I looked around, reading the dates. "What do you suggest?"
"Hmm..." He walked around the room, eyeing them all. "This box came from her time when she traveled with this circus. She was with them for a long time. It's where most of her tattoos came from. That will have some fun stuff. Or maybe this one. Oh no, this one." He paused and laughed.
"Domino has lived a crazy life. She's met covens, poet laureates, and people who collect weird, vintage dolls. She's been to old asylums, dark circuses, and haunted hotels. She finds the people who could use a little light in their lives and gives it to them. Honestly, any of these boxes will have something good for you to get to know her better. Just pick one."
I closed my eyes and walked around the room, stopping in front of a stack. I picked the second one from the top. Not sure why, but it felt right.
"Are you sure about this?" I asked, taking it out of the office and heading outside to deposit it in my car.
"As long as you don't fuck this up," he said. "She deserves to feel how she makes others feel. And the only way to do it is to make her feel that way about someone… or two."
"And what's that?"
"Loved."
Rule 34 - Swayze
Do something nice for your final girl.
Domino and Georgie rode back to camp with me, as my car was more comfortable than Koi's truck. Her face was pointed to the window the entire time, and she hadn't said much. We were all dreading returning to the park.
No other news had broken regarding Ruth's death or any other incidents. With all the staff gone, I wasn't surprised.
"Are you going to be okay?" I asked when we pulled into the parking lot and watched as others pulled in around us. "I'm sure they'd understand if you need more time. You are part owner, after all."
She nodded and sighed deeply. "I don't think I was cut out for this."
“Staying in one place?” I gulped. The thought of her fleeing in the night had been gnawing at me.
"Running the park. I wouldn’t mind staying if I had a reason to. I don’t think I do though."
"Do you think you'll leave then?" It felt like my chest was being squeezed as I waited for her answer. Finally, she looked at me.
"Hard to say. I have a list to get through first." She got out of the car and opened Georgie's door.
I grabbed our bags and followed her back to her cabin. We passed the cabin where Ruth had stayed. Staff had gathered around, placing flowers, photos, candles, and other trinkets around the stairs to the cabin. Accidents were pretty regularly at the park, but deaths were rare. And Ruth, while she hadn't been someone I'd particularly enjoyed past that one night, had been pretty popular.
Domino saw it and her eyes began to grow shiny. She ran into her cabin, and I followed her, as she dropped into a chair and sobbed.
"Ssshh, it's okay." I crouched down in front of her.
She looked at me and glared. "It's not okay. That was supposed to beme. Whoever stabbed her was trying to stab me. I just keep seeing her hanging there on the zipline, her body slowly turning, and no one moving to grab her. I don't understand why. Other than Marisol and I not liking each other, but that's not a reason to do something like this."
Who knew what Marisol was ever truly thinking.
Koi came in without knocking, and when he set eyes on us, he frowned.
“This is probably bad timing, but Fabian just came over and told me that he wants us to move in with you. A chainsaw was left on his doorstep the other morning, and the same knife that had been used on Ruth the next. He thinks it’s a threat.”
Domino stood abruptly, and I fell backward. "Threat to who? Because I don't live there. Maybe they weren't trying to kill me. Maybe it was Marisol or someone else."
The door creaked open, and Fabian appeared. "It's better to be safe than sorry. Marisol has also been given security. Until we figure out exactly what happened, I don't want you going anywhere without one of these guys."
"What about when I'm asleep, or showering, or working?" Domino threw up her hands. "This is exactly why I didn't want anyone to know who I was. You sound like Dad!"
"Yeah, well, Dad's not here and this is the best I've got right now. As far as sleeping and all that, there's plenty of room in here. We can move their shit over."
"Does Marisol have people sharing a room with her too?" She crossed her arms.
