Chapter 22

"Step right in."

The staff member pulled aside the heavy black curtain. A chilling gust of wind rushed out. Evelyn Langley squinted, barely making out a dim passageway stretching into the darkness.

Screams echoed from within. Sophia Laurent clutched Evelyn's wrist so tightly her nails nearly drew blood.

"Maybe we should turn back?" Evelyn eyed her pale-faced friend.

"No way!" Sophia jutted her chin stubbornly. "We already bought tickets!"

Evelyn had no choice but to let herself be dragged forward.

"Ahhh!"

A blood-smeared monster lunged from around the corner. Sophia shrieked and hid behind Evelyn.

Nearby, Nathan Evans whipped his head around.

Had he just heard that familiar name?

"Nathan?" Chloe Valentine timidly tugged his sleeve. "I'm scared..."

Nathan absentmindedly patted her shoulder, his gaze still searching the shadows.

Eerie red lights flickered along the passage. Chloe clung to Nathan like a limpet, eyes squeezed shut.

"Is...is it gone?" Her trembling voice muffled against his chest.

"Gone." He gave a perfunctory pat to her back.

This level of horror couldn't even frighten a child.

His mind flashed to Evelyn's first haunted house visit—she'd been so unfazed she'd discussed prop-making techniques with the staff.

The memory made his chest constrict.

"Nathan?" Chloe noticed his distraction.

"Let's keep moving." He shook off the thought.

Meanwhile, Sophia faced her greatest challenge yet.

"AHHHHH!"

The zombie rising from a coffin shattered her nerves. She bolted like a startled rabbit before Evelyn could react.

Evelyn stared at the empty space where her friend had been.

"......"

Shaking her head, she turned—and met the pleading eyes of the coffin actor.

The NPC blinked, his fake tongue flopping out comically.

Evelyn sighed and helped tuck the prop back in place.

"Thanks," the actor whispered.

Alone now, Evelyn soon got lost in the maze-like corridors. Three identical forks—one completely blocked off.

"Terrible design..."

A blaring alarm cut her off mid-sentence.

She froze.

Spoke too soon.

Panicked visitors stampeded toward the exit. The narrow passage became a suffocating crush. Evelyn struggled to breathe, forced to slow her pace.