“She’s on fire,” Alex pulled Reid back a few steps from her and lowered his voice. “She doesn’t have any clue what’s going on. She was talking all weird. It sounded like her, but I dunno…grown up.”
Reid wiped his nose and came away with a smear of blood. He grimaced and his eyes started to water.
“Sorry for hitting you,” Alex said.
Reid shook his head. “Nah, I deserved it. I let you down. I—”
“Nobody deserves that.”
Reid nodded, looking Alex in the eye. “Do you think she said those things? Or did something talk through her?” He averted his gaze.
The thought of it gave Alex the willies. “You mean, is she possessed or something?”
“Yeah.” The spot high above Alex’s head became terribly interesting to Reid. “I mean, no. I dunno.” He wiped his nose again. “Did you see her eyes, Alex? Did you see how red they were?”
Alex nodded.
“That thing,” Reid whispered “It infected her, or marked her, or whatever the hell it does. Like Danny and Clint.”
Alex glanced back at Heather, who’d passed out a few minutes ago. It sounded like she was snoring, but she never snored before. After listening closer, Alex realized she was wheezing, like when he’d had bronchitis a few winters ago. The memory of it made his chest hurt. Every breath caused a sharp pain, and coughing made him want to die. He was down and out for three weeks.
Maybe she’d gotten bronchitis, that’s all.
Alex slapped himself inside, for the thought. He knew better. Reid knew better. Alex just wasn’t sure what Heather was or wasn’t aware of. Thinking about it made him hope she was in a peaceful bliss, riding a dream with fluffy, happy things dancing all around her. Anything but knowing what was really happening to her.
She’s dying.
The desperation weighed heavy on Alex, tightening like a hand around his throat. No amount of sugar would help coat the guilt pill he was having trouble swallowing.
“I shouldn’t have disappeared on you guys. I felt that draft and I couldn’t help it. I followed without thinking. So far away…it took me to this hole—to a room—and the woman was inside. Through the hole where the draft came from, I saw her. She warned me to run. Before I knew it, that creature was coming after me, chasing me down this wild corridor, until I ran smack into Heather. I should’ve never left you. We should’ve tried to get through that window, together.” Alex lowered his head and sucked in a deep breath.
“It wouldn’t have mattered.”
“It might have.”
“Abso-fucking-lutely not. It was just another trick, Alex. I busted that window, hell-bent on getting Heather out, sending her for help, and coming back for you. That’s how we ended up in that hallway. We went through the window.”
Alex’s heart sank.
“Do you think we’ll find a way out? Do you think it’s even possible?”
Reid straightened. “Of course there’s a way. We just haven’t found it yet.”
Alex wasn’t so sure he could believe him. Too much had happened that was out of their control. Even when they thought they were making choices, the house was controlling the outcome. How do you stop something that’s unstoppable?
“We’re down, but we’re not out,” Reid said. “Not yet. It’s fourth down, man, and the goal’s in sight. We just need one hail Mary pass, one break, and then the game’s ours. Don’t give up yet.”
He sounded an awful lot like their middle school football coach, Mr. Carter. Coach had inspired them to fight through so many games when they were down and should’ve been out.
Except this wasn’t a game.