Reyawily,herheadpoundinglikeadrum.
Sheopenedhereyes.Darknesspressedinonherfromallsides.Wheriedtositup,shediscoveredherwristsandankleswerebound,stretchedwideinanX-shapeaattress.
"Isahere?"
Hervoicecracked,egintothevoid,swallowedbytheidseepingthroughunseencracks.Thechillsaoherbones.
Memorybledbafragments:thebreakroom,Julianslumpedbehher,thepullofhislife-forceasshesiphonedhimdry.Thenthedoorsmmingopen,Julian''''''''ssuddenburstthasheshovedheroff.Herheadstruethinghard,ahibck.
Thebackofherskullstillthrobbed.Shemusthavehittheerofatablebeforepassingout.
Theenergyshehadstolenwasstillinsideher,restlessandunassimited,leavingherfeverish,weak,anddizzy.
Shetookadeepbreath,tryingtosteadytheuntamedenergyswirlinginsideher.Butwhetheritwasfrombeingunsciousfortoolongorthefeverragingthroughher,herbodyrefusedtocooperate.Theenergywrithedlikeantsonahotiron,desperatetofindanescape,threateningtotearherapartfromwithin.
Justonemoreminute—ifshehadheldonforonemoreminute,Julianwouldhavebeeelydrained,hissoulextinguished.
Butshehadbeenfagawayfromthedoor.Sheneversawwhoentered.AfterJulianshovedher—wherehadhegone?Wasithimwhedherhere?Ortheintruder?
Sheyboundinsileimestretgunbearably,untitstasoundbrokethestillness:adooropening,closing,andthenfaint,deliberaterustlingjustoutside.
Reyaclosedhereyes,"seeing"aslightlyplumpfiguremovingohersideofthewall.
"Hey,whoareyou?"sheasked,calmbuttihcuriosity.
Thefootstepshalted.Afteralongpause,theydrewcloser,hesitatingatthedoor.Whenshedidn''''''''tscream,thepersonfumbledwiththelotilitfinallyclickedopen.
Reya''''''''seyessnappedopen.Atall,shadowyfigurefilledthedoorway,backlitbyapaleglow.Evenagainstthelight,herinhumansightreizedhiminstantly.
"Manager?"
Themanpaused,thenchuckledashetuggeddownhismask."Sharp."
Hesteppedin,shutthedoor,andflippedonaswitch.Fluorestlightbuzzedtolife,revealingtheamusementparkmanager.
Reya''''''''sgazeswepttheroom—itlookedlikeacelrorbasement,withbarecretewalls,nowindows,ion,staleairpressingclose.Sheyonaking-sizedmattress,agreenpsticcrateshovedbesideitlikeamakeshiftnightstand.
Herwristsandankleswereboundwithclothstripstiedtos,theendsanchoredintothecrete.Freshfleentdustsprihefloor—clearly,theanchorshadbeelyhammeredin.
Themanagerdroppedabagontothecrate.Greasestaihepstidthesmelloftakeoutfilledtheair.
Reya''''''''sstomachbetrayedherwithaloudgrowl.
"Hungry?"
Themanagersmirkeddownather,asthoughamusedbyherposure.He''''''''dexpectedtears,maybefranticbegging.Instead,sheysteady,hereyesunnervinglycalm.
Shelickedherlipsandnodded."Ihavesomewater?I''''''''mrunningafever."
Foramomestared.Then,withaquiceatthestofirmtheyweresecured,hecrouchedandpressedthebackofhishandtoherforehead.
"Youreallyareburningup."
Hestoodabruptly,tugginghismaskbatopce.Withafewquickadjustments,helooseherestraintsjustenoughforhertositupright—nomore.
"Eatfirst,"hesaid,retreatingtowardthedoor.Hisvoicewasmuffledthroughthemask."I''''''''llgetyousomemedie."Thenheslippedout,thedbehindhim.
Reyashifted,reagforthetakeoutbag.Herfiyair,thetakeoutbaghtwoinchesbeyondreach.Themanagerhadclearlybeencautious,notgivioomuchfreedom.
Sheletherhandfalndrolledhereyes.Exhaustiontuggedatherlimbs.Withashakybreath,sheyback,thesmellofgreasyfoodthitheroom,herfeverburninghotter.
Thesttimeshe''''''''dburhfeverwasafterreturningfromdSilverRing''''''''spce—awholedayspenthalf-sciouswhileMoxiandLuhoveredatherbedside.
Butnowsheyediecell,herbodyburningup,uhe"care"oftheparkmanager.Whatdidhewant?Surelyhedidn''''''''texpecthertojuststayhere,cutofffromworkandtheworld.
Whenthemaurned,Reyahaddriftedintoanotherfevereddoze.Sheblinkedawaketofindafigurelooming—swaddledheadtotoeinawhitehazmatsuit,pletewithhood,shoecovers,mask,andgoggles.
