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“I was saying I think Noah got lost somewhere. He’s been gone for a while now.”
I look toward the bar, but there’s too many people in the way, so I take my phone out and dial. As it rings, I notice that while I was deep in thought, someone must have handed out masks to all the guys. Skull masks cover every guy’s face, even Rina’s guys have their faces covered.
Noah’s phone goes to voice message, so I hang up and text him before standing and looking around.
“Did the party turn into aDay of the Deadcelebration?”
One of Rina’s guy friends - I can’t remember his name - walks over to me, his bright pink skull mask has turquoise flowers at the corners of the bone-smile with glitter and jewels placed perfectly all around.
“Something like that. On ritual nights like tonight, every guy wears a mask, so the one chosen isn’t biasedly picked.”
Something dark slithers down my spine at his words.
“Picked for what?”
Everyone looks at one another in ais-she-for-realkind of way.
“Blood sacrifice.” The guy and Rina say in unison.
“What the fuck? Like they kill someone?!”
“Shhh, lower your voice!” Rina hisses as she looks around us, “They don’t kill anyone, they just cut them. Five slashes on the back for the five leaders in the council. The offering that is picked is from the pool of next generation Calavera Society prospects Their blood is an offering to La Muerte for wisdom and guidance. Didn't your dad teach you anything?”
I snap my eyes to her and something in my expression has her putting her hands up in surrender. Meanwhile, I’m frantic inside. My stomach sinks, my heart climbing into my throat at the thought of Rey being subjected to that horrifying situation, all in the name of what? My twisted family legacy?
He chose this life, Val. He has enough brains and money to leave, yet he stays despite the possibilities.
I know what my mind whispers is true but call me ridiculous because I still can’t stomach the idea of someone cutting him open…no matter how egotistical that asshole is. Without wanting to let anyone know my worry over anyone in particular, I word my question carefully.
I clear my throat, my eyes still sweeping the crowd for Noah, “So, who are the next generational picks?”
Rina shrugs before turning away, “Every guy between the ages of seventeen and twenty-one.”
What the fuck?
Rina may act cool and aloof like I’m acting now, but the way she laces her fingers with the guy next to her tells me she’s anything but. This whole town is nothing but a dark act. A fucked-up play where there are no heroes, just masked villains and the next scene is a bloody one.
Wait, does that mean Noah could be picked as well?
“Yep,” Shit, I hadn’t meant to say that out loud, “he may be an outsider, but he’s under your dad’s name, therefore he can be chosen as well.”
Rina gives me a pitying look before turning away and speaking with her boyfriend in low tones. I can’t see his eyes through the mesh that covers the eye sockets of the mask, but I can feel them on me over Rina’s shoulder.
My lip curls in response to the vile slithering I feel on my skin. I turn from him, still feeling his eyes on me as I search the grounds for Noah. I reach the bar and ask the guy behind the counter if he’s seen Noah, but he just shakes his head, claiming he didn’t watch what direction Noah went after ordering himself another drink. With a sigh and a thank you, I leave him. I decide to go back to Rina and ask her where he could have possibly gone, but Rina is nowhere in sight, only her boyfriend who still watches me through the crowd.
I flip him off before looking down at my phone. It’s fifteen minutes from midnight. Fuck! I need to find Noah and tell him we need to leave. I’ll steal someone’s fucking credit card just to give us a headstart, but there’s no way we can stay here. Not with the threat of his life or wellbeing on the line. I knew this place was shit on morals and boundaries, but blood sacrifices?
That’s a whole other level of hell-to-the-no.
I call Noah when I reach the woods, ignoring people who seem to be pulling their clothes on and making their way back to the party before the fucking lamb is picked for the slaughter. Damn, these people are so screwed up. No one seems to be totally against it.
Rina’s clenched jaw and gripping fingers flashes in my mind. Maybe people do care, but they can’t do shit about it. Maybe my comment about starting a rebellion wasn’t so off the mark. No, fuck saving this town, I just need to save Noah and get the hell out of this living graveyard of a town.
I move through the trees, following a small pathway that’s lined with rocks on either side, making it look like a trail rather than the road to hell it feels like. I’m sure during the day, these woods are as harmless looking like the rest of the town.
The sounds of people partying begin to fade enough that I decide I’m too far -no way would Noah be out here- and turn back, but there’s a sound of someone whispering down the trail, so I decide I better just keep following the path. I really don’t want to get caught alone by a group of cunts like the Barbie bitches.
I reach the end of the path and come to the old church Nimona talked about. I want to turn back, but I can still hear people talking down the darkened path that’s grown considerably darker now that a cloud has moved in front of the full moon. The two male voices sound almost familiar, but I can’t hear them well enough and I’m too nervous to yell out to strange men while in the middle of an abandoned property surrounded by woods.
