“It’s just a prank bro.”
339Please respect copyright.PENANAUzbM74rUhx
“Don’t you think you pushed a bit far back there?”339Please respect copyright.PENANAGuDbRlyjMF
339Please respect copyright.PENANAShBaImCtPU
“No way, you just don’t know the joys of a good prank yet.”
339Please respect copyright.PENANA7dZrHX0EO5
“Maybe…”339Please respect copyright.PENANAdk2A5Cy2CF
339Please respect copyright.PENANAJpxbATCBeY
Me and my best friend Will walked down the street from school to our homes. He just got done with detention after pranking our homeroom teacher with something…obscene.
339Please respect copyright.PENANAyrMNylS266
“Come on, we’re not in kindergarten anymore. I had to up my game and it’s time for you to get your feet wet too. Like how I got my-”
339Please respect copyright.PENANAvdHfeG0dLR
“I get it, don’t remind me of what you did.”
339Please respect copyright.PENANAHTZqc0TgvE
“Man, the look on her face when I told her. Hahaha, I’ll never let her live that down. Detention is worth it.”
339Please respect copyright.PENANADjUrVmGudC
I shake my head at Will’s laughter. Still, I always respect how he lived his life. Maybe, I can have that freedom and courage too…339Please respect copyright.PENANAsfV9idF35F
339Please respect copyright.PENANAe9XdZr6BTT
“Would you look at that, I think I’ve come up with the perfect initiation for you.”339Please respect copyright.PENANAYL0DxCGH99
339Please respect copyright.PENANARuyp7yBkH5
Will points to the nearby police station. The newly built police station.
339Please respect copyright.PENANAljM6kP3Nbv
“Look at those blue jackets coming into our neighborhood like they own the place. I think it’s time for a little fun, would do them some good.”339Please respect copyright.PENANAAinWR187wA
339Please respect copyright.PENANAZzyxxowYOc
“You can’t mean-”
339Please respect copyright.PENANAIW6Q1tY5Pw
“Relax Tim, it’s just a normal prank call. Every prankster has done this at least once.”
339Please respect copyright.PENANA1FXUCcUrjv
“O-Oh, okay. I thought-”339Please respect copyright.PENANAzV9FrRLFb7
339Please respect copyright.PENANA8iKrkB1ovC
“I’m not going to ask you to do anything I wouldn’t do.”
339Please respect copyright.PENANAzawN0ko0Io
“I don’t know…”339Please respect copyright.PENANASVsvP65fp7
339Please respect copyright.PENANALg2UhWwpst
“Here’s a little incentive.”339Please respect copyright.PENANAW7st4S0OG1
339Please respect copyright.PENANAyn5dF34YXH
“!!”339Please respect copyright.PENANAOw7RHQQKx3
339Please respect copyright.PENANA3N1feoyhNo
“This is your allowance?!”
339Please respect copyright.PENANAleWz51JDEW
“Just half of it for now.”339Please respect copyright.PENANAqiL62CaW2U
339Please respect copyright.PENANAqUw3qSf3sB
“But why?”
339Please respect copyright.PENANA7Q8idffF0p
“Because you’re best friend and I can’t wait to have you next to me on my next prank. I have faith that you will succeed. After that, you get the rest of it.”339Please respect copyright.PENANAjPKnEpEQAD
339Please respect copyright.PENANAEs5dhGHxLZ
Will beams me a warm smile that blows away all my doubts. I couldn’t help but smile too. He really is a great friend.339Please respect copyright.PENANAV3P2dmJenP
339Please respect copyright.PENANA3mNaRXHKC3
“Okay, I won’t let you down. What should I prank call them about.”
