Page 70 of Hell House
“ARE YOU SURE?”
“YES!” I laugh at the faux intensity.
“3,2,1, GO!” He slams his finger down and we’re off. I make my character duck down and army crawl out of the line of fire. The screen is split so I take note of Sloan’s surroundings and map positioning, slowly trekking my way towards his little dot.
His practiced fingers fly over the buttons without hesitation, whereas mine are slow and clumsy. I manage to sneak up behind Sloan’s camo clad character. I make mine jump out and hold her gun up to Sloan’s character.
“Gotcha.” I say, pulling the trigger.
Sloan whips his head in surprise at me, then barks out a laugh. “Oh, you’re a dark one little Skylark, aren’t you?”
I smirk, “I have my moments.”
We play until my hands cramp up and my eyes become heavy with sleep. I rest my head back for a moment, I tell myself, but end up slipping into slumber, my legs tangled with Sloan’s.
CHAPTER FIFTY-NINE
Salem
Istep outside flushed and angry, I take a deep breath, steadying myself and ripping off my mask, letting the sharp air slice across my face. The night air chills my skin almost immediately. This part of the building overlooks the ocean, the veranda is full of mist making it look like someone placed a smoke machine out here. Several clouds linger in the sky, blocking out bits of the moon that are tinged pink, making the sky a hazy red-black. This far out from any major cities, grant us pristine views of the stars on clear nights, but today with the rain clouds still looming, only a few stragglers are able to peek through. I rest my elbows on the stone rail and wonder exactly how long I’m expected to stay here at this stupid ball.
I’d been called worse things in my life, but they’d just stood there.
Laughter filters in mixing with clinking glasses and what sounds suspiciously like an instrumental version ofThe Thong Song. I stay outside until I feel the chill down in my bones.
When I step back inside, I’m determined to swipe some food, make sure the headmaster sees me, and then get back to the house so I can get this night over with as soon as possible. I spot Garrison and Graham huddled around a distinguished group of gentlemen as they converse holding champagne flutes. Garrison is actually holding two flutes on closer inspection. I make sure to smile at them as I pass.
I’m about to grab some sort of cake, crab cake maybe, when I hear a familiar laugh. I turn my hand frozen in midair and see Grandma Clementine laughing with several staff members and Headmaster Hayden.
“Oh there she is!” Her lilting voice says as she gestures widely, champagne flute held high for extra emphasis Grandma is always theatrical.
I fix a smile onto my face and stand up straight. Crab cakes forgotten to my stomach’s great dismay.
“Grandma Clementine! What are you doing here?”
“Pish posh girl. I always come to these things. Now come over here and give me a hug.” She’s wearing a lavender gown, with stars sewn into the fabric. Her mask matches the color of her gown perfectly and has pearls attached to the edges. Her white hair is perfectly coiffed, and she stands arms wide, flute of champagne held aloft in an invitation for me.
I cringe inwardly and brace my senses for an onslaught of garlic cloves that always seems to accompany her wherever she goes, and I find today is no exception. Her doctor told her years ago that she needed to up her intake of garlic and she took that so seriously that the smell creeps out of her pores, no matter what perfume she wears to mask it.
“Let me get a good look at you. Well…” she tsks, “apart from your hair, I’d say you look presentable.”
“Thanks.” I say tightly, fully ready for any barbs she might toss my way. Grandma has a way of cutting you down while you’re stuck with a smile on your face, and you find yourself thanking her for her time.
“Your headmaster here was just telling us about the suspected arson in your room, pickle. Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I didn’t want to be a bother. Besides Headmaster Hayden assures me that they’re doing everything they can to find the real cause of it.” I catch sight of the headmaster’s jowls clenching tight. His gnarled knuckles whiten with how tight he’s gripping his wine goblet. As he takes a sip, I see the red stain on his teeth that the wine has left behind. It’s jarring how closely it resembles blood, giving him a more sinister quality as he glares at me from beneath his plain black mask.
“Well, he better. I don’t donate good money to this place for my granddaughter to be stuck in the Hell House of all places with a bunch of frat boy hooligans.” The people around us titter, and I feel a pit open in my stomach. I desperately want to get out of here. I let her carry on for a few moments more before making excuses to extricate myself. I give her a hug, promising to call her soon and apologize for not telling her about the fire.
I weave through the throngs of people who are substantially more intoxicated than when I first arrived, several swaying against each other as music continues playing. I spot Walker, Pierce and Lukas talking in a group with the girls who were making fun of me in the bathroom when I first got here. I let out a frustrated breath. I’ve officially had enough of this night. I hurry my steps to the door, my feet feel like they’ve grown two sizes and I’m already picturing how good it will feel to soak them when I get back to the house.
I make the trek back to the house with several revealers prancing around the front building. I step through the wrought iron gate that leads to the path back to Hell House. A small shiver wracks through my body as I step though, and I wish I had a jacket or at least a change of shoes as I hobble down the uneven well-worn path. I get lost in my thoughts, replaying the night. As I get deeper in the woods, I get the feeling that I’m no longer alone. The hairs on the back of my neck stand on edge as a shiver runs down my spine. I glance over my shoulder and scan the path, my eyes not seeing anything. I keep walking chalking it up to one too many horror movies. Plus, just being a girl alone in the worlds sometimes felt like you had to have a heightened sense of alertness. The blood moon is raised in the sky, making the surrounding clouds look like they’d been dripped in red paint. It’s creepy as hell.
I continue down the path, only a few minutes from reaching the house. I was going slower than normal due to my feet feeling like I was stepping on knives with each footfall. The sound of gravel being trod upon reaches my ears, but it sounds like it’s coming from behind me. My skin tingles again with something other than the chilly air. I glance around, still not seeing anything, but I decide to pick up my pace as best I can. I curse myself for not bringing my phone with.
The wind picks up sounding more like a high-pitched scream than your average gust of wind.
I keep my guard up, but when I’m maybe a minute away from the house I feel hot breath nipping at my neck and a feeling of claws scraping up my back has a scream flying from my mouth. I swirl around, eyes wide, hands ready to gouge out some eyeballs, but no one is there. I hear a deep chuckle. What the fuck was that?
