Page 46 of Possess Us

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I turn slowly to face the house, a cold chill of fear travelling the length of my spine.

I roll my neck and shoulders before exhaling a readying breath.

‘Bring it the fuck on.’

A long hallway lies before me, branching off in all directions. The odd person or small group passes by, heading down passageways or excitedly stepping through doors, giggling about what they may find next. Each one blissfully unaware that the exit has become sealed.

The sound of thunder rattles the speakers. Lights flicker, and another distant scream calls out. I take a door to my left. The sign says security. When I step inside, a sprawling wall holds dozens of screens. Black and white security footage plays out, flickering and interrupted with static. Some are clearly pre-filmed footage of patients in their cells, clawing at the walls andscreaming at nothing. Some rock back and forth, hugged tightly by dirty straight jackets.

Some of the screens show guests rushing this way and that, laughing and enjoying their scares.

But it’s the one in the top right that catches my attention.

‘No freaking way.’ I step closer, looking up at the fuzzy black and white image.

A man is staring straight at the camera. Straight at me, I swear to Go… I stop myself from thinking aboutthatname, worried they may know and make me feel sorry for it.

I swear to…something.

I rise on my tiptoes and stagger when he gives me a little wave.

‘Kai…’

He’s in nothing but black jeans. His bare chest is on full display. He’s drawn lines and stitches over his torso, making him look as though he has been freshly stitched back together.

He doesn’t know he is waving at me. He’s waving at anyone who has just walked in.

The first scare.

Kai. You have no idea what’s coming for you, you beautiful fucking monster.

Quickly, I take a note of where he is. There are shelves of bottles behind him. Medicine, I’m guessing. Nothing else gives me much of a clue. I'll look for the pharmacy.

Do mental asylums have pharmacies?

I have no fucking idea.

He steps closer, his movements jagged and unnerving. Stopping close to the camera, he never looks away. The dangerous glare is well practised and effective. I lock eyes with him, bubbling with anticipation and fear. He has no idea what’s about to happen to him.

But… neither do I. Lust had me screaming. Pain had mereallyscreaming.

As I step back, my body lurches as something is wrenched from my chest. I half expect to look down and see a disembodied hand gripping my heart. But there’s nothing there. Whatever it was leaves me, and a second later, Kai is thrown backwards, his body slamming into the wall before he lands face down on the floor.

Panting and gripping my chest, I stare unblinking at the screen.

Pretty damn sure that wasn’t part of the performance.

He thrashes and screams, his face contorted as his body bends and breaks. Then he stills, face down and silent. He stays there for a moment, unmoving. The screen is still flickering with static. The fuzzy lines disrupt the feed every few seconds, and I don't dare look away.

Then he twitches. My breath catches.

His arm reaches out, and slowly he pushes himself up. His head hangs forward until he is back on his feet. His arms are loose at his side, and he sways a little. The screen flickers again, replacing his image with static.

When it returns, I stagger back. He’s facing the camera and looking straight at me.

And I know this time, heislooking atme.

I have freed the third demon, and he has found his vessel.