What the hell was going on?
At some point, Essie had completely frozen up. She refused to budge.
“Come on, we have to keep going,” I tried to coax her. We had come this far, we couldn’t give up now. “We only have a little bit left to go,” I said, even though I had no idea if that was true or not.
“I can’t…” She shook her head, her blond curls bouncing around her shoulders. “I can’t do it. I just want to go home.”
“Essie, I know this is scary, but we will get out of this. I promise. I just need you to stay strong for me for a little while longer, okay?” I wanted to hold her in my arms and comfort her, but given the situation we were in, that was impossible. I needed her to keep going. It was the only way.
She took a deep breath and slowly continued her descent.
Finally, we reached the bottom. Somehow, we were in the basement. All of our old things were stacked against the walls.
Chris held his phone over his head.
“Why would we be taken down here?” I wondered aloud.
“Maybe some axe murderer is about to pop out of the shadows and kill us all,” Ebony snickered.
“Ebony! This isn’t funny.” Essie nearly lost it. She was shaking so hard that I had to hold her tight. It felt like if I didn’t, she would crumble to pieces.
“Don’t listen to her,” I murmured into her hair, kissing the top of her head.
“Come on.” Chris started forward, lighting the way. We followed him, approaching a loud grinding noise.
A part of me wanted to rush up the ladders and run far, far away but at the same time, I had an obligation to protect Essie. I had gotten her into this mess and now I was going to get her out of it, even if I had to give up my life to do it.
When we rounded a corner, we saw a light at the end of the room. It swung back and forth from its wire, sending its light circling around in a pendulum.
Another one of Poe’s stories. The only one I had fully read.
Could this be the finale of this horrible game?
Chapter 19
ESSIE
I clung onto Allen for dear life. I was terrified. I had never been this scared in my entire life. My heart was hammering so loudly that I could barely hear anything. My ears echoed with the sound of it.
No one dared to approach the light.
The grinding noise had ceased.
All was quiet.
Too quiet.
Ebony was the first to step forward, still skeptical that there was really something going on.
When she stepped into the light, her skin seemed to sparkle. Her black hair glistened. In that moment, it almost seemed silly to think that something bad would happen to her.
But suddenly, a figure dressed all in black appeared right behind her.
“Ebony!” I screamed. “Behind you! Watch out!” I wanted to run out and push her out of harm’s way but my feet were bolted to the ground. I couldn’t move.
All I could do was watch in horror as the figure loomed closer and closer.
Why wouldn’t she just get out of the way?
“What are you talking about?” She looked over her shoulder. Her eyes grew wide as she came face to face with the specter. Her mouth opened in a silent scream.
Chris moved into action. He grabbed her by the waist. “Run!” he shouted, already carrying Ebony in his arms.
Allen picked me up next, holding me across his chest in a fireman’s carry.
It was hard to focus as I bounced around in his arms. My head felt like it was going to snap off my neck.
“He’s gaining on us!” I screamed in fright, seeing the black shadow rushing right toward us.
In his hand, something caught the light, reflecting off the surface.
An… axe…
My heart felt like it was going to beat out of my chest. This couldn’t be real. This sort of thing only happened in the movies. This had to be a nightmare or something.
Holding me with one arm for a second, Allen used his other to knock over a stack of boxes, trying to buy us some time.
“Where the fuck did the ladder go?” Chris looked around frantically.
“We don’t have time to look for it. We just have to find another way to get out of here,” Allen said quickly, sprinting forward, still holding me tight in his arms.
I didn’t know how he was managing to run and carry me at the same time but I was grateful he was. My whole body felt like it was made of jelly.
“I’m going to get us out of this. I’m going to get us out of this. I promise,” he started to rant, his eyes moving back and forth, looking for a much-needed exit.
I wanted to do something to help, but there was nothing I could do.
The specter was catching up with us.
“Fuck…” Allen grumbled, dancing on his feet, all his nervous energy making it impossible for him to keep still.
“What is it?” I asked, panic rising in my voice. “What’s wrong?”
“We reached a dead end.”
“What do you mean we reached a dead end?” My throat was closing up. I was breathing through a straw at this point.
This couldn’t be happening. This couldn’t be happening.
“It’s okay. We are going to make it through this. I swear.” We were backed up against a wall. Chris and Ebony were right by our side.
The black figure moved closer and closer.
