well, I didn’t really have much of a choice. It was either here or the streets. It's a long story.”

The sun blazed overhead as cars passed by.

“Any hobbies?” Suzan asked, folding her arms as she leaned slightly toward him.

“Scary stuff. But lately… I think I’m outgrowing it.”

Suzan’s eyes lit up. “No way! You’re a horror enthusiast, too?!”

Shaun blinked at her sudden energy, then smiled. “Yeah. Kind of.”

“Oh my God, we have to be friends now. I’ll introduce you to my other friends at school. I’ve got a feeling you’ll get along.”

They reached the school gates. The banners whipped in the wind.

Merrylane High—considered the best school in Lakestown.

Oddly enough, they ended up in the same class. After introducing himself, Shaun took a seat near the window.

The bell rang for lunch.

Suzan approached him again and this time with four others.

Belinda was taller than most girls. Her tanned skin and light-blue hair made her stand out immediately. Rolo had crimson hair and a fiery personality to match. Seshio, on the other hand, carried himself with quiet precision, the type who followed rules to the letter.

After the introductions, Shaun found himself clicking with them almost instantly.

Suzan clasped her hands behind her back. “Well, Shaun… there’s this place we were thinking of visiting after school.” A smile curled at the corner of her lips. “It’s haunted.”

Shaun raised a brow, unimpressed. “Is it legit?”

Rolo shrugged. “Even we don’t know. All we do know is that it used to be a club-house back in the day. Now, people say the owner haunts it.”

Belinda waved a hand casually. “It might just be a dud. But hey, no harm in checking it out, right?”

Shaun studied their faces for a moment. There was curiosity there. Excitement. That same restless hunger for something different.

He saw a bit of himself in each of them.

He smiled faintly. “Sure. Even if we don’t lose any sleep over it.”

Seshio adjusted his glasses. “I’m ninety-nine percent sure it’s a dud.”

*****

The moon hung overhead, pale and watchful, as the five gathered outside the school gates.

Suzan bounced lightly on her heels, excitement clear on her face. “Ready, guys?”

They nodded and made their way toward the Club-house.

After some walking, they reached the fence. Strips of KEEP OUT tape hung loosely along the metal bars, torn and weathered. The gate stood half-open, creaking softly as the wind nudged it back and forth.

They exchanged looks, then pulled out their flashlights and stepped through.

Beyond the gate stood the Club-house.

Old. Crumbling. Its walls were cracked and peeling, whatever bright decorations it once had now faded and torn. At the very top, a single colored window caught the moonlight, reflecting it faintly.

They moved closer in silence, only the sound of the breeze brushing past them.

Instinctively, they stopped at the entrance.

Shaun felt it then—a pressure in his chest. A feeling he hadn’t experienced in a long time. Something uneasy.

They hesitated.

“Well, guys…” Suzan said, her voice carrying a faint edge of fear. “Are we going in or what?”

Belinda forced a grin. “I mean, I’m down. But if you guys are chicken, I guess we can turn back.”

Rolo let out a shaky laugh. “What? I’m not chicken. Heh.”

Seshio adjusted his glasses. “If you’re scared, you can go home. We’ll let the newbie decide.”

They all turned to Shaun.

“Wait—what?” His eyes widened. “Seriously?”

They nodded in unison.

Shaun sighed and shook his head. “Fine.”

He stared into the darkness beyond the doorway, swallowed, then smirked faintly.

I’d be a fool to turn back now.

He stepped forward, crossing the threshold.

The others followed.

Their flashlights swept the interior—broken equipment, overturned furniture, dust everywhere.

“See? Nothing scary at—”

The doors slammed shut.

They spun around.

When they shone their lights toward the entrance, there was nothing there. Just pitch-black emptiness.

Then—

A voice.

“Welcome, contestants…”

Shaun’s breath caught. Sweat rolled down his temple as they swung their flashlights toward the sound.

Nothing.

The voice returned, closer this time.

“To the Slumber Games.”

It whispered the words right behind them.