Death Is Not An Escape

 We've all come across the bonfire in one form or another. I've been here since the start of it all, and sadly, it hasn't become any less treacherous. If anything, it has only become more unpredictable and perilous over time. I have no recollection of how I came to be here. To this day I still have so many questions in need of answers. Why did the Entity choose me? What is the Entity? What is its true purpose? I fear I may never know the truth. Then again, would I be able to stomach the truth behind this sick game? Escaping another grueling trial means nothing to me at this point as I can already see the bonfire burning brightly in the distance.

"That was too close a call. We can't afford to act carelessly like that again." I knew Dwight blamed me for what happened back there. "I was only trying to give Meg more time to escape with us." "Well it was a poor move, you put all of our lives at risk. We're supposed to work as a team and survive together." "But we're not together! You made us leave Meg behind with the Hillbilly!" "If I hadn't gotten us out of there in time then-" "ENOUGH!" Dwight and I immediately ceased our bickering. It wasn't often Jake would raise his voice at us, but when he did we knew he was dead serious. "I'm tired of you two constantly arguing. We can't change what happened, the damage is done.

Claudette, I know you feel guilty about leaving Meg behind but you shouldn't worry about her. She's resilient, I have full confidence in her that she will make it out of there. Dwight was only doing what he thought best for our survival. There's nothing more we can do for her now.." As always Jake is the voice of reason, there's no point in holding petty grudges here. Dwight and I apologized for our unnecessary quarrel, I never meant to pick a fight with him in the first place. I only lost my temper with him because I know all too well the feeling of being left alone with a bloodthirsty killer on the loose and would never wish that kind of sentence on anyone.

A hush fell over our little group as we took our place around the bonfire, reflecting over our time in the last match and devising a new strategy that would result in us staying off of the meat hooks. This proves near impossible however as the Entity is always one step ahead of us. Though it has never come after us itself we hear its whispers, incomprehensible to us but understandable to the killers. No doubt feeding our whereabouts to its mindless puppets, forcing us to move out into the open until we fall right into its trap.

The bonfire we sit at now is part of this hellish nightmare the Entity fabricated, creating a false hope that we might actually escape. This bonfire is a curse, a painful reminder that we will soon be thrust back into the pit of hell we worked so hard to escape from. All we can do is warm ourselves up by the fire that never seems to dim or flicker and wait for the fog to roll in. The only comfort we find is in each other which explains why I am so desperate to hold onto the few friends I do have, if the Entity were to take them, I just don't think I could go on...

"Claudette. Claudette!" I snapped my head up to see Dwight and Jake already on their feet. "The fog is coming!" Dwight yelled. I stood with them, bracing myself as the swarming darkness enveloped our group. The fog was so thick I could hardly see the silhouettes of my comrades standing beside me, let alone my own hand in front of my face. It wasn't long before the darkness consumed the light of the bonfire as well, leaving us completely blind.

**********

I awoke in a heavily wooded area, commonly known as Shelter Woods. These woods surrounded the Macmillan Estate, of all the realms it could've chosen why did it have to send us here? Unfortunately I got my answer as I heard a bear trap being placed down not far from my location. Of course the Entity would choose the Trapper for this trial, the dark environment and tall grass would be able to hide his bear traps perfectly. From here on out I'd have to tread lightly and watch the ground carefully, lest I find myself caught in its rusty, jagged teeth.

Eyeing my surroundings I saw no sign of Jake nor Dwight, had this been my first time I would've been petrified. But I knew they were in here with me, it would only be a matter of time before we crossed paths. Until then I would make myself useful and work on a generator. With Meg gone we would be down one pair of hands, hopefully this wouldn't be an issue. Apparently the three of us had the situation well in hand as I could already see one generator light up in the distance, and neither of us had caught the Trapper's attention. Now if we could just maintain this calm pace we all just might make it out of here alive.

Only three generators done and the Trapper was already hot on our trail, more specifically mine. I wouldn't be able to lose him, all I could do is hide inside of a locker and pray he wouldn't find me. I didn't dare breathe as he walked past, my heart racing as he was just mere inches away. I hadn't even moved a hair's breadth before the killer returned, peering at the locker as if he knew there was someone hiding inside. My eyes widened as I watched him through the cracks of the locker, reaching for the door handle.

"Hey! Over here!" The Trapper paused, turning around only to be blinded by the light of Jake's flashlight. He took off with the Trapper hot on his heels, giving me the chance to slip away. I hadn't even made it halfway across the area before I heard Jake cry out in anguish, he had been hooked. Normally fear would stop me from trying to get someone down from a hook, but Jake had put his life on the line to help me when it would've been just as easy to let me get captured. Now I had to swallow my fear and do the same for him.

