Freedom


Knees knocking, teeth clattering. Flashlight light moves frantically about the forest.

A sound from the left. I turn on my heel. Was it a boo? I hate boos!

Wind rustles the leaves of the tree. Branches scrape against trunks. Dread. Sounds like a monster.

A wolf howls far in the distance. Shivers down my spine. More howls, these closer. Teeth continue clattering.

A shaky step forward. I wish Mario was here. He'd be able to handle this. He'd be able to – I freeze. Chilling laughter in the forest.

Another hesitant step. Is it safe? No. The Forever Forest is never safe, especially after dark. Piranha plants prey on the weak and - suddenly I'm on the forest floor. The fuzzy came out of nowhere, fangs glistening red. I had no choice but to - roll, Luigi! Dodge it!

I stand and take off further into the forest. Laughter all around me. Ghosts? Probably. Professor E. Gadd's probably euphoric right now. Maybe he could help me, but maybe not. He's not the most stable of minds and - leaves rustle to my left. Is it a piranha plant? If I keep running, it can't get me. Hopefully.

Rounding a corner, I freeze. Flowers grin, flowers cackle. Taunting red petals fall to the ground, laughing until death. A split in the path. Do I go left?

Leaves rustle. A fuzzy bounces. I take off. Was it the right way? There's no way to know. I can only pray the Star Spirits are looking out for me.

Haunted cackling fills the forest. Ghosts? Bones chilled. Can't think.

Must run forward. I run. Another split? Left? Right? No time to decide!

Shadows look like ghosts! Foot snags on a branch. Face hits the ground. Light flies off into the forest. The shattering of the bulb shatters my heart.

No light… safety gone! The ghosts will haunt me and the fuzzies will drink my blood and the piranha plants will eat my flesh and I'll die here in the forest while looking for Mario and it's hopeless!

How does Mario do it? How is he so brave? He could get through this forest. He wouldn't have a – roll to the side! Now stand, Luigi! Run!

Survival is slim. Morning won't come. Why did I come here?!

Mario is missing. Remember that, Luigi. Mario is missing. That's why you're currently running through Forever Forest without a flashlight and without a compass and being chased by ghosts and fuzzies and piranha plants and whatever else hunts in this forbidden place.

The trees have faces. The flowers have voices. Leaves crunch beneath my feet. Wind blows through bushes and trees and the leaves start howling and the wolves howl too. The fuzzy bouncing is gone. I slow to a brisk walk.

The ground shakes and I run again. There's enough moonlight to catch the red and white skin of a piranha plant out of the corner of my eye.

Vines lunge from behind, from the front, from all angles. The very forest itself is against me. Ruthlessness. Am I going to die here?

Mario is missing.

No! I cannot die here! Mario needs me!

"…but he doesn't…"

He does! I know he does! Mario needs me!

I cannot die! The vines close in and ignite in green flame. Must find Mario!

The piranha plant burns and roars in agony as I take off further into the forest. Mario needs me! He is missing and he needs me to find him! Must find Mario!

Another split. Left? Sure – but wait! What was that? Hand ignites in green flame. Red…

No…

Not… But…

No… It can't be..!

I pick up the hat in my non-burning hand. Red. White. Iconic M. No…

But it is…

It's Mario's hat. He never takes it off! Not willingly!

…Mario's here in the forest. I was right to come here! He's here and he needs me! Mario needs me to find him. Mario needs me to save him!

I jump once and put the hat in my bag. Mario'll want it back when I find him.

I go down the right path, not the left. I'm coming, Mario! I'll find you! Hold on, brother! I'm coming!

The path widens after the split, allowing more light to shine through the canopy. I keep my hand lit, though green light hardly helps in a forest.

Silence. The haunting laughter of ghosts, the chilling howls of wolves and piranha plants, the terrifying bouncing of fuzzies… it's all gone. Dirt crunches beneath my feet with every step. The sound echoes through the forest. Even the wind is silent.

My pace slows to a crawl. This place… it isn't right! Why would Mario come to a place like this?

I look down and freeze. A small slip of paper lies face down on the ground. I bend over slowly, hand shaking as I pick it up.

I remember the day that picture was taken. Mario and I had just lost a close race to the princesses on one of our Double Kart tours, but neither of us was cross with them. How could we be? We had decided that the losers of that race would have to buy the winners dinner, so it was a win for us either way. They met us at the finish line, smirking. I remember that Daisy looked so pretty when she smirked and demanded we take them out.

The picture is of Mario and I standing side by side with Peach on his left and Daisy on my right. It's a happy memory. I didn't know he kept this with him.

But… something's off… The low lighting of the path makes it difficult to discern, but my face is smudged out with red, and there's a gash in the photo causing a split between Mario and I. How did this happen? Mario would never do that!

Dread fills me. Mario! Must find Mario! He'll know what's going on!

