Page 107 of Losing the Rhythm

Not even a minute later, the monster came by. All I could see was a massive shadow standing before us. I barely dared to breathe as it stopped where we were hiding. I swore it knew where we were. For a long time it didn’t move.

“I’m scared,” a girl said.

He turned back where we came from.

“It’ll be fine,” a boy said.

The monster went running.

We did too, going the opposite way. Not long after, a girl was screaming behind us. We turned on our flashlights and weaved through the maze. There was enough screaming and running and growling and howling to let me know all four monsters were currently busy, and it was away from us.

When we came to the middle, there was a stand there with a bunch of flags hanging up. Toby quickly untied one. Someone screamed way too close by, and shortly after, they came running through the middle, a monster on their heels.

Instead of following the couple to where they disappeared down another passageway, it stopped and focused on us.

“Shit, run!” Toby nudged me, helping me to get my feet moving.

Then we were running with it right on our heels. It was the monster who did the whooping.

“Fuck!” Toby stumbled but managed to get back on his feet. I yanked him with me as we made a hard right at an intersection, trying to get us headed toward the area where the exit should be.

We were coming up to a corner when a different monster came around.

Toby screamed.

I nearly did, but I choked on the fear instead. It came at us. Toby pushed me toward a different route, making sure he was between the monster and me. Then we were running again.

By the time we found the exit, we were stumbling out, wheezing. My legs were exhausted and shaky. Benches were set nearby and Toby helped me sit down.

“Holy crap! We did it.”

I gasped, unable to reply. The adrenaline was still surging through me, and I kept expecting a monster to come out of the exit and grab us, dragging us back into its dark abyss.

“Are you okay?” Toby asked.

I drew in another breath and released it slowly, thinking about all the breathing exercises I had been taught. It worked as I got myself back under control. Then I grinned at Toby.

“You screamed.”

His cheeks turned red. “I did no such thing.”

“Oh you so did. You screamed.” I turned the words into a little melody as I teased him. “Toby is a screamer, screamer. Screams to the world, yeah he did.” I sang it, just tossing words out there.

His face grew even redder, reaching his ears. He groaned. “Candy, don’t do this to me.”

“He screamed to the world. Screamed to the gods. Screamed so loud the aliens got the message. Oh yeah, he’s a screamer.”

“Cadence!”

I finally stopped, laughing hard, my stomach aching. That was when I remembered the flags attached to my waist. “I still have all three. What about you?” I asked.

Toby looked down and grimaced. “One.”

“You did toss yourself at the monster that one time.”

“I lost one before that too, when we were being chased by that second monster.”

“Well,” I said standing up. “You’re my hero for putting yourself between the monster and me. I appreciate the sacrifice.”

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