The Haunted Playground

By: Rahim Mason 

     Believe it or not, there’s a place somewhere nearby, a place that has been fueled by the tears of kids for decades. What place is it you ask? Look no further than The Haunted Playground.

     To the kids who don’t get enough of playing, this is less of a story and more of a warning. A warning that the Forever Kids unfortunately didn’t take heed of. It’s a tale old as time, and no kid has ever escaped the terrible clutches of this horrifying place. The sheer dread of this playground of purgatory is enough to make any adult shudder, at the fate of these kids.

     A certain kid comes to mind, Johnny on the seesaw. Little Johnny was a fun loving kid like any other, and that regrettably nearly led him to a forever of ups and downs. On this particular day, a cool, brisk breeze lingered with a certain November chill. It was just breezy enough for Little Johnny’s favorite matching hoodie and hat. But what did he love more than anything, the seesaw. From the “see” side, he could see so far past the playground and high in the sky. It made him feel like he could fly, he loved it so much. So much so, that when his parents were ready to head home he begged them to stay longer.

     “But Mommy I’m not ready to leave, Daddy I’m having so much fun. Can we stay this much longer,” as he holds his fingers maybe an inch and a half apart, “Just this much longer?”

     Johnny wasn’t aware of the power of the playground and what was to come, he never could’ve been prepared. His continuous ups and downs on the beloved seesaw had already set in motion the haunt of the playground’s Forever Kids.

     “Come on John baby, it’s not that cold,” says Little Johnny’s mom to his dad. The little fun seeker is brimming with anxious energy while awaiting an answer. 

     Dad responds “Now Lovebug, Johnny hasn't been a good listener. You really think we should let him play more?”

     By Little Johnny begging his parents and only wanting to play play play, he unknowingly activated the Forever Curse. And the first to be affected, Little Johnny’s mom and dad.

     “Yes babe, I know he hasn’t been a good listener, but you know Johnny loves the seesaw. A little more time won’t hurt, we still have plenty of time before the game starts hun’,” she cuts her eyes at Dad, “Right babe?” With that said Little Johnny made a mad dash back to his favorite attraction. 

     “Alright Jess, you know I don’t like when you bring my sports into things, but you got this one,” Dad says with a smile and a wink, then shouts to Little Johnny from afar “Hey bud, your mom got you an extra fifteen minutes.”

     As quick as Dad had agreed to more time, Little Johnny learned even quicker that he was no longer alone on the seesaw.

     “Hey Little Johnny, I’m Forever Timmy. My friends around the playground tell me you love to play play play,” says Timmy of the Forever Kids.

     “Hi Forever Timmy. How’d you know my name? I do love to play play play, but I don’t see anyone else around, who told you? What kinda name is Forever Timmy?” Little Johnny had several curiosities, but what mattered now is that Little Johnny now has a friend to see what he saw while seeing, on the seesaw.

     “You ask a lot of questions, let’s just play. Playing is more fun than questions Johnny, let’s play play play,” Little Johnny didn’t notice how Forever Timmy sidestepped answering the questions and the boys began to play.

     As the boys play play play, the forever magic is steadily growing stronger and stronger. With the laughter and cheer fueling the haunt, other unexplainable things began happening. This caught Little Johnny's attention.

     “Hey Forever Timmy, the swings are swinging,” Johnny says curiously.

     “That’s just Forever Ben, he loves the swings,” says Forever Timmy. 

     “Well, what about over there? I hear laughter over near the jungle gym,” Little Johnny slowly became more intrigued. 

     “That’s just the Forever Jungled Kids, they all loved the jungle gym,” says Timmy nonchalantly, “Wanna go over? It’s a nice view from the top, if you can make it.”

     Feeling challenged and wildly ready for more fun, he answers the challenge with a loud and confident “Race you to the top!” 

     Little Johnny then hops off the seesaw and begins his mad dash across the playground, every footstep further charging the magic.       Forever Timmy calls out “You can’t beat me, I’m a Forever Kid!” Then he disappears into thin air.

     When Little Johnny looked back for Timmy’s closeness, he was shocked not to see his newfound friend nowhere behind him. But he kept running, and just as he was closing in on the jungle gym, “Time to go, John Junior. I won’t say it twice.” Dad meant business at this point. Forever Timmy suddenly appears on top of the jungle gym with all the Forever Kids inside. 

     Forever Timmy yells down “Come on! Let’s play!”

     The Forever Jungled Kids began chanting “Play! Play! Play!” The chant was coming from all around the Haunted Playground, “Play! Play! Play!” Little Johnny’s pulse now intensifying the playground haunt, you could almost swear the wood chips of the playground were laughing a laugh that sounded like children at play. 

     Honk! Dad is by the car and that was the warning honk, there’s nothing mom can say to dad’s final warning.

     “Sorry guys, I gotta go! But I’ll be back,” says Little Johnny as he slowly headed to the car, and just as his feet touched the pavement everything on and in the Haunted Playground let out a loud rumbling, moaning, growl “NO!!!”