the twine and peered inside the book. The words on the pages made no sense. It was like no language she had ever seen before.
Oh great.
She flipped through the book, shaking her head. The pages were yellowing and fragile. Every page the book opened on was dotted with Post-It notes that had slanted handwriting scrawled over them.
She started reading the notes. They appeared to be lists of ingredients, like a recipe book. She rubbed her brow, glancing up at the clock. Forty minutes had passed since Ben had gone outside. She frowned.
That’s too long.
Worry took over her thoughts, and she couldn’t concentrate on the research.
Where is he? What if he needs my help?
The idea of finding Ben in the corridor with dead green eyes and gaping wounds on his body caused a lump to form in her throat. After a few minutes of worrying, she convinced herself that if she didn’t go and find him, his death would be all her fault.
She scooped up the three books on the table and dropped them into a laptop bag that was beside the desk. She swung the bag over her head and dropped it on the opposite shoulder, so that the strap crossed her torso. Then she picked up the mop pole and clenched it in her hand.
Screw this. I’m not waiting around while he’s in trouble.
Ben felt like part of her team now.
Team: Survive this bullshit.
She wasn’t leaving him behind.
She hurried to the door and peeked around the blind to see into the corridor. She nearly screamed when she saw a pair of green eyes staring back at her.
Ben!
He smiled, and she hurriedly unlocked the door. Her heart hammered as she opened it and ushered him inside. “Quick. Get inside.”
He stepped into the room and glanced around before his eyes settled on her. He touched the cut on her forehead, saying nothing.
She jumped at his cold hands. “Are you okay? What happened? Where’s the woman who was screaming?”
Her pulse raced as he closed the door behind him.
He smiled at her. “She was dead when I got there.”
She slapped him in the chest. “What took you so long? I was scared to death!”
He rubbed his chest and narrowed his eyes at her. “It took me a while to find her.”
“Oh.” She didn’t know what to say, and he was unusually quiet for once.
At least he’s okay.
“Come on.” He gripped her wrist as he opened the door.
“What are you doing? That thing’s out there.” She pulled back.
“It’s okay. I found us a safe place to hide, but we need to go now.” His grip on her wrist felt like iron.
“Are you sure?” The hairs on her arms stood up as goosebumps popped up all over her body. Something was wrong, but she couldn’t put her finger on what it was.
This whole situation is messed up and wrong.
He leaned over and kissed her. It was a hard, punishing kiss. “You trust me, don’t you?”
She shook off the feelings of doubt. She did trust him. “Okay, but let’s hurry.”
He nodded before dragging her out into the hallway behind him.
L ucy glanced unsurely at Ben as he rushed up the staircase, still gripping her wrist and pulling her behind him.
“Are you sure it’s safe to go this way?” She eyed the blood spatters on the white walls. There were no bodies, but the stairwell looked as if it had been the place of a massacre.
“Yes.”
It was the first time he had spoken to her in such a clipped tone. She frowned as he pulled her after him. He hadn’t said much at all since they’d left the manager’s office. Just one-word answers to everything she asked.
Now probably isn’t the best time for an in-depth chat
, she rationalized.
She narrowed her eyes as he dragged her through the door into the third-floor corridor. He didn’t even check the hallway for monsters. His feet thumped heavily on the tiled floor as he rushed her towards the cinema doors.
Why isn’t he being more cautious? We sound like a herd of elephants.
There was a tingling sensation up her spine. Something felt very wrong, but she couldn’t decide
Oh great.
She flipped through the book, shaking her head. The pages were yellowing and fragile. Every page the book opened on was dotted with Post-It notes that had slanted handwriting scrawled over them.
She started reading the notes. They appeared to be lists of ingredients, like a recipe book. She rubbed her brow, glancing up at the clock. Forty minutes had passed since Ben had gone outside. She frowned.
That’s too long.
Worry took over her thoughts, and she couldn’t concentrate on the research.
Where is he? What if he needs my help?
The idea of finding Ben in the corridor with dead green eyes and gaping wounds on his body caused a lump to form in her throat. After a few minutes of worrying, she convinced herself that if she didn’t go and find him, his death would be all her fault.
She scooped up the three books on the table and dropped them into a laptop bag that was beside the desk. She swung the bag over her head and dropped it on the opposite shoulder, so that the strap crossed her torso. Then she picked up the mop pole and clenched it in her hand.
Screw this. I’m not waiting around while he’s in trouble.
Ben felt like part of her team now.
Team: Survive this bullshit.
She wasn’t leaving him behind.
She hurried to the door and peeked around the blind to see into the corridor. She nearly screamed when she saw a pair of green eyes staring back at her.
Ben!
He smiled, and she hurriedly unlocked the door. Her heart hammered as she opened it and ushered him inside. “Quick. Get inside.”
He stepped into the room and glanced around before his eyes settled on her. He touched the cut on her forehead, saying nothing.
She jumped at his cold hands. “Are you okay? What happened? Where’s the woman who was screaming?”
Her pulse raced as he closed the door behind him.
He smiled at her. “She was dead when I got there.”
She slapped him in the chest. “What took you so long? I was scared to death!”
He rubbed his chest and narrowed his eyes at her. “It took me a while to find her.”
“Oh.” She didn’t know what to say, and he was unusually quiet for once.
At least he’s okay.
“Come on.” He gripped her wrist as he opened the door.
“What are you doing? That thing’s out there.” She pulled back.
“It’s okay. I found us a safe place to hide, but we need to go now.” His grip on her wrist felt like iron.
“Are you sure?” The hairs on her arms stood up as goosebumps popped up all over her body. Something was wrong, but she couldn’t put her finger on what it was.
This whole situation is messed up and wrong.
He leaned over and kissed her. It was a hard, punishing kiss. “You trust me, don’t you?”
She shook off the feelings of doubt. She did trust him. “Okay, but let’s hurry.”
He nodded before dragging her out into the hallway behind him.
L ucy glanced unsurely at Ben as he rushed up the staircase, still gripping her wrist and pulling her behind him.
“Are you sure it’s safe to go this way?” She eyed the blood spatters on the white walls. There were no bodies, but the stairwell looked as if it had been the place of a massacre.
“Yes.”
It was the first time he had spoken to her in such a clipped tone. She frowned as he pulled her after him. He hadn’t said much at all since they’d left the manager’s office. Just one-word answers to everything she asked.
Now probably isn’t the best time for an in-depth chat
, she rationalized.
She narrowed her eyes as he dragged her through the door into the third-floor corridor. He didn’t even check the hallway for monsters. His feet thumped heavily on the tiled floor as he rushed her towards the cinema doors.
Why isn’t he being more cautious? We sound like a herd of elephants.
There was a tingling sensation up her spine. Something felt very wrong, but she couldn’t decide
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