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“Your sister doesn’t give up. She pivots to another tactic, but she always gets what she wants.”
There’re a few seconds before recognition dawns on his face. We both know where she’s gone.
Headfirst into her nightmare.
17
MORGAN
I step out of the Jeep and walk through the brush towards the hospital. Ryder and Cade don’t think it’s a good idea for me to see this hellhole again. Fuck them. Fuck this place. Fuck all of it. They’re not going to stop me.
Besides, this is even better than watching it on-screen, because the building already doesn’t look as unsettling as I recall from that night. It might not be dark out this time, but the sky’s overcast and a steady drizzle should shroud the place in a gloomy mood. But nothing appears as intimidating in person as it does in my dreams. Though, as I’m getting to the front of the building, I hear thunder rumbling in the distance.
I’m not scared of the storm. The one that the city shut down for, the one everyone feared might be destructive. And while it’s physically a huge storm in size, its scope is less tropical hurricane and more regular old thunderstorm. All that anticipation for a little puddle of water and hardly any wind. Appearing strong and intimidating on the outside while nothing but a nuisance.
Much like this structure. While my nightmare made it out to be huge, intimidating, and lethal, it’s simply an old empty sickbay that won’t do shit to me. When I step into what used to be the lobby at one point, I glance up, looking around at the open space. Ugh. The smell. That’s the one thing that’s getting to me right now. Not because the rank, stale scent smells like swamp ass, but because it’s familiar. That same odor lingered in my nose long after I left this wretched place.
As I walk across the floor, my tennis shoes sink into inches of filth and grime. I scan around and make my way to the same staircase I came down that night. The disturbed rubbish revealed to anyone who would come in this place that something had transpired here recently. I follow the corridor down, unsure of exactly what room we’d ended up in, but I finally spot concentrated footprints around one entryway. Bingo.
When I step into the room, I instinctively hold my breath as I shine the flashlight from my spare phone around to light up the dim areas that the light filtering in from the overcast sky isn’t illuminating. I need to see everything. Clearly. Without the shroud of darkness. Without a dickhead chasing me around. Without being fearful.
He’s dead. This place is insignificant. Why can’t it stay the fuck out of my head?
After a few minutes, I head back down the corridor toward the staircase. Nothing perturbs me until I reach the landing, until I see the area where I vividly envision hiding. Crouching down in the same spot, I look out over the lower level, recalling Lenny running around, shining his light everywhere to find me.
A knot forms in my stomach, my fingers grip the railing as I look around. “Fuck you. I won, motherfucker.”
My eyes snap shut, my lungs take in deep breaths of oxygen as I steady my mind. I’m stronger than anything in this building and whatever awaits me outside it. I just need my dreams to reflect that instead of the nightmarish bullshit.
I’ve just stood to move towards the stairs when a noise from the floor below draws my attention. “You’ve got to be shitting me.” I watch the two fools run in, half sliding across the floor, as they both yell my name. Standing near the pony wall, I yell back, “Neither of you dickheads should be here.”
Cade’s terrified expression is the first thing I make out as he looks my way, stopping in his tracks for a moment before rushing to the staircase. “What the hell were you thinking, Morgan?”
My brother is still shouting obscenity-laced questions as they approach me. “You shouldn’t have come here. Do you know how fucking dangerous it is—not to mention incriminating—to be here?”
Cade is shockingly quiet as I take a peek at him. Concern covers his face.
“All you had to do was give me what I’d asked for. But you didn’t. So don’t ask me stupid questions and stay the fuck out of my way. I’m not leaving here until I’m good and ready.”
Ryder lets out another string of colorful words. But Cade keeps a level tone. “What are you hoping to find here?”
“Motherfucking peace.”I need this weak-ass feeling of being afraid to go away.But I can’t say that aloud. I can’t acknowledge the monster lurking in my mind. Because then it’d be real.
This place might be its own beast. But I will conquer it too. I just needed to see it. Experience it in the light of day and not through sweat and bloody vision.
“What’s up there?” Cade asks, nodding to the staircase.
“Where it started.”
“Let’s go take a look.”
Cade holds out his hand. I look to the offering without accepting as Ryder shouts, “Don’t encourage this,” then moves between Cade and me. “We’re leaving. Now.”
“No.We’re not. But you are.” I move a step closer to him. “You can gatekeep the evidence all you want, but you don’t know what’s best for me.”
“Neither do you.” Ryder’s defeated tone indicates he’s finally accepted I’m not leaving until I’m ready.
Cade’s hand is still offered, he hasn’t moved. “Lead the way.” He’s being a little too encouraging being that he was on Ryder’s side about the viewing party last night.
