Page 133 of Sinner

“No sign of a struggle either,” he said.

“That doesn’t mean shit.”

I noticed something was jammed inside her trash bin. The second I ripped it out, my blood turned to ice. The invitation appeared legit, as if sent from our company.

A fucking park in the middle of nowhere.

“She’s being offered a place in the Obsidian Society.”

“What? Didn’t we postpone the games?”

“That’s my point,” I said as I handed him the fake invitation.

“Well, shit,” he murmured.

“It looks like you get your chance, Christopher. Time to go hunting.”

CHAPTER 37

Jessica

The park was closed.

The hour was late.

The excitement was riding high.

I had no idea what to expect. I’d worn jeans, a sweater, and boots, bringing the flashlight and the GPS I’d been provided with days before. I had no idea how handy the GPS would come in, but I didn’t know the park at all and at night, everything appeared ominous. Clouds had all but swallowed the moon, the strange eerie glow creating an air of despondency.

I’d searched the internet, learning as much as I could about the park’s facilities. The location was more rural than most, but there was a river running through the center of it,

There were no other cars in the small parking lot, no sign of life whatsoever.

I stood where I was, pulling up the coordinates. The GPS dropped on my doorstep had been altered. There was a blip on the screen. That had to indicate the other side. From where I was standing, it appeared like a straight shot.

But that was almost three miles away. Okay, I was in decent shape, jogging every time my schedule allowed, which lately hadn’t been enough. However, the thought of going that far would seem impossible without the adrenaline rush I felt. It was explosive, just like the wicked thoughts running through my mind.

What scary creatures would suddenly come out in the dark? I could only imagine given Dark Nights. The beasts on the level I’d achieved had been gruesome to look at. But I didn’t scare that easily.

There was a light breeze, a few sounds of rustling leaves, but otherwise, the entire place was quiet.

So much so it was unnerving. But this was everything that excited me, everything I’d said I wanted.

After scanning the area and with a smile on my face, I took off running.

Not knowing the park, I followed the glowing blip, constantly shifting the light from one side to the other. There were a few asphalt sidewalks, but the shorter way to the other side had taken me off the path within a few minutes.

There was no indication anyone else was in the park. I didn’t sense the crackle of electricity or feel a presence anywhere.

“Run, little girl. You won’t get very far.”

The voice sounded amplified, as if it was coming through a speaker system. As had occurred before, the voice was disguised, gritty and dark, but unrecognizable.

I pressed on, almost doing a stupid horror movie move and tripping, the shift in my footing causing me to jam my arm against a tree. Pain shot down my shoulder and I winced. That was my fault.

After a couple of deep breaths, I took off again, this time altering my course slightly.

“Run, Desdemona.” The whisper was husky. Ragged.

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