Page 109 of Haunted Prey

“We’ll make our move soon.” Leslie came between us and took hold of the back of Lena’s chair, moving her around to face a small tree. He kneeled beside her and took out a knife. “For now, practice makes you perfect.” He flipped the blade offering her the handle.

She hesitated at first then took it. Leslie guided her on aiming toward the center of the tree.

She missed the mark a few times until she hit, the blade bouncing off. Every few throws Leslie would show off and hit dead center and so would Dom before giving the knife back toLena to try again. She offered the knife to Emery next who, though not quite in the center like Lez, still sunk it right into the bark, deep enough that Lez had to wrench it out with both hands. He offered it to me next and I gave it a try. Like Lena, the blade bounced off the side. We took turns, me and Lena laughing every time we were way off.

Eventually, Cassidy appeared from the graveyard, leaning against the gate to watch, her portrait in one hand. Not long after, Micheal came to check on us. He shook his head at first like a big brother criticizing the younger kids yet remarking on each throw and how to better aim.

When the sky started to darken with thicker clouds, and the sun began to make its descent, the door opened again and Andrea was there just on the edge of the doorway, smiling.

“I got us all dinner,” she said. “Why don’t you all come in before it gets cold.”

Lez pulled the knife from the tree and pocketed it. “Probably a good time to call it quits. Until tomorrow.” Before Lena could say a word, he picked her up while Dom took her chair. They headed for the door, Andrea stepping out of the way as they disappeared into the dark church. Micheal and Cassidy followed after. Emery took a step for the door then halted when he noticed I wasn’t following, just standing there staring.

“You coming, sweetheart?”

I saw his skull face at the corner of my eye, standing by the now carved up tree.

Join us, Evee.

A chill ran down my spine. I took a slow breath.

This is real. This is real.

I took one step, then another. Then I grabbed his hand and let him lead me back inside.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

“It’s time to make our move, Micheal.”

Cassidy leaned back in her seat, her arms crossed. I sat by Emery on the couch as Nosferatu played on the wall beside us thanks to Dom’s projector, my plate of half-eaten pizza resting on my lap.

Dinner had felt good like the last time, our worries put to the side. Only I noticed Cassidy’s tension as we talked about nonsensical things. She was quieter than usual, and I worried it had something to do with our talk earlier. When everyone was mostly finished eating and Andrea was taking plates away to be soaked in the kitchen, I saw her anger rise.

“No more waiting,” she said. “What are we even doing right now? What is this? This isn’t like you to just prolong shit for no reason. What are we waiting for?”

A gaunt, weary look crept over his expression. “I was hoping we could talk about it tomorrow. Give everyone a night to—”

“No.”

The room went quiet. Dom looked to Lez while Lez looked to Micheal whose gaze shifted to Emery.

“She’s got a point, Mikey,” Lez said.

Micheal frowned, brushing a hand through his hair. “Things changed when Eve and her friend came. I wanted to get all the information we could.”

“You’ve got it,” Cassidy snapped. “We’ve got a clear view of the place, thanks to Dom, and we know what to expect inside, thanks to her,” she pointed at me. “We figured out what’s going on and we are running out of time for those women who are at Severfalls right now. Instead, we’re sitting around like some fucked up family on Thanksgiving. So, I want to know, what is the plan now? When do we go in?”

He studied each of us as he leaned back in his seat, tapping his thigh. “I got the addresses of several of the staff from Severfalls. A few live on their own. We get their keycards and uniforms—”

Cassidy smacked her hand on the table. “You aren’t seriously suggesting we disguise ourselves and just waltz the fuck in.”

“No, we’ll still go by stealth, but this might be safer—”

“Safer?” she laughed. “For who? We know the risk. We go in and we go in by force.”

“We want to get the women out safely and with little casualties.”

“There are no casualties. Everyone who works for that fucking place deserves what’s coming to them.”

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