Page 109 of Forsaken Oath

Then the world goes black.

47

BEAU

I’m flying around a bend,the Hellcat roaring as I simultaneously search for Peach and the fucking exit. I haven’t seen any headlights since I forced the Mustang off the track and into the cornfield ten minutes ago.

How big is this fucking maze, anyway?

I should’ve seen someone else by now.

A loud crack splits the air, echoing through the maze like a gunshot. My head whips toward the sound, a sick sense of dread coiling in my gut.

A heartbeat later, I see it. Black smoke billows from some place ahead, a thick plume that stains the dusky sky. It rises from the sea of green stalks like a beacon, a signal of something gone terribly wrong.

My heart seizes in my chest, a vice grip of fear squeezing the air from my lungs.

“Eloise,” I choke out, fear strangling me.

I shift and push the Hellcat even further. I pull up her contact and press call. Her voicemail picks up immediately.

“Don’t leave a message, just text me.”

“Fuck,” I curse and hang up.

I call her again. Voicemail. I call her three times, and her voicemail picks up every single time.

Like her phone is off or she doesn’t have service.

“Fuck,” I yell, slamming my hand on my steering wheel.

Terror fills my chest, expanding to take up every available inch. My fingers tremble as I call the one person who can help. Ringing fills the car, and I drum my fingers against the steering wheel.

“C’mon, Graham, pick up your fucking pho?—”

“Shouldn’t you be driving the semifinals right now?” Graham says, his voice dry.

“I need you to look at the GPS locations and tell me where?—”

He tsks. “You know I can’t help you cheat, man. Don’t ask me to.”

“Stop. Stop talking and listen. Where’s Eloise?”

He’s quiet for a moment. “What’s going on?”

“Tell me where the fuck she is, Graham. And then tell me how the fuck to get to her.” I take a left, driving deeper into the corn.

“Alright, Beau. I’ll look. Now tell me why I’m hacking into Jess’s GPS program right now.”

“There was a fucking explosion, Graham. I don’t know where or how or fuckingwho. But we got separated fifteen minutes ago, and I’m stuck in this fucking corn maze like a bad horror movie.”

“Fuck,” he mutters. I hear the tapping of keys in the background, and I fucking pray he can work his magic and jump in a backdoor or whatever the fuck it’s called.

I lean forward and look out the top of my windshield again. “Fuck, Graham, it’s a goddamn pillar of smoke. It looks like a carexploded.”

Graham’s voice is tight with worry when he responds. “I’ve got her GPS location, Beau. She’s about a half mile northeast of you. But her signal hasn’t moved in the last few minutes.”

My stomach drops, icy dread seeping into my veins. “Is she still on the track?” I ask, my voice rough.

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