Page 68 of Off the Rails

But this — action, hunting — this was something I knew how to do.

As she scrambled toward the mouth of the drop, I sprung after her. Hopping the chain to get closer to her shore, I leapt out from the stream.

My scared little thing was fast, but even drenched with water, I was faster. The gap between us closed quickly with each squelching step of my boot.

With the machete gripped tight between my fingers, I could already envision several possibilities: grabbing her by the hair, holding the machete to her neck, or even running it right through her.

Just before my knuckles could close around her shoulder, though, Tess bucked left: back toward the stream. My fingers closed around air as she dodged my grip and leapt into a passing minecart at the crest of the drop.

“Tess—!” but it was too late. Before I could pivot and leap after her, she was disappearing down the drop. My stomach lurched as I watched her plummet, her scream echoing off the hollow cavern walls even from this height.

Then, all sound was drowned out by a huge splash. My heart thundered as I searched the water for any sign of her. She wasn’t buckled in — she could have gone flying.

But then, a little blonde bob popped up from the base of the log. Before I had a chance to process, she was up on her feet, wading through the pool of water, and sprinting off toward the rising sun.

As fear ebbed out, determination swelled back in. This fight wasn’t over.

39

TESS

The sun was cresting over the horizon, but I was plunging down to the pits of hell.

I didn’t know what possessed me to jump into the cart — perhaps the homicidal, machete-wielding maniac cooing to me in the dark was a factor. But as the ride plummeted down from its apex, I could only think one thing.

Better to die by my hand than by hers.

I held on tight, clinging desperately to the slippery floor of the campy canoe. This thing was built for passengers, right?

I’d hardly gotten a grip when the big splash went up, blasting me straight in the face with icy water. I choked for air as the flume drenched every inch of me, but the minecart flume didn’t slow down.

Ducking my head between my knees, I hoped for some kind of reprieve. The torrent didn’t let up though until we’d dragged through about fifty feet of splash zone.

And as soon as the ride began to slow, preparing for its ascent back up the mountain, I knew it was my chance. Gripping the edge of the lock with goose-bumped hands, I flung myself out of the ride and over the safety gates at the edge of the track.

At the top of the ride, I could see Cyrus still haunted the hill. Even through her mask, the murderous intent emanating off of her was palpable — strengthened by the fact that I’d narrowly escaped her.

I didn’t have much of a lead, though. Cyrus was mostly dry and already sprinting down the service steps to catch me. I couldn’t outrun her all night, but I didn’t need to. Just a few more minutes, and the sun would crest over the horizon.

If I can just run for a few more minutes…

I booked it down the paved pathway just beyond the safety fence. My wet footsteps left dark trails across the dry concrete: a dead giveaway that would make me easy to track.

There was no time to change that now. I ran as fast as I could, keeping my eye on the rising sun through the park’s front gates. Some part of my brain thought that maybe if I ran fast enough, I could catch it.

Behind me, the steady thud of wet bootsteps kept time. Cyrus was gaining on me.

But then a drier set of footsteps fell in alongside her, and another.

Three clowns were chasing me.

Nash and Blade must have heard my screams on the cart flume and come running. Now, they were hooting and hollering, jostling each other and Cyrus as they jockeyed to see who would claim me first.

But I didn’t want to be claimed.

I turned forward, keeping my eyes on the horizon as I tried to plot my next move. The park gates were locked — I needed to choose.

Without thinking, I turned left onto the road leading back to the ticket booth, hoping I could shake them. For a moment, I could almost taste my freedom. But as I took a slight turn down the road, my heart sank: the gates were closed.