BOY MANIAC

The room felt creepy and sad, with a faint light struggling to shine through the darkness. The only source of light came from the Television screen, casting a strange glow in the still air. I settled comfortably in my favorite chair, eagerly watching the flickering images on the big screen. On the screen, a girl appeared on stage, her eyes full of wonder as she looked at three African dolls dressed in white gowns. But something wasn't right. One doll was destroyed, its delicate features completely burned, while another had a big burn mark on its side. The third doll, however, was untouched and looked innocent. The girl didn't seem bothered by the strange dolls and gently picked up the untouched one, holding it with love. She adoringly smiled at the doll, caressing its cheek. To my surprise, the doll's once sparkling eyes turned into a creepy, bloody red. It scared me and took away any sense of comfort. At that moment, the doll let out an evil laugh that echoed through the room so loudly that my windows shook. "OH, MY GOD!" I couldn't help but exclaim, reacting quickly to grab the remote control. I turned down the volume and covered my eyes, but still looked through my fingers. My heart raced as I saw the doll attack the girl's gentle face, twisting its innocent expression into a disturbing, Cheshire-like grin. The doll's pale, porcelain face glowed evilly under the moonlight, its sharp teeth looking like shining daggers ready to strike. Just as the scary doll was about to bite the girl's flawless skin, everything suddenly went dark. There was no light left in the room. The house became pitch black, leaving me frozen with fear, a deep terror that took over me. "Ah, dang it!" I said, gritting my teeth and clenching my fists. I felt so frustrated as I let out a sigh. I reached into my pocket, took out my phone, and turned on the flashlight. I got a shiver down my spine when I thought about what might happen to that poor girl. The ticking of the wall clock interrupted my thoughts and made me look away. I checked the clock and used my phone's flashlight to see its face better. I squinted my eyes as I watched the hands of the clock move slowly. It was already 8 PM, and my parents should have been on their way by now. I went to the window and pulled the curtain back. My eyes widened when I saw the whole neighborhood brightly lit, with every house having lights on. "What in the world..." I muttered, unable to believe it. How could there be no light in my house? Dad had paid the bills not too long ago. They couldn't have expired already. It seemed like the power was only out in my home. I had to figure out what was happening. I went over to the table in the middle of the room and grabbed the big black flashlight that was there. I turned it on, and its bright light showed the way as I left the cozy sitting room. I went down the dimly lit stairs and into the dark basement. When I reached the bottom, I saw the metal light switch securely attached to the wall. I held my breath and stared at it, my mouth hanging open. Time felt like it stopped as I stood there, not moving, feeling a mix of fear and curiosity. The switch should either be up or down, right? Why is it stuck in the middle? Could I be wrong? No, that can't be. Dad always said up means it's on, the middle is neutral, and down is off. So why is this darn thing stuck in neutral? Did someone mess with it? Nah, that doesn't make sense. Who would bother messing with a switch? My parents are still at the party, and I haven't had any visitors all day. Why would anyone sneak in just to prank me? It doesn't make sense. Only my dad and I know where the switch is hidden. Maybe it's just worn out or something. I shrugged, my hand shaking as I reached out to touch the switch. Suddenly, a cold gust of wind rushed past me, making the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. I almost dropped the flashlight out of fear. My heart raced, its muscles tightening with great force as I heard footsteps and whispers in the eerie silence. "Jesus Christ!" I screamed, my voice echoing in the darkness. From the corner of my eye, I caught sight of a shadowy figure. Acting on instinct, I quickly pointed the flashlight toward the figure. I asked, "Who are you?" I was scared and my voice was shaking, but there was no reply. I desperately reached for the switch and quickly turned it on. All of a sudden, bright light flooded the basement. The fluorescent lights were shining down on me strongly, like when a camera flash is too bright. My eyes couldn't handle it and started to twitch. I shut them tightly, hoping it would make the discomfort go away. After a little while, the burning feeling got better and I gathered the courage to open my eyes, expecting to see something familiar. Instead, I got hit unexpectedly and it felt incredibly powerful, hitting my face hard. The impact made me spin through