Page 14 of Trick me. Treat me

He’s not even out of breath. Meanwhile I’m panting like I’ve just run a marathon and I’ve made it approximately twenty feet.

My gaze darts around the kitchen. There has to be another way out. Maybe I can climb out the windows. But just as I consider it, two faces stare back at me from the darkness at the other side. XX and Cracked Mask are standing side by side, completely still, watching.

“Oh my god.” I squeak.

XX lifts his hand and gives me another stupid little wave.

“Fuck you!” I shout, despite the fact I’m shaking with terror.

His head tips back. Even through the glass, I hear his muffled laughter. There’s three men. One inside. Two outside. I’m fucking trapped.

My brain goes into overdrive. Think, Violet. Think. My eyes dart around the room. Door. Window. Island. Skull. Fob. My brain screeches to a halt. There’s a key-fob sitting on the marble island. The one I used to get in this godforsaken place.

Skull follows my gaze, his head turning toward the fob. Then slowly, he turns back to me. I bite my lower lip, preparing myself. For one suspended second, neither of us moves. Then I fucking launch myself toward it at the exact same time he does.

I throw myself across the corner of the island, my fingertips scraping over cold marble. The key slides and panic jolts through me.

“Come onnnnnn!” I stretch as far as I can, the island digging into my ribs. I just manage to catch it as his hand slams onto the counter inches from mine.

I scream, snatch the key into my fist and duck away before he can grab me. Another burst of laughter follows. They’re enjoying this. The fucking psychos are actually enjoying this. I sprint around the opposite side of the island and Skull moves the other way. We both stop, nothing but a kitchen island between us. His darkened eyes meet mine, watching me as my chest heaves. He takes one step to his left, I move right. He stops, I stop. Another step and I mirror him. He’s fucking playing with me.

My thighs tremble. Every rational part of me is screaming that I should be terrified. And I am. I’m so fucking scared I can practically taste it. A metallic sharp tang at the back of my tongue. My palms are slick and my stomach feels like it’s trying to crawl through my throat. My heart has not slowed for a single second. But underneath it all is a blazing heat I can’t ignore. Because the way this man is watching me… hunting me? My body is lit up with the thrill of it.

Skull moves and I take the opportunity to bolt toward the living room.

“I’m coming for you, pretty girl.” His voice follows as I run harder than I ever have.

I reach the front door and slam the key against the pad but it flashes red. Two different sets of laughter sound from behind me now and my blood turns ice cold. How the fuck did they get inside?

I don’t look. I can’t. I slam the key against the pad over and over, yanking on the handle with so much desperation my eyes begin to tear up. “Come on. Please. Come onnnnnn!”

A click sounds the same time a green light flashes and triumph blazes through me as the door swings open.

Cold air crashes into me as I fly down the steps so fast I almost fall, my bare feet hitting frozen ground. Pain shoots through them, making me yelp out curses as tiny stones bite into my soles as I run. But adrenaline smothers most of it before my brain can properly register what’s going on. I hear the door slam behind me, more laughter echoing around me as I corner the side of the house. There’s no point running for the gate, it’s the most open part of this entire place and I bet it’s locked shut.

The cold hits differently out here. My tiny strappy top and shorts might as well not exist. Goosebumps explode across my body, the October air burning my lungs every time I drag another breath in. My hair lashes cross my face, sticking to my lips as I try shove it away.

My eyes find the trees where I saw Cracked Mask standing earlier. Every horror movie I’ve ever watched screams at me that running into the woods is the stupidest thing I could possibly do. But I do it anyway. Branches immediately claw at me, scratching across my arms and snagging at my hair.

“Ow. Mother fucker!” I growl, ripping myself free.

My feet are fucking screaming. Stones. Twigs. Roots. I step on something sharp enough to make pain shoot through my heel, causing me to stumble.

I don’t know if they’re behind me, beside me or in front of me. I can hear them, hear their laughter carrying through the trees all around me. They’ve separated, that much I can tell. They’re surrounding me like wolves and I’m the defenceless little prey.

I can hear footsteps getting closer, followed by a laugh I haven’t heard yet. It’s different. Lower than XX’s, not as warm as Skull’s. Which leaves Cracked Mask.

I glance behind me just in time to see white flashing between the trees. There. Gone. There again. He’s running after me with his knife still firmly in his hand. I try to go faster but I can’t. My body has nothing fucking left to give. My bare foot catches a root and I pitch forward, just managing to catch myself against a tree. My phone vibrates and I dare to take a quick glance at it.

Unknown

You can run, pretty girl. But we will catch you.

I pocket my phone and push myself away, getting a whole three steps before an arm wraps around my waist.

I scream, the sound deafening in the quiet of the woods. “No!” My feet leave the ground. “Put me down!”

Cracked Mask lifts me like I weigh absolutely nothing, the world flipping as I’m suddenly hanging over his shoulder.