Oh myyyy (or OMMR as one person said xD hahaha)...

Thank you ALL so much for the reviews! And special thanks goes to myviolaismylife27 for taking the time to review many of my stories. Did u stay up all night reading my stories? :P ur awesome!

And as for who will DIE: one person said Gazzy, but hes just adorable. I couldn't kill him.

Then many said Nudge, Angel, or Ella. So it's going to be between these three. One of them won't be able to face their fears and they'll die. So PLEASE REVIEW UR PICK! Ella vs. Angel vs. Nudge.

~MPOV~

When I finally entered the house, it was already 7:30. I was thirty minutes late!

I heard shouting in the dining room. As quietly as I could, I shut the front door, threw the game on the coffee table, and hid myself behind the doorway that led to the dining room.

Angel was silent, and Nudge was talking at the same time as Gazzy.

"What if she was eaten by a bear?" Gazzy was saying. "Or worse...UFO's!"

"What if these plants came to life and grabbed her! Or what if she lost her wings? Oh, gosh, I don't know what I'd even do without my wings...And if she didn't have her wings, she can't get home! And if she can't get home—" Nudge ranted on and on and on...

"—or Erasers could've gotten her or...ALIENS!" Gazzy said. "EXTRATERRESTRIALS!"

"—then she can't get here and we won't have our party and if we don't have our party then—" Nudge stopped her rant to look at Gazzy. "OMIGOSH. Did you say Extraterrestrials? Like-E.T.!" Gazzy looked at her, stupidly. Nudge frowned. "You know! Katy Perry? E.T?" When he continued to look at her blankly she groaned and sat back, muttering, "And I wonder how some people can live with themselves..."

While Gazzy and Nudge were talking over each other, Ella, Fang and Iggy were having a yelling contest.

"What do you mean 'wait'? My girlfriend is God knows where, and you say 'wait'?" Fang was yelling at Iggy. He had stood up, leaning on the table to stare him down.

"Man, calm down!" Iggy shouted back. "All I'm saying is that Max is a big girl and she can take care of herself!" Ig stood up to face him, too. It was pretty scary; Iggy and Fang leaning on the table, across from each other.

"You both are right and you both need to CALM DOWN!" Ella said, jumping up to join them, slamming her hands on the table.

Suddenly Angel burst into giggles. Everyone turned to stare at her, giving me the opportunity to lean against the doorway while they weren't looking. Angel continued laughing and then pointed at me. "Guys, she's here!"

I pursed my lips, stifling a laugh at their shocked faces. Despite my efforts to restrain my laugh, it started to slip out as I said, "Um. Hi."

Fang just stared at me. It was almost as unnerving as the smile the guy at More Games gave me...

Then, as if someone flipped a switch, everyone (except Mr. Tall, Dark, and Silent, of course) started talking at once.

"See? I told you she'd be fine." —Iggy

"You worried us, though, Max" —Ella

"THE UFOS DIDN'T GET YOU!"—Gazzy (cackling).

Giggling—Angel.

"OMIGOSH MAX ARE YOU OKAY? WE WERE SO WORRIED!" I don't think I need to say who THAT was...

I put my hands up and shouted, "GUYS! I'm sorry I was late, but I'm OKAY! I just lost track of time, that's all."

Iggy smirked at Fang and muttered something to him as he headed into the kitchen. To everyone else, he said, "I'm gonna finish dinner, and then we'll eat."

"Er...I'll help," Ella said, scurrying after him.

Nudge, Gazzy, and Angel looked between Fang and I awkwardly, then left for the living room, mumbling, "We're gonna go..."

Fang's face was scarily blank as he approached me.

My breathing hitched nervously, and I looked up at him, biting my lip.

He surprised me by pulling me into a gentle hug, asking me, "What happened?"

With my face buried in his chest, I answered, "I told you. I lost track of time."

Fang pulled away, but kept his arms wrapped around my waist. He looked at me doubtfully. "What else happened?"

I opened my mouth to reply, but I got cut off by the kids in the other room.

I frowned, separating myself from Fang and heading to the living room. Fang followed.

"Open it, open it!" Angel was saying, urging on Gazzy who was about to lift the lid on the game.

I quickly came over, saying, "No, I wouldn't do that just yet!" I gently took the box away from Gazzy.

He looked at me with big, questioning blue eyes. "But why...?" Because this game freaks me out? Because it had the power to scare off my stalkers? Because it feels ATTACHED to me?

"Yeah, Max, can't we just take a peak?" Nudge pressed.

Thinkthinkthink...a good excuse could be...

"Dinner!" Iggy called. "Come and get it!"

I grinned. "We can't keep dinner waiting, guys! Let's go!" I said, motioning them out of the room.

I sighed and set the box down, feeling oddly reluctant. It was just a game, but it was...

"What's wrong?"

Fangs voice interrupted me as he hugged me from behind. I felt his chin rest on my shoulder. "Did wittle Maxie get a cwappy game?" he cooed. I whirled around to face him incredulously. "I couldn't help myself," he added, chuckling as I slapped his chest.

