I wanted to believe him, but I knew the truth now. Eventually, the Minister would make her pick between us. That night, after Eisley was done throwing up, and we’d finally been fed, I went into the bathroom and began pulling each page out of the book and flushing it down the toilet.I didn’t want her to know what the Minister had planned for us.
Like Eisley, I’d have to trust Constantine.
Rule 25 - Eisley
Don’t exploit the victims.
That night, I dreamed about the two different bouquets resting on my kitchen counter. One, simple, pretty, and familiar. The other spectacular, breathtaking, but the note that accompanied it made it menacing. When I woke up the next day, I wanted to throw them out, but they both smelled so good, I couldn’t bear to do it.
Emi showed up at my door before I had my first cup of tea. I invited her in, but she refused.
“The cops cleared everyone on the documentary crew of the murders, so everything’s back on. I thought that maybe since you are friendswiththe son, you’d change your mind about going. They still need bodies.”
“His name is Constantine,” I corrected. “And no, I haven’t changed my mind.”
“He’s gonna be there.” She wiggled her eyebrows. “I saw the call sheet.”
My stomach tightened. And reluctantly, I gave in.
“What time?”
Emi bounced with excitement and came inside. “I need to be there in half an hour. Can you get ready now?”
I wasn’t happy about having to turn my kettle off, but I put leaves in a tea infuser and grabbed my titanium cup and headed out the door with her.
Emi drove us to the outskirts of town and to a forest I wasn’t familiar with. Cars and large vans lined the road, and I saw people with shirts that said CREW on the back walking around with clipboards and other movie-looking stuff.The moment I stepped out of the car, I felt eyes on me and I wished I’d driven myself. Heat flooded my face as three crew members rushed over.
“Eisley, you came.” One of them snatched my hand and shook it vigorously. “It’s so nice to finally meet you. I wasn’t sure if you got my letter. I’m Francis, one of the interns.”
I stared at the young man with curly red hair and a splatter of pimples all over his face so thick I couldn’t tell them from his freckles.
“That was you?” I pulled my hand away in disgust.
“Was that not okay?” He seemed genuinely confused.
Emi came over and wrapped her arm around my shoulder. “I brought another body. Does that mean I get the bonus?”
Another crew member nodded and marked something on her clipboard. “You got it. Actually, I think we’ll give you a bit extra, for getting Eisley.”
Emi started to scowl but then perked up. “Cool.” She looked at me and shrugged. “I didn’t realize your streaming channel was that famous.”
I glanced around the small circle and glared. Francis coughed and reached for Emi’s elbow.
“Why don’t you go see Kaity in makeup? We can take care of this.”
Emi gave me one last look, and I nodded for her to take off. She bounced away, happy as a clam that she’d been given a bonus to get me here.
“So…” Francis clapped his hands together and smiled. “You read my letter, and you came. I should get you to Dave. He’s the director. He’s been dying to meet you.”
“Dave?”I followed the group into the woods toward a large clearing in the center of their operations.“Are you filming here?” I asked.
Francis’s smile stretched into a thin line. “Unfortunately. We were going to film in the actual forest where the Sinister Minister’s church was. We got approval from the town and everything to go in and explore it, but then those teens getting murdered turned it into a crime scene and we can’t get in.”
“It was always a crime scene,” I retorted.
His head jerked, and he shrunk into himself. “Of course, I’m so sorry. I should have realized… that was stupid of me, I’m so sorry.”
“What’s the problem?” A large, muscular arm slid around my waist and a cologne I had just recently become acquainted with in an intimate way wafted up to my nose. I clung closer to Constantine as he glared down at the pimple-faced intern.
