Page 106 of The Devil We Crave
“Wait!” I blurt. “Are there rules?! Do I have to stay in the fort? Or?—”
“Eight.”
Animal instinct takes over. Before I can lose any more time, I turn, and I fuckingrun.
Screw staying in the fort. I bolt through the archway I entered through, my blood humming in my ears as I plunge into the dark forest.
Branches claw and scratch at me, forcing me to keep my arms up to protect my face. I dart to the right, bursting through a thicket and gasping as I pause for a second to get my bearings.
I doubt there’s going to be a “ready or not, here I come” when he gets to zero.
My pulse skips.
Has hegottento zero? I couldn't hear him, and I have no idea how long I’ve been running.
A twig snaps nearby, making my breath catch loudly and my heart squeeze in my chest as I whip my head to the side.
All I see is darkness.
All I feel is the ominous silence of the forest pressing down all around me.
I have a vague idea that campus is to the left. But if I go that way, it means breaking free of the tree cover and running across open green.
So I dodge right instead, crashing through more branches andmaking way too much noise.
The odd thing is that I willingly came here for exactly this: for him to hunt me, chase me, catch me, and fuck the shit out of me.
And yet now that I’m here, there’s an all-consuming fear of that happening.
I know there’s a word that’ll end it. But it endseverything.
No more games.
No more Achilles pushing me out of my comfort zone and dragging me through my darkest fantasies.
Ticketholders will not be re-admitted.
Knowing that I have this word but might not be able to use it is making this all much more real.
Scarier.
Darker.
More dangerous.
In giving the word so much weight, he's made it no longer a safety net if things get too intense tonight.
It’s a full stop.
And Iknowhe realizes the effect that’ll have on me using it.
Another stick snaps just to my left. I choke on my ragged breath, sweat slicking my back and dizzying panic spinning through my head. I push myself harder, faster, trying to tell myself this is just a game and he won’t really hurt me.
Maybe he will.
He’ll stop if I use my word.
But you don’t know if you'll use it.