He stopped, just standing in front of us for a moment. His head cocked to the side, a flash of teeth shining through the darkness.
Allen squeezed my body before he put me down. His hands clenched into fists.
“You aren’t really going to fight that monster, are you?”
“Listen, when I do, I want you and your sister to run. Find an exit. Don’t look back. Do you hear me?”
“Are you crazy? I’m not leaving you here with this… thing.” I shook my head, my eyes already filling with tears. This was suicide.
“We have no time to argue. Do this. Do this for me.” He took my face in mine and gave me a quick emotion-filled kiss. It felt like the last time I would ever get to kiss those sweet lips of his. I lingered a little longer, too scared to say goodbye.
Chris stepped up, standing by his brother.
They were prepared to give up their lives for us…
The figure grinned deeper, bringing up his axe, adjusting his grip.
Chris and Allen looked at each other, their heads nodding ever so slightly.
Suddenly, they ran forward, attacking the figure in perfect sync.
He just seemed to disappear.
Ebony grabbed my hand, pulling me in the opposite direction.
My body was working on autopilot, propelling me forward as fast as possible. I looked back to find the two men looking around, trying to find the figure.
But, it was already too late.
I rammed into him full force, falling to the ground. The air rushed out of my lungs as I looked up at his horrifying half mask, like the ones used by witch doctors in ages past. The long, protruding nose looked like a dagger.
Quickly, I crawled backward, trying to get back on my feet, but his axe was already in the air.
Swish!
Chapter 20
ALLEN
I watched in horror as the figure swung his axe at Essie. My reflexes didn’t kick in until it was too late. I ran forward but the axe was already headed right for her neck.
The world came to a grinding halt.
My heart tightened, thinking I was about to lose the one woman I had truly felt a connection with.
No, this couldn’t be happening.
Just as I reached her, the axe made contact.
Squeak!
I stopped.
What?
The figure continued to madly hack into the side of Essie’s neck and each time it squeaked like a dog toy.
Essie didn’t even move. She was as shocked as I
was.
What the hell was going on?
Chapter 21
ESSIE
I stared up at the black figure, trying to wrap my head around what had just happened.
How was I still alive? Why did his axe squeak like that?
Everything was silent.
My thoughts screamed for an explanation.
What was going on?
Suddenly, a deep, rumbling laugh emerged. The figure tilted his head back, holding a hand to his stomach. The laugh grew louder and louder until he was hunched over.
Quickly, I scrambled to my feet, edging away.
Allen folded me into his embrace, holding me close as we watched the man double over. He almost looked like he was in pain.
His laughs grew hysterical. His knees buckled as he fell to the ground rolling around. “Oh, God, I can’t believe you guys actually fell for it…” His voice was ragged and shaky. “The look on your faces… oh… it was too good…” He wiped a tear from his eye, finally revealing who he truly was.
“Kirk!”
Allen’s features hardened. Now that the threat was eliminated, he marched forward, grabbing his friend by the collar and hoisting him to his feet. “What the hell is wrong with you? You scared us all half to death!” he growled, his face growing red with anger. “I should kill you for all this.”
Kirk grinned. “Kill me? After I pulled off the best Halloween prank of the century? I’d die a happy man.”
Allen tightened his grip, nearly choking him. “I asked you to come up with a game for the party… not some stupid prank.”
Besides us, Ebony started to giggle. She had her hand over her mouth, trying to stifle it. Chris started to chuckle as well. As soon as the two of them looked at each other, they burst out laughing.
“I don’t think this is very funny…” I remarked, angry that I was the butt of the joke. “I could have gotten hurt.”
“Hurt?” Kirk got down and grabbed his axe. It was one of those inflatable toys for kids. It couldn’t have hurt a fly.
“But… it looked so real… and that grinding sound… I thought…”
“The imagination is a powerful thing.” Kirk winked. “But, really, I shouldn’t be taking all the credit. The real mastermind behind this whole thing was Gretchen.”
“So, where is she now?” Allen demanded.
“I’m not sure… she was supposed to be down here but I guess she got caught up doing some other things.” He shrugged. “You overwork that woman, you know.”
“Well, I hope she’s ready for some free time because she won’t be working for me again.”
Chris grabbed his brother by the arm before he could storm off. “You can’t fire her. She’s been nothing but a phenomenal worker. You know that. Don’t make any rash decisions just because you’re bitter that she managed to fool you.”
