A Dangerous Game

Part 2: The Team

Troubled by the beast lurking in the shadows waiting to be captured, Gregory tried to think of a plan to catch the Beast. The two young men walked towards Caitlyn's house. Heath clutched the black book tight as he watched the big blue creature jumping around the trees, watching them.

"Why is he following us?" He asked Gregory.

"It's a game, remember. He's watching us. But trying to avoid us."

"Can you tell me how this game works, man? I'm really freaking out right now."

Gregory said, "It's simple. Tag the creature and stay away from him until dawn. But if we are 'IT' for too long, the Beast will eat us. Game over for us. You have the book. Go read it."

"We don't have time for that!"

"Just open it and read!"

"Fine!" Heath opened the black book. "There's nothing."

"What do you mean?" Gregory checked the book and saw the pages of the book blank. "Great. We have to think of something else."

Gregory and Heath reached the doorstep and knocked on the door. They waited… and waited for a minute. It looks like no one's home. Heath took a peek at the window and saw the TV screen on and the living room empty. He looked closely and saw chips and soda on the table. "Wait a minute…"

He turned to the large flat screen and saw the paused movie. Then the door suddenly opened and Caitlyn appeared before them wearing her sleeping pajamas and her dad's bathrobe. Her eyes were drowsy and her nose wet. A little warning to stay away from her. "Hey, guys. What took you so long?"

"A lot has happened. Believe me." Gregory said. "Heath, can you explain? I don't want to repeat what I told you."

"Well, you see, Caitlyn…" Heath think of a simple way to explain their situation. "There was a book... this book, that unleashed a creature from those Goosebumps books and then this Beast from the East wanted to play a game with us and so we are in trouble and… we have until dawn to stop this creature from eating us."

After the explanation, silence followed. Caitlyn was speechless after what she heard and then there was a slight grin at her face which soon turned into laughter. "Oh, guys! You are so sweet. Doing this make-believe stuff for me."

"What? No!" Gregory said. "It's real."

"I know this." She said. "You all know how I love Goosebumps. I can play this game too. I'll be the character who knows how to defeat the villain. Can I be that character?"

"This is not a game!" Heath yelled. "Well, it is a game but not a game you think!"

"Tell me. Who's the Beast?" She asked them, smiling. "Is it Anton? He can be a good Beast, you know. Big guy with those athletic arms."

When there was no proof to show her, Gregory then heard a sudden scream from the house next door. The three teenagers saw a woman attacked by a flying poodle.

Caitlyn stopped laughing and froze in terror when she saw the fanged poodle. "Oh, dear god…"

Gregory asked her. "Is that a Goosebumps character?" He tried to recall if there was a vampire dog in the books.

She replied, "It's Fifi from Please Don't Feed the Vampire. It's one of those Give Yourselves Goosebumps."

"Should we help?" Heath wanted to but he's worried about the vampire fangs.

"Of course!" Gregory ran to help the woman. He picked up a stone and threw it to the vampire poodle. He got it's attention and now it's dark vampire eyes turned to him. Gregory told the shocked woman. "Run!"

The woman got up and ran to safety.

The vampire dog hissed as it attacked the teenager.

"Gregory!" Both Caitlyn and Heath screamed to him. "Watch out!"

Before he could move out of the monster's way, the Beast leaped out from the large tree and attacked the flying poodle. He ripped the creature into half and spread black goo all over the sidewalk. Drops of it spilled on Gregory's face. He noticed the black goo was ink. It's not blood or flesh. Or it could be the normal blood of vampires.

Heath and Caitlyn were surprised that the Beast saved Gregory. "Um… what happened?"

The Beast turned to Gregory with a fierce look.

Gregory can't help but ask the monster. "Why did you save me?"

"Obviously, I don't want the dog to steal my food."

"Oh, right…." Gregory remembered the game. The Beast has a good reason.

"Is she going to join the game?" The Beast pointed at Caitlyn. "If she's not, kick her out. I don't want anyone to mess anything."

Heath responded, "No! She's not in the game. She will never join-."

"I'm in." Caitlyn stepped up.

"What are you doing?" Heath whispered to her. He cannot believe she just said that. She's willingly join them in the dangerous game. "You read the book, right? You know how the game works and how it ended. Remember about your condition, Cait. You are sick. You can't go around."

Gregory backed him up. "He's right. You can't come with us."

"Yeah. But I have a plan that I wanted to try." Caitlyn said. The boys looked at each other and then to the Beast crossing its arms, waiting impatiently.

The blue monster growled. "The clock is ticking, guys."

The three human players have made a decision. Gregory answered him. "She's with us. You can go hide now. We're coming for you."

The Beast smiled. "Good. Three meals for me." The creature went back to the trees and in to the darkness.

"I hope you have a plan for this, Cait." Gregory said. "Because we are not the only ones who has problems in this town." He saw hundred of walking gnomes coming out from the other house. The three quickly ran back to her house and locked the door.