Chapter 2 Hunter
TWO
HUNTER
“I’m getting too old for this shit.” I look down at the navy-blue jumpsuit in my hands. My knees already hurt, and the night hasn’t started yet. “I can’t hear out of my left ear.”
“Definitely can’t be all the motorcycle riding you do without hearing protection.” Leo Reynolds, my roommate and best friend of over twenty years, tosses a grin my way. “I can’t believe this is your last year putting on a costume and scaring the piss out of drunk idiots.”
“I can. My entire body aches. Retiring from entertainment sounds like a dream.”
“Come on, man. Admit it. You’re going to miss being the signature face of Fright Nights, aren’t you? The guy everyone tries to find while they’re in the house and the one in all the promo commercials. My little celebrity.”
“Stop kissing my ass, Leo.” I laugh. “I still don’t understand how people can tell it’s me. A dozen of us dress the same way. The lighting is shitty. You can’t even see my face.”
“The tattoos are pretty obvious, dude. You have a fucking dragon on your hand.”
“Might need to start covering it up.” I step into the jumpsuit and pull it over my undershirt. “If I hear one more high-pitched scream, I’m going to lose it.”
“Wow. You’re a grouchy fuck tonight. That’s unusual.”
“Sorry. I’m exhausted.”
“You need to get laid.”
“I’m not sure how I’m supposed to do that.”
“Don’t tell me you need a lesson on the birds and the bees.” Leo clears his throat. “Hunter Wilder. When a man loves a woman–”
“Shut up.” I throw a pair of socks at him. “I know how biology works, and I’ve never had any complaints in the past about my knowledge on female anatomy.”
“Now you’re just showing off.”
“What I meant was I work until three in the morning. I sleep until two in the afternoon. My nights are spent sweating my ass off in ninety-degree weather with one hundred percent humidity. Doesn’t leave a lot of free time for fucking.”
“In a few weeks, you can fuck whoever you want, whenever you want,” he says. “And who knows? Maybe tonight will be the best night of your life. You’ll meet someone, bring them home, and live happily ever after.”
“You’re not allowed to watch any more romcoms. I’m banning Hallmark from our television.” I sort through the prop box against the wall, finding my mask and favorite fake knife. I spin the rubber weapon in my hand and tuck it in my pocket. “This isn’t nearly as good as the real thing.”
“Pretty sure giving us actual weapons is a lawsuit waiting to happen.” Leo levels me with a look. “You haven’t hacked up anyone in a while, have you? Do you miss the rush of death?”
“It’s only been a few months since I’ve engaged in my extracurricular hobbies, but I have a job scheduled in two weeks.
” I roll my shoulders and stretch my neck.
Popping a Tylenol before my shift tonight was a necessity, and I’m wishing I brought the bottle.
I should start doing something atrocious like Pilates to make myself more limber.
“And don’t say hacked up. That makes it sound like I run around chopping off heads for fun.
It’s more sophisticated than that. I get rid of people who have no place in society.
People who hurt others and take advantage of those weaker than them. There’s a difference.”
“Right.” Leo nods like he understands, and maybe he does. He’s seen all the messy shit I’ve been involved in and hasn’t said a word about any of it. He’s never judged me either, which makes him a goddamn saint. “You do have fun when you do it, don’t you?”
“Yeah.” I smirk. “Best adrenaline rush in the world.”
“Guess Elle Woods was wrong about happy people killing other people.”
“She wasn’t wrong about the endorphins, though.”
“Fuck. I’m a sucker for a smart woman. And all that pink? Sign me up.” Leo pulls on his own jumpsuit and fixes the sleeves. “What position do you want to start with in the house tonight?”
“I’ll take the third room. You got the back?”
“Yup. Switch after the third break?”
“Sounds good to me.”
He bumps my fist with his and waves. “See you out there, cutie pie.”
I file out of the air-conditioned breakroom trailer and step into the sticky early evening air. I make my way over to the house supervisor on duty, laughing when I see another friend waiting for me.
“Janey. Is it too late to call in sick?” I ask.
“Not a chance. We’re already short-staffed for a Thursday. I’m not letting you out of my sight until you’re in position,” she says. “Even then I might attach you to the wall so you don’t go anywhere.”
“Kinky. I didn’t think I was your type.”
“You wish you were my type.”
“I wish for a lot of things, J.” I toss her a lopsided grin and slide my mask in place. “But, fine. I’ll stay put only because I love you and you knew me back when I had a terrible haircut. I can’t have you showing evidence of my early twenties to anyone.”
“Seems like yesterday we were working in attractions and getting paid minimum wage. Look at us now: scare actor of the year for the last three years and me, the lucky asshole who gets to deal with you five nights a week.” She pinches my cheek and we walk toward the soundstage where the haunted house is set up.
