Page 18 of Misery Manor

“What’s gotten into you?” Jamal asks, astonished. “You’ve never acted like this before.”

Aliyah grabs my hand and squeezes. I squeeze back and run my thumb along her knuckles.

“Am I ruining your plans, Jamal?” she asks again coldly. “You’re just so desperate for money that you would kill an innocent person?”

He exhales heavily, knowing that what she’s saying is true.

I grab my scythe and run the blade along Megan’s shoulder. She squeals and jumps behind Jamal.

“I think it’s time for a little fun, boys and girls.”

CHAPTER 12

ALIYAH

Watching Jamal and Megan fight and struggle against Gavin’s grip makes me realize just how small they truly are. They’ve torn me down so much, made me feel so bad about myself that I’m not sure how I’ll be able to recover after tonight, but right now I’m thoroughly enjoying watching them squirm.

“Aliyah, please,” Jamal begs pathetically. He digs his fingers into Gavin’s thick wrist but he doesn’t even seem to notice.

Not so tough now, are you?

And to think, this is the man I let physically and emotionally abuse me for years.

I keep quiet as I follow Gavin down into the basement. Nerves make my stomach twist and turn all kinds of ways because I have no idea what I’m about to walk into. When we first got here, the man in the red mask said not to go into the basement, and I’d honestly forgotten about it until Gavin said he’d be taking all of us down there. Now I’m scared of what I’ll see.

Are my missing “friends” down here? Are they hurt?

Or maybe they’re already dead.

I’m surprised by my indifference to that thought.

They were so willing to let me die, willing to let the crazy people in this mansion do whatever they wanted to me without a second thought.

And for some money, too. They’re going to get what’s coming to them.

When we finally reach the bottom of the long, torch-lit staircase, Gavin steps aside.

“The key is up there.”

I follow his gaze to where a thick black key hangs from a rusty nail in the wall. With shaking hands, I insert it into the lock and turn; the loud click rings in my ears like a death knell.

The metal door is cold beneath my fingers and extremely heavy as I use all my strength to push it open. Stale air hits me right in the face, making me want to gag, but I keep my composure as Gavin drags Jamal and Megan into the basement. How he manages to hold on to both of them at once without struggle, I’m not sure, but his display of strength and control makes my stomach flutter.

Unlike the rest of the mansion, this space is lit by long rows of harsh fluorescent lights that stretch from one wall to the other, and the thick tan carpet has stains in various shades of bright red, deep brown, and nearly black that I can only assume are blood.

I swallow down the unease building up inside me.

Devil Man’s words from earlier replay in my head… “Enjoy your stay at Misery Manor. And please, don’t go into the basement.”

I guess this is why.

“Let us go!” Megan shrieks, breaking me from my thoughts.

“Shut up,” Gavin grunts as he tosses her and Jamal into a metal cage and locks them in. The cage sits in the middle of the basement next to a large black cube that I can only assume is another cage underneath a sheet.

I shiver as I watch Gavin uncover the cage, then subsequently gasp in horror at what he uncovers.

Anya, Tyler, Ronnie, and Cherise are lying brokenly next to one another. They’re all unconscious and rivers of dried, crusted blood trail from cuts and gashes down to the still-wet pools beneath them. Anya and Cherise’s shallow breaths let me know they’re still alive and Tyler shivers violently in his sleep; I wonder if he’s gone into shock. Ronnie is the only one that seems alert enough to register what’s happening.