the air, like being caught in a wild whirlpool. It got all blurry and everything around me became a jumbled mix of movement. Suddenly, I was falling downwards, crashing into something hard. It hurt a lot and shook my whole body. An intense, splitting pain shot through my head, overpowering my senses. Then, everything turned dark and I couldn't see anything, which made me feel uneasy. ~~~~ I felt intense fear as cold water splashed on my face, causing me to sit up suddenly. My heart raced in my chest as I looked at the burly figure standing in front of me. He was wearing a bright red T-shirt and holding a red bucket tightly. I panicked and tried to stand up, but my hands and feet were stuck and wouldn't move. I winced as a cold, sharp object touched my skin, showing that I was chained to a strong wooden chair. I couldn't make a sound because my mouth was gagged. The burly man ran his hand over his bald head, his long, black beard looking like a young Santa Claus. His lips were black and shiny as he licked them. He watched me struggle in the chair for a moment, then suddenly turned away and disappeared. I looked around the dim room, glancing in different directions. Dust floated lazily in the weak light coming from a single hanging lightbulb. The dirty floorboards were rough and had broken furniture pieces, cigarette butts, and empty bottles scattered on them. The air smelled bad and made me gag with every breath. Then, at that moment, I realized something very important, as if I had been struck by lightning: I was filled with fear as I realized I was in a completely unfamiliar place, far away from the comfort of my dad's basement. The sudden realization shocked me and left me stunned, not understanding what was happening. Who was that man? What did he do to me? Just the thought made me shiver with fear. In a state of shock, I couldn't stop replaying the terrifying encounter in my mind. The sudden blow to my face caught me off guard, leaving me defenseless and helpless. It felt like my whole world had fallen apart right in front of me. A sinking feeling settled in my stomach as I realized I had been kidnapped. Panic surged through me, overwhelming me with dread. I looked down at the dirty floorboards, anxiously waiting to see what would happen next. The air was heavy with anticipation, making the torment in my stomach feel even worse. Exhaustion filled every part of me, making me feel heavy and tired. After what felt like forever, a man appeared from the shadows, walking towards me like a predator closing in on its prey. He wore a blue and white striped shirt with suspenders holding up his pants. The pale light illuminated his bald head as he stood before me, looking strong and lean. He took out a cigar and a lighter from his pocket, slowly placing the cigar in his mouth and lighting it. The strong smell of smoke filled the air, making my eyes sting and causing me to sneeze. He looked at me closely with his gray eyes, narrowed from the smoke, which were hidden behind round glasses. He pursed his lips and removed the gag from my mouth with careful precision. "Help me! Anyone!" I desperately cried out, my voice echoing into emptiness. The man's mean voice interrupted my pleas as he held a shiny gun against my trembling lips. "Shut up, you worthless scum," he sneered, his words full of hate. His scary threat lingered in the air as he taunted me with his rough voice, giving me shivers. A thick cloud of smoke circled his mouth, and he had a cigar hanging from the corner. Fear widened my eyes as I looked at the dangerous weapon just inches away from my face. I swallowed hard, my throat feeling dry and tight. "Please, spare my life," I managed to cry, desperately nodding in agreement. Surprisingly, he showed a little mercy and mumbled, "Okay, your father wants to talk to you." He took a phone out of his pocket, skillfully tapped the screen, and placed it in front of me. A surge of hope filled me when I heard my father's voice coming from the phone. "Stiles!". "Dad!" I called out. "Don't worry, son. I promise I'll save you from this nightmare. I swear nothing will harm you," my father reassured me, his voice filled with determination and love. "Dad, please," I begged, my voice trembling with a mix of fear and hope. Before we could say anything else, the bald man with piercing eyes and many piercings rudely grabbed the phone and put it against his ear, abruptly ending our conversation. He sneered, saying “You have thirty minutes to get him the money. “How on earth am I supposed to gather 2 million nairas in such a short time?' My Dad's voice echoed through the phone. He called my dad an i***t and replied, ”That's not an important question to me. Just make sure you bring me the money. And don't involve the police, or I'll send your son straight to hell.' He sounded arrogant. After saying that, he confidently put the phone back into his pocket."