Page 5 of All Hallows' Haunt
“Hey, man,” he greeted. “You wanna work the line a bit? Make sure people aren’t doing dumb shit and get the adrenaline going?”
“Works for me,” I said with my best attempt of excitement. I couldn’t get the blue-eyed siren out of my mind.
There were thousands of people at this park. I scared plenty of them already, and yet this one girl had me absolutely captivated. I wanted to abandon the entire night and walk by her side.
I wanted to know her laugh.
I wanted to hear her story.
I wanted to know why she looked so sad.
A girl stood with her back to me, not paying attention to the monsters stalking the attraction. The crowd she was with faced forward and when I approached, they stiffened and stifled their laughter.
“But honestly, I mean—it’s like whatever.” Her voice was high pitched and nasally. “This placereallydoesn’t punch it anymore.” I was completely over the way her voice grated the sanity left in my head.
I clapped my hands together, and the metal plates I used for ground slides struck a sharp, loud note. The girl jumped off the ground and screamed as she ran to her friends.Safety in numbers, so they say.The group of kids my age had their laughs and continued to mock and reenact what her face looked like.
I moved on, making my way beside the crowd. The faces waiting changed between horny and seductive, bored and intense. None were painted red with two words scrawled across the nose and eyes that wanted to be seen. The shouts and hollers fell to a buzz. I wasn’t noticing them anymore as I mechanically worked through my scares up and down the mazelike line.
I need to get out of here.
CHAPTER4
Sienna
My fingers tappeda rushed rhythm along the cold metal railing. The boys wanted to ride another coaster, but the girls didn’t care for the nausea that started to set in. Vera and Aimee chatted, huddled together against the slight chill. Their gazes settled on me, and the conversation died.
“Sienna,” Aimee started as she played with the sleeve of her sweatshirt.
“Yeah?”
“Are you okay? You’re staring and hunting the crowds.” Aimee looked over her shoulder and around the courtyard we stood in.
“I’m fine, but I keep feeling like that guy is going to pop out every time we stop somewhere or start to leave.” Like clockwork, I looked through the shadows for any glimpse of that teal-blue hair and stature.
“Do youwanthim to be there?” Vera asked this time. I pondered that for a moment before answering.Do I?
“I don’t think I’d mind, but I’m curious about his reason. The first time was rational enough—we just stood there and were distracted. But the second time, when we got off Rocket? It was like he was waiting.” Vera and Aimee exchanged a look, and I kept going. “It didn’t feel a little too coincidental for you two?”
“I see your point,” Vera conceded.
“I think it’s kind of hot,” Aimee said. When Vera looked at her with concern, she added, “Well, you know, if his intentions aren’t, like, murder or something. What’s wrong with a little playful chase around the park?”
A grin tugged at my lips as Aimee continued to overexplain her stance. She wasn’t entirely wrong. I didn’t feel frightened around him, not in the typical sense. The adrenaline rush of the park rides mixed with the heightened emotions of a haunt created a desire for more. It was attraction on some level, but not fear. I wasn’t scared that he would appear. I anticipated it and wanted the next scream to be his too.
“I agree with Aimee,” I said, interrupting their conversation. Vera’s eyebrows shot up in surprise as her eyes rounded. The wind chapped her freckled cheeks and turned her pale skin rosy. “He’s kind of hot.” I shrugged. “He gives off this seductive energy, and I wouldn’t have him dressed as a clown tonight. If it were up to me, he’d be a siren.” I tapped my chin as I pondered the mystery clown more.
“You think clowns are hot?” Vera teased me.
“Not the clown, no,” I clarified. “His makeup is amazing, but his lips, his jaw, and that really fucking soft-looking green hair…” I scanned the crowd once more, hopeful that he’d appear in front of me or that I'd at least catch a distant glimpse. “If he isn't wearing contacts, then his eyes are the prettiest shade of amber I’ve ever seen.” They were pools of honey and betrayed the sweetness I was certain resided in him.
“Got a new crush now?” Aimee laughed, and before I could correct her, a deeper voice spoke behind us.
“Si has a crush?” Shawn was cocky in his assessment. “Tall, blond, and handsome by any chance?”
“I don’t think I’d classify you as tall, Shawn,” I said coolly, trying not to show the irritation he caused. He was tall, but his ego was big enough without my stroking it. My favorite gift to him was a humble pie.
Cody grunted a cough to cover his laugh, but the girls giggled behind their hands. Confused on how to proceed, Shawn nodded before he clapped his hands together and directed the group's movement.
