Chapter 120 Pay The Prize
Chapter 120 Pay The Prize
ARDEN
Finally,
The sound of the shower rumming through the walls was music to my ears. For once, I was grateful Mr. Winters was a narcissist who enjoyed long, indulgent showers with whatever weird soap he probably made himself. I didn’t waste a second.
I turned to Tessa, who was still slouched against the corner, pale and barely conscious.
“Stand up.” I said urgently. “We’re escaping.
She blinked at me sluggishly, her lips cracked, eyes sunken. She looked awful, and I hated seeing her like this. My voice softened. “Come on, Tess. You can do this.”
She swallowed, groaning slightly as she pushed herself off the ground. Her knees wobbled, her frame trembling under the effort.
“How?” she rasped.
I didn’t answer. Instead, I moved quickly across the room, toward the back wall. Cade and I had found this hidden latch weeks ago when we were lost in this place.
I remembered the exact spot now. My fingers worked fast, pulling the edge of the rug and pushing against the warped floorboard beneath.
Click.
A small panel popped open and a smile appeared on my lips. I was right. He hadn’t locked this one.
Tessa gasped faintly. “What is that?”
“Our way out,” I said, swinging the panel open and revealing the narrow crawlspace beneath. It wasn’t much of a tunnel–just a passage that led under the floorboards into a side closet in the living room.
I looked at her. “Come on.”
Tessa stared at the opening, then at me, wide–eyed.
“I can’t believe you found that,” she whispered.
“Neither can I.” I muttered. “Now move.”
Tessa stumbled toward me, one foot dragging behind the other. She was trying but it was like her legs weren’t fully working.
“But how do we get the evidence?” she whispered as we crouched together inside the cramped space. “We need it to stop him-”
“Don’t sweat about that right now,” I said, glancing nervously toward the bathroom down the hallway. I could still hear the water running. “First we survive. Then we burn him down.”
1/4
Chapter 120 Pay The Prize
She didn’t argue again.
As we emerged from the crawlspace and into the dark living room, I helped ease Tessa onto the old cou Her breathing was shallow, but she was more awake now, adrenaline beginning to kick in. Her finger twitched against her knees, still trying to stabilize her shaking limbs.
I crouched beside her. “What did he give you?”
She licked her lips. “Some kind of juice,” she mumbled. “It tasted like cherry cough syrup but it was dark. Then, I felt like I was floating. I’m still floating”
I clenched my teeth. “You’re okay. You’re sale now. Just stay with me”
She gave a little nod, trying to focus…
We went quiet, listening.
From the other side of the wall, I could hear him singing.
I nearly gagged. Mr. Winters had a nasally, off–key voice that made my stomach churn. What kind of psycho sings while holding people hostage?
“I hate this man,” I whispered.
I made my way to the front door, heart pounding, hands trembling–but when I twisted the knob, it didn’t budge.
“What the hell?” I hissed.
I tried again.
I pulled harder, teeth gritted, full force this time. The lock didn’t even rattle. “Did that bastard lock it from the outside too?”
Tessa didn’t respond, still slumped over, eyes narrowed like she was trying to stay focused.
I turned my eyes to the hallway.
His bedroom.
It had to have the emergency exit. I remembered a door on the far side, possibly leading to an exit. If we could get through there–
1 rushed over to the door and yanked.
Locked.
d it down. Think. I scanned the room, eyes darting across the furniture.
I wanted to scream, but I swallowed it
A wooden bat leaning against the windowsill. Probably for intimidation. Or for sport. Either way, it was the most useful thing I’d seen all day.
I glanced at the window beside it. It was sealed, but the glass looked old.
2/4
Chapter 120 Pay The Prize
Breakable.
“Arden, Tessa whispered from behind me, her voice tight with fear. “He’s gonna hear
I turned to her, gently placing my fingers over her lips. “We need to make it quick after this, okay!
She stared at me with wide, glossy eyes, but nodded slowly, trusting me.
I picked up the bat. It felt heavy in my grip, and my muscles tensed as I raised it.
“Three two…
I swung
The glass shattered instantly with a loud crash, the shards spraying inward. I hissed as a few pieces nicked my arm, but I didn’t care. I cleared the jagged edges with the bat, then reached for Tessa.
“Come on.”
She dragged herself forward with what little strength she had left, and I hoisted her up through the window, wincing at the pain in my arms. She was light–but her body was limp, which made it harder. I pulled her through the broken frame, letting her land gently onto the damp grass outside.
I followed immediately after.
There was a moment of stillness.
not even for a second. Just the sound of shattered glass settling on the floor behind us. The wind brushed against my face but I didn’t stop to breathe it in. I didn’t let the silence deceive me-
We had to run.
“Tessa,” I whispered, gripping her wrist. She could barely stand now. Her legs gave out again, and without hesitation, I crouched and hoisted her onto my back. Her arms fell loosely around my shoulders, her breath hot and uneven against my neck.
With that, I bolted..
My lungs screamed in protest as I ran across the clearing, away from that disgusting cabin.
“He’s going to catch up,” I muttered under my breath, panicking at the weight I carried and the sluggishness of my own body. “It won’t take long.”
“Can you shift?” I called out over my shoulder.
Tessa groaned weakly. I felt her head lean forward against the back of mine, her skin clammy, her heartbeat unsteady. She was fading fast.
What the hell did he give her?
She didn’t answer my question.
“Tessa?”
Chapter 120 Pay The Prize
I pushed harder, my legs nearly buckling. We needed to get out of here. She needed a doctor, Sométe to flush the poison out of her system. If I could just-
But a gust of cold air hit me suddenly.
No… not cold.
I skidded to a stop, my heart dropping straight to my stomach.
Because there he was.
Mr. Winters.
Standing right in front of us.
Only a towel wrapped hastily around his waist, still dripping wet from the shower. But it wasn’t the ridiculousness of his appearance that struck me.
It was his eyes.
They were darker than before. Pitch black, void of reason, or anything remotely sane. His skin rippled, his hands clenched into fists.
I felt a shiver crawl down my spine.
Tessa whimpered behind me.
The very air turned foul.
He took one step forward, the ground trembling with it.
“What did I tell you?” he said. “No funny business, right?”
My knees locked in place, instincts screaming at me to run, fight, do something
He bared his teeth.
“You didn’t keep your promise,” he hissed. “Now, you’ll pay the prize.”
