Page 119 of Monsters in Love: Lost in the Underworld

“What is that?”

I look to where he’s staring. “That’s Julia.”

“Julia the poltergeist, Julia?”

“Yep.” I test letting go of him and he starts to sway toward the maze exit. I don’t even think he’s doing it on purpose.

“So… we summoned her and she dragged us to hell?”

“No. The summoning worked, but… a different spell messed up. You and Dylan got pulled down here and we came to get you back.”

“Rescued by a poltergeist, that’s a new one.” He laughs, but it cuts off abruptly when he looks back.

“Jonas?”

His face snaps to me and he opens his eyes wide, head weaving.

Julia drifts close beside me, but she stares at him. “If I let you go, hell is going to try to drag you back to your specific entrance.”

He flinches, looking at her like he’s not sure she’s really there. “Oh, you can talk.”

And he can hear her.

His eyes dart around us. “I thought we were already in hell?”

“We’re in limbo,” I say.

“Wait.” He gets to standing and sways a little. “Limbo… Does that mean this is like. Junior year of high school ‘Dante’ hell?”

“Kind of.”

He doesn’t pull away from me as much now that his back is to the ravine.

Brows pinched, he scowls… “What hell am I destined for?”

“Lust tried to pull you in.”

He moves his head like a glitching animatronic and something bright flashes behind his eyes. “Oh… I remember now.”

I look away from the boner that has just tented his pants. “Maybe try not to.”

I test letting him go again and he starts to turn.

He holds up his other hand like he’s pledging an oath. “I promise I’mnottrying to do that.”

“I know.” Which means we still need that chain. “Let’s go get something to tie you to me so that we don’t have to hold hands the whole time.”

He nods and I have to tug him along, but he doesn’t fight me anymore, so it’s a little like hauling around a six foot five toddler.

The corn stalks are an ugly purple brown and the corn inside their husks look both popped and rotten. I doubt the fuzz growing on them is anything as nice as huitlacoche. That would be a welcome sight.

This… I shiver.

Ick.

Jonas steps on one of the fallen ears and it oozes as it turns to goo beneath his shoe.

He groans and tries to scrape it off. “Fucking gross.”

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