Page 3

AUTUMN

I sit down beside Maya on the hayride, feeling incredibly nervous. My stomach is swirly like I could throw up everything I’ve eaten today. “Who did you get?” Maya asks.

“I can only guess.” I tell her truthfully; I don’t think there's any reason to not tell her. Plus, if Heath tries to kidnap me, at least someone knows something.

“What do you mean?” I hand Maya the paper, making it easier to explain. I look around as she unfolds the slip of paper. Justin and his helpers have started going around, handing out the blindfolds.

I’ve always wondered what gets you chosen to run this thing, but some things are better unknown, I guess.

I spot Nema in the first wagon, laughing with her friends. I wish I could cut that smile off her face, leaving nothing but blood dripping. How would Cole like that? His precious little side dish all cut up. That would be lovely to see.

“So, Heath is coming for you.” Maya laughs slightly.

“That’s what it says.” I don’t blame Maya for laughing, she only talked to Heath maybe twice, so she doesn’t know about his obsessive nature.

How he is so possessive he leaves marks on me, how he even had a giant poster of me printed and taped onto his bedroom wall.

Or how he carved my initials into his chest when we were eighteen because as he said, “I made a forever mark on his heart.”

At the time, I thought he was fucking insane, but now I miss it. His craziness, his scent, his beautiful baby blue eyes, him . He’s a nightmare to others, but he’s, my dream.

“This guy is totally obsessed with you. Tell me why you broke up with him again?” Maya asks, handing me the note back.

“You know why. I regret it now anyway. Cole is definitely a downgrade.” I roll my eyes.

I hate how this turned out, I broke up with my amazing boyfriend for a man who turned out to be nothing but a cheating jerk.

At the time, Cole was a handsome football player who seemed like a refresher.

He was fun, kind, and charming. Now I don’t know who I ended up with.

Man, life fucked me over. I fucked me over.

“Major downgrade…on the bright side you could rekindle your love with your ex.” Maya nudges me.

“Heath holds grudges, he doesn’t love me anymore.” I tell her, sadly. When I was in high school, I never thought I’d lose his love even if we broke up but now, it’s definitely over.

“Ladies, your blindfolds.” The wagon shakes as Justin jumps onto it. Justin walks down the line, handing one to each girl. I take the black cloth from him letting out a breath. I’ve never played before. Heath didn’t want another man trying to take advantage of me.

My first Halloween at college, I spent it with Heath watching horror movies and having sex. The next year I was too sick to go out and watched sad rom coms on my dorm sofa and threw up as Cole tried and failed at making my favorite soup.

“Place the blindfolds on now, once they are on, we will move!” Justin yells out.

“One step closer to being in his arms.” Maya says, putting her blindfold on.

All the other girls follow eagerly, covering their eyes with the black fabric, but I wait.

I watch the others cover their eyes before I lightly place mine over my eyes.

I thin it out, leaving it slightly see through.

I refuse to be completely blind. I listen to the sound of the boys going around and checking to see if everyone has their blindfolds on.

“I’m getting nervous. Are you nervous?” Maya asks.

“No.” I lie. Maya reaches over and grabs my hand. “You’re going to be fine.” I tell her.

“I know.” She replies.

“Okay, we’re moving!” I hear Justin yell.

The wagon shakes a bit as someone gets in the front to steer.

I jerk a little as the ride begins. They don’t drive us out of the back road the house is on, but instead we turn deeper into the woods, going down a trail.

There are a few back trails in Grimstone that will take you to many of the farms and homes owned by the rich.

This leads me to think I know exactly where we are going.

We bump and jerk into each other as the wagons make their way down the bumpy trail, then a song starts to play, Bodies by Drowning Pool.

I’ve never been a fan of rock music, so the blasting music is not enjoyable in the slightest. This must mean we are close.

The path becomes more stable as we enter a grass field.

From what I’ve heard around, this was a location used before.

Finally, we cross the grass field into the back of what I believe to be Mcentire Orchid.

Mcentire Orchid is owned by the Mcentire family, known as the crazy hillbillies of Grimstone. Most of them never graduated high school, if they did, they didn’t go to college and they all live in the family orchid back up in the woods of town surrounded by a maze of elaborate booby-traps.

The wagon comes to a jerking stop, causing us all to bump into each other.

“Ladies! We have arrived, please be patient as we get you all unloaded and to your groups.” Another voice says, I recognize it as one of the Mcentire brothers, Hudson, I think.

There are six boys in total and Theodora makes seven, but she’s the only girl.

This time there is much more movement around as many people are upon the wagons helping girls out and putting them into groups before taking them off into the woods.

“I wonder what's going on?” Maya says.

“You totally blinded yourself?” I ask.

“Of course, I love the mystery, it’s going to make it more exciting.

” That’s Maya for you; she loves a good thrill.

The wagon shakes under us, and I look over to the front, seeing two boys and a girl enter.

They start pointing out girls, then lead them off the wagon.

They make their way down the line then they pick off me and Maya.

“I’ll add these two to my group.” One of the boys says.

“K, I’ll take these.” The girl replies.

“Get up.” He demands. Maya stands up, pulling me with her, as she’s still holding my hand.

He leads us off the wagon. “I’m Anders. If you ever feel unsafe, I want you to shout “candy” as loud as you can, and I’ll come for you.

