“It’s just a prank bro.”
340Please respect copyright.PENANAHtPS8ydjvG
“Don’t you think you pushed a bit far back there?”340Please respect copyright.PENANAiDDSjJTHrV
340Please respect copyright.PENANAsr2q6eSd04
“No way, you just don’t know the joys of a good prank yet.”
340Please respect copyright.PENANAUqaxG43Phl
“Maybe…”340Please respect copyright.PENANAAIzrtMVx41
340Please respect copyright.PENANAZbnnuz8uKz
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.
340Please respect copyright.PENANA1JY9F4Pwe3
“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-”
340Please respect copyright.PENANAA04mX18ttO
“I get it, don’t remind me of what you did.”
340Please respect copyright.PENANAsOpPpDr3qg
“Man, the look on her face when I told her. Hahaha, I’ll never let her live that down. Detention is worth it.”
340Please respect copyright.PENANArn2TbwuuiZ
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…340Please respect copyright.PENANAw0vu8euC7v
340Please respect copyright.PENANARSJkCCo8YR
“Would you look at that, I think I’ve come up with the perfect initiation for you.”340Please respect copyright.PENANAzH2xpg6vvV
340Please respect copyright.PENANALR8bBSkr7B
Will points to the nearby police station. The newly built police station.
340Please respect copyright.PENANAFFKVFIe60A
“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.”340Please respect copyright.PENANA4HciAyDQqB
340Please respect copyright.PENANAm578YaooHz
“You can’t mean-”
340Please respect copyright.PENANAG0lEZFjG3t
“Relax Tim, it’s just a normal prank call. Every prankster has done this at least once.”
340Please respect copyright.PENANACXV2IFt5BM
“O-Oh, okay. I thought-”340Please respect copyright.PENANAFryTQ0z6RX
340Please respect copyright.PENANAoqt2Ac1qdi
“I’m not going to ask you to do anything I wouldn’t do.”
340Please respect copyright.PENANAIJpZhNtXR1
“I don’t know…”340Please respect copyright.PENANAfuwDR4tHPw
340Please respect copyright.PENANAnLg85XW9YH
“Here’s a little incentive.”340Please respect copyright.PENANAgk0jZ2Ez3P
340Please respect copyright.PENANAVPL60ztsBa
“!!”340Please respect copyright.PENANA7KWQbXEAMK
340Please respect copyright.PENANAdWdmU0Trz9
“This is your allowance?!”
340Please respect copyright.PENANAqQ0ahmFAeA
“Just half of it for now.”340Please respect copyright.PENANATBolJaa731
340Please respect copyright.PENANAkmAmaTBTdP
“But why?”
340Please respect copyright.PENANAppE7HE4B4u
“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.”340Please respect copyright.PENANAPSGUnIIiN3
340Please respect copyright.PENANA2bPnX1Lyf1
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.340Please respect copyright.PENANAJdFckVxHhW
340Please respect copyright.PENANAeCZr93I2XI
“Okay, I won’t let you down. What should I prank call them about.”
340Please respect copyright.PENANAydv5QbVQM0
“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.”340Please respect copyright.PENANAMvq43zYhhB
340Please respect copyright.PENANAh4zMyHfCvU
“Y-Your right!”340Please respect copyright.PENANAqhWWgdX2q1
340Please respect copyright.PENANAfDTk48prRr
“Yeah, two pranks for the price of one!”340Please respect copyright.PENANAfBq6TWfXQ5
340Please respect copyright.PENANA5QZjpBPgkI
“Okay, I will do it. Tomorrow, I’ll be a prankster just like you.”340Please respect copyright.PENANAsKP5QfMCPd
340Please respect copyright.PENANA56p6aZSQcM
“That’s the spirit.”
