The Game

Mickey Taylor watched the dark figures dash off in to the thick trees. She turn her head over her shoulder, double checking to see if someone was following her. No one was. She was pressed up against a white brick wall. The wall belonged to Saint Luis Bordering School for the troubled. Mickey’s parents thought it would be best to send her there after getting one to many phone calls home from her high school. She saw one more dark figure go into the trees. Mickey felt the mid night heat on her forehead. Now was not the time to chicken out, Besides beyond those trees was a party. Mickey was told this earlier that night at dinner in the mess hall. Tess Moore had walked up to her while she was in line waiting to get her dish of trash food. Mickey would rather eat real trash instead of the food she was about to receive. But what could one do? Real food was not aloud on school grounds and the only way to get real food was to go to one of these “parties”.  This would be Mickey’s first party, and she was hopping it would be what al the talk said it would be about. Tess walked up to her. Her blonde hair waving in the air conditioned room. She stepped in front of Mickey in line. No tray in hand. “Shhh Don’t say anything.” Tess said with out turning around to face Mickey. If Mickey had made Tess cutting her in line a big deal, one of the teachers would pull Tess out and make her sit by them while she ate.  “What is it?” Mickey said in a harsh tone. Mickey had been there for 6 months and everyday Tess and her clique had made it hell for her. “Tonight by the dead road mid night. You should be there.” With out Mickey saying a word back Tess slipped out of line. The dead road, Mickey had only heard it once or twice in class room talk. No one could really talked that much about it, if a teacher found out about and report it. They would stop anyone from going down there. They would stop the fun. Mickey knew that it was past the trees. Dead road was an old highway no one used anymore, no one had ever heard of a single car driving down that road. Next to Saint Luis cross the dead road past more trees another school stood. But this was a high school. Scott High School, and over there the boys loved to party with the Saint Luis girls. Saint Luis was after all an all girls school. The boys would come down at mid night down the dead road with food and beer. Mickey heard that if Tess Moore asked you to come down to the Dead Road, it was good news.
Mickey built up some speed, she was ready to make a run for it to the trees. She took off with out a sound, She all was knew was good on her feet. Mickey became a dark figure as she entered the trees. A far she could see a dim light and hear a faint music sound. As she got closer she heard chatter, giggles. Girl giggles. Mickey could tell some of her school buds were all ready drunk. Then she saw movement, Tess and Ava Bell dancing in front of an old Ford pick up truck, the radio blasting with today’s pop music.  They had on minnie skirts and pink tank tops. Mickey made her way out of the trees and stepped out in front of the dancing blondes. Tess saw her come out and jumped to her side. “OOhhh Mickey dear, You made it.” Tess smiled drunkly and clung to Mickey’s arm. “Yeahh.” Mickey said looking at Tess. “LOOK MICKEY MADE IT!” Tess shouted throwing up her arm, tossing some beer out of her cup. Some cheers where made. Mickey looked around and saw four girls she knew from school. Jackie Smalls Chloe Campbell Susie Perez and Tiffany Reed. All friends with Tess. Three boys were there. Ave was dancing around one. He was tall dark hair manly figure. Another was over by the keg they brought getting Tiffany and Chloe refills of beer.  He was slim not as tall as the one over by Ava. From what Mickey could make out he had blonde hair and looked like a total creep. His grin he tossed up to Tiffany as he hand her, her drink gave Mickey gooses bumps. The other boy was up against the truck bed sipping on a cup of beer. The night was hiding his looks from Mickey, But she could tell he was looking at her. Tess dragged Mickey over to the keg. “Oh Mickey dear I am so glad you showed. I know I’ve been a bitch to you for soooooooooooo (She slurred on the so part.) long now and I am sorry. I’ve invited you out here tonight to make up for it. Tess said in a drunk tone. The creepy boy gave Tess a red plastic cup filled to the top with foamy gold beer. Tess smiled at the boy. “So nice.” She said to him. “Mickey this is?” She looked at him, waiting for him to say his name. “Jake.” He said not a trace of drunk in his voice. Clearly the boys come out here to get the girls drunk and then hope they get lucky. “Jakey.” Tess said and hand Mickey the beer. Mickey knew Tess was beyond drunk. She couldn’t even stand up right. Mickey took the cup and smiled “Thanks Tess.” She said. A 30H!3 song started up threw the speakers of the truck. “Oh I Loves this song.” Tess said letting go of Mickey and stumbling off to join Ava in dancing in front of the truck. Susie stepped beside Mickey. “She is pretty trashed.” Susie said to Mickey. Mickey nodded and sipped on her beer. The taste brought back memories that made Mickey home sick. “Tiffany told me this is how she all was is at these parties.” Susie went on. Mickey could care less about Tess’s wild side.  “I guess the schools bitch is really a nice drunk.” Susie chuckled. Jackie rushed up to Susie and grabbed her by the arm. “Come on Suss lets get down.” Jackie giggled. Mickey could tell she to was drunk. An hour past and Mickey felt a buzz from the beer she had consumed. Two more boys showed up, But Mickey didn’t care for them. She was focused on the boy who was still up against the bed of the trunk.  She walked past Tess who was face sucking with Jake, which wasn’t the pretties thing she had ever seen. “Why do you keep looking at me?” Mickey said poking the boy in the chest with her index finger. He looked down at her finger. Mickey could see very dim looks. He had tossed blonde hair and light eyes. He smiled. He had nice teeth. “Cause your beautiful.” He smiled. Mickey rolled her eyes. She knew she was. Her dark think long brown hair fell down her back. She was slim but short for a 16 year old. If the sun hit her eyes just right they would sparkle blue. But right now she could feel her eyes being green dark green. She pressed her full lips together and glared for a moment at the boy. “I wont sleep with you, I am not that drunk.” He laughed, a husky laugh. Deep and smelled of beer. “I don’t want to sleep with you.” Mickey felt a little hurt, But she wouldn’t let him see that. “Oh Jakey!” She heard Tess squeal. “Then why are you here?” Mickey asked. It never crossed her mind to get his name. “I am hunting.” He said. Mickey made a face, “Hunting?” He nodded. “For?” She snarled. She didn’t mean for it to come out like that but he was starting to creep her out but at the same time his darkness was drawing her in. Her guard was up. “For someone to join my group.” “Your not a vampire?!” Mickey said getting a tiny freaked out now. He laughed again “Oh no those are not real.” He said. He moved from the bed wall turning to Mickey’s side, which made her face him. Her back to the dead road now. “What are..” Mickey began to say. He put a finger to her lips closing them, making her stop talking. She quickly looked around ’doesn’t anyone see this?’ She wonder.  Jackie and Ava had gone back to the school back to there cozy beds. Which to Mickey didn’t sound half bad now, but this boys gaze was hard to break. Something about his eyes was hard to make Mickey pull away. She heard sounds coming from the truck bed and saw Susie and Tall boy (which his name was Drake) making it.
Tess and Jake were slow drunk dancing to old music. The two boys that had showed up (Rick and Steve) where trashed trying to get Chloe to go back to there car. No they couldn’t see. “Mickey.” He said moving forward. Mickey took a step back. “What?” She spoke. Her buzz gone now. “I want to make you an offer.” He step closer. Mickey looked down at his hand, It was going down in to the pocket of his jeans. Oh god. Mickey thought. She stepped back and tripped on a rock laying next to the Dead Road. She laid on her back. The boy put out his hand for her to take, but quickly turned his head to see the on coming head lights. Mickey turned her head and saw them too. She tried getting up. But it was too late.
The scream that came from Mickey made everyone look. Tess let out a scream grabbing on to Jake. Susie and Drake sat up fast. Susie shirt was gone, she felt the wind breath on her bear shoulders. She placed a hand on her mouth eyes wide with horror. Chloe turned to Rick and puked on him and began to cry. No one had ever seen someone get ran over before. The couple in the car had stopped a few miles up. The driver which was a male got out and rushed to Mickey’s side. Mickey’s eyes were wide open her hair a wild mess. Blood was simmered on her chine and bottom lip. “Oh my god, I am sorry I didn’t see her.” The man spoke in a panic. “The guy at the gas station said no one was on this road. I thought it would be ok to speed.”  The girl got out of the car. “Drew what happened?” She called out to her lover. “Call 911!” He yelled back at her.
Anyone who saw Mickey that night could say that she was dead. Anyone. And anyone that was there that  night saw no boy up against the truck. Mickey saw the stars fading. She felt the night grow cold. In her ears she heard. “Mickey, Mickey come join us Mickey.” Then everything got black.  Later Tess told the cops Mickey was drunk and dancing madly in to the Dead Road and tripped on a rock, no one saw the car coming. No one saw the boy that wanted to take Mickey Taylor’s life.


