Page 59 of Sinister Legacy
Silence reigns thick and heavy as I spin in a circle, imagining shadows crawling out from between the spindly trees. I release another sob, my chest constricting with icy-cold dread.
My phone vibrates in my hand.
Unknown number: Who should I kill next? Madison or Miles? But think long and hard before you answer. If you spare Madison, someone else you care dearly about will also pay the price.
I grow even colder, if that’s possible.
Unknown number: Your friend or your boyfriend’s? Pick one.
My numb fingers fly across the screen. In my panic, I mistype several times.
Keira: I’m not choosing.
Unknown number: Then you’ll have both of their deaths on your conscience.
Keira: You promised me you wouldn’t hurt Madison if I played the game.
Unknown number: And I won’t. If you spare her life.
But then someone else I care about dies.
It’s an impossible situation, and I lose regardless. If I don’t pick, he’ll go after Miles and Madison. If I spare my friend’s life, he’ll kill Miles and someone else close to me.
If I pick Miles, Madison dies.
No matter what I do, someone dies.
Keira: please don’t do this.
Unknown number: Tick tock.
Keira: I can’t choose. Don’t make me choose.
Sobbing, I scan the trees again.
Unknown number: Is that your final answer?
Keira: Fuck you!
A picture of the outside of the movie theatre comes through.
Unknown number: You have made your choice.
“No. No. No,” I whisper, typing.
Keira: Miles, I pick Miles.
Unknown number: Good choice.
“FUCK!” I roar, my hands flying to my hair.
A leather-gloved hand clamps over my mouth, and I release a startled scream, trying to wrench free as warm, moist lips whisper against the side of my cheek, “Calm down, it’s me.”
I break free from King’s grip and spin around. “Get away from me!”
Puffs of cold air leave his lips while he studies me with a small frown between his eyebrows.
“It’s you. You’re the killer. All this time,” I point an accusing finger at him, “it was you.”
