Page 129 of Sour Lollipops and Sweet Nightmares
“What are you thinking?” Ravi asked.
“I don’t know.” Issac’s eyes never left mine. “I was thinking a little predator/prey.”
I didn’t know who to be more afraid of. Issac or Ravi? The other two didn’t seem that interested in toying with me anymore. But those two looked positively predatory. Ravi even reached down and grabbed his groin as if the idea of chasing me down excited him.
Because let’s face it, I was the prey in their game. Not that I had a choice to play. Nor was I going to stick around to hear Issac’s fucked-up rules. The second Levi turned his head, Islipped past him and ran for the only place I could think of to hide.
My bedroom.
Georgia
Under the bed was the stupidest place for anyone to hide. Yet there I was, tucked under the frame, hoping that no one would see. Mind you, there wasn’t much else I could do. The power was still off, so it wasn’t as if I could see my bag to grab my pepper spray. That and Issac had already started his countdown, so I didn’t have time to search in the dark for anything.
“Six little Peaches tried to hide… Breath held tight while shadows slide… The hunter called with a voice like lead… Only five little peaches turned their head.”
The deep tone of his voice, combined with the ominous echo of footsteps, had my pulse thundering. How many of them were coming? Was it just Issac or all four?
“Five little peaches, sweet and shy… Hid in the dark while the night crept by… The hunter called with a voice that bled… Only four little peaches raised their head.”
The shuffle of feet vibrated through the floor to where I was lying on my stomach. Was it one person’s feet or more? I couldn’t tell. For how quiet the house was, it felt deafening. There was an incessant light knocking ringing through my ears.
Knock, knock…
Knock…
Knock, knock, knock…
Where was that coming from? That was when I realized that the wooden spoon held tightly in my grip was upright, and because of my trembling, it was tapping on the bedframe. I quickly pushed it down and silently scolded myself.
Great, Georgia, way to freak yourself out.
Issac’s voice drifting through the air wasn’t helping.
“Four little peaches tried to flee… Branches clawed where eyes could see… The hunter whispered, low and sly… Only three little peaches dared reply.”
Flee! That was a fantastic idea.
I rolled my head to the left. The window was right there, beside my bed. Could I make it?
“Three little peaches with hearts that pound… Shadows swallowed without a sound… The hunter laughed, ‘I smell you, too’… Only two little peaches slipped from view.”
I froze.
Hearts that pound? What the hell kind of fucked up countdown was that? Only Issac could turn a children’s nursery rhyme into something eerie. Then again, maybe there was a meaning behind it. My heart was pounding hard. Maybe hecould hear it or smell me. The scent of my shampoo was light, but I could smell it.
No. Issac wasn’t in the room. There was no way. Right?
“Two little peaches, trembling and on the run… One got caught, and then there was one…” A massive figure blocked the sliver of moonlight coming in from the living room. “The hunter sang, ‘now don’t you hide’… Only one little peach remained inside.”
Shit, Issac was here. I could tell it was him because of the black no-face mask on his head. Thankfully, no one else was with him. Issac may be a lot bigger than me, but I stood a much better chance one-on-one.
That didn’t make this situation any easier. I could barely breathe. It took all my concentration to stop my body from trembling, but I managed to do it. Silence was the only advantage I had.
Issac took a menacing step into the room as I crawled back further under the bed, tucking myself into the shadows.
“One little peach scared and alone… She thought she could knock him off his throne… But the game was over, the hunter already won…” My heart jumped as he reached back and pushed the door closed, shutting away the only light I had. “Come on out, little peach, there’s nowhere to run.”
My other senses heightened, making up for my lack of sight. I could hear oxygen moving in and out of my lungs and taste the tension in the air.