                                                       Chapter 1

Lalaine Taylor’s bright blue eyes popped open. Her tan nose sniffed the air a few times. She could feel her cozy bed she was laying in get very uncomfortable. She sat upright in bed. Sniffed the air again. ‘She cant be’ Lalaine thought. She threw her goose feather filled blank off her. She followed the smell out her bedroom down the hall to her sisters bedroom door. “Michelle Anna Taylor!” She said banging on the door with her left fist. Lalaine stood there for a minute, waiting for her sisters door to open.  The white wooden door soon open a minute later. A cloud of smoke puffed out the door away. Ian Daniels stood there a tad dazed. Lalaine study him for a second before pushing past him to get to her sister. Ian was in Lalaine eyes and any other young teen girl a “heart breaker“.  Shaggy wavy brown hair to his shoulders, that he tossed back with his hands so it wouldn’t get in his light bluish green eyes. Broad shoulders with a every musicale body which he kept tone through out the years Lalaine has know him. Lalaine saw her sister sitting on the window seat, the curtains were tossed to the side and the window was wide open. The window out looked the Taylor’s front lawn and drive away. A big oak tree stood in the middle of the lawn under its branches Mickey’s Jeep rested. In the drive away Lalaine’s Nissan Skyline was up to the garage door making room for her parents cars to get in. Mickey’s back was pressed up against the window frame her right leg up on the window seat her left daggled. “Nice to see you to Lalaine.” Ian said coolly shutting the door. “What are you doing?” Lalaine cut in to her sister. Mickey was looking outside, the joint rested in between her fingers. Mickey rolled her head facing Lalaine. “Alien.” Mickey smiled. Lalaine waved her hand in front of her face, the smell of weed was over coming her senses. “Don’t call me Alien. What are you doing smoking that in the house?” She picked the joint out of Mickey’s fingers and chucked it out the window.  Lalaine stared her twin sister down. Mickey’s eyes weren’t blood shot she didn’t looked dazed like Ian had looked. “Why are you tripping?” Mickey asked her. “What if mom and dad come home and smell this and they send you back to Saint Luis?” Lalaine cried to her sister. Mickey lend in a little making better eye contacted. “Saint Luis wont take me back and mom and dad wont ship me off any more. Remember?”  Lalaine looked down at the ground. How could she forget that night. She was out with friends just walked out of a cinema. She was laughing when the pain hit her. She felt it in her head, like someone busted her head open with a bat. Lalaine let out a scream and hit the ground, she woke in a hospital bad with the news of her sisters accident.  “Its been a year Alien and they haven’t sent me back and Ive been rising hell since I came back.” Mickey said giving away a little smile. Like she was proud of this. Lalaine heard Ian laugh. She walked out of her sisters room she was stocked. The feeling of not even knowing her sister filled her. Lalaine walked down stairs she felt her body grow cold. She warped her arms around her and looked down as she took each step. No wonder she was cold, she had on short sofie shorts and a thin tank top. She heard her cell ring in the kitchen and raced to it. “Hello?”

    Mickey stared out the window. She knew Lalaine want to know more about what happen when she came home. They where so close when they were younger. They knew everything about each other. But things were different now and now wasn’t the time for closeness. “She will be fine Mickey.” Ian said coming up be hide her placing his heads on her shoulders and kissing the back of her head. Ian had been with her for years now. Since the book was brought to her and had entered a new world and way before Saint Luis. Four years now. Mickey was sold on them being soul mates.  Never had they want to be with anyone else as much as they wanted to be with each other. Now that she had brought him in to the game with her there bound was greater then ever. Mickey nodded. “We have a circle tonight, Best if we get Michael.“ Mickey said getting off her window seat. She was walking to the door when Ian pulled her back to him and he met her lips with his and kissed her. Mickey melted. She couldn’t be mad or uneasy for so long after Ian kissed her. He knew this.   He pulled way, “Come.” He smiled holding her hand has he lead them out of her room. “I’ll drive.” Mickey’s dad met them at the door as they were going out. “Going out?” He asked his daughter “Yes sir.” Mickey said stopping in the door way ready for a small chat with her dad. “Good afternoon Mr. Taylor.” Ian said stopping beside Mickey. “Ah yes Ian how are you?” “Good sir you?” Mickey had all was like the politeness Ian had with adults. One of the main reasons why her parents loved him so much. He was refreshing to have around her mother  told her after her first meting Ian. When Mickey was at Saint Luis he would all was come around the house so it wouldn’t make her parents forget to bring Mickey room soon. That there was still people who loved her and wanted her home and not at some bordering school.
