[Original Fiction] Bad Trip Part 12: Setting the Trap

in #fiction8 years ago (edited)

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Bad Trip Part 12: Setting the Trap

Taylor felt himself falling into the pitch darkness below, until he landed with a thud. Grateful that he didn't break anything in the fall he looked around, trying to see if there were any gaps in the darkness. There was nothing that he could see. No sense of the beasts that had been chasing him. He stood still, trying to get a sense of any company, but there was nothing. Just silence, and darkness.

After a few long fear inducing seconds a bright light turned on, startling Taylor. He turned quickly to ascertain the nature of the space he was in. And it was not at all like he expected. He could see what looked like a small interview room. A desk and a chair sat sternly in the middle. To his right there was door, and in front of him, on the wall opposite a mirrored window. They reminded him of the police rooms he had seen on television shows. Am I to be interrogated, he wondered?

"Take a seat," the voice ordered him. The voice that had spoken with him in the maze was back. Same booming sound as before. Taylor did as instructed, and sat, facing the window.

Looking around, he noticed nothing untoward. He had no idea what had happened to the maze space from earlier, or at least the hole in the ceiling that he must have fallen through. Or the beasts. Like room minus one, he thought. Things changed instantly.

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Taylor continued to remain seated, patiently awaiting further instructions. Minutes ticked by. Nothing, no voice, no people. The minutes ticked away – possibly an hour had passed, he couldn't be sure. He found himself staring blankly at the window. Who is on the other side of it? Who is watching me? The fear increased within him with every ticking second. This has to be a part of the Game, he told himself. Not necessarily this room, but this induction of fear. He took a big deep breath and tried valiantly to steady his nerves.

As he considered the purpose of the room, and it's role in the Game, the duplicate Taylor entered. Taylor - the original - stared at him, without expression.

"So this is not part of the Game?" Taylor asked him.

"No, the maze above was part of the Game. This here is my territory. I call the shots here."

"And what have you brought me here for? Was that you who caused the floor to cave in above?" Taylor asked the second Taylor.

"It was me, indeed. I have brought you here as I have a need for you. So too does the Gamemaster. Seems you are rather a popular fellow at the moment. But I'm willing to offer you something that he isn't."

"And what would that be?" Taylor enquired.

"A way out of here."

"You can get me out of here, out of this Game entirely?" Taylor enquired, hopeful of some good news for the first time since his previous abortive rescue attempt.

"I can, yes. I do possess that power."

"So why exactly am I still here?" Taylor asked, exasperated. "Why am I even here at all?"

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"You are still here because I have a need for you. You should be grateful, as that need of mine makes you of some value to me, although don't get too far ahead of yourself. You see, if Jim is unable to rescue you, then the Game will terminate you, eventually. That's where I come in. I won't let them terminate you."

Taylor felt somewhat reassured by his duplicate's words. But not completely, as he couldn't determine the level of their accuracy. Will he really spare me, he wondered? Or only so long as I am of use to him? Seems I don't have a lot of choice right now. Taylor remembered the Gamemaster's words – "layers within layers." The Game is living up to the hype it would seem. But who is really in control here?

"So what exactly do you need from me?"

"I need you to bring Jim to me," the second Taylor replied. "Jim is my target. You are the Game's target. Right now I have you. And it seems the Game is working to prevent Jim's entrance into this world. And that contraption you had would have brought him to me."

"What contraption?"

"The one you lost in the maze, whilst those beasts were chasing you. You didn't notice, did you?" Taylor thought through the past events as best he could remember them. He remembered the wires, the box, and the button to send a signal. He felt his head – nothing. It's gone, he thought. But I don't remember a thing.

"But the Master of Ceremonies wanted me to use it? Why would they make me lose it?" Taylor asked, starting to remember the details, and becoming more confused as he did.

"I don't think they really know what they are doing. They are trying to get to me by making an alliance with Jim? But Jim is trying to rescue you. And it's you they want. You are the reason all of this is happening right now. You are their initial target." The second Taylor tried to explain, but the circular reasoning of it all failed to penetrate Taylor's understanding. He wondered as to whether confusion was a part of the Game. Designed to make him break, just trying to understand who was playing who?

"So what happens now?" Taylor asked.

"We lure Jim."


This fiction is my own work, written for Steemit
Image Credit: Unsplash.com


Thank you for taking the time to read this. If you liked it please give an upvote, and feel free to leave a comment. Follow Me


Bad TripMy Sister's Keeper
Chapter OneChapter One & Two
Chapter TwoChapter Three & Four
Chapter ThreeChapter Five & Six
Chapter FourChapter Seven
Chapter FiveChapter Eight
Chapter SixChapter Nine
Chapter SevenChapter Ten
Chapter EightChapter Eleven
Chapter NineChapter Twelve
Chapter TenChapter Thirteen
Chapter ElevenChapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Short FictionChapter Sixteen & Seventeen
Bang Bang You're DeadChapter Eighteen
Where Did the Time Go?Chapter Nineteen
Run From the ScreamsChapter Twenty
Saved By the RainChapter Twenty One & Twenty Two
I Think I've Remembered This BeforeChapter Twenty Three & Twenty Four
A Mother's LoveChapter Twenty Five
Chapter Twenty Six
Chapter Twenty Seven & Twenty Eight
Chapter Twenty Nine & Thirty
Chapter Twenty Thirty One
Chapter Twenty Thirty Two
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Oooohh the plot thickens! You haven't missed a beat, and this chapter really stands on the shoulders of the previous ones. Your dialogue work is fantastic, and your imagery is amazing. You really have a way of writing suspense, and it's a real treat reading your work. Great job, my friend! I can't wait to read the next installment! :D

Thanks for taking the time to read and leave your feedback, it's always appreciated. I enjoy writing suspense more than I knew, until I started writing here at Steemit. The trick now is getting the different plot lines to not trip over themselves and get all wrapped up. I have a general idea of it all, but this story keeps adding to itself as I write it.

Oh, hey, don't mention it! I like supporting people who support me as well, and you deserve all the well wishes you get, what with all the help you've been doing for undiscovered authors :D You're indeed in a tricky phase in the story, so just try to enjoy the moment and not get too wrapped up in the pressure of perfecting everything. The passion you put into it will tide you through.

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