By the time I reached Jake I could see the Entity closing in on him, if I didn't act fast Jake would be sacrificed. Part of me wished Dwight would show up and pull Jake off of the hook but he was nowhere near, no, it was up to me to save my friend. I quietly sprinted up to the meat hook, helping Jake down before the Entity had the satisfaction of feeding off of him. "Come on, let's get out of here." Jake only responded with a low groan. Once we were at a safe distance I sat Jake down and tended to his wounds. "For a minute there I thought you were getting cold feet."

"I was. I almost didn't want to come for you, in fear for my own life." I hung my head in shame, unable to meet his gaze after I basically told him I was willing to sacrifice him in order to save my own skin. "I'm sorry.." "Don't be." Curious, I met his gaze, seeing not a single trace of anger or hatred in those dark eyes. "Fear will always find a way to clutch at your heart, it can't be helped." Jake had a point, we've had to endure these trials more times than I can remember and I still experience the same gripping fear I felt during my first encounter with the Entity and its mindless puppets.

"We shouldn't linger here long. Dwight's working on the last generator as we speak, we need to find an exit gate." Jake and I went our separate ways to stand a better chance at finding an exit gate. Once the fifth and final generator had been finished I wasted no more time with sabotaging hooks or cleansing totems and took off, all of the anxiety and fear began to melt away as I approached the exit. However, as I reached out for the switch everything changed as my ankle became snagged in a bear trap. A blood curdling scream was ripped from my throat as the rusty jagged teeth dug into muscle tissue and grinded against bone.

'How could I have been so blind! I was just so eager to escape!' My trembling hands fumbled with the bear trap, trying to pry it open before I was found. But the intimidating shadow towering over my small frame told me it was too late. I looked up only to see the Trapper raise his big, bloody cleaver before swinging it down upon me, forcing me to the ground. I fought tooth and nail as the Trapper hoisted me over his shoulder and carried me to the first hook he could find. My efforts proved futile as I felt the sharp, blinding pain of the meat hook piercing straight through my shoulder.

Another ear piercing cry was ripped out of me, alerting the others of my situation. I forced myself to be still, and prolong the inevitable until help arrived. Though my aching body screamed at me to stop the bleeding, the crackling invading my ears was enough to coerce me into submission, posing as a threatening reminder of what dreadful fate awaits me if I were to struggle now. A spark of hope ignited in my broken spirit as I could make out two shadowy figures inching their way towards me, and that's when I realized I had just made a grave mistake.

I had given the Entity exactly what it hungers for, hope. Eager to feed the whispers began, calling forth the Trapper to drive away my only chance at escape. I frantically shook my head, signaling them to stay back before they ended up on hooks themselves. But it was too late for them to make a clean get away, by the time they reached me the Trapper was already upon them. "Get away! Hurry!" I screamed as Dwight took the first hit, attempting to get me down from the hook. "But what about you? We can't leave you here!" Jake shouted back.

"Don't worry about me, I'll be ok. Just go, run! Before it's too late!" With no other choice they were forced to leave for the exit, lest the Entity claim us all. Knowing the end was already near I began to struggle, I knew my chances of escaping the Entity's grasp were slim but if this indescribable evil wanted my soul so badly it was going to have to work for it. Luck was not on my side this time as I'd only provoked it even further, all I could do now was hold back the dark, thorn-like appendages from penetrating whatever was left of my fractured soul.

'How much longer until my soul is drained of all remaining hope? What will the Entity do with my cold and emotionless shell once it is no longer useful? Will I too become one of the very creatures I fear?' These questions plague my mind night after night. The thought of losing oneself and becoming another mindless drone, damned to serve under the Entity's will is more than I can bear. In the back of my mind I still believe we will escape this damnation, but the dark truth of the matter is that we were doomed from the start. In due time the Entity will claim all of our souls, and we will be forever lost.

No matter how hard I struggle the end is inevitable, even now I can feel the Entity beginning to overpower me. I continue to struggle until there's no more fight left in me, and I'm left with only one option. Accept my fate. I scream bloody murder as the Entity stabs its way straight through my body and seizes another piece of my soul.

**********

Waking up in this eerie forest I can't help but feel like I've been here before. Unexplainable memories flash through my mind the longer I wander through this incessant forest. Eventually I come across some sort of bonfire, and sitting at this bonfire is a lean, red headed woman who I feel like I've met before. But how can that be? The young woman's eyes rose up from the fire to look at me.

"Seem familiar to you?" I nod slowly, "Actually...yes. But why?" I asked of her. The woman merely chuckled, confusing me even more. "It'll come back to you in due time. However, there is one thing I should mention." "What's that?" I asked. "Death is not an escape."

THE END!