Page 122 of Haunted Prey

“I don’t think you need me to tell you,” he said calmly. “Human advancement has always been our next stage.” Then I saw him smile, his mouth too wide for his gaunt face. “First it’s soldiers, then one day it’s gods.”

There was a bright white light that flashed through the windows from outside. At first, I thought it was lightning, until I heard the dull blast from below that shook the windows and the walls, bringing down a small layer of dust from the ceiling. The outside slowly turned to a brilliant orange.

That’s when I got a full look at his face. A hairless man with a long face and a wide mouth. His eyes were bloodshot, his pupils a dull yellow, with one eye looking the wrong way. His skin was leathery, his body so thin he was nothing but bones, a skeleton.

I opened my mouth in a silent scream, stumbling back.

“You know I remember seeing you downstairs now.” His mouth moved, albeit looking unreal. “I saw you walking the halls at night. I liked doing that too.” He laughed.

As I turned to run, he shot his chair back and lunged for me, ripping the tube from the machine from his nose. Out of some desperate instinct, I swung with the knife, swiping across the robe he wore, thinking to hit his throat but missing.

In response, he swung out his arm, striking me across my ribs, knocking me back several feet. Sharp pain exploded inside me, taking the breath from my lungs.

My back hit the floor with a thud, followed by the side of my head. I went sprawling, gasping for air then curling into myself as the pain took over, hugging myself as tears drenched my face.

“Shit, I shouldn’t have done that,” he said over me. “I forget my own strength much of the time. Like that nurse once. I don’t like when they run. Tyler had a tough time covering that one up. Well, I’ll call someone to get you, you shouldn’t have come uphere.” He leaned down and his rough hand pressed against my shoulder. “I feel bad seeing as you’re Martel’s girl. Where’s that damn phone?” he murmured.

There was a loud popping sound from downstairs and the orange light from outside was growing brighter. Shouts rang out somewhere beyond the windows.

As he moved away to look for the phone, I uncurled my body despite the pain, pushing myself with my arms, trying to slide for the door. But the pain was almost blinding, and each breath was like a knife to the heart. I moaned, taking short little breaths then stopping short of the door.

Emery. Where was Emery?

In the dark, I heard Mr. Mercury shuffling around, heard him curse as objects were knocked to the ground.

I’m right here.

I looked into the shadows and saw Emery crouching down only a few feet away. My phantom watched me with his head tilted to one side. At his feet I saw a glint of silver.

The blade. It had slipped from my hand when I was knocked back and had slid across the floor.

There was a low grunt some ways behind me. “No one is picking up. What the fuck are they doing down there?” I heard the phone clatter against the ground. “Screw it, I’ll do it myself. Come here, girl, and I’ll fix you.”

Swing high, Evee.

I pushed myself forward and grabbed the knife. His footsteps thudded behind me. As he pulled on my gown, bringing my body up off the floor, I twisted around, and swung.

The blade swiped across his face, cutting across his cheek and through his eye, splitting it open.

Mr. Mercury dropped me as blood splattered across the ground. I felt drops fall on my back, soaking my gown. He barked out in pain, covering his face.

“You bitch! You little bitch!”

I crawled away, heaving. Adrenaline took over, and I managed to get up on my feet and stumble toward the door. I fumbled into the hall as I felt a wave of dizziness from the pain. Pushing my legs, I rushed for the elevator. I heard his yells and his curses, heard him throw things against the wall and objects shatter.

“Where are you?” he screamed.

I whimpered as I slapped my palm again and again on the elevator button.Please.

His heavy footsteps moved inside the room toward me.

The elevator door slid open, and I rushed inside, immediately hitting all the buttons and then the one to close the door.

Come on. Come on!

He burst out of the room still holding onto his face, blood turning his blue robe red. Then he turned and saw me as the elevator door began to close. With long strides, he came for me and I hit my back against the corner of the elevator, bracing myself to kick and fight.

The door closed before he could get to it. A loud bang rang against the metal door, shaking it. His voice was now muffled on the other side as the elevator slowly started to descend.

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