Page 168 of Phobia
My fingers flex through the wetness, pressing against the concrete beneath. It’s low enough it doesn’t go very far up my hands, but it covers my fingers completely.
With a pained whimper, I slowly lower my upper half to the floor. By the time my chin grazes the liquid, I’m bawling, full, body-wracking sobs. My head dips on a slow incline, but when the foreign wetness covers my face, from chin to forehead, I cry internally.
I still can’t breathe, butfuck,the relief of keeping the potent stench from seeping into my pores is nearly life-changing. My lips graze the rough textured cement as I bury deeper in the liquid still rushing across the floor, but I don’t even care.
My heart is still hammering but seems to slow infinitesimally. A slow chug. A despondent lurch.
“Have you ever thought about drownin’ in your own blood?” a dark, hollow voice grazes the shell of my ear, splintering my brain. Just as my head jerks back, a scream already exploding, my forehead drills back against the floor. I inhale whatever liquid is suffocating me.
I splutter, gasping and choking on…blood.
My eyes roll back just as my back bows, my stomach concaving in a desperate attempt to gain the faintest traces of oxygen.
The fingers gripping the back of my head have an iron-tight hold. They slowly drag down, scraping over my scalp until my nape is gripped, and I’m jerked up with a weak gasp, uncaring that I’m probably swallowing blood because…Air.
It fills me rapidly, each inhale burning and aching like my body regrets it as much as it needs it.
“Hmm…” The talons scrape across my skin. I jolt and try to pull away, but I can’t move. I’m held exactly where I’m wanted.
“W-what do-do you w-want?” I choke on my own sobs, hiccupping and wailing. A singular finger pricks at the divot just above the start of my hairline, right in the center of my neck. My legs lock, curled inwardly and twisted back in my awkward position.
A whimper bleeds out of me as the sharp point presses deeper, surely cutting me right open. I hold as still as possible in hopes they don’t puncture to my freaking spine. Trembling and throbbing.
“To hear you scream.” The blade scores my flesh, and I scream as I drown in my terror.
Chapter 3
I slam the door and crank down the bar lock behind the fifth—sixth?—group of the night. They all safe worded no more than fifteen, twenty-something minutes in. I roll my eyes as I round the corner, back to the start. All over again.
I fuckin’ love my job, but sometimes, I really hate it. Can no one stand being scared anymore? Hell, just a little trickle of piss running down their leg, and they’re blurting “Red” in their next breath.
“You look pissed,” Vulture snarks as he comes up beside me. I don’t even spare him a glance as we both make our way toward the front so we can work the next group through, though I don’t have high expectations.
“I swear the safe words are comin’ faster and faster now,” I grumble. “It sucks bein’ pulled out right in the middle of it.”
“Yeah, I feel you.” Vulture slaps my back. I shrug him off with a glare. Our earpieces crackle as Kierra lets us know they’re bringing in the next group.
“It’sshowtime.” Vulture waggles his fingers, mocking Beetlejuice before he shoves through the hidden door just ahead, his black cloak fluttering outward. I watch it click shut before I veer left and take the steps toward the lower level that they bring them in at.
I like watching their initial reactions to the introduction.
The way their eyes light up with equal parts fear and excitement. Their pure, foolish innocence. Because they have no idea what’s comin’. Even if theythinkthey know, theyneverdo.
***
His eyes…
They’re so… blue.
I stare down at his limp body, crouched over his face. Two of my fingers hold open his eyelid so I can watch the way it rolls around inside his skull.
He passed out. Just from a few pricks of my pointed, gloved fingers and the scrape of my ax.
Amazing.
I’m beaming at his lax, twitching face, relishing in the fear that absolutely consumed him. Fuck, there aren’t many that just bear with it like he did. It’s like he forgot he evenhasa safe word—not that I’m going to remind him.
I’m having too much fun with this little surprise.