“Doing well, Thanks.” He made his way in to the house, he was middle age man tall thin. His face looked like he was fading and his hair told everyone he was old and didn’t have that much life in him. Mickey and Ian started walking “Your mother will be home soon and would want to have a family dinner.” He spoke. Mickey stopped and watched Ian had to her Jeep. He got in to the driver side and started up the car. Mickey felt the wind pick up and the air grow thick.
She could remember a time when she loved family dinners all four of them sitting around a table laughing talking sharing events from they’re days. Mickey all so remembers when that all chanced. Most people would say it was Ian’s fault. But it wasn’t, others would say it was her friends but that wasn’t it either. The reason for her bad attitude and the reason for her getting sent off to Saint Luis is something she will never let her mother forget. “Daddy no I wont be here to eat.” She said over her shoulder and walked to the jeep. Mickey felt a sickness in the bottom of her stomach as he hopped in to the passenger side. She hated letting her father down like that. He loved the dinners to, as much as she did.  But she no longer wanted to be around her mother. The thought of her made Mickey angry.

    Two years ago Mickey came home from Ian’s a little early.  Her father and Lalaine were out doing a dinner and movie night. She remember this day ever so clearly. Mickey opened her house door setting her keys on the table next to the door. “I am home!” She yelled hoping up the stairs. She was making her way to her room when she hared a noise coming from her mothers room. The door was creaked. Light was showed throw it. Mickey slowly walked to her door. The sounds were getting louder as she was getting closer, her mother was moaning. Mickey peaked in. Her eye widen with horror she gasped. Her mother was warped up in  another mans arms. Her naked body pressed up against his. Hate grew in the pit of Mickey’s stomach. How could her mother do this to her and Lalaine and worst of all her father. Didn’t she love us or him? Mickey tip toed slowly back to her room and never spoke a word to anyone about what she saw for a while. She remembers Ian knowing there was something wrong with her but she didn’t tell him. How could she? A week before she was sent off Ian broke her silence and she spilled her guts to him.   “She hates us Ian she doesn’t love us.” Mickey told him. “What are you talking about?” Ian asked. They were sitting up on his roof top. Mickey loved sitting up there, his roof top gave a great view of her town. Mickey started to cry. Ian held her face in his hands. Her blue eyes turning from her light bright blue eyes to dark green. “Its ok Mickey you can tell me.” He felt her hot tears run down his hands. “I saw them together.” She whisper. “Who?” How could she begin to explain. She was 15 and Ian was 16. A 15 year old should not have to share this kind of stuff nor see it. “My…” She started. “Mickey I love you.” Ian told her. Hearing Ian say that all ways made it easier for her to talk to him. “My mother is cheating on us.” Mickey said it just like that. Not my mother is cheating on my father but us. Being with another man was cheating on the whole family. If she was breaking her fathers heart she was breaking hers as well. Ian pulled her in to a tight hug. Mickey clung to him. Her tears soaking threw his shirt. “Shhhhh.” He soothed her. He kissed her shoulder. “Its ok I am here and I love you.. I love you Michelle Anna Taylor.”
When her mother told her she was going away that night in Mickey’s bedroom. Mickey shut the door and looked her mother in the eye.  “I know, I know what your doing and wont get raid of me.”  Mickey’s mother smoothened her dress. “Michelle I know, and I wont let you mess up my family. I wont let you mess it all up, wont have it.” Her family this isn’t her family. Mickey’s eyes began to tear up. “I hate you.” She snarled at her mother. “I hate you and I will never forgive you.” Mickey’s mother nodded her head and tried to take Mickey’s face in her hands, but Mickey pushed her way. “Get out.” Mickey told her mother. “Alright.” Her mother told her leaving her room.

“Are you ok?” Ian asked placing his hand on hers. She held it. “No.” Ian pulled his hand away from hers and backed out, then placed his hand back with hers. “But I’ll be fine.” She smiled at him.