I run down the path, picture clenched in my hands. Mario! Mario! Mario!

The path emerges into a clearing with a hill in the center. The moon is full, bearing down on me with an ominous red light.

There's something on the hill! Is it Mario?

I run to the hilltop. Mario?

My stomach heaves. No… A corpse…

Blood. So much blood. How did this happen?

My heart sinks. No…

The body is face down in a pool of blood. My heart pounds and my hands shake as I move to its side.

"Mario..?" My voice cracks. "No…"

There's a chance it's not him! I mean, surely there are others who wear the exact clothes and have the exact body build and the same hair color and great Star Spirits, it's Mario!

I carefully turn him over so he faces up. His face is frozen in an expression I've never seen him use: betrayal. Pain. Fear.

No! This can't be happening! How did this happen?! Surely the great Super Mario wasn't done in by the forest. My brother is too strong for that!

A dagger, blade covered in blood, rests in the grass next to him.


"Sir, are you sure you want to buy this?" the merchant asked.

I nodded my head, adjusting my cloak to hide my face. "Yes," I said gruffly. "This'll do nicely."

"Well, I'm not gonna say no to a paying customer," he responded, placing a simple, sturdy dagger on the counter. "It's none of my business what you do with it now."

I grabbed it and pulled the blade from its sheath. It glimmered in the light. "This'll do perfectly!"


I grab the dagger's hilt with shaking hands…


"Luigi! What are you doing here?" Mario asked. "It could be dangerous. Go back to the house."

"Of course it's dangerous, Mr. Jumpsallthetime," I responded, grinning. I patted the dagger sheathed at my belt. "The forest is always dangerous."

"Luigi..? What are you…" He gasped. "No! It can't be! Get back! Let go of my brother!"

"Oh, naïve plumber. I am your brother!"

I jumped at him, unsheathing the blade and driving it through his shoulder in an instant.


The dagger hits the grass…


"Stop!" Mario begged, trying to crawl away. "Luigi! You have to break free!"

"I am Luigi!" I screamed at him, kicking his leg. "I AM LUIGI!"

"Luigi! Remember all the good times we've had! Remember the kart races?" Though tears streamed down his face, he still pulled a photo from his pocket and shoved it toward me. "Remember this?"

I grabbed the photo. "Not at all! Have at you!"

Lunging once again, I plunge the blade through both picture and heart.


No… It…

My body shakes. I turn away and heave the contents of my stomach onto the grass.


He stopped moving shortly. Blood stained my gloves, and the grass would forever be an unnatural shade red. I kicked his torso once more and his body rolled over. Good. He doesn't deserve peace.

The dagger rested on the grass next to him, but I pocketed the picture, smearing out my face with his blood. Who is Luigi?


I wipe my face on my sleeve and turn back to my brother.

Mario…

I look away and down at my hands…


Red. The fabric is red. Completely. The water rushed through the faucet in the house, soaking into my garments. I must get them clean!

I shed the gloves and toss the bloodied fabric into the sink, but blood stained my skin. Red skin…


"It can't be true!" The scream reaches the sky. "It can't!"


The faucet dripped as I sat on my bed, curled up and grinning. "He's dead… He's really dead!"

I started chuckling. "He's dead!"

"He's dead!" I cackle. "Dead dead dead!"


"But it is!" The voice comes from my mouth, but I didn't say it.


"Mr. Jumpsallthetime is dead! Now he's Mr. Jumpsneveragain!"


"It's not possible!" I yell. "It's not!"

"But it is."

"I didn't do that!"

"But you did, Luigi. We did."

"No!"

"Yes! I did it! Mario is dead! He's dead!"


"He's dead! He's dead! He's dead! He's dead! He's dead…"


"Free…" I say. No, I didn't say that!

"Yes, free!" No! You're not supposed to be here! You should be-

"Dead? Gone forever? Unlike our brother there, I'm quite alive."

No! I take the hat off my head. No! Put it back!

"Such a sickening symbol. Don't you know that only losers wear 'L's on their foreheads?" NO! I punch the hat inside out and place it back on my head. "That's better. Free at last."

You'll never be free!

"I am free!"

My thoughts and body are once again my own. I look down at the corpse of the great Super Mario, feeling nothing but scorn. I kick it, cackling.

"Free!" I cry. "Free!"


The End


This story is my first attempt at something that could be considered horror. A friend of mine recently wrote something that was also in the genre and it turned out really well, so I wanted to give it a shot. As this is my first attempt with this genre, I would love to get feedback on this. Furthermore, if you like it, I'd love to know if you would like more of this style from me, so please write a review and tell me about your opinions, criticisms, and concerns. If you ask me a question in a review, please make sure you're signed in so that I can respond.

Thanks for reading, and once again, remember that reviews are greatly appreciated.

- Espeon