Page 39 of Hellebore

I bite my lip hard. Did he drug the cake? Why the hell is he telling me that?

“Look on the desk.”

I turn slowly. On my small drawing desk sits the book I was reading a couple nights ago. A black hellebore marks the page. I open it with trembling fingers, it’s the somnophilia scene. I gasp and drop the book.

“Briar, is everything okay?” Lucille calls from the living room.

I snatch the flower, shove it into a drawer, grab the slice of cake, and dart into the closet just as she opens the bedroom door.

“Yes, sorry! I just dropped a book.” I laugh, shoving the cake onto the back shelf.

“Okay. Sorry, I’m jumpy,” she says with a weak smile.

“Same.” I wave my hand dramatically, trying to look normal.

“Pizza?” she asks.

I nod with the biggest smile I can fake.

The second she leaves and closes the door, I pick the book back up. Another text vibrates.

“If you want to try it, eat the cake.”

I gasp, air burning in my lungs.

No. Of course I don’t want that. He’s insane. I would never let a stranger fuck me while I’m unconscious. I might be losing my mind, but I still have some limits.

I type back anyway, hoping the message goes through.

“I don’t know you. You could be an old fart smelling like stale beer.”

It delivers.

I stare at the screen, barely breathing.

A picture appears.

A man in a black shirt and black cargo pants, standing in front of a mirror. Black messy hair that looks damp. The phone covers his face. Tall. Broad. Dangerous.

Shit. No. This is probably catfish bullshit.

“Catfish,” I reply.

“Friday.”

That’s all it says.

“Friday? What do you mean?” I text back, but it’s blocked again.

Damn it.

Is he coming to the party? Or does he mean he’s going to make me eat the cake?

My heart slams so hard I feel dizzy.

I should call the cops. Lucille is right. This is dangerous. I could get her hurt too.

I grab my clothes, turn the shower on, and call the local police station while Lucille orders pizza. I explain everything in a shaky tone. The man on the other end sounds bored as he asks if he hurt me, if there was any direct threat to my life.