Page 71 of Primal

Kristy stumbles back, her phone’s beam shining up at me. “What the hell?”

“Ghostface killed her.” I swipe my mouth with the back of my hand, trembling. “Right in front of me. He—he stabbed her. Over and over and—”

Her face goes slack. Then she laughs. “Did Lana put you up to this?”

“No. Fuck, no.” I grab her shoulders, shaking her. “I saw it. There was so much blood. He—”

My stomach heaves again. I double over, gagging. Nothing comes up. Just the burn in my throat.

Kristy gives me a look—are you insane? Maybe I am.

Maybe watching your bestie die inches from you peels something loose in your brain.

“She fought. She screamed and he—” My voice cracks. “He looked right at me when he did it. Like he knew I’d watch and do nothing.”

I look up. “You believe me, right?”

Kristy shifts from foot to foot. “Come on. You’re scaring me.”

“It’s real, okay? You have to believe me. Vanessa didn’t, and she—”

“Wait, what? Vanessa Graves?”

“I told her and she didn’t believe me. Now she’s probably dead too.”

“Told her what?”

“He killed Jessica.”

Kristy reels back like I’ve slapped her. “Jessica Langley? That doesn’t—”

“He slit her throat. I didn’t …” I shake my head, tears springing hot again. “I couldn’t do anything.”

“Knock it off, Payton. Did you take something? Edibles or—”

“For fuck’s sake. This is real, okay? I swear.”

Kristy’s mouth opens. Closes.

“You need to slow down,” she finally whispers. “You sound crazy.”

“We never should’ve come here.”

Kristy paces up and down. “No. No. That’s not—it’s just part of the fucking game, right? Like an immersive storyline or—or actors or some shit? Right?”

“There was so much blood.”

She spins toward me. “Stop saying that.”

My shoulders hitch. The dam finally breaks when Kristy wraps her arms around me.

“It’s real. It’s fucking real.”

She pulls back, eyes glassy. “Lana’s … gone?”

I nod.

“She’s not dead.” Her voice cracks. “She can’t be.”