I laughed. "You are so mean!"

Without warning, he leaned in to kiss me. It was short, but sweet. "But you still loooove me," he said, grinning. He opened his arms. "thiisss much!"

I let out an indignant screech and chased him all the way to the dining table.

It was 8:30 and we were fed, content and happy.

We were in the middle of playing Pictionary, Fang's game, when Iggy collapsed on the floor. "THIS IS SO BORING...!" I smirked triumphantly at Fang, earning a narrowed-eyed glare. Iggy turned his head towards me. "For the love of frickin' God, tell me your game is better."

I glanced uncertainly at the white box on the table. "Uhhh..."

Iggy groaned in response and heaved himself off the floor. "Let's get this party started, people!" Shoving Fang's game clear off the table, he opened my game, not giving me

a chance to protest.

Something on the inside of the lid caught me eye: a large, inverted U pointed downwards.

...Odd.

The uneasy feeling inside of me spiked, making me feel really...not me.

Fang, who shared the sofa with me, noticed. "You okay?" He placed an arm around my shoulder.

I snuggled deeper into his side. "Yeah," I lied. "Just tired."

"Max, is this a joke?" Iggy said.

I looked up, and inside the box I saw a bunch of paper pieces.

"It says here we have to put it together." Ella said, reading the directions.

"Into what?" Gazzy asked.

"A house?" Angel said, reading the paper in Ella's hands. "Cool!"

"Aww how cute!" Nudge had already put together the bottom part of the house.

Ella looked at the pyros with a smile. "Well, look at it this way: you're still keeping your hands busy!"

Fang smirked. "Just without the C4."

Gazzy's face lit up and as he opened his mouth, I said, "NO!" crushing his hopes of ever blowing up this game. Iggy snickered and gave Gazzy a reassuring pat on the back.

Eventually, we put together a three-story Victorian styled house, fully furnished. And...we had fun. Mostly because it took awhile to put it together correctly, and we were busy laughing at our mistakes.

8:45.

"Okay." Nudge was reading the instructions now. "Now we need to draw our characters...so they look like ourselves." Ella left the room and came back with colored pencils. "We each use our characters to try to make it to the turret at the top of the house. That's the game."

Gazzy held up the little people-cutouts. There just happened to be seven.

We had finished up our little mini-me's and I was placing them inside the house when Angel said, "Who's this supposed to be?"

"It says he's the Shadow Man," Ella replied. "Like the Sandman, I think, except he gives you nightmares."

Iggy laughed. "Now I'm interested..."

I finally looked up to see who they were talking about. My eyes widened in shock at what Angel was holding.

It was another paper figure, fully colored. Except it looked like the blonde guy from More Games...

Before anyone could point out my reaction, I regained my composure and said, "Just…place him in the house with us." She did so, and, thankfully, no one questioned my reaction. Or no one noticed...

Next we had to draw our greatest fear or nightmare. To be blunt, pretty much something that'd scare the sh!t out of us.

We put those slips of paper on random levels in the house, face down so no one would know whose was whose.

"Okay, can we play yet?" Angel asked anxiously.

"Not yet...Now it's the Oath of the Game" Ella got up and flipped off all the lights, earning protests. She motioned for us to shut up as she kept reading. "Now each of us has to swear that we will play the game by the rules, and that we know it's real. And that it could be hazardous to our life but we're playing it out of our own free will." she shrugged, and added, "I swear."

Gazzy and Angel sweared, as did Nudge.

Iggy said, "Me too."

Fang sweared, and when everyone turned to me, I couldn't say no. I refuse to be the party-spoiler!

It took a few seconds before I found my voice. "I...I swear."

Iggy grinned. "Let's go!"

Next someone hard to draw a card from the pile in the box.

I went first. I turned the card and read. "'You have all gathered in the room to begin the game...'"

We paused, and then Fang reached over me to take one. "'Each of you has a secret you'd rather die for than reveal.'"

Nudge went next. "'You hear the sound of footsteps on the floor above.'" she frowned. "But there is no room above; this is a one-story house."

Iggy rolled his eyes. "You're forgetting—we're not it THIS house, we're in THAT house."

And then we heard it—the light pitter-patter of footsteps coming from above us, almost like a child's.

Angel and Nudge shrieked in surprise, looking at the ceiling in terror. I went for Fang's hand on instinct and he squeezed it comfortingly.

"Ella..." I said slowly, really nervous now. "Do you have an attic?"

She swiftly shook her head.

We waited a few more seconds, hearing nothing, and then Iggy said, "Maybe it was a coincidence. It could've been birds on the roof or something. Let's just keep going." That convinced none of us, but he drew a card anyway. "'You go to the door to get some air, but it seems to be stuck.'" He took one glance at our scared faces and said, "Oh, c'mon guys—it's a game. Look, see—"

Iggy went over to the front door and pulled.

It didn't budge.

He continued yanking. "Damn!" he began flipping all the locks and started over.

