Page 4 of Haunt

I’m not sure which I’d rather be, honestly.

“Umm…Okay. Do you need me to…?” My heart thumps nervously, and I try to swallow down my anxiety as Roman Emperor looks at Doll Mask.

I’m not expecting him to take a step closer to me. Idefinitelydon’t expect him to lean down, his mask only inches from my face. The movement makes me yelp softly in surprise; I’d jerk back, but Doll Mask’s hand doesn’t let me.

“We can’t legally enforce our rules without a signed waiver,” he whispers, his eyes catching and holding mine. “But you are also free to walk out of here, since you won’t have the binding legality of its protection if we…go too far. So what do you say, friend?”

The room seems both incredibly loud and incredibly small as I stare at him, processing his words.Go too faris a terrifying statement. Even though some part of me says he’s not telling the truth.

“I’ll…stay. If I’m allowed,” I breathe, unable to look away. “I want to stay.”

He stands up at my words and glances back to the other side of the room, head tilting toward me. When I follow his gaze, Animal Skull pushes off the wall, heading to a door in the back of the room and disappearing behind it.

“All right then.” Roman Emperor looks back down at me, amusement and interest clear in his eyes. As he studies me, DollMask’s movements pick up, her petting of my hair becoming a little bit painful as she tugs on the orange ends. “What’s your name?”

“Noa,” I reply. “Noa Torrance.”

He trades a look with Doll Mask, who nods.

“Then you’re here to stay, Noa Torrance.”

3

By the timeeveryone else has signed and handed in their wavers, I’ve texted my friends approximately sixteen times back to back with no reply.

I’m starting to think they were murdered, quite honestly. Biting my lip, I sit back in my chair, wishing it didn’t creak so much. My breath leaves me in a low sigh when the actors once again line up on the other side of the room, all of them looking so strangelyformal.

It’s like they’re here for some kind of planned, choreographed event that has more meaning to it than just a viral underground haunted house on Halloween night. My eyes flick over all of them again, but this time I don’t stare at anyone in particular.

“Welcome, friends.” Roman Emperor sweeps out his arms in front of himself and from the corner of my eye I watch Skeleton Mask prowl over to stand in front of the door leading back out to the parking lot. “We’re so lucky you’ve agreed to join us here tonight.”

A murmur of excitement goes through the others, and I see Ivy lean into her boyfriend and grip his arm.

“Let me introduce your guides and hosts for this evening, shall I?” He steps forward, gesturing first at the girl with the doll mask. “Hex. Blight.” He gestures at the girl in the clown mask and works his way down the line until he gets to the end where Skeleton Mask and Animal Skull stand. “Ravage.” He points at Skeleton mask, then at Animal Skull. “And our handsome Harrow.”

The animal mask tilts to the side, studying Roman Emperor.

“And I’ll be here to get you whatever you need. You may call meNero.” He sweeps a bow, and my eyes narrow.

Does he know exactly what that name means? Or rather, the story of the emperor who made it famous? It seems…ill-fated. Though I suppose most people whodidn’thave three Roman history classes in college might not know who Nero was.

Or what he did.

“We’ve decided the order for tonight’s fun. If you’ll indulge my friend here and let him sort you into groups?” Another man steps forward, and as I watch, he starts to move the other visitors into groups, using gestures and touch more than his words. If he even speaks at all.

When I look back, I notice most of the actors have left the room, the door to the black hallway behind Nero is open as Doll Mask skips through it.

By the time everyone is grouped up, it’s pretty clear I’m still alone. My stomach twists, and I cross my legs nervously, foot bobbing in the air once more and giving away that I’m anxious.

But then again, I’m sure everyone here is anxious. Even the ones who are pretending to be completely unbothered.

My vision is obscured by a black figure, and when I look up I find Skeleton Mask staring at me, fingers tapping against his arm.

“It was…Ravage, right?” I ask, watching him as he juststands there. He nods once, but doesn’t say or do anything else.

“And the guy in the animal skull, that’s Harrow?” They aren’t exactly words I use on a daily basis, and Nero went through the names pretty fast.

This time I don’t get a nod in reply. At least not right away. Ravage watches me until my phone lights up in my hands and draws my eyes down to it.

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