Page 12 of Carnival
He nods slightly. “Correct, a game.’’
“Why?” I ask, my voice squeaky, cracking slightly. “I... I don’t know you, except…’’
“No, Rose,’’ he chuckles. “I don’t mean the night I took your virginity, which was delicious, by the way, but no. You know me from somewhere else, and I cannot wait for you to finally remember it.’’
“Why are you doing this to me?”
I’m on the brink of tears, my eyes getting glossy and my bottom lip trembling. A wave of terror washes over me as I see his brown eyes darken a shade, an intensity I haven’t seen in them yet. It’s deep, dark, and all-consuming, threatening to swallow me whole.
“Because, my dear Rose,’’ he murmurs, and a low chuckle follows. “You came looking for the monster. You’ve found it. Now, run.’’
He grabs the gun from my hands and tosses it aside. Something in the way he spoke to me gave no room for negotiations. Instead of figuring out what exactly he means, I immediately bolt out of the bed. My bones are frozen, making it more difficult to move. But I don’t give up as I leave the bedroom, barefoot and in some thin pajamas.
The moment I swing the front door open, I run outside.
His deep, low laugh follows me as I run, and that’s when I start mentally cussing Aria out.
She wanted us to get accommodations closest to the carnival, but that means that it’s in the middle of nowhere. As in, the only thing visible around me is acres and acres of woods. And it’s too late; who knows what lurks in the shadows?
Well, whatever monsters lurk in there, they can’t possibly be worse than the man chasing me.
5
Rose
Idon’t remember the last time I had to run. To actually put my strength into it and run as if my life depended on it, because right now, my life quite literally does depend on my speed. The branches break under my bare feet, and I’m pretty sure I stepped on something sharp. It hurts, but the thought of what could possibly happen to me hurts more.
So, I push forward, running into the woods like a lunatic. It only occurred to me that I should’ve gone for the road after I was already in the woods, but by that point, it was already too late. He’s close behind me, but he’s not running as fast as he can. He’s toying with me, enjoying this game of cat and mouse a little too much.
Occasionally, his deep laughter would fill the surroundings, and I’d have to wonder which direction it was coming from. My skin’s filled with goosebumps, and my hair’s a mess and constantly falling over my eyes.
The sound of my heartbeat and the deafening silence in the dark woods consume me, my shallow breathing coming out in pants. The more I look around, the more I find myself lost in this terrible situation.
I’m not familiar with my surroundings; hence, I have no idea where I’m going. I don’t know where this small path is taking me, where the forest ends, and if there’s a road on the other side. All I know is that I can’t stop running.
And the worst part is that this excites me.
Adrenaline pumps in my veins, and I no longer feel cold. My entire body is on fire, and I can barely realize that there’s a small smile on my lips. My heart is hammering against my chest, threatening to leap straight out. Yet, it fills me with a sense of contentment.
I trip over a small branch, landing on my knees. The burns are tingling, the sensations spreading through my body. With a deep breath, I push myself back to my feet, ignoring the ache when I step back onto the ground.
With a glance over my shoulder to make sure he’s not anywhere near me, I continue running. It’s too dark; the trees are massive, the branches thick, and if it weren’t for the moonlight that’s peeking through, I wouldn’t be able to see where I’m going.
A loud gasp slips from me when I’m slammed against the nearest tree. My eyes widen – he’s right in front of me. He holds me by the throat, fingers firmly pressed against the sides, but not enough to cut off oxygen, just enough to keep me in place.
The way moonlight shines down on his mask causes goosebumps to prickle my skin. The remains of dried blood, thecrack in the mask, and the creepy, eerie expression. Though, all I can focus on is his eyes.
“What are you going to do to me?” I choke out, voice breaking.
He leans in closer, his breath tickling my skin. “What do you think I’ll do to you, my hellion?”
I swallow thickly, too scared to blink. “Kill me?”
My whisper seems to amuse him, his shoulders moving for a few moments as he chuckles, then shakes his head.
If it were a different scenario, I’d point out that he is quite literally holding me by the throat, pressing me further up against the tree, but I don’t voice it out. Instead, I try to ignore this burning ache between my legs.
He tilts his head to the side, then pushes his knee between my legs, eyes darting to my face and to my body before he settles them back on my face. It’s silent, with our hearts beating in sync. My breath is ragged, still labored from the intensity of running.
