Teaching Horrible Lessons - 1. 1. Gatherings and Departures

I was wearing a long trench coat and a black top hat. When I arrived at the Halloween party, I thought it was a good idea at the time to go as an old-school magician. The costume had a top hat, a black and white suit with a red tie, and a white shirt. What made the outfit so good, was that I found an authentic-looking wooden magic wand, which looked like it could be a real magic wand. If this were Harry Potter-universe, it would definitely be a Phoenix-core wand.

Mark, who was dressed up as a cowboy, was immediately disappointed in my costume, saying I should have gone as a zombie, or even just a ghost, but I ignored his comments and tried to enjoy the party. He knew I loved reading and watching the horror genre, so suggesting something so banal as a ghost or overused as a zombie was dead on delivery when he mentioned it last week.

We entered the asylum main entrance and found the party in a wide open space, which was probably the dining room for the inmates. The party was full of people drinking beer and getting high on some really bad pot that Chris, the host of this party, had scored from one of his friends. It was the typical scene I've read about in horror novels, but never actually experienced. A perfect place for a serial killer to stalk horny, drunk, and high teenagers with low inhibitions.

We were handed two red cups of alcohol by Chris, who said "Drink up," and we followed his order as the naive freshman we were. Instantly, I began feeling the burn in my throat and stomachs. My head started spinning and I was getting dizzy from just a large gulp of the alcohol. Mark was in no better shape than me as he slumped up against me, seeking support.

Trying to regain our bearing, Mark and I walked slowly to one side of the large room where a group of kids were gathered, hoping to sober up a little. There was a game of truth or dare going on with a bunch of people, including my three bullies; Allen, Brian, and Kevin. I didn't want to join, but the group insisted on us joining their game. Being Freshman, it was hard for us to get invited to these kinds of parties and being invited to play a game was exciting. If I had my wits, I knew it was the alcohol thinking for us.

Allen started things off.

"So, truth or dare?" He asked some random kid.

The boy looked at him and said "Truth," obviously not wanting to risk any dares.

"Who's the hottest person at this party?"

"Easy," the kid said, "that hot chick, Kelly, over there." He pointed towards a girl in a skimpy witch costume.

Allen laughed and the others joined in.

"Your turn," he said, pointing at a random girl, "Truth or Dare?"

She replied "Dare."

"Good girl," he smirked, "I dare you to do ten jumping jacks."

Everyone laughed, the girl rolled her eyes, but did the dare, then she asked the next person.

The game continued and after a few rounds, it was finally my turn. Kevin, my sadistic bully, asked me, "Truth or Dare."

"Truth." I was a bit of a wuss, not willing to risk getting embarrassed by a dare.

"What's your worst fear?" Kevin asked, a smirk creeping onto his face.

I thought about it for a second, trying to figure out what answer would make me sound the least girly.

"I guess," I started, "spiders. Or clowns, they creep me out."

"Clowns, huh? You know there's a story about a crazy psychotic clown, who used to be an inmate in this asylum. He killed a lot of little kids and turned them into his dolls. They caught him stuffing one of the boys, while several still-living kids cowered in a corner afraid they would be next," Kevin said, causing gasps of fear, but the crowd loved it, "They locked him away, but his ghost still haunts these halls, searching for the children that had gotten away from the last party."

I shivered a bit and took another drink of my red cup, despite knowing its effect on me. I was beginning to regret coming here.

"Alright," said Brian, "That's enough with the stories. Let's get back to the game. Jules, your turn to pick someone for Truth or Dare?"

In my blurry vision, I directed my gaze back at the one asking me a question, "Brian, truth or dare?"

"Truth," he quickly answered, avoiding the possible embarrassment of a dare.

"Why do you hang out with such jerks?"

Everyone around us gasped. That wasn't exactly a nice question.

"Uh...because they're my friends." He seemed uncomfortable with the question.

"So, you like being a jerk?" I retorted.

