Page 2 of Tag

But when I reached the coffee table, it wasn’t there.A low whistle came from behind me. I spun around, my mind racing as two dark voids locked eyes with mine. The knife in their hand spun lazily between their fingers like a toy. My pulse thundered in my ears. Every instinct screamed at me to bolt for the front door. The only thing that stopped me was Esther. I couldn’t leave that little girl to fend for herself.

“What do you want?” I asked again, forcing a calmness into my tone that I didn’t feel.

They stepped forward, circling the couch slowly. Refusing to allow them to get close, I took off for the stairs.

"Esther!" My voice broke, panic strangling my words as I stumbled up the steps. My feet slipped on the hardwood, nearly sending me sprawling. I caught myself on the banister. Behind me, rapid footsteps followed. I was two stairs from the top when they grabbed my shirt and yanked me back with brutal force.

"No!" I screamed, my fingers grasping at the railing as I twisted around. The banister dug into my spine as I tried and failed to fight them off, their knife sinking into my side.

The pain was instant, white-hot, and blinding. My body curled instinctively around the wound, blood seeping through my fingers. They pulled the blade out and let me go, watching as I stumbled up the remaining steps. I barely made it before my legs began to tingle and buckle. A whimper tore from my throat when they gave out, and I hit the floor. The person following me stopped and stared, watching as I began to crawl, my armstrembling as I dragged myself forward. Every inch felt like an eternity. My head swam, my vision flickering in and out.

Just get to her door.

It was illogical, and I didn’t know what I expected would happen once I did, but at that moment, all I could think about was getting to Esther. I was so close, nearly there, when a second person appeared at the end of the hallway. Their mask was different, but just as nightmarish, features twisted into a grotesque grin I could just barely make out as my vision dimmed. They came toward me in what seemed like slow motion and crouched down, their voice a distorted taunt.

“Did you really think you’d get away?”

My head was yanked back, and I felt a stinging sensation in my scalp. I was too weak to fight, but I tried anyway, my fingers feebly clawing at their wrist.

“Why?” The word slipped from my lips, barely audible.

“Because you lose.”

The blade pressed to my chest, the tip cold and biting. They shoved the knife into me inch by inch. The pain was searing, but it faded as quickly as it came, replaced by a cold numbness that spread like ice through my veins. The last thing I saw was Esther’s door creaking open, her stuffed bunny tumbling into the hall, its ears flopping awkwardly as it hit the floor.

TAG

Book One

CHAPTER ONE

SANJANA

A breeze tugged at the hem of my cheer skirt, a crisp reminder that autumn had wrapped its spindly fingers around Hemlock Heights. The cool air carried the faint scent of pine and woodsmoke, perfect weather for football, hiking, and bonfires. All the things I loved.

“Five, six, seven, eight! Hit those marks!” Roxxi called, her tone unyielding.

I was completely focused on the routine we were running yet again, every move ingrained in my muscles but still demanding my full attention. Roxxi’s sharp brown eyes swept over the team with an almost eerie precision. The floodlights from the stadium cast long shadows across the field, glinting off the metallic colored pom-poms as the music started. The heavy drumline ofCrow Killer Bluesfilled the air, the haunting rhythm driving our steps. The lyrics came easily to me, and I sang along in my head, so I didn’t fuck up.

“Formation two!” Roxxi ordered, her voice carrying over the beat.

Kellan and Noah moved into position; their hands steady as I stepped into their hold for the lift. I trusted these two without question. They had been my primary base for the past two years and had never let me down, figuratively speaking. The chill of the evening air stung my legs, but adrenaline drowned out the discomfort.

They hoisted me high into a prep, and my arms snapped into a V, my balance rock-solid. Roxxi’s gaze slid to me briefly, a slight smile on her lips. On either side of us, Layla and Brittanymirrored the move, their extensions steady as the rest of the team executed a synchronized jump. The routine unfolded like clockwork, each move feeding into the next. My guys dipped, their grips firm as we transitioned into the next stunt. At the count, they threw me higher. I twisted mid-air into a Scorpion; my leg arched behind me in a perfect curve.

The lights of the field blurred momentarily before I locked into the pose, holding it steady until Roxxi shouted, “Cradle!”

I braced for the drop, letting Noah and Kellan catch me before they eased me back into a reload.

“Pyramid!”

Kellan and Noah crouched, forming the foundation for two of our other squad members, Sydney and Zara, to climb. I moved to the center, scaling Noah’s broad shoulders to take my place at the peak. The music swelled, and the entire formation leaned into the energy. My arms shot out into another high V as the chorus rang out, a gust of chilled air whipping through my hair.

“Hold it!” Roxxi commanded.

Each of us locked in our position as the anthem reached its crescendo. The pyramid felt unshakable, a testament to our teamwork and Roxxi’s relentless drive. As the final note of the bridge faded, I was lowered into a flawless dismount, and the entire team exploded into our synchronized choreography to close out the routine. By the time the music died down, there was only the sound of our labored breathing and the distant rumbling of the football team.

Roxxi clapped her hands, her expression unreadable, but her tone satisfied.

---