Beware The Midnight Man

Chapter Three

   "Do you guess have any candles in this place?" Petey yells, his excited tone showed that he couldn't wait to play his stupid game.
        "How many you need?" Jillian asks.
        "One for everyone." Petey says, "we also need a pencil and paper, an ass load of salt, and a needle... your front door is wooden right?"
       " Guys this is so stupid." I say, "your really going to walk around a dark house all night running from a ghost man? what are we kids? This is immature!"
        "Oh look now Mary Popines is calling us immature because we don't want to got to sleep with her." Chase mocks.
        "Dude lay off her man," Carter pipes up, "Are we going to do his or are we going to sit her and argue about it?"
        "of course we're doing it," Petey begins reading from the website again, " Warning: the Midnight Man Game is extremely dangerous. Do not taught or provoke. Lasting effects have been know do show in those who survive the night." Chase lets out a loud scoff from the corner.
          Time ticked by slowly as my friends prepared for their Game. With every minute that past the anxious feeling in my stomach grew. "What time is it guys?" Petey asks.
        "11:47" Jillian says.
        "It;s almost time," Petey coos. "Everyone has to write their name on this piece of paper." He says holding up a piece of paper in the dull light coming from the flashlights. Peter Collins is written is Petey's loopy signature across the paper. Jillian takes it from his hand and signs it herself, then Chase, then Carter, and then the paper finds it's way to my hands. I hadn't wanted  to, but something compelled me to pck up the pencil. With one smooth motion the name Melany Stevens is painted across the white surface of the paper.
        "that a girl" Chase says with a harsh laugh.
        "Okay we have our salt," Petey says picking up three large boxes of table salt, "Good thing Jillian's dad is some sort of crazy dooms day preper or else we wouldn't have enough salt for everyone. We have our candles... all that's left is a little essence of Petey." Petey takes back the paper we all signed, pricks his finger with a sewing needle, and presses his bloody finger to the paper next to his signature.
        "Ewww! what are you doing?" Jillian shrieks.
        "It says in the directions we all have to do it." Petey says handing the needle to Jillian.
        "No, I'm not going that! That's like some emo shit or something
        "Babe it's just a needle." Chase says, " I know they freak you out, but watch" he takes the needle from Petey and punctures his own thumb, droping a speck of dark red Chase juice on the piece of paper. "no big deal."
        "Yes big deal! I don't want to play anymore!" Jillian says.
        "Thank you! I told you you don't want to mess with this stuff." I say.
        "Shut up Mel!" Petey says. "We're just have a little fun."
        "You girls can sit out if you want, but I'm still doing it." Chase says while handing the needle to Carter. Carter gives me a quick look and then takes the needle. A drop of his blood lands on the paper.
        "11:54, if we're going to do this we go to go." Petey says. Just then out of the darkness something wraps around my waist, a strong grasp holding me in place. I let out a loud shriek. Then my arms are seized at my side. Somethings got me and I can't get free. Then all of a sudden it's gonna. Nothing, but a small pinching pain on the back of my hand is evidence of the assault.
        "Mel! What's wrong? Are you okay?" Carter yells.
        "I-- I don't know." A flashlight scans the room and lands on Chases smiling face.
        "What the hell are you laughing at dude?" Carter yells. Chase holds up the paper... with three drops of blood and one big red smear.
        "I couldn't resist, I didn't think she would freak out like that man." Chase manages to say through gasps of laughter.
        "You ass whole! What the fu*k is wrong with you!" I scream.
        "Come on Mel. It's just a game." Chase says. Then Carter steps up and shoves Chase into the wall. The smile on Chases face quickly fades.
        "Dude what the fu*k." Chase says shoving Carter off of him.
        "You can't just do that! Are you fu*king stupid?"
        "Are you two going to have a sexy shirtless fight or are we going to play the game," Petey shouts," Because I am good with either, but if we are going to play we have start there are two minutes till midnight.
        "I don't know about you ass wholes, but Mel and I aren't playing." Carter hisses.
        "Oh yes you are, your bloods on the paper." Petey says.
        "Get a new piece of paper!" Carter yells with anger.
        "To late." Chase says. "what's next Petey?"
        "Light a candle, knock on the door twenty two times (the last knock exactly at 12:00), open the door, blow, the candle out, and you've invited the Midnight Man in the house." Petey says.
        "You better not use that paper!" I scream.
        "Mel It's just bullshit. Just ignore them." Carter hums in my ear. I should have listened to the fear in my heart. As I sat there and watched Chase and Petey knocking on the front door fright welled in me with each hallow sound. 11:59 ticked by and the silence was deafening as they waited for midnight to knock for the twenty-second time. Then the clock turn 12:00 the last knock echoed throughout the house. Cold air rushed in from the storm outside as chase opened the front door. A wide expanse of darkness filled the house and my heart. Then the only source of safety was blown out with the candle in Petey's hand. I had never know such darkness as in that moment. That was the beginning a darkness a could never forget.