339Please respect copyright.PENANAizmWgdXtw0
“I don’t know, it’s up to you. Oh! How about telling them that your parents have been replaced by monsters and they’re coming to get you. You sometimes complain about how your parents are on you to succeed, this is a great way to get back at them.”339Please respect copyright.PENANAgwVW4uyvXr
339Please respect copyright.PENANA7QJB3zMJaG
“Y-Your right!”339Please respect copyright.PENANA8cpybWPg1a
339Please respect copyright.PENANAQKOD9fBPO8
“Yeah, two pranks for the price of one!”339Please respect copyright.PENANAkgWxtv1xlm
339Please respect copyright.PENANAL4GqKuzwZi
“Okay, I will do it. Tomorrow, I’ll be a prankster just like you.”339Please respect copyright.PENANAwRwcnicZfW
339Please respect copyright.PENANA7LY0ETBPfk
“That’s the spirit.”
339Please respect copyright.PENANAWrtZM6bt41
We came to the intersection while talking, almost passed it. My house is to the left and he’s on the right.339Please respect copyright.PENANAwERonQvkxF
339Please respect copyright.PENANAggkZAfnHSe
“See you tomorrow Will.”339Please respect copyright.PENANATCLAn29Fa2
339Please respect copyright.PENANAo6LLKCGFBr
“Yeah, good luck on the prank call.”339Please respect copyright.PENANAG7jWhjBCCX
339Please respect copyright.PENANAgC1nvF2xhl
I wave to my best friend and breath in some of his courage. Time to do something I can be proud of.
339Please respect copyright.PENANAEAdNWu7ixo
After a couple of minutes, I make it to my home in the area. Surrounded by hundreds of other identical wooden squares painted white. I walk through the front door and lay my book bag on the ground.339Please respect copyright.PENANAvsqQ8ZzdiZ
339Please respect copyright.PENANAZtxt0nIzyi
“I’m home!”339Please respect copyright.PENANAL7qoauyqFN
339Please respect copyright.PENANALNLnudlFwe
…339Please respect copyright.PENANAdMwIkSOdyL
339Please respect copyright.PENANAKINbTIzUwM
“Of course, my mistake.”339Please respect copyright.PENANAmYvBZY9BUj
339Please respect copyright.PENANAFsaLoqgJS6
They’re never home to greet me anymore. I pick my stuff up and drag myself to my room.339Please respect copyright.PENANANlhm6uRgqo
339Please respect copyright.PENANA7KdCGJ6dEM
I throw my book bag onto my makeshift bed on the floor. I remember all the times they promised to make life better for us, only for them to waste the money on stupid stuff. I work so hard at school like they demand and for what!? I can’t even sleep on a proper mattress.
339Please respect copyright.PENANAA7Eq9fu5VT
No more. Time to give them a small taste of their own medicine. I pick up my phone and dial 991. 339Please respect copyright.PENANAxi9KHjCXcv
339Please respect copyright.PENANAjlfqG5pBRv
At every ring, my heart pounds faster but I can’t stop now. I breathe in and out, preparing to put on the show of a lifetime. Will is going to be so proud of me.339Please respect copyright.PENANA4eKRENiJEw
339Please respect copyright.PENANADOQwTrG9Da
“911, what’s your emergency.”339Please respect copyright.PENANAp58bZzdbxR
339Please respect copyright.PENANARVtHJ91aKO
“M-Mom….D-Dad, they-”339Please respect copyright.PENANAjPnh59PZ7q
339Please respect copyright.PENANAYOEbC2GwlF
I try my best to sound like I’m crying, throwing some sniffing for good measure.
339Please respect copyright.PENANAKDgkEvvrJW
“Calm down, what happened?”
339Please respect copyright.PENANAI9XmbexKgO
“I don’t know…one day they were fine and the next they were…different. Last night I saw them…doing things to animal meat and weird things in their bedroom.”
339Please respect copyright.PENANAwSm2k0ArBu
“I…think they might be monsters in disguise. I’m scared, they might know I’m trying to get help. Please come quick!”
339Please respect copyright.PENANANhDs26rlFn
“….”339Please respect copyright.PENANAi2AhWJnVpZ
339Please respect copyright.PENANADzaiU4nts2
A long silence engulfed the room. Darn it, I guess the gig is up. They didn’t even laugh, whatever. Time to end it I guess.
