“The Fear Collector”

by Jade A. Patterson, 6th Grade 3rd Place Winner

 

Fred stayed up past bedtime, gaming with friends. At midnight, they switched to a strange board game no one remembered bringing. The room went silent. Then the door creaked open.

A man stood there — ancient robes, hollow eyes.

“You there,” he said. “Want to play a game?”

Fred nodded. Instantly, the room shattered. His friends vanished. Fred opened his eyes in a haunted hotel. Room 131. He knew enough horror movies to avoid anything with “13.”

Elsewhere, Leo wandered a maze. Shadows lunged. Faces blinked from walls. A sign scratched into stone read: “Don’t scream. They only chase screamers.”

Leo didn’t scream.

He turned a corner and saw Miles — his best friend since second grade.

“Finally found you,” Miles said.

They walked together, but something felt off. Miles didn’t laugh at Leo’s jokes. His hoodie looked too clean. Leo tested him.

“Remember when you threw the paper airplane at Mrs. Carter’s bun?”

Miles chuckled. “Classic me.”

But Leo had thrown it. Miles was terrified of getting in trouble. Leo said nothing, just watched.

Later, the kids reunited. A voice echoed overhead:

“There is a Skinwalker among you. One of you is not who they seem. Vote wisely.”

Leo had a plan.

“Hey Miles,” he said, “remember when you almost fell off your skateboard?”

Miles blinked. “Yeah. So funny.”

But Miles didn’t skateboard. None of them did.

Fred caught Leo’s look. They voted. Miles vanished — the Skinwalker exposed. The real Miles returned.

One final challenge remained.

“You’ve found the Skinwalker,” the voice said. “But fear still lives in you. One last game. Face your fear… or stay here forever.”

Each kid was placed in a glass chamber.

Fred hovered over a pit. He had to cross a narrow beam to press a button.

Leo faced mirrors showing his deepest regrets. He had to break the right one to escape.

Miles stood in an empty school hallway. Photos of his friends faded from the walls. A voice whispered:

“You fear nothing? Then face this: What if no one remembers you?”

To escape, Miles had to write his name on the wall and recall a memory with each friend. As he did, the photos reappeared. The hallway brightened. The door opened.

They regrouped in a dim hallway. The air felt lighter. A plain wooden door appeared. Fred turned the handle.

They stepped through — back in Fred’s room. The board game was gone. The clock read 12:01 AM.

Had it only been a minute?

No one spoke. Then Leo whispered, “We’re never playing games at midnight again.”

Fred nodded. “Especially not ones that talk back.”

Miles looked at them. “You guys remember everything, right?”

They did. Every fear. Every test. Every moment.

Outside, the wind howled.

And somewhere far away… The Fear Collector waited.