Page 19 of Headless Hollow

“Not worried about yourself?” He stepped closer, but this time, I didn’t back away and stared into the glowing red eyes of the mask. “Interesting. Far braver than anyone else I’ve taken. Most plead for their lives and offer everything under the sun, or they simply give up. Both are boring. I knew you’d be different.”

“I don’t want your compliments. Just tell me how I ensure she lives,” I said.

“All you need to do is please me.”

“What does that mean?”

“For now, it means run. Fucking run for me, Pumpkin, make me work for it.” He laughed, and it startled an owl in a nearby tree as a bone-deep terror filled me. I didn’t ask any more questions. He was clearly insane.

Turning around, I took off in a sprint toward a narrow path that looked like something deer would use. As soon as I crested into the thicker trees, I could hardly see the next stride in front of me. Branches and leaves brushed my arms, and I had to slow at the last moment to make sure I didn’t trip over the thick roots.

Even though my mind screamed not to look behind me, the fear and curiosity were far too great, and I dared to glance back. There was no glowing mask chasing me, and that terrified me more. He was dressed in all black and holding a knife that could gut me with one swipe, and now I had no clue where he was. I was passing a wide tree and at the last minute, darted behind it and squatted down to listen. Nothing. Nothing moved. Nothing made a noise other than the leaves rustling above me. The wind picked up, and my hair blew around my neck, startling me. I took a deep breath, happy that I didn’t scream and give my position away.

My lungs were already feeling the strain. It wasn’t that I was out of shape, but running was not my thing. I’d never been an outdoors person. A walk through the park with friends or on a date, sure, but otherwise, I was more of a yoga, rumba or even a CrossFit class type.

There was a reason I didn’t want to buy the family farm from my parents. I loved being close to town and appreciating nature from a distance. Now, I was really wishing I’d gone camping more with my step dad when he wanted to take me. The little bit of knowledge I’d picked up was not enough to keep me alive in the middle of nowhere and out of the clutches of a serial killer.

Something crawled across my hand, and I smacked at it and jumped up. Okay, bugs I couldn’t see were also something I didn’t love. Please me. His words rang in my head. What the hell did that mean? Focus, Izzy, one riddle at a time.

If I kept running the way he saw me go, then it would be obvious and easy to track me, but if I backtracked, then I could take the wider path I’d originally been heading toward.

He was blocking it, which means he doesn’t want me to go that way…right? Maybe?

It seemed like a solid plan, and I peeked around my hiding place and still didn’t see or hear anyone coming. How did someone so large manage to move so silently? Daring to step out, I stayed as low as I could and tried not to rustle the leaves as I jogged back the way I’d just come. Just before pushing out into the area where I’d woken up, I stopped and listened again, but there was still nothing. What kind of game was this?

The not knowing was terrifying me more, and when I heard something move behind me, that was all I could take. Racing out into the small clearing, I noticed that my lab coat, bag, and heels were gone. Another burst of adrenaline and fear circled my system. He didn’t want any evidence that I’d been here.

Arms and legs pumping as hard as I could, I ran for my target. A shiver lanced right down my spine as I passed the tree he’d stepped out from behind before. I couldn’t help looking back. There was a brief moment of relief before something moved, and the mask turned on. Jesus. He’d anticipated me coming back. How?

That same evil laugh reached me, and I’d never run so hard in my life as the floating Jack-o-lantern now chased after me. Every time I looked back, he was a little closer, and a bubble of terror welled up and got lodged in my throat. Tears stun my eyes.

“That’s it, Pumpkin, keep running. Make me work for it.”

My legs were starting to slow even though my brain was yelling to keep going. Rounding a bend, I could see an opening ahead. There was a single light illuminating a wooden walking bridge. Glancing back, he was still coming, the mask the only thing you could see of him moving.

Looking forward, I screamed as a massive black horse with a headless rider reared at the narrow, covered bridge. They seemed to shimmer in front of me. My pace slowed, and I blinked over and over, trying to rid what I knew in my mind had to be fake, and yet…I couldn’t see through it.

The horse neighed, and it sounded like it was coming straight from hell. The rider held a carved glowing pumpkin under his arm and pointed at me as the horse landed on all four hooves. The terrifying animal pawed the ground, and I could hear the scraping sound, but as they turned and ran at me, my feet skidded to a halt.

“This can’t be real,” I said, but I could feel the vibrations…couldn’t I? Forgetting all about the killer behind me, I turned to bolt back up the trail but yelled as I was lifted off the ground and crushed against a hard body. “Let go it’s coming!”

“I know, I created him,” the guy who had me said. I didn’t even know who to call the Horseman now. He held me firm, the two of us standing in the middle of the path. I closed my eyes as the giant horse and rider closed in. His arm rose, and the pumpkin in his hand turned into a fireball. I squirmed hard in my captor’s hold to get away, but suddenly the apparition disappeared. My heart pounded like a rabbit in my chest, and I wanted to run away just the same.

“What the hell was that? What did you put in that gas?”

“What’s real? What’s fake? What does it matter,” he said, mocking me as he stepped off the trail and pushed me up against a tree. My cheek was pressed against the rough bark, my feet still off the ground as my mind tried to comprehend what the hell was going on. Could this all be a bad nightmare? Did I hit my head? I’d felt things in dreams before. Could I be in a coma of my own terror?

“I feel you thinking, Pumpkin. I assure you that this is very real. I am real,” he said, pressing his body firmly against mine.

“I’m going to kill you,” I growled, and he laughed, the sound rumbling in his chest and vibrating.

He pressed his hips into me, and there was no mistaking the feel of his hard cock rubbing against my ass. “No, I don’t think you will. In fact, I can guarantee you that you’re not only going to hand your body, your soul, and your sanity over to me willingly but that I’m going to call on all your darkest desires. The things you’ve tried to hide from the world but secretly crave.”

“You’re insane,” I hissed and then shivered as the cool blade of his knife touched my neck.

“Am I?” He rubbed his cock back and forth across my ass. I was horrified and wanted to curse my body as it responded to him, and I fought the urge to push into him harder.

“Yes, you are. I would never willingly be with someone who killed people for sport.”