339Please respect copyright.PENANAT9P3mNc54t
“Got yo-”339Please respect copyright.PENANAanTRGhZiPB
339Please respect copyright.PENANA4Byts9toMN
“What’s your address?”339Please respect copyright.PENANA79R8x98V8m
339Please respect copyright.PENANAkEZU5lgNla
“E-Excuse me?”339Please respect copyright.PENANAcgzLA4yYdr
339Please respect copyright.PENANAMevaoBVqWt
“Your address kid, where do you live!”339Please respect copyright.PENANAUg1SDHSGdN
339Please respect copyright.PENANAKucjr3FvaS
“Um, countertop road…5th house from the intersection.”
339Please respect copyright.PENANAxcE2RuW0Mn
“Okay, we’ll be there as soon as we can. Lock the door and stay put.”
339Please respect copyright.PENANAXL7VSJPm0V
The call ended and I’m left alone in confusion. Did they…counter prank me? What’s Will going to think?339Please respect copyright.PENANA7BLczAChYC
339Please respect copyright.PENANAf31fQF87oM
I guess I failed…figures. I put my phone down and flop on the bed. Should’ve expected that, I can’t be like Will.339Please respect copyright.PENANAlWg2Qx9fFl
339Please respect copyright.PENANAlNdQL2FXo4
*Crash*339Please respect copyright.PENANAsfJvxjeX3p
339Please respect copyright.PENANA3rah2iC38b
What the?! Was that the windo-
339Please respect copyright.PENANA9JoWix1taW
*BOOM*339Please respect copyright.PENANAOzmTCnWTH0
339Please respect copyright.PENANAkByHNvCIAq
A large foot came crashing through my door causing it to land across the room.339Please respect copyright.PENANAVh2Xxt3l2J
339Please respect copyright.PENANAZl3ZLcOrhL
The large foot belongs to a large man, at least 6 feet tall. He, along with 5 other men, come through the door and surround me. They’re all…heavily armed and covered in black armor. Are they a SWAT team?
339Please respect copyright.PENANAza042hJMGo
They turn their backs to me and aim at the windows and doors. The closest one to me whispers.339Please respect copyright.PENANAss8Zh9Cd94
339Please respect copyright.PENANAsAXkbAi8cB
“Here they come.”
339Please respect copyright.PENANAs4uFHtN1b4
Did I really prank call a SWAT team and…win?339Please respect copyright.PENANAoCcnhMIfOz
339Please respect copyright.PENANAGOlw6Cevny
Did they believe me? You got to be kidding me. I chuckle a little bit inside. Mom and dad will be so shocked to see this.
339Please respect copyright.PENANA9YbixuAQOh
I-Is this what courage feels like? It feels so-339Please respect copyright.PENANA7GqeJ6N3rV
339Please respect copyright.PENANAViiifjP2g7
*Knock* *Knock*339Please respect copyright.PENANAhJpt6Gd7Bw
339Please respect copyright.PENANAMfddkCtQgd
All guns lock onto the door and my heart races with excitement. I can’t wait to see the looks on their faces. As Will said, getting grounded is worth this.339Please respect copyright.PENANAgm8h4qoB4C
339Please respect copyright.PENANAleoxuywmdK
I try to sneak past them so I can get a good look.
339Please respect copyright.PENANA8F5wEdW4GZ
“Kid, stay back.”339Please respect copyright.PENANAFXyXXpvLk0
339Please respect copyright.PENANA1vjuJ4wO0z
Oh man, I guess-339Please respect copyright.PENANAQFGnTeg0o5
339Please respect copyright.PENANAkYeicZopRa
*Bang* *Bang* *Bang* *Bang*339Please respect copyright.PENANA4Eg5MLdZs4
339Please respect copyright.PENANAc7XmBceqGT
“What the hell are doing?!!”