340Please respect copyright.PENANAoQoDQgAbpn
We came to the intersection while talking, almost passed it. My house is to the left and he’s on the right.340Please respect copyright.PENANA5qK7kIWzVy
340Please respect copyright.PENANAbMLXbURV9e
“See you tomorrow Will.”340Please respect copyright.PENANAYrOqZekUiA
340Please respect copyright.PENANAhq2w367dQG
“Yeah, good luck on the prank call.”340Please respect copyright.PENANAHmR7OQRxo0
340Please respect copyright.PENANAKthm6uXITr
I wave to my best friend and breath in some of his courage. Time to do something I can be proud of.
340Please respect copyright.PENANA7eF712er6G
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.340Please respect copyright.PENANASi5zOYQvuS
340Please respect copyright.PENANAu08GfBZ15E
“I’m home!”340Please respect copyright.PENANAkIEQPoqGaG
340Please respect copyright.PENANATY0JzrxHNz
…340Please respect copyright.PENANAb4WYv4hW8e
340Please respect copyright.PENANA5crg9fOk3w
“Of course, my mistake.”340Please respect copyright.PENANAhDiAjOJNE0
340Please respect copyright.PENANAyPZQplfmZd
They’re never home to greet me anymore. I pick my stuff up and drag myself to my room.340Please respect copyright.PENANAS0x364aRFo
340Please respect copyright.PENANATLhRuLIwEp
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.
340Please respect copyright.PENANAZnTVdvvXPL
No more. Time to give them a small taste of their own medicine. I pick up my phone and dial 991. 340Please respect copyright.PENANA7n1tAZv4lX
340Please respect copyright.PENANATo3BD90qsn
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.340Please respect copyright.PENANAejNwjzwqRJ
340Please respect copyright.PENANAcl8dY1UCd9
“911, what’s your emergency.”340Please respect copyright.PENANAXvYgO2E6WR
340Please respect copyright.PENANAmjK52faK43
“M-Mom….D-Dad, they-”340Please respect copyright.PENANA0e89mB9cJs
340Please respect copyright.PENANA4QJgenMcHb
I try my best to sound like I’m crying, throwing some sniffing for good measure.
340Please respect copyright.PENANAoBaF38n1Do
“Calm down, what happened?”
340Please respect copyright.PENANAhemz7zbntR
“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.”
340Please respect copyright.PENANAOfKoL3Mgom
“I…think they might be monsters in disguise. I’m scared, they might know I’m trying to get help. Please come quick!”
340Please respect copyright.PENANATzubtoqiGM
“….”340Please respect copyright.PENANAyEpzIs89Pv
340Please respect copyright.PENANAfTEYseeUca
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.
340Please respect copyright.PENANAkjmHJ9FSN6
“Got yo-”340Please respect copyright.PENANAa7K2dnfam1
340Please respect copyright.PENANAxm64OSEP4R
“What’s your address?”340Please respect copyright.PENANAdbuvXRvqlp
340Please respect copyright.PENANA57DxqHSHNy
“E-Excuse me?”340Please respect copyright.PENANAizmuEgtSBO
340Please respect copyright.PENANAb8FPou8nOm
“Your address kid, where do you live!”340Please respect copyright.PENANAh8ZDUQvpeu
340Please respect copyright.PENANAvcRxtcG0zP
“Um, countertop road…5th house from the intersection.”
340Please respect copyright.PENANAA4jDqhkxTn
“Okay, we’ll be there as soon as we can. Lock the door and stay put.”
340Please respect copyright.PENANA8T8LJlbBQR
The call ended and I’m left alone in confusion. Did they…counter prank me? What’s Will going to think?340Please respect copyright.PENANAheuI5MA3WI
340Please respect copyright.PENANABfl6XDvqm9
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.340Please respect copyright.PENANAMwCBQEKzzu
340Please respect copyright.PENANA5SUuamCpPH
*Crash*340Please respect copyright.PENANAkoSiHGL91F
340Please respect copyright.PENANAlKpDd2tQ3B
What the?! Was that the windo-
340Please respect copyright.PENANAP6tqLK4j3c
*BOOM*340Please respect copyright.PENANARfSLkBfuaU
340Please respect copyright.PENANAfvZCDU0Vkb
A large foot came crashing through my door causing it to land across the room.340Please respect copyright.PENANAxrMUBYAhaZ
340Please respect copyright.PENANAgeZXCG9KHz
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?
