On Sunday I joined my family at Chuck E. Cheese to celebrate my niece's second birthday. It was the first time my girlfriend Lucy would get to spend time with my extended family and I was both excited and nervous. That feeling, combined with the flashing lights, loud noises and twitching robotic mouse made me quite uneasy at first, but at soon as I got used to the environment I had an excellent time. Lucy and I played skeeball and basketball, we met Chuck in person, and I spent some time on stage testing out their blue screen.

But about three quarters though the party Lucy grabbed me and asked if I heard crying.

"no." I replied.

But as I strained my ears a little harder I noticed the slightest whimpering coming from what seemed to be the ceiling. I looked up and realized that It wasn't the ceiling at all, but a two story indoor playground, and inside it, jammed into one of the sewer like tubes, was a little boy.

"Little boy, why are you crying?" I asked him through the plastic tubing

"I'm quite stuck sir, And I do believe that I'm running out of air!"

"Oh dear, you must help him Michael, you absolutely must." Lucy said

"Ah well, how could I possibly say no to someone as beautiful as you." I replied.

Examining the structure I realized that the complex interweaving of tubing had an opening on the ground floor. Carefully removing my shoes I approached the structure, but before I reached the entrance a young employee yelled.

"You sir! You are much to large to even entertain the idea of entering our playground!"

"I have not a choice!" I replied "A young boy is suffocating as we speak!"

"You don't understand!" he shouted "your weight alone would damage the structures support system! I don't know how long it would hold with you inside it!"

"How much air is left?"

"About five minutes."

"Then that's how long I've got!"

I threw my shoes in his direction and didn't look back as I raced towards the opening, but as I ran I swear I could hear that you employee say,

"Godspeed you beautiful beautiful man!"

As I turned the first corner the noise from the excitement outside dimmed and I felt my first twinge of loneliness. I thought of the concern for the boy on Lucy's face and it gave me strength. I entered the first room.

The employee was right. This place was not built for a man of my stature. the ceiling was barley four feet high and the walls were covered in all sorts of rudimentary puzzles and fixtures. I noticed on the wall a wheel like the kind you see on a car. I hoped that it would open some sort of air vent but as I spun it nothing seemed to happen. The wheel had absolutely no purpose!

"What kind of mad man built this place!" I muttered to myself.

I noticed a tube that seemed to lead to the second floor but as I reached the apex I noticed that the room at the top was pitch black.

"Little boy! Little boy are you there!" I spoke cautiously as I felt my way through the room

"Yes. Yes I'm here. Come to me!"

I froze, For that was not the voice of Little boy at all. It sounded older. Much older. With a sinister hiss and rasp behind each word that chilled me to my core. I felt something brush against my calf. I crawled as fast as I could not taking the time to feel what was in front of me.

"Come to me Michael! Come to me!"

It was yelling now, and as its voice grew in volume it also grew in pitch until Its high squeal pierced my very soul.

"You will stay with me! They all do in the end! In the end they all end up with me Michael!"

It was behind me now and the anger on it's voice was great, but my eyes caught a glimpse of light ahead of me.

"It may not be your time yet! But we will meet again!" it's voice hushed to a whisper "I will see you... In the end..."

The voice faded away into quiet laughter as I made my way into the light of this new corridor. As my eyes adjusted they immediately focused on something that made my heart leap. There he was, clutching his ankle, the little boy.

"Little boy!" I exclaimed. " I've found you!"

"That you have sir! My ankle seems to have twisted in some way which god had not intended it to and I find it quite useless. After taking such a perilous journey I hesitate to ask, but..."

"Say no more lad" I said with sympathetic eyes. "I didn't make this trek just to see you suffer. Take hold of my back!"

As the young man grabbed on I looked out the spherical window with which he got my attention in the first place and saw Lucy so far below. I smiled and waved and in my heart longed to be with her again, until I realized that she didn't share my look of distant love at all. Instead, hers was a face of terror and I suddenly realized why. The ground beneath me shook and the little boy grabbed on tighter.

"What's happening!" He shouted

"I thought this might happen!" I sighed as the whole structure seemed to buckle.

But then I noticed through the window the young man who cautioned me before I entered the labyrinth. He was wildly pointing to his left. I looked, and in the corner of the room there was a tube that seemed to lead straight down to the first floor.

"Hang on kid!"

"I've got a bad feeling about this!" he said as I quickly made my way to the slide.

The structure was teetering more and more as I threw myself face first into the unknown. With the boy on my back we made twist after turn gaining speed. We were going too fast. Even if we did make it to the exit in time there was nothing that could stop the inevitable impact at the end of this terrible ride. But then we both saw it.

We flew towards the exit at incredible speed but my worry about the impact was no more. For waiting at the end of the slide was the patriarch of this wonderful institution. The one being who had the strength and build to catch us safely at such a terrible speed. Chuck E. Cheese himself! The boy released himself from my back in mid flight and with a thunderous "Poof" we impacted, sending all three of us to the ground.

With a great crash, the structure collapsed behind us and the entire establishment filled with dust. As it slowly settled I noticed the noise of the arcade had died down. I no longer heard the sound of dozens of games being played by celebrating children, but the sound of hushed anticipation as everyone gathered round to see what emerged from the dust and debris.

Silence turned into thunderous applause as Chuck led the way with the boy on his shoulder. All of us were encircled by the cheering crowd, but while the rodent and the boy seemed to enjoy it, it only made my mission harder. I strained to find my target and finally saw her in the back of the room, calmly sitting at a booth with a smile she only reserved for the happiest of occasions. Lucy slowly raised her hand and casually gave a thumbs up as a single tear strode down her face. I returned her gesture in kind as I was consumed by the crowd.

"God bless us!" I shouted "God bless Chuck E. Cheese!"