“She’s at the Passage!” Troy calls from somewhere about thirty seconds behind me.
I turn and pad across the grass as their footsteps race toward me. The next instant, they fly past to charge the mesh gate as I disappear into the dark recesses beyond the Passage. At least, I assume I’m in darkness, rather than a world of bright green. Todd leads the way, his bow still out. He kicks the gate open and hurries to the poolside, his arrow scanning the waters.
“Look,” Troy says, bending down at the edge of the pool. “Ripples in the water. She dove in, man. She’s hiding down there, holding her breath.”
“Sweet. Let’s see how long she lasts,” Todd sneers.
I creep away slowly. Around the lifeguard’s supply shed, out of their line of sight. Then I steal across the grass to return to the Snack Shacks and the Whirlwind.
“Come on, Riva!”
I freeze.
Footsteps pound across the main road. Between two shacks, I see Ja’Mara’s six-foot frame lope by, her sprout of hair unmistakable as she smacks her gum. A second later, Riva charges past like an enraged bull, a switchblade gleaming from her fist as she runs. She’s shorter than Ja'Mara, but what she lacks in size, she makes up for with snarling teeth.
I finally remember to breathe, once they run by. How could Riva travel all the way from Virginia just to hunt me down? I didn’t do anything wrong. Why are they all chasing me?
I shake off my pointless questions and order myself to focus. Find your car keys, Amy, and get out. Now.
I hurry for the Whirlwind, ducking between Snack Shacks, listening for any new footsteps. No one comes. Thank God.
“Well done, Amy.”
I nearly cry out at the deep voice in my headset. I want to strangle Gunther.
“As you’ve discovered, all the Stalkers have iPad maps like yours, to let them know where you are. But don’t panic. It only flashes for a few seconds at the top of the hour. Wouldn’t be fair if they could follow you on the map all night long. Of course, I can see you on the camera monitors. Being the Gamemaster has certain advantages. Can’t see everything, but the moon sure helps. The others won’t get a fix on you again until eleven o’clock. I suggest you collect all the items you can before then.”
I’m half-relieved, halfterrified. He’s right. That does give me a chance. A chance to survive, nearly equal to everyone else’s chances to kill me.
“You’ve almost reached your first item. Good luck, Amy.”
He’s gone, but his booming voice can thunder in my ear whenever he chooses to harass me again. Why is he helping me? Why set up this twisted game to give me a chance to beat him instead of kidnapping me while I was unconscious? Does he need to prove he’s smarter than me? Than everyone?
What does it matter? No point in reasoning it out when the clock is ticking. I’d love to curl up in a ball with my hands over my head and wake up from this nightmare, but I can’t. All I can do is recover my keys and escape this madhouse before it swallows me up.
The Whirlwind lies directly ahead. I glance at either side of the road, seeing no one, then stride toward it fast. At the door, I glance over my shoulder once more before entering. I crack the door open slowly to lessen its metal creak, then slip inside.
The circular room must be pitch black, though I see it all clearly. Straight across from the door, a white rectangular sign with dark lettering is posted against the wall. It reads, Den.
I close the door quietly behind me and hurry toward it. But why does this seem way too easy?
The lights stab on with a blinding pain. I gasp, squeezing my eyes shut, working to keep my balance in the center of the room.
“Does this help?” Gunther asks in my ear.
I flip the goggles up on top of my head as angry lights swirl in front of me. I double over, eyes stinging. He set me up again, letting me get comfortable with the night vision so he could blind me here. I blink rapidly to adjust my vision. He knows he’s rattling me, but I won’t give him the satisfaction of breaking me. Not now or ever.
Lights still swim and sparkle all around me. I breathe through my mouth, starting to read the sign on the opposite wall again, though the letters that spell Den now double and triple in my vision.
I stumble toward the sign and yank it down. It’s an envelope. I flip it over, blinking faster as I peel it open and remove the item inside.
It’s my wallet. My empty leather wallet. I grind my teeth.
“You need something to carry your credit card and license in, don’t you?” Gunther mocks.
Something thuds against the metal walls. I squint at the door as a crossbar slides across it and locks tight. I run at it, losing my balance as the room starts to slowly spin. I fall sideways onto the floor, thankful I didn’t slam my head on a wall.
The room keeps spinning.
“Attention, Stalkers!” Gunther announces in my headset. “Just a reminder, I’ll be activating some of the rides at random every now and then, to make things a little more interesting. And the rides won’t all be as safe tonight, so be careful not to get caught in one. You might not get back out.”
No. This was all a trap.
“That was for everyone else’s ears, Amy. I don’t want them to discover where you are. Not that it matters, since I’ve just won.”
I struggle to stand. The room spins faster. Careful to keep my balance, I jog to the door and lunge at the crossbar, nearly falling onto it, then grip it with both arms to lift. It won’t budge.
“Nice try, Amy. I figured you’d want to show me how strong you are. But I’m keeping the door locked.”
I hold onto the crossbar for support and look up. Two more camera spheres look down on me from the ceiling, letting Gunther enjoy my predicament.
This was his entire plan. He had to challenge the other Stalkers for some reason, but he used the music and
announcements to distract them while he cornered me like a mouse. Like a murderer turning up the radio to drown out his victim’s screams.
“I’ve adjusted the settings for all the rides, Amy, to move a little faster and turn a little harder. Or in this case, a lot harder. Once you pass out, my partner will collect you and deliver you to me. Then I’ll announce my victory and inform everyone I’ve claimed my prize.”
I grip the crossbar as the room spins faster.
Faster.
There’s only one way in or out of this metal cylinder, and Gunther’s locked it tight. My favorite ride just became a deathtrap.
“I suggest you stow any loose items, Amy. You’re in for a wild ride.”
She was grateful to get into Gameland. Now she’s desperate to get back out.
Amy Raven insists she’s innocent. She never saw the steroids until her coach found them in Amy’s locker. Expelled and friendless, she takes a dead end job at Grater Gameland, an abandoned theme park that’s preparing to make a comeback.
But Gunther Grater’s not interested in re -opening his father’s park. He only wants to use it to trap Amy for himself. And he’s enlisted nine other gamers to compete in a deadly hunt to track her down.
Given a pair of night vision goggles and a hunting knife, Amy finds herself fighting an onslaught of predators, each with their own deranged plans for her. To survive, she must outwit, outmaneuver, and outrun each one of them. But how can she escape when even the rides are rigged against her?
The only way out is through.
Come Along for the Ride.
Disfigured in childhood by a bizarre talking wolf, teenage Helena Basque discovers an army of such wolves threatening her French village. When no one else takes action, Helena dons the red hood and cloak she was forbidden to wear as a child, then arms herself with a repeating crossbow to wage a private war against the monsters, refusing to stop or slow down until she destroys every last one of them. Whatever it costs.
ADVENTURE TAKES FLIGHT
Missionary flier Jack Benjamin braves crocodile-infested streams, savage warriors, and diabolical deathtraps to rescue h
is danger-prone fiancée, Amanda, from Imperial German forces. With his modified Avro 504 biplane and his Maasai warrior friend, Mayani, he races to protect the mysterious Solomon Ring, hidden within a secret chamber of Mount Kilimanjaro and rumored to bestow King Solomon’s wisdom on anyone who wears it. Can he arrive in time to save Amanda and stop the Germans from using the Solomon Ring to conquer all of Africa?
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