340Please respect copyright.PENANAT0RWFPD2zX
They turn their backs to me and aim at the windows and doors. The closest one to me whispers.340Please respect copyright.PENANA3DSEmc0Hf4
340Please respect copyright.PENANArnvOwDbOne
“Here they come.”
340Please respect copyright.PENANAu2rnSbb55r
Did I really prank call a SWAT team and…win?340Please respect copyright.PENANA5VA9WxpWpV
340Please respect copyright.PENANAmUGKaSh0Mc
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.
340Please respect copyright.PENANAJpReeGcUBg
I-Is this what courage feels like? It feels so-340Please respect copyright.PENANAaUX10qxCg3
340Please respect copyright.PENANApeEsoTt69v
*Knock* *Knock*340Please respect copyright.PENANA9ndP0W0eXV
340Please respect copyright.PENANALjqC2j84lJ
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.340Please respect copyright.PENANAcnpJsZQmGn
340Please respect copyright.PENANAxhkoyfNesm
I try to sneak past them so I can get a good look.
340Please respect copyright.PENANA32OjCBumqk
“Kid, stay back.”340Please respect copyright.PENANAPqRTbstBB7
340Please respect copyright.PENANAWcx4hGHiTa
Oh man, I guess-340Please respect copyright.PENANAju1IbF1IQT
340Please respect copyright.PENANAadir07ANMn
*Bang* *Bang* *Bang* *Bang*340Please respect copyright.PENANADCoWVhh7Fo
340Please respect copyright.PENANA3PrOgH13j7
“What the hell are doing?!!”
340Please respect copyright.PENANAzLh95G0YIs
“Sorry sir, this is my first time.”340Please respect copyright.PENANAQf7nfLwMEY
340Please respect copyright.PENANAthzXFtGctl
“Only shoot when you see them, you fool!”340Please respect copyright.PENANAGcoug7OsAf
340Please respect copyright.PENANANdiORpJN4s
W-What…
340Please respect copyright.PENANAOcwsJRBzXM
“You two check it out, we’ll protect the kid.”
340Please respect copyright.PENANAWCvGx950UX
j-just…
340Please respect copyright.PENANAwd9GgOfJOh
“Got it.”
340Please respect copyright.PENANAqwPu3Tqz2k
h-happened?
340Please respect copyright.PENANA6sxMo9dIEE
“Sir, I think you better come and see this.”
340Please respect copyright.PENANAxovrnCf2p2
“What is it?”340Please respect copyright.PENANAFiyfY4auR1
340Please respect copyright.PENANAYWpuMuXnwT
…340Please respect copyright.PENANAUXvBk2pSbX
340Please respect copyright.PENANAIyqLiTIdjo
“My god…their blood is red.”
340Please respect copyright.PENANAjVU5NnLQvD
“Did we just-”340Please respect copyright.PENANArzsn2mRiDF
340Please respect copyright.PENANAtOMOZd0cr2
“Why the fuck didn’t you verify the call!!?”340Please respect copyright.PENANACufTzpfQuI
340Please respect copyright.PENANA5dHia27QRB
“I-I didn’t think we get a prank call this soon and he…was so specific…”
340Please respect copyright.PENANAjwy5n8DbKq
“Clean this mess up, burn it down and call the cover-up team.”
340Please respect copyright.PENANAI5OWRz0vu1
*Stomp* *Stomp* *Stomp* *Stomp*
340Please respect copyright.PENANAuKB7ctiKUB
“Kid?”340Please respect copyright.PENANALfruChG4mp
340Please respect copyright.PENANAchTm1XtvTt
….340Please respect copyright.PENANAqNv66wxljT
340Please respect copyright.PENANABOyZ3IRiqn
“Kid?”
