Written by Joseph Warren
Jess and Alex leave the bar, walking like they’re on stilts. Alex flings his wrist to his face to check the time on his watch.
Scoffing, he says in a panicked tone, “We are going to be late to the meeting!”
This unofficial Dungeon & Dragons session stars two drunks are at a cross roads. Two bards who just performed karaoke at their local tavern. They sang while some people stared at their phones, others stepped out for another smoke break.
But back to their dilemma. Jess stops in his tracks nine Irish car bombs deep he does a Michael Jackson lean, nearly falling over.
Regaining his composure, he turns his head stiffly toward Alex like Michael Keaton’s Batman.
“How about we cut down this alley and save time?”
The dark alley sticks out its tongue of shadow, beckoning them into its mouth. Alex stares into the abyss and mutters, “Its staring back at me.”
A snort of laughter bursts from Jess like machine gun fire.
“Stop being so dramatic and lets go.”
At a perfect ninety-degree turn, they step into the alley. The smell of sulfur slams in through their nostrils, and both of them tear up as if allergic. Their stomachs churn, clenching the chicken wings they’d devoured earlier.
Suddenly, there’s no light no glow from either end of the alley.
A suave voice slithers through the air. Like static from a balloon, it raises the hair on the backs of their necks.
“Welcome to my domain. Do you want to pay the toll?”
Jess and Alex lock eyes, silently agreeing to ignore the voice, like unpaid library fines.
“Very well,” the voice replies smoothly. “I guess I’ll foot the tab.”
The walls of darkness flicker and morph into glowing projector screens. No, its not movie day at school.
Black and white images illuminate their drunken actions from hours earlier. Terror drains the color from their faces they look like they’ve seen a ghost. In an instant, rage replaces their fear.
“Who video taped us !? Yells Alex.
“Show yourself! Stop being a coward!” Jess shouts, overlapping him
They sprint forward into nothingness, the film being waterboarded into their eyes a torture reel of their actions. They keep running, but the darkness thickens like quicksand.
“WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS !?” Alex cries out.
They gasp for breath, inhaling sulfur like it’s air. Sweat boils on their skin. Their bloody screams echo down the alley as the darkness devours them.
Then morning. The sun kicks down the door of night.
Police swarm around two lifeless bodies in the middle of the alley.
“Are these the guys ma’am?” A seasoned cop asks the traumatized woman.
She nods yes.