Herlipspartedindisbelief.
Theman''''''''seyeskledbehindthelenses,amusedatherexpression."Justbeingcautious."
Hisgazefelloakeoutbagstillsittinguntouched."Youdid?"
Reyaweaklyliftedafiheunreachableerofthebed."Couldn''''''''treach."
Themanagereyedthedistanceskepticallybef,"Guessnot."
Hemovedthebagontothemattress,stagafewneersbehitlikeamakeshifttray.FromhispocketheproducedablisterpackofTylenondabottleofwater.
"Feverreducers,"heinstructed,pgthemlybesideher."Twopillseveryfourhours."
Theagain,thedoorsealingshutbehindhim.
Reyapickedupthepills,turheminherpalm,thenflickedthemasidewithouthesitation.Whatsheneededwasn''''''''tTylenol.Itwasfood—enoughtoanchorandtametheseethiearingthroughherveins.
ThetakeoutwasKFC—ow,thedampbasementairturningthefriedskinsoggy,greasy,andfaintlyrancid.Still,somethingwasbetterthannothing.Shepinchedhernoseandwolfeditdown,evenswallowingchibones.
Afterchuggiiresoda,sheletoutaloudbeldfloppedbatothemattress,staringbnklyattheceiling.
Herthoughtsdriftedbacktobeforeshe''''''''dbckedout—Julian,thatfool.Hewasn''''''''tmuchtolookat,buthewasn''''''''tabadguy.Kindofcute,inapitifulway.Shesighed.Hisgenitalshadseemedperfectlyhealthy...whatawaste.
Thesrattledassheshifted.Oheneersslidtothefloor,apageflippiheimageontheexposedpageimmediatelycaughthereye.
Speakofthedevil.
Julian''''''''sdistortedfacestaredbaagrainyblow-up,behaheadlinescreaminginblockletters:
HAUNTEDHOUSEHORROR:QUASIMODO''''''''SMYSTERIOUSDEATH
Reyaboltedupright,sgloudly.
Thedoorcreakedopenalmostinstantly.Themaeppedin,hazmatsuitrustling.
Hegheneerinherhandandsaidcalmly:"Ah,soyou''''''''vefoundout—yourloverisdead."
Reyafoldedthepaperwithoutexpression,onlyexhalingaquietsigh.
Themanager''''''''seyesnarrowedbehindhisgoggles.
"Itwasn''''''''tactuallyyou,wasit?"
Reyashrugged."Didn''''''''tthepapersayhefell?"
"Ifitwerereallyjustafall,thepolicewouldn''''''''tbeswarmingthepark."
Themaudiedherasshezilysettledbatothemattress,hisuneasegrowing.Thisgirl''''''''sreawasallwrong—noterroratbeingimprisoned,nogriefoverher"lover''''''''s"death.Justachillingcalm.
Wasshesomekindofsociopath?
Hedidn''''''''tpressfurther,oosnatchuptheneerandgreasybag,hisvoicesour."Thepark''''''''sshutdownnow.Godknowswhenit''''''''llreopen.Whodoyouthinksupposetocovertheselosses?"
Reyachuckledlightly."Ifyou''''''''tgetpensation,thenyou''''''''rejustunlucky."
Behindthehazmatsuit,themanager''''''''stempletwitched.Hisexpressiondarkenedashestaredatherforalongmomentbeforefinallyturningawaywithoutanotherword.Heleft,logthedoorsecurelybehindhim,again.
Sileledovertheroomagai.Reyaleanedagainsttheheadboard,handpressedtoherforehead—stillburning.Butthechayinsideherhadgraduallyquieted.Thoughnotfullytamed,itwasnolongerasrestlessaswhenshefirstwoke.
Shegnceddownattheclothstripsandsanchherlimbs.Theknotsweretight,butfabri''''''''tsteel.Oncesheregainedabitmorestrength,theserestraintswouldn''''''''tholdher.
Julian''''''''sdeathstirredlittleinher.Ifnoonehadbargedin,shewould''''''''vedrainedhimdry,andhe''''''''dhavediedallthesame.Whattrulyintriguedherwaswhetherthemanagerhadbeentheonewhoopehatdoor.HadhefinishedJulianaftershepassedout,thendraggedherinthisbasement?
Sheclosedhereyes,steadyingherbreath.Afewmorehours,andshe''''''''dfullyabsorbtheremnantsofJulian''''''''senergy.Then,shecouldbreakfree.
Andasforthemanager—
Amanwho''''''''drepeatedlygropedheratwork,nowkeepingherlockeduphere—whatelsecouldhewantbutthat?
Airkcurledherlips.
Ifhedaredyahandonher...deathwouldn''''''''tbefarbehind.