"I..." Brian stammered, "I didn't know you felt that way."

Kevin punched Brian's shoulder, "The queer asked two questions out of turn, you get to force him to do a dare."

Brian's eyes light up as if remembering a dare, and then he gets an evil look in his eyes.

"I dare you, to go to room 206 upstairs. It's supposedly where the maniac clown was imprisoned until he died," Brian said with a mischievous tone that I couldn't discern with my inebriated state.

"You guys are assholes, but okay," I say, "I'll prove that nothing is there."

I walked away from the group, but before I go, I notice Mark isn't following me, but was already asleep against the wall. Figured, my so-called boyfriend wouldn't be by my side. I walk up the stairs, finding myself on the second floor, which is surprisingly deserted. Everyone must be downstairs.

I walked down the hall, until I reached room 206. The door was wide open. Inside, I could see an empty bed, a chair, and a table. I stepped inside, and a chill went down my spine. Something was off about the room, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it.

I walked further into the room, my curiosity getting the better of me. As I got closer to the bed, I noticed a strange smell. It was like...paint? That's strange. Then, I heard a voice in the room.

"Jules, I've been waiting for you."

I turned around, and there was no one. The door was closed.

"Who's there?"

I was starting to get scared now.

"It's me, Jules."

I recognized the voice. It was Mark.

"Mark? I thought you were asleep downstairs."

Then a disembodied voice spoke, "Mark is with me as my doll and so will you, hahaha!"

"Who are you? Show yourself."

I ran from the room and went down the hallway past several sets of doors and hallways. I don't know how long I had run, but when I stopped running, I saw a room with the text "Operating Room" above it. The door was wide open.

I hesitantly entered the room and looked around. There was an operating table in the middle of the room and some surgical equipment on a table next to it. The room was eerily quiet, and I couldn't hear anything other than my own breathing.

As I approached the table, a figure suddenly appeared in front of me. It was Mark, but he had been mutilated, completely naked with his chest and genitals cut open. He had a grotesque smile on his face and his eyes were glazed over.

"Hello Jules."

"Oh my god! Mark! Who did this to you?"

"It was you."

I ran at the sight of my boyfriend's mangled body in the terrifying operating room until I was back to room 206, which remained wide open. However, it was not empty. A clown stood in the middle of the room with a white painted face, red nose, and wide grin.

"You want to join my doll collection, Jules," he asked me

My mind was buzzed with alcohol, adrenaline, and memories of Mark's mangled body, so I rushed the insane clown with all my might. I was able to bring him down to the ground.

I cursed at him, "You motherfucking Pennywise ripoff psycho, you think I am like some 80s horror movie girl who will run from you after what you did to my boyfriend. Well guess what I'm gonna kick your ass back to hell or where ever you came from."

Before I could land a punch though, two sets of hand had held me back. It was Allen and Brian, who were trying to calm me down from my heighten state.

"Jules, stop it was just a prank," Allen said, while Brian just nodded his head.

"Fuck off," I told off the two and kicked Brian's gut, then kicked Allen's shin.

The clown having dropped his voice synthesizer revealed himself to be Kevin.

"Like stop being a hysterical queer bitch after getting scared, jeez" Kevin chided me.

He was so lucky my fist was caught, or else I would have rearranged his face.

"Jules, stop, we were only joking," Kevin continued, "We were going to scare you and then laugh, nothing more."

I was pissed at all 3 of my bullies, but I didn't see Mark with them. The vision of his mutilated naked body was still fresh in my mind. Was he in on this? How did they make the exposed muscles and skin so realistic?

"Where's Mark," I demanded.

"Oh, your boyfriend," Allen replied, "He ran off after he woke up and thought you left the party."

"Yeah," Kevin added, "he bolted out of the asylum."

"Impossible, I found him mangled in the operating room," I replied.

"That wasn't the part of the prank," Brian stated looking suspiciously at Kevin and Allen.

