Page 7 of Ready Or Not

I try to control my breathing.

This is just a weird moment. Maybe I’m making it up. She was just a scare actor, and I overreacted.

As usual.

Something rustles behind me.

Instinctually, I stand, but as I do, my vision is disrupted by the leaves. I brush them aggressively out of the way, only to be met with a masked face.

But it’s not the woman.

A man in a full cloth mask with the eyes cut out, a helmet, and full soldier attire stands there. He looks cold. Lethal.

A scream bubbles up in my throat, but it gets trapped there.

The man stares at me.

Say something! The words feel trapped in my chest. I stammer, “Uh s-sorry. I got lost.”

Instead of responding, the man just cocks his head. It’s eerie. He looks like a hawk, sizing up a rodent.

Nope. I need to go. But I stand frozen. My legs won’t move.

There’s a dark chuckle, and then the man’s voice comes out raspy and mocking. “Boo.”

That breaks whatever spell I’m under, and I turn on my heel and run—smack into a warm body.

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The Hide and Seek Song - Headquarters Music

I reel back. It’s the woman.

“I…I’m sorry.” I gasp for breath. “I’ll get back on the main path.” I whirl to keep both of them in my vision.

Neither responds. Their presence is stifling, and I feel like I have to say something, but I don’t know what.

“I didn’t mean to!” I bite out. “You weren’t supposed to touch me. It’s against the rules.”

Emotions bubble up in me, but I can’t tell which ones. All I know is my body is buzzing, and my chest feels like it’s in my throat, and I hate it. I hate it, I hate it.

I take a step back, trying to get a breath.

The woman chuckles. “You hear that? I broke the rules.”

The man says nothing.

I have to get out of here. “I’m going.”

“Rules, rules, rules.” The woman follows me calmly. “Don’t you get bored following the rules all the time?”

All the emotions bubble in my throat. I want to laugh. I need the feelings to get out.

“Run, pretty little thing.”

I do. This time, I don’t make it far. The man heads me off. As I move to get away from him, arms wrap around me from behind, and suddenly, I’m flying towards the ground. I try to catch myself but land on the ground, my whole right side skidding against the dirt.

The woman is on top of me in an instant, pinning my arms above my head. She fixes her eyes on mine, and this time, they look dead. “Shhh. You know you can’t get away from me, right?”

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