CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Ember
“It’s deeper than primal, it’s obsession and possession clashing into one, creating undeniable love.”
The faint scent of sex fills the room along with the distinct smell of metal and old wood. One of the red lamps flicker and a steady drip sounds around the room.
My body is weak as I lift myself off the bed. My head spins with all new information about Ronan and I can’t figure out how I feel. I struggle to put my leathers on and the cold floors don’t help the chill that resonates through my body.
“Faster, unless you want them to see you naked.” I glance at the back of Ronan’s head, he’s stiff as a board as he looks toward the door.
For once he looks worried, maybe frightened and I have no idea why. The harsh red lights illuminate his frame and a pang of frustration settles in my gut.
“Who is it, Ronan? You’re scaring me.” I finally get the leather over my breast and up my shoulder.
The material is so unyieldingly tight as I force myself to walk up beside him. Long, stretched holes are on the thighs of the suit, as well as across my stomach. I ignore it, not caring how I look right now.
The doors latch unlocks with a loud screech, the silence following engulfs us. I tremble beside him as the door slowly opens, my hands behind my back toying with the tail of my costume.
The hall is dark once the door opens. Two girls stand before us, silently, and shadows flood their forms. One stands with a clipboard while the other holds a red lantern.
I can make out crooked, yellowed bunny ears, bent at odd angles and the fur of their costumes matted and greyed out.
They tilt their heads in unison and take a step towards us.
Long masks painted with wide, fixed smiles adorn their faces—the porcelain cracked and faded.
My heart beats in my chest, even though I know they’re part of the game, I can’t help but be afraid.
They don’t seem like playful actors, ones with mischief and funny intentions.
Their costumes look too real, the blood splattered across them glistens as if it was just splashed on there, and their clinical expression makes goosebumps rise up my arm.
I turn to look at Ronan. His eyes stay on the girls and he takes a step almost threateningly toward them, his body covering mine.
“Ronan, what’s going on?” I whisper so only him and I can hear.
His eyes cock to the side, telling me to stay silent. I don’t move, barely breath, because I have no idea what’s going on.
“We’re here to check your findings.” They echo in unison and walk deeper into the room.
The door shuts behind them before I can even think to run and with a loud click it locks.
I didn’t think this part would be so scary.
Their presence is mocking and way too calm for me to understand.
They both move together, checking our items and reading the clues.
The one with the clipboard snaps to us, her posture stiff as she lifts the clipboard to her masked eyes.
“Everything is accurate.” She murmurs, almost sad. Her head tilts and her bunny ears follow, flopping to one side.
The one with the lantern walks over to the other side of the room and unlocks the next door. Once she pushes it open, stark cold wind whips inside along with the smell of greenery and damp earth. It feels as if it’s been so long since I smelt the familiar town—I didn’t know I would miss it.
“You may proceed. Remember your time on the clock. That’s exactly how much longer you have to finish.” She pushes the door farther, inviting us over.
I look up and recite the time, 6 hours and 30 minutes left. I breathe out and grab Ronan's outstretched hand as he leads us to the door.
My eyes widen as we get closer. Beyond the door stretches tall hedges, twisting into a long corridor. Their branches intertwine and their leaves are bushy, swallowing the sky whole.
Ronan’s lip twitches into a smirk and his arm wraps around my waist as he guides me down the steps.
“Accuracy has kept you alive so far, but stray too far and the maze will have you.” Her voice is low and if I can feel any more scared I do. My hands tremble at my sides and the bitter cold air seeps into my leathers.
I never should’ve listened to Sophie. I’m one step closer to death because of her.
I turn to ask the bunny lady something but she shuts the door with a deafening slam.
“It’s a hedge maze.” I rasp and turn to Ronan. Fog clouds our breathing but he doesn’t seem to mind the freezing temperature.
“No shit.” He mutters and steps around me over to a bench situated beside the hedges.
His eyes track my every move—drifting from my trembling hands to the small twitch of my lips.
“Are you scared or cold?” He muses and gets comfortable on the bench. His arm goes behind his head and his legs spread.
“Just cold. You seemed a little stiff in there when they showed. Are you sure you aren’t scared?” I taunt.
A low chuckle leaves his lips, “Never scared, Little Devil. It’s called protecting what’s yours.”
