Page 2 of Theirs to Chase

The gates creak open, and the eerie music is even more audible behind them, the dissonant chords twisting the air like a warning. With every step inside, a prickle of unease runs up my spine—the unmistakable feeling of being watched, exactly like the emotion I felt every day after my family’s death, which abruptly vanished after that night a year ago. I pause and glance over my shoulder, but there’s nothing there—only shadows and the host slowly closing the gates behind us.

“Aren’t you going to stay?” I call after her.

She pauses, brow furrowed. “I was told to open the park and leave. Boss’s orders.”

Without another word, she leaves, but the feeling of being watched lingers—something ominous and intense. My eyes shift to the skeleton-pumpkin above the gates, and the breath is punched from my chest when I see that its head is turned to us, staring right at me with a cruel smirk twisting its lips.

The next second, it’s back to how it was before.

“Did you see that?” I ask as a shudder rushes through me.

“What?” Max asks.

“Nothing,” I mumble, continuing to walk with Nadia’s arm clutched in mine, still uneasy.

“You need to stop watching scary movies, it makes you paranoid,” Nadia jokes, and I scoff.

“Please, as if I will ever stop watching those.”

Darkness has long since descended, with the surroundings only illuminated by the park’s glowing carousels and streetlamps. It’s breathtaking as we venture deeper into the park, a beautiful transformation from an ordinary amusement park to a Halloween wonderland. Pumpkins in various sizes and shapes are scattered around, and hay bales form a path, guiding us forward. The distinct smell of fresh hay fills the air, mixing with the autumn breeze as we take in the decorations—even barren bushes are draped in cobwebs.

“What do you want to do first?” Elias asks, already prepared with paper and pen to jot down every detail.

“Let’s go on some roller coasters!” Nadia exclaims, ever the thrill-seeker.

We trail behind the guys, trying to stay focused on my work while soaking in the details for our article. I’m the one to oversee it, weaving descriptions and adding depth to the narrative, while Elias writes down the basis. Nadia proofreads, and Max gathers visual elements to our content. After my parents died, words were the only way to express myself.

Even with how much I try, that unsettling prickling sensationof being watched persists, and every glance over my shoulder reveals more of the park’s dark corners.

I let go of Nadia’s arm, turning around, positive I will see someone there. Very true—a man in a white shirt and black tie stands behind a tree covered in dolls, half of his masked face visible. It’s cracked in multiple places, appearing like a ghost from a time long ago.

My stomach somersaults, because there’s something in his gaze that calls to me. His intensity is enough to suck out all the oxygen inside me, his shoulders broad and stretching across the shirt. Was he the one watching me before I entered the park?

I draw in a sharp gasp when he tilts his head, studying me closely. If he didn’t wear a mask, I swear I would see his eyes roving over every inch of me, as if memorizing me.

He doesn’t even seem to be breathing, remaining utterly motionless. Before I can grasp the situation, something glints in the light—a serrated blade that has my breath hitching.

“Eveline! Are you coming?” Nadia’s voice startles me, and I look at her, seeing as they’ve already approached the part of the park that holds all the carousels.

“I’m coming,” I absent-mindedly reply, glancing over my shoulder to look where I saw the person, but he’s gone.

I laugh nervously, jogging to catch up to Nadia. “Did you see that scare actor? He was creepy as fuck.”

She looks at me, confused. “What scare actor?”

“Stop trying to scare me. It’s not funny.”

“I didn’t—”

She’s interrupted by Max who whoops, giving Elias a high five as we stand before a roller coaster that loops upside down.

Oh fuck, are they shitting with me?

“Guys—” I begin to protest.

If there’s one thing I can’t stand, it’s being turned upside down. The memory rushes back, vivid and visceral—my parents’car tumbling over the bridge and plunging into the dark water below.

“Come on, it will be fun!” Max exclaims, standing behind some influencers.

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