Page 19 of Off the Rails

Calling after her, Nash yelled. “Call for us if she escapes.”

Blade raised her ax over her head, before letting out a hideous cackle.

As Nash took off toward Noir Nights, she let out a haunting call. “Ready or not!”

Pounding my fist into my chest, I let out one roar. A warning that I’d find her. Even if it took me an eternity of Fright Nights. I would have my turn with this one if it killed me.

I ran to my section before quieting my steps. At the entrance of Rapid Rush, I shook out my shoulders and let my machete hang from my hands.

Slowly, I moved through the park. I stalked my prey like a lioness, crouching and watching the dark corners of the rides.

As unlikely as it was that “Mary” would be over here, I wasn’t going to blow my shot. There was a chance that twenty grand was enticing enough for a girl like her. Running may not have been the best financial plan.

I walked past the vast, empty wave pool. A memory flashing in the back of my mind. Playing, splashing. We were laughing. All of us, always laughing.

It was silent now. All the noise of that joy slaughtered by the reality of where we’d ended up.

I was going to fulfill the prophecy if it fucking killed me.

Ducking below the steep plunge of the towering slide, I held still.

A creak came from one of the knocked over mechanical boxes.

Maybe this woman had been dumb enough to really play our game. A maze she’d never be able to find her way out of.

Creeping over, I brought the tip of my machete to the edge of the small door.

A laugh ripped through my chest. “Time’s up.”

12

TESS

As the lazy carts of the kiddie sleighride coaster circled overhead, one thought played on a loop in my head.

I’m so fucked.

I couldn’t see a thing from my hastily chosen hiding spot: behind the splintered old boards at the base of the ride. But that didn’t mean the clowns wouldn’t be able to see me.

When the warcries had gone quiet, I wanted to believe it was because the freaks had slunk off to some far corner of the park, acres and acres away from the sleighride coaster I was hiding behind.

But my body knew better. My ears strained to listen for my hunters over the hum of the electric box and the circling carts. It was only a matter of seconds before their roaring picked up again, this time echoing off in separate directions.

Splitting up. Divide and conquer.

I swallowed hard at the thought of what their victory would look like. This was a terrible fucking hiding spot. They knew this park like the back of their hands, and instead of giving myself a fighting chance, I’d dawdled by the fence for five minutes dreaming about a life that wasn’t even mine beyond the tree line.

It was too late to change it now, though. Besides, it was entirely possible I was overestimating their abilities.

How many guys did I know who swore they could score a point on Serena Williams? Who was to say that these fuckers were any different?

This might be the easiest $20k I ever make.

But as boots drew closer, it was hard to hold on to that confidence. Muffling my breathing with a hand over my mouth, I peered out between the cracks in the slats, trying to figure out which one of my hunters had followed my scent.

The dark of night combined with the blinding lights on the rides made it impossible to see more than a silhouette: tall frame, broad shoulders, purposeful footsteps as she surveyed the section. Could be any one of them, really.

A shiver tickled down my spine as I realized just how little I knew about the freaks who were stalking me around the park. How long had they been here? Did they really live here like the rumors claimed?