Page 1 of Run and Hide

Chapter one

Mia

“Come on, Mia! Thisis going to be epic!” my best friend says as she pulls me through the gates of the Halloween festival.

“Are you sure epic is the word you’re looking for? I think traumatizing is more like it.” Lily and I step through the gate, and I swallow hard as my heart races.

I might fit the stereotype of girls who love horror and scary things, with my long black hair and tattoos covering most of my skin, but I fucking hate it. Lily has been begging me to come here since October started. Eventually, I gave in, not wanting to hear her constant whining about the yearly event. Aside from the scary bullshit, I do love this time of year, with the crisp weather and pumpkin farms. It’s perfect. Even now, as night nears, the weather is cool, but not too cold for Arizona.

I look above us at the twinkling fairy lights adorning the trees, casting eerie shadows around us. The scent of candy apples and funnel cakes hangs in the air, masking the underlying smellof dirt. Kids in Halloween costumes run around us as parents mingle and enjoy their night.

I desperately want to cling to Lily, but I know she would fucking laugh at me for being nervous when we aren’t even at the actual ‘haunted attraction’.

“Haunted house first?” she asks, pulling me along with her even as I dig my heels into the dirt, trying to slow our pace. Spoiler alert:it doesn’t work.My eyes dart around, desperate for anything that could help prolong the possibility of pissing myself tonight.

“Come on, Mia!” she grunts as I pull against her. We probably look ridiculous, but I don’t care.

“Bathroom first!” I finally pry her fingers off me, and she just about falls on her ass. Her glare would send anyone else running for the hills, but I just smile at her. She rolls her eyes in defeat, and we walk toward the bathroom I’m hoping serves as a distraction from the haunted attraction.

“I’m going to grab the waivers so we can sign them. Hurry up and don’t try to sneak out the window. We are doing this.” She leaves no room for argument as she stalks toward the table next to the corn maze.

Pulling at the door to the bathroom, I quickly empty my bladder, taking my sweet time washing my hands. It’s probably safer to put my hair up now instead of when I’m being chased by scary people in the maze.

I gather my hair in a high pony, yet another thing to stretch out the time as Lily waits for me outside. Taking a deep breath, I square my shoulders, ready to get this shit over with, and exit the bathroom. As I turn the corner, I run straight into something hard.

Hands grip my shoulders, steadying me. As I look up, my eyes widen as I take in the towering man standing before me. Half of his face is covered by a skull mask. The mask is a masterpiece–a fusion of bone and horns, as if the devil created it himself. The horns start from his temples and extend down toward his neck.

Fucking creepy.

My eyes scan his whole outfit, taking everything in.

His arms are covered in fake blood that runs down to the tips of his fingers, only a ripped shirt covering his chest, paired with tan pants and black boots. My eyes make their way back up his body until they connect with his dark eyes.

His eyes are only visible through the eyeholes, a wicked glimmer in them as they lock onto mine.

I freeze.

His lips curve into a half smile, as if he knows the effect he’s having on me. He reveals his sharp teeth, and my pulse quickens. I’ve never been so simultaneously terrified and fascinated.

“I’m sorry,” I tell him, trying to take a step back, but he doesn’t release my arms. His eyes hold mine until another voice joins in.

“What the fuck is taking you so long, Kian?” His voice is deep, with a hint of boredom in his tone.

A man in a similar outfit but a different mask steps forward into the dim light to join us. His mask is just as detailed asKian’sbut more animalistic—something like a wolf.

His eyes are bright blue, whereas Kian’s are almost black. He’s just as built as his friend, and for whatever reason, I want to run my fingers down their chests. They both have dark hair, but I can’t be certain with the low lighting.

“Well, well, well, who did you find, Kian?” Only when his voice rings out does Kian remove his hands from me, letting me take a step back. The new guy's eyes land on me, and his face breaks into a smile, sending a shiver down my spine.

Kian doesn’t say anything. He only stares at me, but his friend steps closer, raising his hand to caress the side of my cheek. I flinch at his touch, which only makes him smile wider.

“What’s your name, little crow?” he asks, the boredom in his tone gone as something else creeps its way in. He must see the confusion on my face, though, because he points at the crow tattooed on my arm.

“Um—I gotta go. My friend is waiting for me.” I ignore his question and point toward Lily next to the entrance of the corn maze, waiting for me.

“Mmm, okay. Maybe we’ll see you in there.” The wolf winks at me before grabbing Kian's hand and stalking off in our same direction. They nod at Lily, and she blushes.Understandably so. If I wasn’t so fucking scared to go into the corn maze, I probably would’ve found them attractive.

I can get behind the costumes, because, well, masked men, but I can’t get behind getting chased with a chainsaw and shit jumping out at me.

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