340Please respect copyright.PENANA38FhcpL4va
….340Please respect copyright.PENANAC2HKFlOjNd
340Please respect copyright.PENANA9DUojwSMkr
“KID!!”340Please respect copyright.PENANAoNfFt32eLK
340Please respect copyright.PENANA5wrat1jtCY
“W-what…have…I….done?”340Please respect copyright.PENANAk3m7zix3mz
340Please respect copyright.PENANA9epmwU46Kz
“…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.”340Please respect copyright.PENANAiLC2sW1fmM
340Please respect copyright.PENANAdd24rrtUIo
The man grabs my arm. I let him drag me away.340Please respect copyright.PENANAiNHRmE8Tn3
340Please respect copyright.PENANAQdMPOK36VH
Across my room. Across the hallway. Across the…
340Please respect copyright.PENANAnGEJM3FRUH
Finally, across the door. As much I try to not look, something catches my eye, something beyond the red.340Please respect copyright.PENANATiP7egDMNo
340Please respect copyright.PENANAkZtiNZ5qtv
Was that…a new mattress?340Please respect copyright.PENANAJifAirid04
340Please respect copyright.PENANA3KTJid8xln
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.340Please respect copyright.PENANAgpuDzJK0F0
340Please respect copyright.PENANAwjnuF2OlVw
Then it all hits me at once, I break.
340Please respect copyright.PENANACotI9Ea1kV
[3 months later]340Please respect copyright.PENANAHcJ8TI0qP8
340Please respect copyright.PENANAHf1YVZ8x4s
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.340Please respect copyright.PENANAD0vNmTqufw
340Please respect copyright.PENANAuHD4ukjh4r
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.340Please respect copyright.PENANAAss9R8j3Kx
340Please respect copyright.PENANAkjwhpwS3Dz
Maybe it’s just my paranoia, I’m supposed to live a new life. 340Please respect copyright.PENANAdOP1CeCGjW
340Please respect copyright.PENANAJp2bhHt1oL
“Okay kids, time to go to bed.”
340Please respect copyright.PENANAwJDmP3cXkg
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.340Please respect copyright.PENANAWZIIoyXbiz
340Please respect copyright.PENANA4Gj1kYaGeu
They just got up and went back to their room with no emotion. I could have sworn one shouldn’t be here.340Please respect copyright.PENANANwLBw6Nlih
340Please respect copyright.PENANAaV5ha8YSjn
“Stop staring at us, creep!”340Please respect copyright.PENANAyYC2kVAqQl
340Please respect copyright.PENANAuFDl2zXgEn
One of the girls calls out to me and snaps me out of my mind.
340Please respect copyright.PENANAevz1NhcnRi
“I-I-I-I’m sorry.”
340Please respect copyright.PENANAaq1m2ClgVh
“And stop stuttering! I can’t wait for some nice family to take me away from here. I’m tired of being ogled.”340Please respect copyright.PENANAgV7fKgYnvV
340Please respect copyright.PENANAoCTu98BeDz
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?340Please respect copyright.PENANA6xvXGTXzpU
340Please respect copyright.PENANATOkhRnKxWB
The head caregiver comes by to hurry us along for the night.340Please respect copyright.PENANAkzG9rCkplT
340Please respect copyright.PENANAJHghb4JwC3
“Don’t worry, I know you’ll find a home soon.”340Please respect copyright.PENANAAg17IH5lL8
340Please respect copyright.PENANAQPh2s6qNMn
Did she…lick her lips?340Please respect copyright.PENANAiUrNb5Yv1z
340Please respect copyright.PENANANABDKiUfcp
“I hope so, any place is better than near this weirdo.”340Please respect copyright.PENANAafvYCp8MsD
340Please respect copyright.PENANA1vfYfrrD6H
“Enough of picking on Tim, you never know he might be next to go. Hurry to bed now.”
340Please respect copyright.PENANALoFrXgbYKk
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.
340Please respect copyright.PENANAcudoNjcUHv
I get into the covers and try to sleep. But I can’t. 340Please respect copyright.PENANAgaiGXia0sX
340Please respect copyright.PENANAwI92CqwNmL
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.
