 Welcome to Microterrorz, scary stories for kids, where it's always the spooky season, full of chills, thrills, and spine-tingling spooks. Microterrorz are family-friendly frights for those ages eight and up, and while our stories are for younger years, we are still talking about things that go bump in the night, and some children may not be able to handle what others can. Parental consent is recommended. Now for tonight's Microterrorz. Can you see me by Ronaldo Katowaru? The boy's headed down into the abyss. The floorboards creaked under their collective weights almost as if warning them of the dangers that would come from playing this game. Tommy dragged a bag of rice, a bag of flour, and a handful of salt from the kitchen down into the basement, cradling a curious old book that his younger brother had never seen before. Justin, being afraid of the dark, froze in the middle of the stairway, waiting for Tommy to flicker on the lights. Can you stop being such a baby? Tommy asked when he turned around and saw his brother just standing there. Geez, you're such a little dork, he scoffed, before turning on the lights so that Justin could make it down the flight of stairs. Tommy cracked open the mysterious book to read the instructions for the game. Wait, Justin interrupted. You still didn't say what game we're going to play. Tommy chuckled at what his little brother had said. We're going to play a game called Can You See Me, Dear Brother? Now, shut your yapp while I go through the instructions on how to play. Justin hated it when mom and dad left Tommy in charge. All he ever did was scare the living bejesus out of him. They made him wonder what mom and dad would do if they caught them playing this game. Tommy, all those specific could read his brother's mind, looked up from the book and glared directly at his brother. Promise me, you won't tell mom and dad, okay? Okay, Justin said. Don't just tell me okay, Tommy said in a mocking tone. Swear to me, swear to me that you won't tell them about what we're about to do. I swear on my life that I won't tell mom and dad. By the way, where did you get that book? Justin asked before his brother dove back into the instructions. The library duh, he responded with the typical teenage snark that would often get him in trouble with dad. Now can it and let me run through the rules on how to play. Step one, make a pentagram out of rice, then coat it with flour and sprinkle some salt. Tommy ripped open the bags and dipped his hands into the rice and then the flour before spilling the salt. Step two, place an inanimate object within the pentagram. An inanimate object, he whispered beneath his breath. Where can I find an inanimate object? His eyes darted towards Justin or rather what was behind him. Hit me that doll behind you, Tommy demanded. You mean mom's old raggedy Ann? That's the one. The life-sized doll fell into the shape and on the basement floor. Step three, Tommy continued. Summon the demon by calling its name three times and asking, can you see me? The pentagram will turn red and once he arrives run hide. The demon, Justin stuttered aloud. Tommy, I'm scared. It's just getting good. Tommy insisted on reading the rest of the warning. This demon will do anything to win the game. He's a trickster, one that you should be wary of. He's known to disguise his voice to that of the sounds of others. Do not fall for his tricks. Do not come out until after midnight. The game will be over and he'll return to the spirit realm. If he finds you before the clock strikes 12, your soul will be lost to his dimension and he'll slither beneath your skin. Take your place in the human realm while your spirit will be forever trapped amongst the dead. Invoking one of his thousand names shall resurrect the malefic being. Tommy looked back at his brother and feigned concern, widening his eyes and unhinging his jaw. What's the matter, Justin asked? The book. It says you need to summon the spirit, Tommy said. Me? Look, Tommy pointed out. Passing possession of the dilapidated bundle of pages says right here that the name of the ancient being must be recited three times by the voice of an innocent. I still don't understand, Justin replied. Why can't you do it? Tommy patted him on the shoulder and replied, you'll understand when you're older. Whatever that meant. Now, come on, stop wasting time and pick a name to chant three times so we can get this show on the road. But what about the demon and the switching places and the turning red and that nothing's gonna happen? Tommy interrupted. It's just a goof. Just a quick scary game you play with friends, he said. Now stop being such a wet blanket and just call the name of the book already. Justin turned his back to the ritual, closed his eyes and started chanting. Ah, our voxam, can you see me? That's one, Tommy said. Our voxam, can you see me? Two. Our voxam, can you see me? Three. Justin started panting, hyperventilating. Did it work? Don't turn around just yet. Tommy barked, keep your eyes closed. Tommy with a sadistic grin dug into his pockets and fished out a vial of red food coloring, pouring it all over the pentagram to prank his brother. Oh my god, oh my god, he exclaimed. What's wrong? Justin asked with his eyes still shut. Look, the floor is red. Justin took a quick look to see if his brother was telling the truth. Justin bolted upstairs, urgently searching for a place to hide, forcing a wicked, uncontrollable laugh out of his older brother. Tommy was in stitches, falling to the floor in a fit. He couldn't believe that Justin fell for it. Justin, he called out jokingly. No answer. Hey, it was just a prank, he said. You can come out from hiding. Nothing's gonna happen. There's no demon or anything. Upstairs, Justin remained silent, remembering that the book said the demon could alter its voice. Justin set a timer on his watch for 12 a.m. He wasn't gonna come out until after midnight, as the book warned. Justin, did you hear me? Come out and help me clean up this mess before mom and dad come home. Tommy yelled. Nothing. Fine, be that way, dork. Tommy gave up on trying to convince his brother. Checking his phone, he saw that there were only five minutes left until midnight. The game would be over soon. Justin would have to come out eventually. Heading back down into the basement, Tommy dragged a bucket and a mop down the stairs to clean up the mess. That's when he saw it. The pentagram had been smudged, and their mother's raggedy end all was gone. Justin, Tommy called out in fear. Did you take mom's creepy doll? Again, no answer. Suddenly the door shut behind him. The lights went out, and someone started walking down the stairs. Who's there? Justin? This isn't funny. Justin. The footsteps stopped. All was quiet. All was dark. And then, Justin's watch rang out, letting him know it was midnight. We won. We won. Justin cheered and shouted out from his room, popping out from his hiding space. Tommy, we did it. We did it, Tommy. We... Justin stopped, finally acknowledging the deafening silence in the house. To Tommy? I'm down here in the basement. Justin ran to meet his brother. When he saw him, he gave him a great big hug. You were right. I was being a wuss. He was just like hide-and-seek. Tommy stood stiff and silent. Hey, you're really sticky, Justin said. And since when did you get this flabby? Tommy pushed away from his brother and stared down at him menacingly. Tommy? Justin stammered. Tommy's no longer in here, it said. I'm your brother now. Stepping back, Justin ran upstairs in a panic, screaming for his life as this demon wearing his brother's skin slowly followed behind. Not looking where he was going, Justin bumped into his parents as they both slowly slipped through the front door. Hey kiddo, why are you still up? His mom asked. What's wrong, sport? Come on, spit it out. His dad intervened. Just as he was about to talk, Tommy interjected. We just finished watching a scary movie. Isn't that right, Justin? Fake Tommy stood in the doorway from the basement with one hand behind his neck, gripping and pulling the loose skin into place so as to appear somewhat normal. Justin looked into his brother's cold, black, unforgiving eyes and all he could remember was how Tommy made him swear on his life to not say anything about the game. Real Tommy was probably just joking, but something told him that this Tommy would make sure he made good on his promise. Tommy, I told you not to let your brother watch anything spooky before bedtime, their mom complained. She knelt down to Justin's level and played with his hair. Honey, did your big brother scare you? Justin shifted his attention to Tommy and stared him dead in the eyes. If you only knew. I hope you'll join me again soon. From Microterrorz, scary stories for kids.