Allen waved his hands up, "I didn't do any of that."

"Me neither, but maybe a real ghost was behind it," Kevin said.

"Bullshit," I stated, "It's impossible."

"Jules, we are sorry about the prank, ('ll even let you punch me for revenge," Brian offered, while his friends looked at him, "what?"

"Yeah, well you are not my friend," I told Brian.

I stormed out of the room and wandered back down the hallway to where I thought the stairway was. However, there were just more rooms and hallways. I remember watching found footage horror movies like Grave Encounters and this felt eerily like that movie.

I called out for my three bullies, "Allen, Brian, Kevin, are any of you nearby?"

Silence

Cursing, I asked, "Alright, if there is some demon or evil spirit just come out and stop playing games. If you want to kill me, I'm here. If you want to cut a deal for my freedom by sacrificing some humans, I'm game too. Just come out."

Suddenly, the lights went out, but there was no noise. Nothing moved. I couldn't see anything.

Then, a light flashed in front of me and a figure appeared.

"You're called Jules. I am the keeper of the avatar box."

I couldn't see the face clearly, the voice was distorted like a recording played backward.

"Avatar Box?"

"Yes, it contains the essences of an ancient one."

"So, is this place like some hell portal, or did we just meet here by accident?"

"The asylum is the gate, but it is not your hell. It was formed by the tormented souls of thousands who lived and died here under harsh inhumane conditions. There are no ghosts here as humans would believe, merely energy in another state."

"What do you want from me?"

"I have sensed the darkness inside you. You have a dark side. Are you a sadist, masochist, or both?"

"Uhm, what does that mean?"

"Do you feel pleasure by hurting or being hurt?"

"Oh, I guess both."

"Very good, then I offer you this box to release your true nature."

"Oh, I've seen this movie, so you're like a pinhead and you are trying to recruit me into being cenobite. I'm flattered, but BDSM is sort of an acquired taste and I am only 14. Maybe in a few years, when I'm in a college frat, which likes spankings and rough play."

"No, this is no mortal bondage play. The Avatar box will unleash the darkest and most depraved desires you have inside and allow something far greater to take its place."

"See what I mean, like you're oozing the sadomasochist vibes, Clive Barker would be proud," I smirked.

At that point, I didn't know why I was teasing this obviously dangerous entity with a magic puzzle box, but it felt right with how the night had gone.

"Enough, if you decline to accept this box, you will die from the inside out, while your spirit is tortured, forever. While ghosts may not be real, your human spirit can experience conscious joys and pains beyond imagination."

"So, is there a time limit on the offer," I asked.

"Starting now," the voice stated.

"Okay, but first, I have a question," I said, "Are you a dude, a chick, or gender neutral?"

"I'm not human. Why is that relevant?"

"Just wondering if a hot chick would appear and tempt me to play this puzzle box game or would a sexy dude appear and show me how it's done. The movies were all over the place."

"That's enough, choose your answer now," the voice was becoming irritated.

"Okay, okay, give me the damn box."

The figure threw the box at me, and I caught it. I took a moment to look at the box. It was a cube, with various symbols on each side.

"Each side of the box holds a piece of the ancient one. When the last side is removed, the full power will be yours to control."

"So, it's like a Pokemon evolution," I laughed.

"No, the power is much greater," the figure explained, "If you open the first side, you will gain a fraction of the ancient one's power. If you open all six sides, the full power will be yours. However, it will come with a price."

"Okay, so which side do I start with?"

"Whichever you desire," the figure stated, "But remember, each side unlocks a new piece of the ancient one."

"Cool, cool, I'll start with this first," I said, as I turned the box and the first side revealed itself.

I took a deep breath, and slowly removed the side of the box. Suddenly, a burst of energy flew from the box and entered my body. My vision went white, and I felt an overwhelming sensation of power.

When I came to, the figure was gone, and the box was on the floor. I now had the power to instill real fear onto someone. I knew who to use it on first.