Page 62 of Merciless Prince
Bellingham’s performing arts department had partnered with an indie theater company in the city to create a pop-up horror show which would take place this coming Friday in an old warehouse in the Meatpacking District. It was a super-cool interactive concept where the entire warehouse would serve as a stage and all the guests could participate.
Cori and I had both been offered roles in the production. Our job was to fully immerse the guests in the action and guide them toward the scares. The script was quite fluid, too. We didn’t have to follow our lines to a tee, and we could improvise things with the other actors in the show if we thought it would add to the creepy atmosphere of the event.
I leaned back on my bed and settled into reading my character’s outline, glad to be able to focus on my acting again. It was like a breath of fresh air.
For me, pursuing this career had never been about getting famous. I just loved acting because I loved the idea of being somebody else for a while and experiencing their thoughts, feelings, and passions as if they were my own. It was so thrilling to be able to step out of my own life and into someone else’s shoes, no matter who they were, and whenever I stepped onto a stage or in front of a camera, I felt like I could fly. Do anything,beanything.
The SNS incident was the only exception, and I was going to make sure I never messed up that badly ever again.
While I was studying the bird’s-eye view map of the warehouse to memorize the layout of the horror show, my phone chimed. Dread tingled in my chest as I switched on the screen, half-expecting to see a nasty text from Killian or one of his minions.
Thankfully, it was just Cori replying to my text from earlier.Hey, I actually really need to talk to you too! I’m just down in the city with Mom and Robert atm. They’re visiting yet again haha. Anyway I’m leaving now, so I’ll be back soon. Hiking sounds great btw. We should do the state park this time.
I quickly replied to her.Sounds good. Do you want me to come and meet you at the station? We can hire a car again and drive out to the park.
No need,she shot back.Mom andRobert bought me a car as an early birthday present! So I’m driving back up. See you in an hour! Xx
I returned to studying the horror show while I waited for Cori.
An hour and a half later, she still hadn’t arrived. I wasn’t fazed, though. She’d never driven all the way to Bellingham from the city before, so I figured she might’ve taken a few wrong turns and inadvertently added on some extra time to her journey.
By four o’clock, I was starting to worry. It had been two full hours since I last heard from Cori, and she still hadn’t shown up. She wasn’t answering her phone, either.
At half past four, I decided to call her mom. Her stepdad Robert answered her cell instead. “Hi, Shay! What can I do for you?”
“Hey, Robert. I was looking for Marina.”
“Sorry, she’s in the bathroom. Anything I can help with?”
“Maybe,” I said. “I’m looking for Cori. You were with her earlier, right?”
“Yes. We had lunch together, but she left a while ago. Is she not back yet?”
“No. We had plans to go hiking, but she’s over two hours late, so I’m worried.”
“I hope she didn’t get lost somewhere. Those country roads can be tricky,” Robert said.
“I wondered about that, but she isn’t answering her phone, even though it’s still in range,” I replied, nervously picking at a fingernail. “If she was lost, wouldn’t she answer and ask for help?”
“Hm, that’s true. But it’s not exactly out of character for her to be late,” Robert said. “She was an hour late for her own birthday party once. Remember that?”
A small smile curved up my lips. “Yeah, I remember.”
Robert cleared his throat. “I don’t think we need to worry just yet. I bet she decided to take a long scenic route so she could stop and take pictures. You know what she’s like with that Instagram account of hers.”
I nodded slowly. “Oh. Yeah. I didn’t even think of that.”
“If she still isn’t back in another hour or so, give me or Marina another call, and we’ll try to figure something out. I’m sure she’s fine, though.”
“I hope so. Thanks, Robert.”
I ended the call and sat back on my bed, trying to focus on the horror show again. Robert had to be right. Cori was just busy taking Insta photos so she could show off her new car with a nice view in the background.
At half past five, she still hadn’t shown up, and my nerves were shredded. I was about to dial Marina’s number again when there was a sharp rapping at my door.
“Oh, thank god,” I murmured, racing over to let Cori in.
It wasn’t her. It was Leah and Faye.