339Please respect copyright.PENANA656l7IPacq
“Sorry sir, this is my first time.”339Please respect copyright.PENANAbPc7kBe6IC
339Please respect copyright.PENANAiy6MCz1mi4
“Only shoot when you see them, you fool!”339Please respect copyright.PENANAJD2BEmofD6
339Please respect copyright.PENANAvP3gOKPFOt
W-What…
339Please respect copyright.PENANAacpfjriD2T
“You two check it out, we’ll protect the kid.”
339Please respect copyright.PENANAmIV9WJ8lTG
j-just…
339Please respect copyright.PENANAH6f04pAPR7
“Got it.”
339Please respect copyright.PENANA1kqhueCn1i
h-happened?
339Please respect copyright.PENANAPxyzWsgPH3
“Sir, I think you better come and see this.”
339Please respect copyright.PENANAsVD5MgzzkI
“What is it?”339Please respect copyright.PENANASgihKdaZTO
339Please respect copyright.PENANAaOsfQfvJe0
…339Please respect copyright.PENANA1wQwVJ4X3L
339Please respect copyright.PENANAE1A4gzvyhX
“My god…their blood is red.”
339Please respect copyright.PENANAnHBEzxeT0h
“Did we just-”339Please respect copyright.PENANA661nKslS7S
339Please respect copyright.PENANAimduuplXZm
“Why the fuck didn’t you verify the call!!?”339Please respect copyright.PENANAzTwdZjO3SD
339Please respect copyright.PENANAquOyyyXEsO
“I-I didn’t think we get a prank call this soon and he…was so specific…”
339Please respect copyright.PENANALfHH08doo5
“Clean this mess up, burn it down and call the cover-up team.”
339Please respect copyright.PENANAo1Ku8CHvRN
*Stomp* *Stomp* *Stomp* *Stomp*
339Please respect copyright.PENANApzGU207Cu1
“Kid?”339Please respect copyright.PENANA9lCtdhVyAM
339Please respect copyright.PENANAdGBiZrkbOr
….339Please respect copyright.PENANAlcNWn2jzhw
339Please respect copyright.PENANAzyeAZbIQZi
“Kid?”
339Please respect copyright.PENANAAThFhrvEHz
….339Please respect copyright.PENANAKqMb6D3OOi
339Please respect copyright.PENANA4YQGO6PQrC
“KID!!”339Please respect copyright.PENANACfmnMIO0Sy
339Please respect copyright.PENANAEYUUcrsjMb
“W-what…have…I….done?”339Please respect copyright.PENANAUV3lEoeVnT
339Please respect copyright.PENANA0UkCTgcXNF
“…You no longer exist, you’ll get a new name and life. We’ll send you to an orphanage. Forget about what happened today and try to…live again.”339Please respect copyright.PENANAuX1iaSBtA4
339Please respect copyright.PENANAd1voLVvvAm
The man grabs my arm. I let him drag me away.339Please respect copyright.PENANAzLpqMxfZrN
339Please respect copyright.PENANAinPOhZLfhu
Across my room. Across the hallway. Across the…
339Please respect copyright.PENANAYb7ichJBCt
Finally, across the door. As much I try to not look, something catches my eye, something beyond the red.339Please respect copyright.PENANAH26cLoVeqt
339Please respect copyright.PENANA590DVv4d6N
Was that…a new mattress?339Please respect copyright.PENANA1bPHsMxiHd
339Please respect copyright.PENANAKRYeJxfunx
Before the implications of what that means crushes me, the solider pushes me into a black car. We soon drive away to my new life and in the rearview, my house begins to burn.339Please respect copyright.PENANAKJ8TclwuPt
339Please respect copyright.PENANAhGUkooBn0x
Then it all hits me at once, I break.
