Total pages in book: 48
Estimated words: 44459 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 222(@200wpm)___ 178(@250wpm)___ 148(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 44459 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 222(@200wpm)___ 178(@250wpm)___ 148(@300wpm)
A new thought hit me then.
“Don’t you have to get back for the wrap party?” She was their star, after all.
She shook her head. “I decided to skip it. I’ll see everyone at our postproduction meeting, and the party’s not really my thing anyway.” She set a hand on the center of my chest. “So,” she started, “do you want to come back to my hotel room for a drink? Or, like, a nap?”
A nap would be great, but one with her, in her bed? That sounded amazing. She could probably feel the excited thump of my heart beneath her hand.
“Yeah, I’d love to.”
We walked quickly back to the gate, but once we’d gone through it and into the walled garden, her cell phone rang.
I saw Josh’s name flash on the screen before she answered it. Since it was quiet in the garden, I stood close to her, and she had the volume up. It meant I was able to make out his side of the conversation.
“Where are you?” He didn’t sound angry, just curious.
Her gaze flicked to me. “I went for a walk in the gardens.”
He didn’t seem to think that answer was strange. “Did you see Roquan after you finished tonight? We can’t find him, and his stuff is still here, including his phone.”
“No, sorry,” she said. “I haven’t seen him since the cast meeting this afternoon.”
“Okay,” he sighed. “Do me a favor. If you see him, tell him to give me a call.”
“You got it.”
They said goodbye, she hung up, and maybe she felt she had to explain. “Roquan plays the patient in the medical scene. He’s the one in the hospital gown.”
“You mean the guy the wraith dragged through the mirror?”
It was like I was speaking a foreign language to her. “Um, what?”
“Wraith isn’t the right word, I guess. Ghost? It was the black creature with the yellow eyes. It came out of the mirror, grabbed the guy by the ankles, and dragged him back through. That whole thing was so impressive, not to mention fucking terrifying.”
Why was she looking at me like she hadn’t a clue what I was talking about?
“Okay.” She put her hands on her hips and frowned. “Can you try that again? You’re saying you saw someone grab Roquan?”
“Yes. Something all black, like smoke with yellow eyes. It’s hard to describe because that was when the lights were going haywire.”
She only looked more confused. “When the lights—? I don’t understand. None of that’s in the script.”
“You said Josh kept the cast compartmentalized. That you don’t know what happens in the other scenes.”
“I did, but it’s not exactly true.” She grimaced with guilt then pushed through. “There’s a lot of improvisation, so stuff changes all the time, but everyone knows the outline of what’s supposed to happen. Plus, every cast member understudies for another so we can switch parts if needed. We get shuffled when Josh wants to tailor the experience to a specific guest.”
For a half second, I considered that was all this was—a mini scene added to scare me. But there was no way that was the case. The special effects were far too complex to be thrown together at the last minute.
Her tone was serious. “I know everyone at Void. We’ve become a fucked-up little family after spending the last month together prepping. You say you saw someone in all black with yellow eyes grab Roquan—who Josh says is missing—and I’m telling you, I’ve never seen that costume, and I don’t know anyone playing that part.”
A cold shiver glanced down my spine. “Then what the hell was that thing?”
“I don’t know, but . . .” She clearly didn’t like having to say it. “I think we need to tell Josh about it.”
I sucked in deep breath.
Only a fool wouldn’t consider this was a ploy. After tonight, I distrusted everything, including whether or not the place was actually done with me. What if there was another layer to Void?
A bonus round.
One Chelsea might or might not know about.
“Will you do it?” she asked.
The simplest explanation was usually the most likely. Maybe this Roquan guy had stepped out for a long smoke break and left his phone behind, or maybe Josh wasn’t done fucking with me yet.
The old me would have been too cautious. I’d have been done with Void and put a comfortable distance between me and Castle Docherty before explaining what I saw, ensuring I couldn’t get sucked into another round.
But I wasn’t the same guy anymore. And not just because of her.
As much as it pained me to admit it, Josh was right. I’d finished Void when most other guests hadn’t, and that achievement meant a lot more than I’d expected it to. I felt confident and alive, and maybe it was my newfound hubris, but if Void wanted another go at me . . .