Page 45 of Craving Venom

“Jesus fuck.”

I look up, scowling at the random asshole who just assaulted my personal space.

“Chill,” the guy says with a lazy grin. “Just passing out some quality weekend plans.”

“Do you have any concept of personal space?” I glare.

“Not when there’s a good time to be had.” He winks,

then saunters off like he hasn’t just made it his life’s mission to be annoying as shit.

I exhale sharply, righting my laptop and books before finally glancing at the flyer.

HALLOWEEN NIGHT. STATE PENITENTIARY. LIVE DJ. HAUNTED CELL BLOCK TOUR. LIMITED TICKETS.

Wait.

What?

I read it again, pulse ticking up slightly.

A party. At the prison.

My fingers tighten on the paper, something cold and hot unfurling in my chest at the same time.

For the first time in a while, something feels...exciting.

I grab my phone, flipping through my contacts before pressing call.

Tria picks up on the second ring. “Tell me you didn’t just Google another serial killer at three in the morning.”

I roll my eyes. “First of all, rude. Second of all, I need to know—are we going to that Halloween thing at State Pen?”

There’s a pause. Then, “Hold on.”

A few seconds pass as I hear the sound of keys clicking.

“Done. We have tickets.”

“You didn’t even ask if I was serious.”

Tria snorts. “Faith. You just called me about aprison party. Of course you’re serious.”

“You know, sometimes I wonder how the fuck we became friends.”

“Because I enable your bad decisions and you’d be lost without me,” she says cheerfully. Then, more curious, “Wait—why are you actually interested? Last I checked, you don’t do Halloween parties. Or... parties, period.”

I hesitate. “It just looks interesting.”

Lying to Tria is useless.

She hums. “Uh-huh. And this definitely doesn’t have anything to do with the fact that you just got that prison project approved.”

“Maybe.” I twirl the pen between my fingers. “I don’t know. Just seems like an opportunity.”

“Fine. Just promise me that if you do something stupid, you’ll at least make it entertaining.”

I grin, gripping the flyer tighter.

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