Page 47 of Devil's Delirium

Reaper’s sweaty face, partially hidden, was set in grim determination. Adrenaline coursed through my veins, every sense heightened. The bat in my hand felt like an extension of myself, ready to swing at any threat that might emerge from the darkness.

Every breath, every heartbeat, was a countdown to the next inevitable confrontation, and we would arrive ready to blow it all to pieces. As we moved past a mirror on the wall, I glanced at my reflection with hope and dread balled up in my belly.

What happened in the ballroom was a fading memory, replaced by the stark reality of the ultimate battle ahead, where every moment was a step closer to my inevitable demise.

We turned a corner, the dim light barely penetrating the murky hallway, but enough for the scene before me to slam me backward. Reaper leaned in, his hand on my back, supporting me enough to stay on my own two feet. Bodies hung upside down in a long line. At least ten of them, the ropes around their ankles tied to hooks in the ceiling above, their throats slit, blood spilling to coat the floor beneath them.

At the end of the hallway, behind the harrowing scene, he stood there, arms crossed, a menacing silhouette against the spasming red light from outside—his tattooed clown face, colors dull and drab, an unsettling masterpiece, each inked line exaggerating his features into a grotesque caricature. He glared at me, his eyes black as coal thanks to the wraithshade he hosted. His lips, permanently curved into that sinister grin, always mocking me.

Reaper moved swiftly, his hand shooting out protectively to keep me behind him, the soft rustle of his leather jacket the only sound in the suffocating silence. He stood tense, ready to spring into action. I stiffened my spine and locked eyes with Ivan, trying to block out the hanging bodies. My heart pounded in my chest, the rhythmic drumbeat of both hope and fear.

“You’re disgusting,” I whispered.

The clown laughed, and then his eyes darted to Reaper, dismissing me, that trademark mocking gleam in their depths. His voice was a sickly sweet croon, dripping with poisonous irony. “You got a friend, Tess?” He tutted, the familiar sound grating against my nerves. “You know that’s not allowed.”

“Your authority over her is over,” Reaper stated. It was a declaration of war if I’d ever heard one, and even though I was onboard, I cringed internally on instinct.

Ivan chuckled. “Don’t be so naive, boy. You must be new around here.” Unspoken threats and the promise of violence lingered like a dark cloud.

Reaper glowered beside me like a thunderstorm, his hand clenched into a fist, and I could have sworn his entire body swelled bigger and taller. “Even so, you’re done with her.”

“I’ll decide when her time comes to a close, no one else.”

“I’m telling you now. Say goodbye.”

The walls seemed to constrict like a python as the faint gleam summoned shadowy figures, making the clown’s grin appear to writhe and twist as if it had a life of its own. My mouth went dry, the taste of fear bitter on my tongue, and I knew he’d be enjoying every drop.

My senses were on high alert, every sound amplified—the muffled slosh of gasoline in the backpack as Reaper placed it on the floor, the faint hum of electricity outside, and the steady, ominous breathing of the clown before us.

In a flurry of commotion, Reaper literally flew down the corridor at him, right over the river of blood. They crashed into each other with a force that shook the structure, both roaring expletives, a blend of rage and fury. Reaper had Ivan’s back to the floor, his fists flying in a relentless barrage against Ivan’s face. Each blow landed with a sickening thud, the impact reverberating through the hallway.

But Ivan was far from beaten.

He kicked Reaper off with a powerful thrust, sending him careening past me to the junction in the hallway. The sound of their struggle echoed around us, a cacophony of grunts, curses, and the splintering of wood. My boss held his own, but Reaper leaped with a speed that defied his size. Launching himself at Ivan, forcing him backward into the wall with a gut-wrenching thud, the plaster cracking under their force.

Yet, he wasn’t out. They continued to attack each other like wild bears, their movements erratic and unpredictable. Furniture crashed to the floor, splintering into pieces, and the bloody plasterboard bore the brunt of their fury.

I let out a scream that tore from my throat like a bloody knife and hesitantly padded after them over the blood, trying to maintain a safe distance and not slip. Falling face-first into a pool of blood wasn’t going to help matters. But at the speed they were going, there was nosafe distance. They moved with a terrifying ferocity, their bodies a blur of motion.

The sharp tang of blood mingled with the musty odor of the old building, and my heart pounded in my chest.

I had to keep an eye on them.

If I lost sight of either one, I didn’t know what would happen.

But I feared the consequences would be dire.

Their fight took on a nightmarish quality, the faint illuminations shifting into long, jagged patterns, the sound of fists meeting flesh, the crack of bones, and the crash of breaking furniture filled the air—a violent symphony that threatened to overwhelm me.

I edged forward, my eyes darting between them, trying to anticipate their next move. The floorboards creaked under my feet, the noise barely audible over the din of their battle. The space seemed to constrict further, the narrow space becoming a dangerous labyrinth. Every step I took was fraught with tension, the need to stay near but not too close… a delicate balance to maintain.

As they barreled down the hallway, their fight dragging them further away, I forced myself to move faster, my breath coming in ragged gasps. The hallway stretched endlessly before me, a gauntlet of chaos and destruction. I curled my fingers around the box of matches in my pocket, wondering if I should just throw one on the two of them as they fought.

That wasn’t in my vision, but where was that room?

How could I even find it when I had to keep up with them?

I had to stay vigilant to where they were yet avoid getting caught in the crossfire.

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