Allen harshly shrugged him off. “I don’t want to hear it. She has some explaining to do.”
“It’s Halloween. She wanted to scare you. What more do you want from her?” Ebony chimed in.
“This has nothing to do with you,” Allen snapped. It was clear to see that his temper was rising. His cheeks were crimson and he could no longer stand still.
“I’ll go with you. We can talk to her together,” I suggested, hoping that I would be able to calm him down a bit.
He nodded.
Together, we made our way out of the basement. I tried the door to the purple room but it was still locked. “Uh…”
Kirk waltzed up to me, holding a key ring. There were exactly seven keys, each of them color coded.
“Did you have keys to the doors this whole time?” Allen asked through gritted teeth. “Because so help me… I will find a real axe and –”
“Off with his head!” Ebony interjected, randomly getting into character. I couldn’t tell if she was enjoying our plight or if she had become tipsy at some point during the night. She had definitely loosened up and somehow, that was way more annoying than her usual manner.
“Perhaps. Gretchen told me I had to act like I didn’t.”
Allen ground his teeth together. “I don’t understand why she was so interested in helping out this year. Usually, she keeps her distance…”
“Now that you mention it…” Chris rubbed his chin in contemplation. “It is rather strange, isn’t it?”
“See what I mean? I’m not crazy. Something fishy is going on and I’m going to get to the bottom of it.”
“Okay, Detective Sherlock,” Ebony snickered.
“What the hell is wrong with you?” I snapped, growing irritated with her remarks.
“Chris might have liquored me up in the library,” she giggled, leaning on him heavily.
“What did you do? Give her the whole bottle?” I asked him, narrowing my eyes.
“She seemed fine,” he shrugged in innocence.
I shook my head. My sister was one of those people who could hold their alcohol down for the first hour or so but then it would hit her all at once, and she was a horrible drunk. “Just make sure she doesn’t do anything stupid while we find Gretchen.”
He nodded, guiding her back to his room. Had he been anyone else, I probably would have feared he was going to take advantage of her, but I already knew Chris was too scholarly and polite to do such a thing. He would probably just put her to bed or something.
“Where do you think you’re going?” Allen called out when he saw Kirk tiptoe down the hall. “Don’t think you’re getting out of this unscathed.”
“Aww, man.” He hung his head and sighed. “Fine, what’s my punishment?”
“I want you to get everyone out of this house. Don’t worry about clean up. I just want everyone out. Party’s over.”
Kirk frowned. “Seriously? Are you that mad that I pulled a little prank on you?”
“Little?” He stepped forward, squaring off the Joker. “I thought you were going to kill my girlfriend and that’s one thing you don’t do. Got it?”
“Jeez… You’ve only known her for a few hours.”
“Doesn’t matter,” he mumbled under his breath. “Now scram.”
Kirk dragged his feet but he eventually disappeared into the elevator, leaving us alone.
Allen turned, avoiding my gaze.
“Did you mean that?” I asked, grabbing him by the arm so he couldn’t walk away.
“What?” He stopped, still refusing to look at me. I noticed that his cheeks were inflamed with blush.
“That I was your girlfriend…”
He sighed.
My heart sunk. So, it had been a mistake after all. I frowned, the weight of rejection heavy on my heart. For a split second, I had been hoping that maybe, just maybe, our relationship would be able to span for more than just a night. I wanted this man to stay with me through Thanksgiving… Christmas… Valentine’s Day. Forever.
It didn’t make sense, of course. I didn’t know a thing about him. He didn’t know a thing about me. And yet, there was this feeling in my chest that yearned for him – that told me that my life just wouldn’t be complete without him.
“I shouldn’t have said that… I’m sorry.”
My heart sunk even deeper, pooling by my feet.
“But…”
I looked up, tilting my head in question.
“But?” I prompted, my voice a breathless whisper, tinged with hope. It was foolish for me to cling onto it but I just couldn’t help myself.
“But… I meant what I said. If it was up to me, you’d be my girlfriend…”
I blushed deeply, my heart soaring up to the sky with glee. Before I knew what I was doing, I pushed him against the wall and kissed him.
Our lips danced together, like two lovers reuniting after a long departure. They shared everything we could not express in words.
Allen held me tight, his arms wrapping around my body, pulling me closer. Our torsos locked together like magnets as the kiss intensified.
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