A/N: Hey guys I'm so sorry that it took forever to update this story. I just wanted to get at least one of my stories updated before the new year and this one won out over the others. So I hope you all enjoy it and to all of my readers have a safe and wonderful Holiday and an awesome New Year!

Chapter Nine: Alone In The Dark

Screaming was all that could be heard. Looks of terror and desperation was all that could be seen as the remaining players of the game stared down at what used to be good ole Uncle Keith. The man that they would go to in times of crisis, the man that Karen Roe could rely on was now nothing more then a pile of blood and intestines as a piece of paper with numbers fell from the ceiling. Nathan stepped forward, retrieving it while trying not to look down. Karen hid her face from everyone as she crouched down at the end of the hallway not daring to make eye contact with anyone but him.

Dan Scott slowly made his way towards her, passing the sea of grief stricken teenagers with a dead eyed stare. He appeared to be in a state of shock, anger and bliss. Shock because he had never seen any shit like that in his life, anger because someone else had all the control, a roll that he always seemed to posses and bliss because the bastard that had stolen his family was dead. Yes Keith was his brother but he had always been a real pain in the ass not to mention the one person in the world that he was jealous of. Keith had Karen's admiration, Lucas's love and respect not to mention most of the people in Tree Hill thought that he was an angel whom of which was capable of walking on water while he himself was considered the devil. But none of that mattered now because big brother was as dead as a door nail and if they can make it out of this house of horrors alive he and Karen would be able to make a brand new start together. The way it was always meant to be.

"This isn't real, this isn't real"

He heard the woman he loved chant. She was rocking back and forth like some patient in a mental ward seemingly on the verge of hysteria and it was going to be his job to save her and keep her from going over the edge.

"Karen" he whispered softly while kneeling beside her "Honey you know this wasn't your fault, right?"

The mass of dark hair lifted to reveal the face of a woman with red eyes, red cheeks and soul as heavy as a load of bricks.

"Isn't it? All Keith ever wanted to do was take care of me and Lucas and all I needed to do was love him the same way that he loved me but I couldn't" she paused, looking away to sob.

With a heavy sigh she looked up again.

"I'm a horrible person. Keith gave up his life for me and I…"

"Do not do this to yourself Karen. I won't let you. Keith stayed behind knowing that you loved me and that he would never have a chance with you. It's not your fault that after all this time he deluded himself into thinking other wise. Karen you're a good person who has been nothing but honest with him this entire time and there's nothing more that you could have done" Dan spoke tenderly as he took her face into his hands "and once we rescue our boy we'll leave this place and work on trying to piece our lives back together the best way we know how, ok? But we can't afford to fall apart, not now. Not while that monster still has Lucas"

The woman stared back into the eyes of the man she once loved and simply shook her head, not knowing what else to do but trust in his words.

A few feet away stood Nathan with a distraught Haley crying into one side of his shoulder while Bevin took comfort in the other. Although his attention should have been focused on his wife he couldn't help but stare ahead at his father and his mistress. The thought made him laugh. His mother had stolen his father from Karen but little did the woman know that she had stolen him right back. God was his family fucked up. He shook his head in disgust as the older Scott wrapped his arms around the mother of his first child. The boy sighed and closed his eyes because as much as he wanted to confront his father and call him out of his bullshit he knew that saving his brother was more important and it was up to him to refocus the group's attention.

"Guys" he said looking around at the remaining players.

Brooke was hugging herself and staring off into space. Peyton was leaning against Jake looking just as miserable and Bevin was standing beside him with one of Haley's arms wrapped around her.

"We have to move on"

"I don't want to. I just want to go home. I just want to go back home and forget that this nightmare ever happened. That's all I want…that's all I want" spoke a small voice from someplace close.

It turns out the voice was that of Brooke Davis. The normally perky cheerleader looked like death with black streak marks running down her pale face, a body that trembled despite her best efforts and eyes that held a far away gaze.