339Please respect copyright.PENANA4Wx8varNcq
[3 months later]339Please respect copyright.PENANAh0lM2fZg7s
339Please respect copyright.PENANAPihDtBj3Iw
A new face and one less kid in the orphanage. I’ve been here for 3 months and I’m starting to lose what’s left of my mind.339Please respect copyright.PENANAenFeXuya79
339Please respect copyright.PENANAf7WZAWtpL1
They keep staring at me, the caregivers with those dead eyes. The kids I like to watch play are just gone. But no parents came to pick them up.339Please respect copyright.PENANAIbCyDUpaij
339Please respect copyright.PENANAGc9ecq7AhN
Maybe it’s just my paranoia, I’m supposed to live a new life. 339Please respect copyright.PENANA64g6Yofqjg
339Please respect copyright.PENANAfqCcOniNot
“Okay kids, time to go to bed.”
339Please respect copyright.PENANAh2SynsI7r5
The new head caregiver called out to everyone in the living room playing. There were some grunts of displeasure but the ones that stood out were the ones that said nothing.339Please respect copyright.PENANAtP4B60IxLe
339Please respect copyright.PENANAhqqaYi1xgt
They just got up and went back to their room with no emotion. I could have sworn one shouldn’t be here.339Please respect copyright.PENANAH0tCS4GOA1
339Please respect copyright.PENANAkx0NDCm4y7
“Stop staring at us, creep!”339Please respect copyright.PENANANidGGDxiMU
339Please respect copyright.PENANAnFuWX43vnU
One of the girls calls out to me and snaps me out of my mind.
339Please respect copyright.PENANAP4ybrDUMUK
“I-I-I-I’m sorry.”
339Please respect copyright.PENANA8lWfYIEb0q
“And stop stuttering! I can’t wait for some nice family to take me away from here. I’m tired of being ogled.”339Please respect copyright.PENANALwJ0s0axQ0
339Please respect copyright.PENANAzX1hunhHpn
The others around her nod their head audibly. I can’t help but agree with her, I want to leave too. But do I deserve it?339Please respect copyright.PENANAuzHHKQrAJP
339Please respect copyright.PENANA7NKSYX7VMl
The head caregiver comes by to hurry us along for the night.339Please respect copyright.PENANAidiqdg1SsN
339Please respect copyright.PENANAtNWo6d4GUK
“Don’t worry, I know you’ll find a home soon.”339Please respect copyright.PENANAWocVkhzyeb
339Please respect copyright.PENANACHUyThmoDx
Did she…lick her lips?339Please respect copyright.PENANAEyUSwOOYII
339Please respect copyright.PENANAqpaGdvYWD3
“I hope so, any place is better than near this weirdo.”339Please respect copyright.PENANA2XbGkANmPI
339Please respect copyright.PENANAhyRV6a4HzU
“Enough of picking on Tim, you never know he might be next to go. Hurry to bed now.”
339Please respect copyright.PENANAQIbgU4gI8d
We nod and go to our rooms for the night. I open the door and I’m greeted by the same old brown square room. Single bed, lamp, and book.
339Please respect copyright.PENANAmjf3eNi9ZF
I get into the covers and try to sleep. But I can’t. 339Please respect copyright.PENANAxYFsbNEOEm
339Please respect copyright.PENANAPeRPSIsfcg
My mind drifts back to everything weird about this place. At first, everything was like a normal orphanage but slowly things began to feel out of place. Like that new basement they had renovated last month.
339Please respect copyright.PENANADEYp76G9yy
My mind raced at the possibilities of what could be going on.339Please respect copyright.PENANAypI9JkZIT5
339Please respect copyright.PENANAn1amiSgxB8
Drug dealing, kidnapping, cultists but one thing keeps popping up.
339Please respect copyright.PENANAXeODCGszuO
“Monsters.”339Please respect copyright.PENANAvGyVKSM8gD
339Please respect copyright.PENANAd9UhmF4izV
My mind slithers back to…the incident. Those soldiers really thought there were monsters. I think back to the head caregiver and the dead eyes of some kids. What if…
339Please respect copyright.PENANA0qca1JldTF
I have no choice, I have to try. I sneak out of my room and go to the phone in the living room. I dial 911.
