Page 101 of When Darkness Calls

“As always. I’m debating on taking Ruthie’s shift Saturday,” she says puffing air.

I pull out my phone, scrolling through a few pictures in my album before settling on the ad.

“You should probably reconsider since I found this…”

Turning my phone toward her, the ad for Midnight Manor takes up the whole screen.

“Oh, shit! I didn’t know they were going to be around Ashwood this year.” Her eyes widen as she squeals, bouncing on the balls of her feet.

I nodded once, grinning at her. “Yup. I figured we could go and since it’s me planning it, nothing can go wrong. Girl’s night but without the mishap like at Founder’s Fes—” I stop. My breath gets stuck in my throat and my stomach sinks.

Fuck.

“Huh? What are you talking about?” Liz sets my phone on the counter. She squints down at me on the stool, and I don’t know what to say.

I inhale sharply. “I—At the Fest, something…happened.” I glance at her quickly, sliding my phone toward me. My nail picks at the sticker peeling off my case, and I focus on the jagged edge.

“Dani, what happened?” Liz’s hand lays gently on my own, stopping my incessant picking.

“There was a guy. He—” I can’t finish it. I just think about the abhorrent stench of his breath in my face, and the nightmares I had of a million hands with a million eyes.

“Why didn’t you say anything to me?” She sounds hurt. But shame washes over me.

I stutter. “I—We had such a great night. I didn’t—I didn’t want to ruin it for you. It was the first time you seemed really happy since what happened with Issac during Orientation Week. I—It doesn’t matter though. Nothing happened. I got away and I ran into—” I look at her. She’s studying me quietly. Listening intently.

“Ran into who?”

I take a large drink of my milkshake, running my hand through tangled waves. The sharp sting of them tugging at my scalp almost centers me.

“I ran into the guy that saved me on Halloween…He saved me again, Liz.”

She steps back. “The guy in the mask.”

I nodded.

“How did he know?”

I shrug. “I’m not sure, but he saved me. And…”

Her laugh is hollow. “There’s more? Danielle Beckett why the fuck are you only telling me now?”

“Yeah, there’s more. I—…How was I supposed to say it? He’s been looking over me. When I said there was a guy the other day— “

She finishes with a sigh, “You were talking about him?”

“Yeah.” I jumped up, reaching for her hand. “Liz, I swear, I know it’s crazy, but he isn’t going to hurt me. He swears he’s only protecting me. He has had all the chances in the world to do something bad if he wanted to, with how much Cade’s been working out of town. I swear, it might be a bit weird, but he’s…nice. And I know I should be scared, but…he’s always there. And I feel…safe in the house alone when he is.”

“Well?” Liz pulls her hand away, crossing her arms, and shifting her weight to one foot.

“Well, what?”

“Did you take my advice?” She smirks as I sit back on the stool. Liz leans forward onto her crossed arms, her tongue poking her cheek.

My face heats, and I can’t hide my own smirk. “Maybe I took the whole ‘alluring’ thing too seriously…” I reply sheepishly.

She throws her head back laughing. “Tell me. I need all the details.”

So, I do, I recount the entire night I gave my shadow a show and the entire time, Liz is mildly impressed and highly amused.