Page 38 of Deck of Scarlets

Because I couldn’t help myself, I made my way over, about to touch the gold, intricate design, when a throat cleared behind me.

I jumped, shrieking in fright.

“I’m sorry, Miss. I wasn’t expecting company this early in the morning.”

Placing a hand over my pounding heart, I turned to find a man, probably in his late fifties, dressed in a cream robe, holding a brown, leather-bound book. “No, it’s okay. I just wasn’t expecting there to be anyone here either.”

He smiled, the wrinkles around his eyes expanding, his gray hair styled to one side. “I’m Father Benedict. Are you here for something?”

I looked around, noting it was just the two of us. “Uh…”

“Perhaps, maybe, a seat in one of the pews for alone time is all you needed?” He gestured to the many behind us.

Did he believe I was here to pray in silence? His genuine offer took me by surprise. “No, I just saw the door open and was always curious about what it looked like inside. Thank you, I’ll be going now.”

Walking past him, he gave me a simple pleasantry. “Have a wonderful day.”

“You as well,” I called back.

“Let the Lord guide you on your travels.”

Heather was nowhere to be found when I returned. I waited, and even searched for her, but not a single ounce of evidence led me to where she could be. Her ‘posse’ of math nerds was clueless about her whereabouts, and she hadn’t answered one of my texts. Notifying campus police was an option, but upon arrival to their office, they were dealing with a group of girls bitching about one of the seniors breaking their floor’s vending machine. I didn’t have the patience to stick around.

The only thing I could do was hope she would show up tonight at the induction.

Anxiety crept in like an unbearable chill as I dressed; even the summer breeze rolling through the window wasn’t enough to dampen the feeling. The more I reviewed the plan, the more anxious I became. Induction started at eight; I would arrive after it began while everyone involved was distracted. Get in the side entrance, make sure nothing appeared fishy, and get Heather—if she was there—out, then leave through the rear before anyone caught on. Simple, really, yet I found myself second-guessing every step. Maybe because I knew the whole idea seemed like utter garbage. But I’d spent hours studying all the photos I’d taken, drawing lines of where I could go and escape—marking x’s over dead ends and false exits. Saturday night and zero church service.

It should be easy.

One last look in the cloudy dorm mirror, and I double-checked the time, swallowing the anxiety back down where it came from.

Now or never.

Shutting the lights off and locking the door, every step toward the cathedral felt heavy, as if the weight of what I was about to do would consume me before I could get the chance. I wouldn’t be in this predicament if I had just told Heather the truth. Instead, I’d lied and avoided the conversation altogether, and now there I was, sneaking into the goddamn church, making sure no sacrifices were being made. To ensure she was safe, regardless of how mad she was at me. Here’s to hoping she skipped out.

What a pathetic way to spend a Saturday night.

It was a surprise to find fewer students than average walking around campus, and even more of a surprise to find nobody near the cathedral. All the windows were black, indicating the main floor was closed. Wouldn’t there be a welcome party? Was I too late? Was it canceled? Not a speck of light illuminated the gorgeous building. The very peaks of its structure looked down upon the campus as if it were judging everyone who dared to walk by. In the morning light, it appeared less intimidating, welcoming almost. But the night sky gave it a haunted mood, blackening the land around it like an eerie graveyard.

I never wanted to turn and run so badly in my life.

But I had to keep going. I had to know the truth.

The light at 114th street took longer than usual to turn, and with every passing second, I grew more unsure of going inside. I pulled at my dark shirt, trying to air out my already sweaty body. Black was such a bad idea.

A deep, shaky breath later, I slid right through the entrance, tiptoeing down a carpeted hall. The silence was deafening, and one wrong move could set off more than just the alarm. The cathedral was exactly how it had been this morning. Empty. If a pin dropped, it would not have gone unnoticed.

Another set of doors was at the end, but they were wide open this time. Inside, the cathedral’s center was pitch black; I had to be extra careful about where I stepped.

The room, cold from the AC, left an uneasy chill throughout my body. What if the location was wrong? A hoax to lure incident people to their death. I inched my way down the center aisle, brushing my hand against the pews as I trekked by, guiding me through the darkness. The path before me, uncertain as it would seem, stayed the same as I continued along. I knew eventually I would hit the dais and then the wooden podium, but it was the marble table I was worried about. Trying not to collide with it was another challenge, when a thick cloth covered my mouth and nose, muffling my screams. Strong hands circled my waist, forcing my body to remain still. I tried to fight against their hold, but I became unsteady on my feet. More hands gripped me, dragging me backward as my body became limp. I could feel my mind slipping as they began to drag my body. Whatever chemical they used on the cloth was enough to snuff out all my senses.

That was when everything went black.

Chapter Sixteen

Iawoke sitting in a chair, a piece of cloth obstructing my vision. The smell of sage filled the air, and the shuffling of shoes echoed not too far from where I sat. My body was bound to a chair, and I was unable to wiggle out. I tugged one of my arms, testing the tightness of the rope and found it barely budged from the force. Panic rose in my throat as I tried to free the restraints. The more I fought against the bonds, the more my skin burned from the rope. Shit, shit, shit. This was it. I was going to die, and all of this was for nothing. I pulled until I began to rock back and forth, praying I could at least snap one of the stupid legs. Panic rose in waves as I tried with all my might to get free. If I couldn’t escape, I hoped Heather made it out—

“We will release the rope once you calm down,” someone said.

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