Page 24 of Death Kiss

‘Well, my asshole hurts, but other than that? Glorious.’

Finally, we start to warm up as the heat blasts us and we pull on blankets for clothing, tucked into the car. That’s when Kat looks over at me and sighs.

‘We’re a mess, aren’t we?’

And there’s no denying it. With each revenge kill, we seem to skew more off-kilter, and there are still five more to go.

‘Who isn’t?’ I reply as I set off for home.

But deep down I feel what Kat does.

Our minds are starting to crumble around what we’re doing.

Seeking solace in danger.

Loving through lust.

TEN

KAT

Why can’t I grip my knife?

Every time I squeeze, it slips out of my hand, leaving me scrambling to find it. It’s so dark in the woods; I shouldn’t have come at night, but I have to check that they are still there.

Creaks and snaps follow me through the tree trunks, all stripped bare.

My knife is missing.

I pat the ground, searching through dead leaves and sticks for it. So many sticks. When I drag my hand to my face, it’s not sticks I see in the low light; it’s bones. Piles of tiny bones.

Tears hit as I abandon my search and run for the well, needing to see the cement base. Needing to know that Liam and I are still safe.

The moss-covered stones scrape my palms as I peer down into the gloom. It's too dark to make out the bottom at night.

There’s a foul stench sweeping around me. I’d hoped the concrete would keep the decay inside. I need to tell Liam. Maybe we need another layer of cement.

His hand lands on my shoulder, and I sigh in relief before turning towards him.

Except it isn’t Liam behind me.

It’s Sam.

I scream as he grabs my throat and pushes me until I’m bent, teetering over the edge of the well.

‘Sam, stop!’

His face breaks into a smile, and the skin on his cheeks cracks and sloughs off, pus and juices leaking. My stomach turns as the decomposing liquids drip onto my face. Into my mouth.

Fear grips me as my hair dangles into the chasm beneath me, and crushes me when Sam shows me my curved knife. A large chunk of his face separates, dropping past me into the void beneath as I scream.

‘You did this to me. Now it’s time for you to join us.’ His voice is twisted and corrupt, winding around my insides and tightening.

‘I’m sorry,’ I sob. ‘I’m trying to fix it.’

‘You’re a monster, Kat. Just like your lover. Just like the men who hurt me.’

‘I’m not like them.’