“It’s going to be mayhem tonight. The event is sold out. ”
“Doesn’t surprise me. First day of October. The fall girlies are drinking their pumpkin spice lattes. Halloween is creeping up. Are you and Mila taking Bailey trick-or-treating?”
“We are.” Janey smiles at the mention of her wife and daughter. “I won’t be here that night, so you better be on your best behavior. No fighting allowed.”
“Hey. That douchebag swung at me first,” I say, bringing up the guest who decided to deck me in the face last week.
I did my job, popping out from behind a corner like I’m paid to do, and he threw a punch at me. My retaliation was self-defense.
I also really fucking hated his polo and khakis, so it might’ve been a little personal.
“I know he did, and so do the police. He’s banned from the park for life.”
My heart warms in my chest. Janey always takes care of me, and she has for years; escorting away a group of girls who started to grope me when I tried to exit the haunted house for a break.
Keeping idiots out of the line so they don’t try to fight the actors.
Feeding me after my mom died so I didn’t wither away.
Cleaning the wounds on my hands after I paid my abusive dad a visit.
Intervening when my nose gushed blood last week was one of her finer moments. I wouldn’t still be working here if it wasn’t for her.
“I’ll be good when you’re gone, and I’m glad you get the night off. You don’t want to miss out on those memories with Bailey,” I say.
“I can’t believe she’s seven. It makes me feel ancient.”
“Because we are ancient.” I smile as she holds the door to the soundstage open for me. The people waiting in line erupt in cheers when they spot me, and I give them all a wave. “My knees cracked when I got out of bed this morning, and I had to stretch for twenty minutes before I ate lunch.”
“You’re taking care of yourself, right?”
“C’mon, J. What’s the phrase? God gives his toughest battles to his strongest soldiers? I’m fucking Hercules.”
“And I’m suffering from religious trauma.” She clasps my shoulder. “Time to get in there. They’re all here for you, Hunt.”
“No pressure or anything.” I take off the robe wrapped around my body to hide my costume and hand it her way. “See you on break.”
“Be good,” Janey warns.
“Where’s the fun in that?”
“Dude. That first shift was wild.” Leo yanks off his mask, throwing it on the couch in the breakroom. He downs half a bottle of water and wipes his mouth. “Enthusiastic guests make this job so fun.”
“It’s a good crowd tonight.” I run my hand through my dark hair, dragging my fingers across my scalp. The strands are wet with sweat, and I wipe my palm on my jumpsuit. “Seems like we have a lot of first timers.”
“I love the virgins.”
“I’ve lived with you for years, Leo. I unfortunately know everything you like.”
“Because you’re a lucky bastard.” He pops a chip in his mouth, taking full advantage of our forty-five minutes away from the crowd.
I’m wondering if I can sneak a quick nap in.
“Life is good, isn’t it? The weather is cooler than it was back in August. It gets darker earlier. It feels scary, you know?”
“I’m only mildly uncomfortable in my costume, not bordering on a heat stroke.” I yawn and take a seat on one of the long couches, stretching out my legs with a groan. At six-four, I barely fit, but it’s better than standing. “Want to switch positions after our next break? I’m bored.”
“Please. The cops at the exit won’t shut the fuck up. They’re obnoxious as shit, so good luck. They told me I got too close to someone but didn’t do anything when the dude in the ugly ass boat shoes kicked me in the shins.”
“Fuckers,” I grumble, knowing it’s a battle every year with the security team they put outside the house.
They like to ignore us when an actor is being harassed but have no problem calling our supervisors when they think we’re the ones being unruly.
“I’ll have some fun with them later. I love pissing dickbags off. ”
“This is why we work so well together.” He throws a bottle of water my way. I catch it against my chest and yawn again. “Some of the guys are going out after we finish for the night. Want to join?”
“At three in the morning? Fuck, no. It’s a struggle to keep my eyes open right now. I’m also thirty-five and well aware nothing good happens after two a.m.”
“Plenty of good things happen after two a.m. I’ll prove it to you. I bet I’ll come home with an excellent story, or I’ll do the dishes for a month.”
“That sounds like a bargain I can’t pass up.” I chug half the water and drop my head back. “Don’t expect me to bail your ass out of jail.”
“I’m a law-abiding citizen unlike other people in this room.” Leo ducks when I lob the water back his way, letting out a wail when it nicks his cheek. “Don’t mark up my pretty face.”
“Humble as always, Reynolds,” I say, closing my eyes and putting a pillow over my face. It smells like Doritos, and I try not to gag. “Leave me alone. I need my beauty sleep.”
“I’ll wake you up in a few, old man. Dream of me,” he says, and I hold up a middle finger to flip him off.