The Voice in the Arcade

March 24, 2026

by Carissa

1 min read

Story Premise 1 min read (151 words)

"When I was fifteen, I spent my afternoons with a group of kids everyone else avoided. They were known as the troublemakers, but I didn’t mind. We shared sodas and laughed a lot, and that was enough for me. I lived with my dad above a laundromat, right next to a noisy arcade. That was […]"

When I was fifteen, I spent my afternoons with a group of kids everyone else avoided. They were known as the troublemakers, but I didn’t mind. We shared sodas and laughed a lot, and that was enough for me.

I lived with my dad above a laundromat, right next to a noisy arcade. That was our usual spot to meet before heading out. One evening, as we were getting ready to leave, I ducked into the arcade’s restroom.

The room was quiet, with several stalls. I chose one and closed the door. Suddenly, a low, gravelly voice from the next stall said, ‘I see you.’

My blood ran cold. I was frozen in place. After a moment, I gathered my courage and bent down to look under the divider. All I could see was a pair of ordinary sneakers. They looked completely normal, but I knew what I had heard.

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