Page 62 of Bitter Rivals (Bitterwood Elites)

Growling, I take Bianca’s hand again, stomping off—albeit cautiously—in the direction I think we need to go. Except, after a few turns, we end up in a dead end, confirming that I was reading the map upside down.

“Ok, the map isn’t labeled, and I read it wrong, but I know now,” I tell Bianca, pulling it back out for her to see. “We're here, and this is the closest exit, so we need to go left, left, right, left and then out!”

“Does that seem too easy?” my roommate murmurs.

I snort. “Nothing at Bitterwood is easy. If we expect to die around every corner, then we might actually live. Now, let’s move our asses.”

As soon as we stand up, a muted scream sounds in the distance. I can’t place it because the enormous hedge muffles it. Bianca and I share a glance before breaking into a run.Left, left, right, left, out,I chanted mentally over and over while keeping my eyes peeled for danger. We make our first left turn when the leaves of the hedge behind me rustle menacingly. A vicious growl accompanies it, making the hairs on my arm stand on end.

I remember that growl.

My heart beats a staccato rhythm of acute panic in my chest at the sound, I recall it all too well.

“What is that?” Bianca whimpers quietly as two jewel-like, yellow eyes peek out from within the hedge wall. Slowly, a muzzle with sharp teeth pokes out, another growl rumbling from the still hidden creature.

“Run,” I gasp. “RUN!”

Both of us turn, forgetting our objective to find the finish line first, and simply race away as the jaguar leaps out from the foliage. I chance a look over my shoulder and see that the force of the animal’s action sent it into the other side of the hedge where it scrambles back, clawing viciously at the greenery. Bianca and I flee for our lives, weaving in and out of the labyrinth unconsciously.

I don’t know how many corners we round before we lose the fucking beast, but I know we’re lost once more. Still, we keep running until we come upon a boy with a noose around his neck. On the other side of the wide path is a pair of shearing clippers. It instantly becomes clear to me the cruel trick Windsor is playing. The scissors are just close enough to think you can grab them—until you strangle yourself to death.

“Help me!” The guy pleads.

Bianca and I exchange a glance. It’s reckless but we spring together toward the clippers. She grabs it first, and I hold my breath, waiting for another trap to go off. When nothing happens, I quickly take the shears from Bianca and step over to release the boy from the rope. The damned thing is too thick, and the blades are dull. Sweat dots my forehead as I struggle to free him before the jaguar catches up. As if my thought summons the demon from Hell, an animalistic screech comes from somewhere nearby in the hedge.

“Hurry, Remington!” Bianca urges.

“I’m trying!” I snap.

At the same time the guy asks, “Wh-what is that?”

Before I can answer, a feral snarl sounds above my head. I glance up in confusion to see the fucking jaguar walking on top of the hedge wall some twenty feet up. I forgot they can climb. Bianca lunges forward to help me saw through the rope just as the wild animal jumps gracefully from the great height as if it can fly. It lands with a heavy thud only a few feet from me just as we finally cut through the rope.

The three of us scramble to escape, but the jaguar is too close. It leaps and almost pounces on my roommate. I knock her out of the way at the last minute, narrowly escaping the creature’s claws, but in doing so, leave the boy’s back open for attack. I try to call out a warning, but the jaguar slams into him, tackling him to the ground. His high-pitched screams are cut off as the giant cat immediately rips out his throat. Bianca gags as I drag her away in the direction we initially came from.

I thought today’s game was going to be a cakewalk because I had a map.

I thought fucking wrong.

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