29. Madelyn #2
If he finds me, he’d better just end me. I don’t think I can take any more tension.
I wait a couple of minutes with my heart in my throat, hunching by the door and hugging my legs. I find the position strangely comforting as I rock back-and-forth.
The sudden silence gives me hope.
I need to reconsider my options.
If I call the police—I almost certainly implicate myself in even more trouble. But maybe it’s worth the risk? All of this ending? I have no idea how I’ll explain Joseph’s condition. Let alone the fact his friend was the last one to see me before he ‘disappeared.’
Or…I could call Hannah. But I’ve seen what Devon can do, and I don’t want to implicate her in this. I couldn’t tell her any details about how or why I ended up here and who’s following me.
No. I’ve done enough damage.
Guilt rips through me, scratching me like nails along my skin. My stomach twists.
Maybe I should confront Devon. Get this over with. Let him have his way with me.
Except he enjoys terrifying me. This is the kind of thing that gets him off. And he’ll make sure I regret every second of it. Things won’t be easy or enjoyable until he sees my fear, until he provokes me and gives me an unforgettable chill.
“Madelyn?” The voice sends goosebumps through me. “Are you here?”
Kayden.
He came. He’s here. Calling out for me. Making his presence painfully obvious.
He shouldn’t be so loud. He could get himself killed.
I need to warn him. Get to him before Devon does and get the hell out of here—together.
I take a deep breath and count to three before pushing the handle of the door and running out of here.
Sprinting through the hallways, back to my left, and turning to the main hall, where I’m sure Kayden’s voice came from.
It’s only as I slow that the sight surprises me—because it isn’t subliminally dark anymore. I mean, it still is, but there are little flashes illuminating the floor of the halls, forming a straight path. They’re garlands with lights, reminiscent of those you hang up on a Christmas tree.
I squint my eyes and scan my surroundings.
What is this?
Did Devon do this? When? What does he want me to see?
For a moment, with my heart palpitating in my ears, I think about the possibility of this being a trap. Maybe Devon somehow has a voice imitation device and is pretending to be Kayden, as those demons do in movies.
Because he is a demon. A demon that’s craving for my soul and seems to be latched to me.
My thoughts vanish into thin air when a hard surface hits me, and I bounce back.
A big, strong surface. Muscles. Hard rock.
“K-Kayden.”
He presses his palms to my arms, holding me in place. “Are you okay?” His worried blue eyes stare deeply into mine, ignoring that I almost went headfirst into his chest. “I’m sorry it took me this long to get here. What happened? Why are all the lights off?”
“We have to leave.” I pull him toward the door. “Quick.”
“Madelyn.” He stops me, cementing us both in place. “Look at me.”
I gnaw at my bottom lip and do my best to control myself. I don’t want to get lost in his hypnotizing stare again.
“I need you to be honest with me. What is happening?”
There is no easy way to say this. I purse my lips.
“Tell me.”
My mouth opens and closes. Where do I even start?
“There’s someone here. They’re…” I pause. “Following me. And they locked me in here.”
Kayden’s eyebrows furrow, his jaw tenses. “What? Who is it? Did they hurt you?” He huffs. “I’ll fucking kill them.”
I shake my head, my hands trembling as I bring them together. “It’s nothing like that. He’s been sending me gifts and…threatening me.”
“Threatening you with what?” he asks, still frowning. “Fuck. Why didn’t you say anything?”
“I couldn’t. He knows…things. Anyway, that’s not the point. The point is, he’s hurt people. He hurt Joseph. He’s—I found him in the storage room, and he’s—” The reality sinks in as I say it out loud. Tears well at the corners of my eyes, and my voice breaks. “I think he’s dead.”
“Are you sure?”
“I-I’m not. B-but I couldn’t feel him breathing.”
“Did you check for a pulse?”
“N-no. I didn’t want to touch him, in case I—” In case I left my prints on him? Did I almost say that? “I-I don’t know. I freaked out and left him.”
Devon might pin this on me. Or Kayden. He did threaten to make my brother suffer.
I know what he’s capable of.
“I shouldn’t have left him. But it’s pointless now.” It pains me, but I don’t know what I can do to help him without condemning myself. “We should go. We can go and…I don’t know, call in an anonymous tip? We’ll figure it out when we’re far from here.”
“We can’t leave him.”
“This guy…he’s dangerous.” I don’t know how to resonate with Kayden. I can’t tell him the whole story.
I’m starting to regret asking him to come and save me because now I’m risking him, too.
If something happens to Kayden—if my brother gets hurt because of me—I don’t think I can ever forgive myself.
“I know,” he says. “But I’m not afraid of him.”
I know the right thing to do is check if Joseph is okay before getting the hell out of here. I’m being selfish by choosing us and our safety.
“I’ll go check on Joseph and find that piece of shit.”
“No.” Tears slowly drip down my face. “Let’s go, Kayden.”
“Don’t worry. Nothing will happen to you. I’ll be right back.”
It’s not me I’m worried about now. I can’t let Kayden do this, play the hero.
This villain isn’t fantasy. He’s real. Very real. And he wants me.
“Then, I’m coming with you.”
“No.” Kayden grasps my shoulders again. “I would never forgive myself if something happened to you. This is a possible killer we’re talking about here. You’re not equipped enough for that.”
“And you are?”
“Well, I—”
“Don’t bullshit me with the whole ‘I’m a guy’ speech because I’ll kick your balls and we’ll see how much of a strong, tough guy you are.”
That gets a laugh out of him. We shouldn’t be joking in a moment like this, with the clock ticking, with Devon still somewhere around here. But it somehow helps soothe my nerves.
I can’t help but smile back when he does.
“I was going to say, I’ve got a knife.” He takes out a pocket-knife from his black leather jacket.
“Where did you get that from?”
“I always keep something with me. It makes me feel safer. So, I’ll be fine.
You stay here until I come back, and then we’ll leave.
Actually, you stay there.” He points at the front door of the school, the entrance.
“On the other side. Outside. Waiting for me. If I don’t come out in ten minutes, run and get help. ”
“I don’t want to do this.”
“Madelyn, listen to me. Please.”
I sigh, considering his words. “Not ten minutes, five.”
I have to calm down. The air will do me good, and I know Kayden is strong enough to defend himself.
“Deal.” He nods and turns away, into the dark.
I go my own way, reach the front door, and pull it open. But I still don’t trust this plan. If he’s not back in five minutes—I’m going back to get him. I can’t leave him behind.