"We all do Brooke but we have to save ourselves and Lucas but if we don't play the game then we'll all die here anyway so the best thing to do is to keep moving"

"Very well put Mr. Scott"

The eerily tone they all learned to hate returned.

"Now I have something very special that I want to show you all. So if you'll just take a little stroll down the hallway and turn to the right, you will see a wonderful, marvelous sight"

Everyone looked at each other no one daring to make the first move that was until Dan's curiosity got the best of him. As he took the first two steps the others got in line behind him, not wanting the group to be split up. However as they rounded the corner they were blinded by a strong force of light. It took them a while to adjust but when they did the all too familiar feeling of regret overtook them.

There before them was a corridor decorated with candy canes, pictures of elves, a red Christmas tree bright red, green and gold lights with a sign that said Have A Very Bloody Christmas with dead bodies strung up on both sides. Under the tree were presents wrapped in human flesh with names of each of the contestants written on them. Next to the tree was a decomposed male sitting in a chair with a Santa suit on equipped with a skeletal body of a little girl on his lap holding a deformed doll. On the floor there were spaces marked with each one of their names.

"What the hell is this shit?" a voice called out with another right behind it.

"Oh my God I think I'm going to be sick"

"That makes two of us"

"Is this how my little holiday spectacular is received with such ungratefulness? You know I worked really hard on this display and I put so much thought into getting you just the right gifts. You know guys, you're really hurting my feelings here"

"Go to hell you sick freak" cried Peyton backing away from the scene.

"Now, now Ms. Sawyer there's no need to get you thong in a knot. I was just trying to be generous and show that you can still enjoy the holidays even when you're away from home"

"Cut the crap and just tell us what all this is about" yelled a very impatient Dan.

"Well since you asked so nicely" the man spoke slightly amused by the reactions of his captives "Inside each one of those boxes there is a small gift that will help you to stay alive in you next test. Once your mission is complete you will be given a path back to the second floor where the game will resume. Karen honey be a dear and hand everyone there gifts will you and do it quickly time is running out. Oh yes and once have received your little package make sure that you stand on the spot that is marked with your name"

Not wasting a second the woman did as she was told handing out the flesh covered mystery gifts. Once she was finished the older woman retrieved her gift from the tree and stood in her rightful place.

"Okay boys and girls open up your surprise and take a look at what Santa got you"

Everyone reluctantly did as they were told.

Nathan received a dagger.

Haley received a rope.

Dan received a gun.

Karen received a wrench.

Peyton a box cutter and Jake a stop watch.

"I don't understand" cried Brooke looking down at the object in her hand which was a large key.

"Why am I not surprised? You were never really that bright were you sweetheart? Anyway these gifts will help you to fend off whatever lies beneath the surface in this little impromptu game that I'll just call The Kill Factor where the object is to kill or be killed. Good luck players"

"This is crazy. Why the hell are we playing some other game when we were all supposed to be here in order to save Lucas? This doesn't make any sense. What the hell are you trying to pull?"

Jake was now doing the one thing in his life that he prided himself on never doing. Jake was panicking. However he wasn't the only one.

"Well" the voice said with a pause "Because every game needs one really good twist. Oh and because, well, you kids are starting to bore me"

Before anyone had the chance to speak the floor gave way leading them into darkness and speeding towards the unknown on something that could only be described as a giant slide. Out of breath, scared and disoriented the players each reached their destination, hitting the concrete ground hard.

They felt around in the black pit trying to grab hold of a familiar body, screaming desperately to hear the voices of their fellow contestants. That's when the lights came on. Each one of them blinked several times trying to regain their sight for what seemed like the millionth time in three hours

And then it happened.

They were all frozen by fear, trapped within their own bodies and forced to deal with the one thing that they hadn't faced since this whole nightmare began, the one thing that kept them from truly going over the edge.

That one thing?

Being all alone…