340Please respect copyright.PENANAtpIYqzmRri
My mind raced at the possibilities of what could be going on.340Please respect copyright.PENANA7oXoEhPvns
340Please respect copyright.PENANAACaPYU3dkF
Drug dealing, kidnapping, cultists but one thing keeps popping up.
340Please respect copyright.PENANAiMvxxOsuPN
“Monsters.”340Please respect copyright.PENANAnDApmuwdP4
340Please respect copyright.PENANAKZo6VCBSqg
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…
340Please respect copyright.PENANAbav1IzgXOl
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.
340Please respect copyright.PENANAJyjde09q07
It rings louder than I expected. I close my eyes and pray that It will stop soon.340Please respect copyright.PENANASfjkW1Ob01
340Please respect copyright.PENANADgTnxSpsX2
“911, what’s your emergency.”340Please respect copyright.PENANA09exeKvSiE
340Please respect copyright.PENANAb5f8bbgpcD
“Hello, I’m in at the orphanage at silvervine street and I need help.”340Please respect copyright.PENANAY46pUtOSO6
340Please respect copyright.PENANABupzUFIwCM
“What’s the problem?”340Please respect copyright.PENANA1jSJKR63ft
340Please respect copyright.PENANAytdGHw0CrC
“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.”340Please respect copyright.PENANASF56PmulPj
340Please respect copyright.PENANAFlu2kIQP1Y
“I think…the orphanage is run by monsters and the kids are being used for…something. I don’t know, please just….help me.”340Please respect copyright.PENANAVc66VozQ8w
340Please respect copyright.PENANA60TM5lCijs
“…”340Please respect copyright.PENANALdMRt8iPxm
340Please respect copyright.PENANAGn7xddUB29
“…Is this Tim?”
340Please respect copyright.PENANArGSP5KCpjU
“Y-Yes?”340Please respect copyright.PENANA4XMewBt0mY
340Please respect copyright.PENANARZ2yNPpKN0
“…Did you seriously prank call us again?”340Please respect copyright.PENANAjH739QxmOC
340Please respect copyright.PENANAyfYuY7f8e7
“What? No.”340Please respect copyright.PENANAi3PA2w21P3
340Please respect copyright.PENANAmXVv1Gh66X
“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!
340Please respect copyright.PENANAzcJCZ0DaIh
“I-”
340Please respect copyright.PENANArnB7M9V3fI
“You should be ashamed of yourself.”
340Please respect copyright.PENANA5QIpoUK6Sq
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-
340Please respect copyright.PENANAFEGzHkDx6k
“Tim.”340Please respect copyright.PENANAIynKzTfhjk
340Please respect copyright.PENANACWpA8Zjofo
!!!340Please respect copyright.PENANAemp05OzceL
340Please respect copyright.PENANAn22lqlT5XU
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.340Please respect copyright.PENANAuqolwtEgtS
340Please respect copyright.PENANArPjZw7GcLy
“It’s time.”340Please respect copyright.PENANAW2go3mXEuv
340Please respect copyright.PENANA72tnalS9DD
She offered her hand to me, beckoning me to my final destination. Maybe…this is what I deserve for what I’ve done.
340Please respect copyright.PENANAbwHeE6NxtH
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?
340Please respect copyright.PENANAv3DtRrr104
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.
340Please respect copyright.PENANAzAdFUi6p6H
“Are you ready?”340Please respect copyright.PENANAizYUIcFnDi
340Please respect copyright.PENANADhlbSTNe5b
Why she would ask me that? I’ve been ready since that day, I just didn’t want to accept it.340Please respect copyright.PENANAJ6WHtnhhFx
340Please respect copyright.PENANAo3aWFXjZ95
“Yes.”340Please respect copyright.PENANAJTobfV4VsH
340Please respect copyright.PENANAnDj1t2Zjir
The descent begins, I become one with the icky black and accept my fate.
340Please respect copyright.PENANAuHlXZN5ZAn
I’m sorry Will, Mom, Dad…for everything.340Please respect copyright.PENANAb7uL3siLxR