Because of that, it’s dark inside ... which is why production rented it.
The lighting always made it look like nighttime.
On cue, the sunlight begins to fade, becoming sporadic streaks through the trees until it becomes night. But not real night—the kind of set with movie lighting. It’s on and illuminating our way.
What the fuck.
The tension inside the car is so thick you’d need a chainsaw to get through it.
“We just need to focus and keep our eye on the prize,” Noah says, feeling it, too, as we pull onto the set.
I look down, noticing my hands slightly trembling, so I make fists and flex them. No way. I will not panic. I will not lose it.
“I know it said no cops, but ...” he adds, my sister and I jumping on him at the same time.
“No!”
He holds up a hand just as we begin to drive through the middle of the camp.
“Oh god,” Goldie whispers. “I never wanted to come here. I avoided it at all costs.”
I can’t help myself. I’m looking out the window. A weird array of mixed memories begins popping up, some from when I was working and others from real life.
My tongue darts out over my dry lips as I blink a few times, realizing I’m staring at nothing, losing myself to my thoughts.
“I can’t believe you worked on this, Evie,” she whispers to me.
“People do crazy shit in the name of trauma ... Let’s just be glad I didn’t write a movie about it.”
A burst of laughter rips from her chest before she catches herself. I touch her shoulder, and she squeezes my hand. If there’s one thing we never lose, it’s our uncanny ability to wallow in dark humor.
Noah drives all the way to the far end, parking next to the cabin that was built as the duplicate for my and Goldie’s original one.
He puts the car in park before killing the engine, not looking at us as he says, “All I was saying is that if we find him, we should call the cops while we’re here. Not wait until we split.”
Goldie shifts in her seat, looking back at me, and we telepathically, eyebrows raised while shrugging, weigh it out before we nod and agree.
“The problem is,” I say quietly, feeling like I should. “We have to find him. And I don’t know about you guys, but I have no idea what the fuck to expect. I mean, we’re literally back to the future.”
“Do we just get out?” Goldie throws out, looking around before she looks between me and Noah. But none of us are sure.
“Remus is really bad at this villain shit,” I say back.
Noah’s door cracks open first, so Goldie and I immediately follow, sliding out and taking careful steps away from the car.
We’re each looking around, on high alert, trying to expect the unexpected. But for some reason, I’m getting angrier by the second. Because we’re being toyed with like this is a game.
I can feel it.
And if my gut feelings are good enough for Chase to believe and fire someone over, then they’re good enough for me. I shake my head.
“Something’s weird. It feels like we’re being watched, but for what? Why bring us all the way out here for nothing?”
I walk out into the middle of the dirt road, cupping my hands over my mouth and yelling, “Where are you, you little fuck? Because we showed up.”
Goldie rushes me, jerking my hands down. “What are you doing? He could be anywhere.”
“He knows we’re coming. And no, he couldn’t be anywhere,” I snap, pushing past her and heading toward one of the cabin doors before I raise my foot and kick it like I’m trying to break it down.