I’ll be riding the maze, watching for safety.

” Anders tells us. “Remember your safe word.”

Candy is the safe word, got it.

Anders takes us to a path that’s on the far left of the wagons. “I am going to move to holding your hands for this to make sure you don’t get caught in any traps.” Anders tells us, while moving his hand from our lower back to hold our hands.

“What a gentleman.” Maya flirts.

“I treat my girls right.” Anders replies.

I wish Cole understood that. I let him guide me through the woods, even though I can partially see.

Anders weaves us through the trees like he’s studied this path a million times before leading us out into a small clearing with an entrance to the corn maze that already has three other girls I recognize there.

Nema is one of them, unfortunately. Cole probably chose her.

Nancy Felch, she’s dating a guy on the water polo team and Theodora Macentire are also here.

She’s this family’s little prized possession.

I’m surprised her brothers let her out or better yet how she got out without them knowing.

“Alright ladies, wait here till you hear the blare of the air horn, then you can run into the maze.” Anders tells us. “Also, you all can take the blindfolds off now.”

He didn’t have to tell me twice. I rip it off without a second thought and toss it to the ground. “Oh look, it's Cole’s supposed to be girlfriend. Who chose you because Cole chose me?” Nema says. I know she just wants to get a rise out of me.

“Aren’t you his hidden side piece?” I say. Little bitch. Who does she think she is?

“I won’t be hidden for long.” Nema says, walking closer to me. What does she mean? Is he dumping me for her? Not that I’d stay with a cheater, but I should be dumping him.

“Too bad he’ll be downgrading.” Maya fires back, getting between us. “He’s trading a golden goose for some slop anyone can have.”

“Maybe we can calm down.” Nancy says.

“Stay out of it Nancy.” Nema glares at her.

“I’m not some guy's side chick; I’m just trying to stop you from embarrassing yourself.” Nancy tells Nema.

“The only one who will be embarrassed is Autumn.” Nema says.

“I wouldn’t be so sure,” Maya says. Knowing Maya, she is going to pose some kind of revenge because she feels like it’s necessary and funny.

“Isn't that just cute. you playing the little mother role, which is strange because aren’t you the same tramp who got caught having a threesome in the quad sophomore year?” No one ever brings that up anymore after Maya ripped a girl's hair out for trying to bully her about it, but Nema just did.

None of us get the chance to stop her, Maya knees her in the stomach and Nema goes down groaning. Maya doesn’t stop there; she crouches down to Nema and punches her in the face, busting her lip.

“Holy shit,” Nancy says.

“Oh god, this is bad.” Theodora gasps. The air horn blares out at this moment and Nancy runs into the maze without looking back at any of us.

“You’ll be fine.” Maya tells Nema before kicking her harshly repeatedly. After Maya starts to run into the maze, I grab Theodora’s arm, pulling her into the maze as well.

“You’re leaving her there?” Theodora questions.

“She’ll be fine.” I say. I can’t believe I’m leaving her there too, but I don’t want to stay behind with her either.

We continue running through the maze, trying to find our way around.

Twists and turns come out of nowhere. As we’re running, Maya gets snatched to the left into the corn stalks by a rope getting caught around her ankle.

Her screams echo through the air causing us to scream.

“Do you know where the traps are?” I ask Theodora.

“No, my brothers change them for the game.” She answers. Fuck. I begin to hear the ground creek below us and before I know it, I’m falling through the ground.

“Are you okay?” Theodora yells. I just fell through the fucking ground, and it really hurt but at least it wasn’t too far. I look around seeing some torches lighting the tunnel.

“Yeah, I’m good!” I yell back. “There’s some light down here I’ll be able to get out. You should go on!”

“I don’t want to leave you!”

“I’ll be fine, Thea. Go!” I’m not sure who chose her but, if she keeps waiting around, she’ll be caught, and I doubt her brothers will be happy about that.

“Okay, I’ll see you later!”

“Yeah.” I stand up, brushing myself off.

Great, now I’m covered in dirt. At least I fell on my ass so not much of the rest of my body hurts.

I look down the underground tunnel knowing this had to be very thought out.

I can’t believe I fell down here. Nonetheless I have to walk down the tunnel if I want to get out, so I start moving.

A slight feeling of fear creeps up in me as I round a corner seeing a staircase leading to a trapped door. The exit. I’m almost out.

Then he steps out an alcove by the stairs, he's here. Standing in front of me dressed in his classic black aged jeans, and a black hoodie with his mask on.

I remember the day I painted the mask for him. He worked at a haunted house one October, and he kept it for himself afterwards. That mask still haunts my dreams.

“Speechless?” He says. His voice is still smooth and just as direct as it used to be.

“How’d… you find me?” I ask. I knew it wasn’t hard considering I’m in the same place as everyone else. And if he chose me, he’d be chasing me.

“I believe since I found you, I can do whatever I want to you, Little Traitor.” Heath says, walking closer to me. A slight tinge of fear goes through me as I’m a bit nervous to find out what he will do to me. I back away from him as he gets closer.

“What do you want?” I ask, glancing behind me making sure the tunnel is still there.

“Revenge.” That’s all it took for me to get distracted, Heath effortlessly tackles me onto the ground pinning me below him.

Now I’m trapped.