339Please respect copyright.PENANAgXQcJXq6uc
It rings louder than I expected. I close my eyes and pray that It will stop soon.339Please respect copyright.PENANAfSHmUYwlzv
339Please respect copyright.PENANAAX17QLMnUI
“911, what’s your emergency.”339Please respect copyright.PENANAljk2VavaTu
339Please respect copyright.PENANAMx0MBfbr7K
“Hello, I’m in at the orphanage at silvervine street and I need help.”339Please respect copyright.PENANATR6wZ1hW50
339Please respect copyright.PENANAxdTowL639a
“What’s the problem?”339Please respect copyright.PENANAhkT9u37bnX
339Please respect copyright.PENANA4upf9aELfX
“It’s hard to explain but there are these new caregivers at the orphanage that act off. The kids have started to disappear too and then there’s that basement.”339Please respect copyright.PENANAFLxRGO2bcD
339Please respect copyright.PENANAvSFod9Fz7I
“I think…the orphanage is run by monsters and the kids are being used for…something. I don’t know, please just….help me.”339Please respect copyright.PENANATeb7d8ukbf
339Please respect copyright.PENANAWTXLg51oJA
“…”339Please respect copyright.PENANAS2MmkFdHer
339Please respect copyright.PENANAPXsoKRdFlH
“…Is this Tim?”
339Please respect copyright.PENANAFbzlsQc2rM
“Y-Yes?”339Please respect copyright.PENANAQ0X0PBYeVe
339Please respect copyright.PENANA5VgAPXwcGy
“…Did you seriously prank call us again?”339Please respect copyright.PENANA00o3X3aNh3
339Please respect copyright.PENANAli2SOmTMhs
“What? No.”339Please respect copyright.PENANAt2TKUjCMov
339Please respect copyright.PENANAJeQ83zs0ve
“We heard about what you did. You have no idea how hard it was to cover up the mess you made. The innocent lives lost!
339Please respect copyright.PENANAzxq8ML8Vfh
“I-”
339Please respect copyright.PENANAwa4jXGR7pp
“You should be ashamed of yourself.”
339Please respect copyright.PENANAjrF2DhX38T
And just like that, the call ended. I put the phone down and fight the urge to cry. I can’t make any more noi-
339Please respect copyright.PENANApNMQzo6ng8
“Tim.”339Please respect copyright.PENANAw1U7RUo3U2
339Please respect copyright.PENANAphkYdIzoEg
!!!339Please respect copyright.PENANAWyPNSLGpAu
339Please respect copyright.PENANArqGOz5igwv
I twist my body around to see another new caretaker. She had short brown hair and a nursing outfit. Her face, however, is hidden by the room's shadow.339Please respect copyright.PENANAjfwoe84mli
339Please respect copyright.PENANAyguxzNwM5r
“It’s time.”339Please respect copyright.PENANAvqXcAnm3W0
339Please respect copyright.PENANA0oHKAzEVEy
She offered her hand to me, beckoning me to my final destination. Maybe…this is what I deserve for what I’ve done.
339Please respect copyright.PENANAgFF1OUE3nR
Despite my survival instincts telling me not to, I forced my body to take her hand. It was unnaturally cold and wet. But I didn’t care, not anymore. What could I do anyway?
339Please respect copyright.PENANAcPbufA4h40
She leads me down the darker-than-normal hallway all the way to the basement stairs. We stopped at the top and started down into the gaping maw of the abyss.
339Please respect copyright.PENANAu5XXMws5AB
“Are you ready?”339Please respect copyright.PENANArfzQp8W0fR
339Please respect copyright.PENANA62OZx12VlA
Why she would ask me that? I’ve been ready since that day, I just didn’t want to accept it.339Please respect copyright.PENANAvhv7YgN4Ko
339Please respect copyright.PENANASXD7hRL5OI
“Yes.”339Please respect copyright.PENANAjcx8z8Pjn7
339Please respect copyright.PENANAfHqb5R1VLH
The descent begins, I become one with the icky black and accept my fate.
339Please respect copyright.PENANADSz6shcgff
I’m sorry Will, Mom, Dad…for everything.339Please respect copyright.PENANANpFXgGTk2Y