Pathetic.
My eyes raised as the man stopped outside a strange door, opening it before stepping inside a dark room. “Wait.” My fingers reached out, gripping the doorway to stop it, but once again they slipped free. “No. No!” I didn’t want to go inside with him, but I had no choice. The door shut behind him, leaving us in complete darkness. “No! Help! Help! William! Will—” Another harsh hit to my face cut my words.
My body hit the floor as the man dropped me, and I groaned, spitting a mouthful of blood onto the floor. “Please,” I begged, struggling to calm my breathing. “Please, let me go!” The lights in the room flickered faintly as the power seemingly returned, and I noticed I wasn’t alone. “No.” My eyes widened in absolute terror.
Standing in front of me in all black wasn’t just the man who brought me here, but three others, dressed the same—except one. The smallest of the group was wearing a red mask.
“Tie her up,” they grumbled.
“Wait. No!” A fifth person approached me from behind and gripped the back of my neck, yanking me to my feet. “No!” I shouted as the others joined and forced me into a chair. “Please! Stop!” Tears burned my eyes as the largest of the group held me to the chair from behind. The two other men taped my wrists to the arms of the chair and my ankles to the legs with duct tape. No matter how much I struggled, pleaded, and thrashed, they all ignored me, listening only to the red-masked person.
I took in the room we were in as they tied me up, trying to get my bearings. They had brought me to the old party room, a room we only used now for storage. It was filled to the brim with old clown mascot dolls, prizes for the games, party supplies, and pizza boxes. It was organized chaos and Tawny hated every inch of it.
The flickering lights finally settled as the others stepped aside, the person in the red mask casually walking up to me as everyone else looked around. Clearly also taking in their surroundings. The red masked intruder stopped less than a foot away and revealed a large kitchen knife. I immediately began to panic, trying to free my limbs as I cried and shouted for help. They rushed me, covering my mouth. “Shhhhh.” Pressing the tip of the blade along my cheek and tilting their head. “Give us what we want and maybe, I’ll let you go.” Their voice was purposefully low and disguised.
“W-what do you want?” I asked, my voice quivering with fear.
“Money.”
My brows furrowed. “M-money? But I—I don’t have any.”
They pressed the tip into my flesh, cutting my cheek. I cried out, begging them to stop, but they didn’t. “The register. Give us the money from the register.”
The largest masked man stepped forward. “Enough! We just need her to open the register. We don’t need to hurt her.”
The red masked person groaned, dropping their head down as they removed the knife from my skin and shouted back to him, “Can you just let me do this?” I instantly recognized the voice.
“S-s-Sybil?”
She stopped and turned back to me, removing their mask as her long, red hair fell freely down. “Surprise,” she sang with a bright smile.
My blood ran cold at the sight of her. But more than anything, I was pissed. “What the hell?” I shot my eyes to the others, realizing who they were. “Ryder? Token? Lavender?” I glared at the fifth masked person, the largest in the group. “Montey?” They all looked at one another, slowly removing their masks to reveal their faces. “Unbelievable…what, is this another one of your sick pranks?” My question snarled from my blood-stained clenched teeth and right to Sybil.
She rolled her eyes. “Oh chillax, freak. Just give us the keys to the register.”
I glared at her, fuming. “Hell no. Besides, I don’t even have them.” I tried to lie.
Token scoffed. “Fucking liar.” He rolled up his sleeve, revealing a small, bloody wound. “You fucking stabbed me with them!”
Ryder rushed over to his twin and examined his arm. “What the hell, Crissa?” He snipped at me.
“Seriously? He punched me in the face, knocked me down, dragged me through the pizzeria and then kicked me and you’re mad atme?” I shook my head.
“Just give us the keys!” Sybil hissed as my attention returned to her. “Lavender told me how your boss always leaves them with the nightshift employee. I know you have them.”
My eyes moved to Lavender. Her blue eyes fell as she rubbed her arm anxiously. “Just…give her the keys, Crissa. The sooner you do the sooner this will all be over.”
My jaw clenched. “No.”
Sybil pressed her red lips together and crossed her arms. “Montey?” My eyes rushed to him as he stepped forward and to her side. “Search her.”
He nodded and walked over to me, refusing to make eye contact. “Hey!” His hands reached into my pockets, turning them out. “Montey—stop it. Stop it!” His eyes finally lifted and locked with mine. Their usual warm color was now dull and cold. I nearly gasped at the lack of life behind them. “Please,” I whispered. “Don’t.” His eyes lowered to my chest. “Don’t?—”
Montey gripped the collar of my work shirt and ripped it down the middle, exposing my chest to everyone. Tears of embarrassment and shame flowed down my face. His entire body went rigid and he leaned in close, his breath dancing along my ear as he spoke softly to me. “I’m sorry, squish.” He then plucked the keys from my bra and stepped back, handing them to Sybil.
“Good boy,” she purred as he stepped into her shadow. Sybil played with the keys, smiling as though she’d just won the lottery. “Poor, pathetic, Crissa,” she cooed, walking towards me. “Always coming in last.” She stopped inches away from me and bent down, her head level to mine as her long hair sprawled along my lap. “But freaks never win, do they?” A low laugh played from her throat.
My swollen eyes fell in defeat. “You got the keys, so leave me alone.”