Michael Shaw was Mickey’s best friend since 5th grade when he moved to her home town.
They met because he stole her milk at lunch time, the lunch lady had forgotten to give him one.
Mickey cried and he got double nap time when the rest would go out and play. Michael was skinny and tall he had a mess of  brown hair and dirt brown eyes. You could all was see him at the skate park , Mickey told him one day he was going to be pro. But that day would never come now. Ian stopped the jeep a few blocks from Michaels house. “Are you sure about this?” Ian asked killing the engine. Mickey drew in a breath. “Yes I need a team and I would never leave my best friend out.” Ian nodded. Ian recalled when Mickey came to him with the game.
When she came back from Saint Luis from the hospital, Ian could see change in her eyes. In the way she spoke and carried her self. She was more cocky more out spoken she had no fear in her blood. A different Mickey stood in front of her.  
“What has gotten in to?” He had asked her a few days later. They were sitting in her room watching TV when Mickey had gotten roughly play full with him. “Nothing.” She told him rolling her eyes and pulled out a cropper colored book from under her bed.   She had it to him. Ian looked it over. “What’s this?” Mickey sat cross legged on the edge of her bed. “This is going to sound crazy.” She began. “But when I was in the hospital the devil came to me.”  Ian rolled his eyes and tossed the book on the floor. “Bull Shit Mickey.” He rubbed his face with his hands. “Ian have I ever lied to you?” Ian thought. “No.” Mickey raised an eye brow. “Then why would I lie now?” Ian knew she was making a good point. But the devil? He shrugged his shoulders.  “Go on.” He told Mickey. “He came to me with that book.” She said pointing at the cropper book on the ground. “He told me of a game, where he wanted me to be leader. He told me he would give me great power and a hole new pair of eyes to see the world throw. All I had to do was take his hand and die.” Mickey reached down and scoop the book up. “I cant explain more to you, and.” She looked deep into Ian’s eyes. “I want you to join me Ian, I cant do this on my own.’’ Ian reached for the book but Mickey pulled the book back. “No, you must read it after you take my hand and die too.” She held out her hand and looked deeper in to Ian’s eyes.
Ian thought Mickey was crazy. But the book was in front of her and she had never lied to him not once so maybe this was all true, and maybe he had came to her when she was in the hospital. Mickey assured him he would come back to live just with different eyes, ones that would see the world as she saw them and then he could better understand her. “I love you Ian Lee Daniels please trust me.”  Mickey said softly. When Mickey left for 6 months Ian promised him self he won’t let her go far ever aging, and when he heard that she all most died he knew he didn’t want to lose her. He took a breath and then took her hand. She held it tight so he wouldn’t move. Mickey pulled out a gun she had been hiding under her covers  and amid it a Ian. She watched his eyes grow with fear he gasped. Mickey pulled the trigger. “BANG!” That was the last thing Ian heard right before he died.
Ian’s eyes opened and he was standing an a dark room. “Ian.” A voice said from be hide him. He spun around. His head was spinning “Who’s there?” He asked. Two reddish glowing eyes paired at him. “I am very pleased to have you in my court. I feel great things will come from you.” The deep harsh voice spoke. “Who are you?” Ian felt a breeze go past him. He spun around again. He looked up to see a smoky figure in front of him. “I am sorry for my rudeness.” He grain. His teeth were rotten. His face was worn. He were a robe. But Ian kept looking at the red eyes that seem to draw him in and cause a hurt feeling inside him. “I am the devil and your about to join my court in a nice game of ‘man hunt’”  The Devil put his hand out for Ian to shake it. Ian touched his palm and felt a hot burn start on his fingers. He pulled away. The devil laughed a rich deep laugh. “I’ll be waiting to hear great things from you Ian.” “What’s the game?” Ian asked.
“Simple my son. Kill all the angels.”  Ian awoke to see Mickey looking down at him her bright blue eyes brought comfort to me. He was laying on her bed, he left his head up and looked around. Blood was on the bed and the wall. His blood. “How do you feel?” Mickey asked him. Ian looked down at his fingers. They were burned. It wasn’t a dream Mickey wasn’t laying, He had died. Mickey handed the book.


    Ian looked down at his fingers the scars were still there. It never faded. It was there to remind Ian of that night. The night everything changed.