"Iggy, if this is one of your pranks..." Ella started.

Iggy cut her off, stepping away from the door in shock. "No, it really is stuck."

Fang stood up to help, but stopped to listen as Gazzy picked a card. "'No doors or windows in this house will open.'"

Iggy was still furiously pulling on the door, and Fang was throwing a chair at the window; it bounced off harmlessly.

I saw Angel frowning, then reaching for a card. I stood and shouted "No!" but she already flipped it over.

"'You hear a clock strike nine,'" she said softly.

"No. Not. possible. I don't have any clocks that chime," Ella explained, voice shaky. The moonlight that hit her face showed me how pale she'd become.

We all seemed to still, listening.

My eyes widened as innocent, sweet chimes rang out loud and clear—as if a grandfather clock was in the room.

One…two…three…

"Oh, God," I heard Nudge whimper.

Four…five…six…

Seven… I felt my heart start racing. Fang slowly came to stand next to me and I looked at him worriedly. "Fang..."

Eight… He took my hand and held it tightly.

Nine.

Then came the wind. Strong, hurricane-style winds that caused the ground to shake violently...and all of us to black out.

"Max…get up; c'mon Max, wake up!" Someone was stroking my hair and shaking me gently.

I recognized Fang's voice and I forced my eyes open. I was lying face down, him next to me. "Fang? What—" I cut myself short as I looked around.

This wasn't right...the beige walls were pure white, and we were all spread out on a moss-green carpet.

"What the hell is going on..." I muttered, standing up. Fang stood with me, and I noticed he never let go of my hand. It almost made me smile.

Iggy and the others were slowly rising to their feet as well. For a few seconds we all looked around stupidly, trying to make sense of what had happened.

Ella groaned loudly. "Where are we?" she practically shrieked.

"In the Game."

That voice...that beautiful, mesmerizing voice was so familiar...

Fang and I turned to face the voice behind us. I gasped audibly, seeing him; the guy from the game store.

He was dressed in a black vest, showing off his muscled arms, and black jeans. He smiled at me with his dark blue eyes, making Fang stiffen next to me.

Nudge had gasped too. "You—the other paper figure? The Shadow Man? But—how—wh—" she began stuttering.

"Don't make me laugh." Fang looked at the other boy with utter disgust. "Who the hell are you? What do you want?"

The boy in black observed the others as he took a step forward. "Why don't you call me Dylan?"

"Tell us what we're doing here—what you want from us," Angel stated, making me proud of her strong voice.

The look he gave me reminded me of a starving tiger's. "You're playing the Game. You agreed to play, and you read all the rules."

Iggy stepped closer to Fang and I. "We're not playing any stupid game," he spat.

"You—Iggy, was it?" Dylan smirked. "You should be the most anxious to play...I mean, I've given you sight— and I'd think you'd want to use it while you can."

"Iggy…he gave you back your sight?" Nudge wondered aloud.

Iggy clenched his teeth. "I'd gladly give it up if it meant getting us out of here."

Dylan sighed. "Too late. You've already sworn to play at your own free will, and you knew it was real. You invoked the rune Uruz." he traced an upside U in the air. "You pierced the veil between the worlds. All nine—including the Shadow World."

We all looked at him in confusion, all of us too puzzled to speak. Gazzy finally yelled, "This is nuts! Let us out of here!" My heart went out to him; my little trooper was scared, and I couldn't say or do a thing to help.

"You chose to play the Game," Dylan said again. "Now you play until you win—or I do."

"But why?" Ella said quietly. "What...what do we have that you could possibly want from us?"

Dylan smiled and looked pass all of them. To the one person who hasn't said a word since he showed up.

To me.

"Every game has a prize." Dylan held my gaze, making it impossible for me to look away.

His smile deepened as he looked at me. I found it becoming hard to breathe.

In my peripheral vision, I saw Fang looking back and forth between us; suddenly his grip on my hand tightened and he muttered, "No way" under his breath. I tore my eyes away from Dylan for a brief moment to see understanding dawn on Fang. Then anger.

"Every game has a prize," Dylan repeated. "Winner takes all."

Fang growled and stepped in front of me.

"Down, boy," Dylan sneered. "I always win. And I always get what I want."

Fang snapped and launched himself at Dylan.

Then, the wind came again—so strong that it brought me to my knees.

When I opened my eyes again, Fang was gone.

So were the others.

It was just me and Dylan. Alone in the parlor.

Alone.

SORRY THIS IS SOOOO LONG BUT I DID SAY THE GAME WOULD START IN THIS CHAPTER...and I couldn't really leave out any details.

Did I bore you with too much details? I hope not.

Anyway! Please let me know: between Angel, Nudge or Ella, who would you rather not be able to face their nightmares and die?

AGAIN THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE REVIEWS! They make me smile. :)

***CHAPTER 3 WILL INCLUDE THE FIRST NIGHTMARE!******** Review if you waaannnnt itttt! hahaha :D I might even be good to you guys and post tonight...MAYBE...