My eyebrows lift but I stay silent and walk further into the tall hedges. They’re much taller than us, looming into the foggy night sky like a sacred labyrinth.
“It’s fucking freezing. We need to get a move on.” He nods but doesn’t move. “That means get up, Ronan.”
He huffs and stands. Leaves crunch ahead of us and my head snaps toward the sound. My eyes strain in the darkness but I can’t see anything.
“This feels…wrong.” I hug myself and step closer to him.
“Of course it does.” He mutters. “That’s the whole point of a maze at a haunted house. It’s not called Hedge Fun Time with Friends, is it?”
I roll my eyes and we begin walking. His lips curl into a smirk and I want to smack it off but I know where that will land me. A whimpering cold mess against these damn hedges.
“You never stop, do you?” I groan and try to keep up with his large steps. He weaves through the maze as if he knows it all too well and I just follow because he most-likely does.
“Never say never, Little devil.”
The deeper we walk the more alive the maze feels. Our feet crunch against the dirt trail but in the distance you can hear other steps, like someone or something else is with us. My stomach twists with each step but he doesn’t care to notice as he turns down another trail.
I turn to look where we started but it’s already consumed in black shadows.
“Scared yet?”
I don’t answer because of course I’m fucking scared. Who knows what’s out here. I jump at the creeping shape coming towards me but realize it’s my own shadow. I need to get a grip. I shake my head trying to clear the terror that wracks it.
He pauses when we get to a split, one side going left and the other going right.
“Which way, Little Devil?” I hesitate and turn to him.
“Why do I have to pick?”
He laughs and turns to the right path. “Always pick right. Unless you want to test your luck and go left. Maybe the bunnies will come back to eat us.”
“They’re not going to eat us.” I shiver at the thought.
He begins striding down the right path without waiting for me. His broad shoulders brushing the hanging leaves. I run after him, afraid to venture to the left by myself.
“Don’t sound too confident, they may hear you.” I whip around looking behind us.
“Fuck, you’re enjoying this, arent you? Messing with my head and seeing me scared.”I glare at him and his smirk widens, his eyes glinting with amusement and desire.
“It wouldn’t be so fun if not to watch you unravel.”
Ronan will be the death of me, because right now I’m scared out of my mind but can’t help to clench my legs tighter at his words.
Something rattles the hedges beside me and I flinch, bumping into him. The leaves begin shaking violently and I push back into him. He grabs my arm and pulls me to stand in front of him, his eyes bright with sadistic humor.
“Pathetic.” He mumbles and pulls me with him down the path.
“You saw that and you’re not scared?! It was like something was clawing its way out. Branches don’t move on their own.” I shriek and yank out of his grip. He lets me but doesn’t stop walking.
“No, they don’t, they move when the wind blows. If something really wanted you, you wouldn’t have time to scream.”
I continue behind him like a lost fucking dog. He’s right. I’m too scared and it’s making me lose my sight, making me act like an idiot.
He stops when we reach another split. “Pick.”
“I don’t know. Why do you keep asking me that? Just lead the way, I know you know the way out.”
He leans down until his lips brush across my ear, his breath hot against my cold cheeks.
“That’s the point. You need to learn how to survive. The maze is winning.” My cheeks flush as he pulls back and the absence of his heat is a reminder of the chill out here.
He turns right again. I keep my eyes ahead, even though it feels like something breathes down my neck. A tense silence fills the air as we continue and the crunch of leaves within the hedges scream at me to run.
We finally reach the middle of the desolate maze. My legs buckle underneath me as I plop down on a bench. Ronan sits down beside me, his eyes tracking across the many old statues situated around us.
The center stretches wide and four paths connect to it, one of them leading out to our freedom.
Old statues and benches cover the area, along with a fountain that isn’t on.
There’s three different fires going inside of tin barrels.
The heat wafts around the large area but isn't enough to warm me completely.
I pull my knees to my chest, trying to warm my body the best I can.
“This feels like more than a game.” I mutter through frosted lips.
He shrugs beside me. “Sounds like you're finally catching on.”
If I had known this place broke down so many emotions I wouldn’t have come. Right now I feel like I’m in a state of hysteria walking through this damned maze. Every little sound is scaring the shit out of me and my body is frozen. I curl my fingers to regain some feeling in them and turn to Ronan.