Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 72090 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 360(@200wpm)___ 288(@250wpm)___ 240(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72090 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 360(@200wpm)___ 288(@250wpm)___ 240(@300wpm)
The rules were simple: the man in the bone mask would chase me, and I had to outrun him for as long as I could. And then, when it was time, he would catch me and we would… do whatever he wanted to do.
I wore a white lace nightgown and stood barefoot—as the rules of the game dictated.
As I waited, I tried to calm my nerves by taking deep breaths and focusing on the task at hand. I knew that once the chase started, there would be no turning back.
Suddenly, I heard a sound in the distance. It was faint at first, but it grew louder and louder until I could make out the sound as a whistle. Singsong-like and haunting. I’d heard it before growing up on Heathens Hollow. But never for me. This time, the whistle was for me.
It was the sound the hunter made to warn its prey.
Eerie, melodic, and terrifying.
The Hunt was about to begin.
I took one last deep breath and stepped off my porch, into the darkness. The angle of the cottages blocked Fiora’s front porch from my view, so I couldn’t tell if she was still waiting for her hunter or if her chase had already begun.
I glanced around, trying to spot my own masked man. The moon shone high in the sky, casting a haunting glow over everything. I could see the shadows of trees and bushes moving, but I couldn’t tell if it was just my imagination or if the hunter was really closing in on me.
My heart pounded so hard I thought it would burst out of my chest. My palms were getting sweaty as I waited for the hunter to arrive. I took a deep breath and focused on not passing out. The game had begun, and I couldn’t afford to panic.
I knew that the hunter was out there, somewhere, watching me.
Suddenly, I heard a twig snap somewhere to my left. I spun around, heart racing, trying to catch a glimpse of my hunter. But I saw nothing.
My nerves were getting the best of me. I needed to focus.
Then I heard it again. This time, the sound was closer. I whipped around, eyes searching frantically for any sign of the hunter.
Then another whistle…
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
My heart raced faster as the sound grew closer and closer. My breaths came out in short gasps as I tried not to scream out for help.
What the hell did I just do?
Why the fuck would I sign up for this?
This was insanity!
I could see the mist from my breath in the cool night air, adding to the demented atmosphere around me.
And then I saw him. A shadowy figure in a bone mask emerged from behind a tree and began to stalk toward me. He wore black gloves and a hooded sweatshirt that covered his hair, and he blended with the night. My heart leapt into my throat as I realized that the chase had truly begun.
His mask made of bone said it all. He was a beast. Primal. And I knew one thing.
Run.
These were the rules. I’d run, he’d chase, and then when he caught me, he could do with me however he chose. But facing it head on…
Staring at the beast in the stag mask head on…
Though he was a man simply in costume, there was nothing less animalistic in how he presented himself. I knew this was part of The Hunt. I knew this was the ritual. But actually seeing it. Actually feeling it…
Run.
I hesitated for a moment, wondering if I could reason with him. But before I could even open my mouth, he lunged at me. I dodged out of the way, barely avoiding his grip. I could feel the heat of his breath on my neck as I ran deeper into the forest.
There were grunts and pants, as if the man had morphed into an actual stag.
The thrill of the chase was intoxicating, but it was also terrifying. The trees rushed past me in a blur as I struggled to keep pace with my racing heart. But no matter how fast I ran, I could still hear the thud of his footsteps behind me.
I cursed myself for ever agreeing to this madness.
But it was too late for regrets now. I knew I couldn’t keep this up forever. Sooner or later, he’d catch me. And when he did, I had no doubt he’d show me no mercy.
Branches scraped against my skin, but I didn’t slow down. I had to put distance between myself and the man in the mask. I wasn’t ready yet.
I couldn’t give him my body yet.
I couldn’t give him my body at all.
What had I done?
My foot caught on a rock, sending me sprawling onto the ground. Before I could scramble to my feet, the beast was upon me. He towered over me, his massive frame casting a shadow over my trembling form.