Maleficium: Duo (Devil's Playground 2)

“What the fuck is going on?” Mel echoed my perplexed thought.

The TV screens started to come back on one at a time, now displaying a red countdown. I immediately sought out the balcony hoping for a clue as to what was about to occur. No one was standing there anymore.

“This is some next level theatrical crap,” Selena monotoned.

The lights that framed the double gilded doors began to flash, mimicking ones you’d see on a gameshow. With my earlier suspicion confirmed, my pulse jumped in the side of my neck.

We were going in there.

“Lana, to the left,” Grace warned.

“And the right.” Mel added.

If we weren’t in such a dire situation, I would have laughed.

Five guys in total made their way towards us. Their heads were covered by large panda masks. Matching black slacks and white dress shirts completed their uniform. If not for the handguns they could’ve passed as a furry gang of mascots.

The crowd parted like the red sea so that they could easily get through, some cheered and encouraged them. Not a single soul offered us help. I searched the room, trying to find somewhere to go but there weren’t many options presenting themselves.

“What now?” Selena asked.

Good question. I didn’t think there was anything we could do. We weren’t stronger than bullets.

The panda closest to me stopped walking and his companions fanned out to form a semi-circle around us.

If there had been a slight chance of escape, they’d just taken it away. I stared at the black circles that made up the panda’s eyes. I waited for him to speak but he didn’t say a word. He and his friends simply drew their guns and leveled them at our heads.

CHAPTER THREE

“Lost in a Roman wilderness of pain, and all the children are insane…”

Confusion blossomed in my chest. I jerked into a sitting position, regretting the sudden movement within the same instant.

My surroundings blurred, pixelated images floated aimlessly in my mind, jumbled pieces of memory trying to remind me how I got here. I cradled my head in my hands to try and ease the throbbing pain radiating through it.

I felt eerily like the way I had when I left the resort—majorly hungover. This had to be a lingering side effect from the dart used to knock me out. I hadn’t drunk a single sip of alcohol since I’d left the resort.

And who undressed me?

I wasn’t wearing anything other than a bra and some boy shorts. I lifted the comforter that was covering me up and checked myself over from head to toe. Other than the massive headrush and some stiffness in my limbs, I seemed to be okay.

I let the abstract bedding freefall and tried to get some idea of where I had been taken. I could tell that I was in a cabin or something like it.

There was nothing to the place but four dark paneled walls and a few pieces of furniture. One of which being the bed I had been so kindly tucked into.

There weren’t any windows.

And unless Mel, Grace, or Selena were behind one of the two doors I could see it was safe to assume that we’d been separated. I could only imagine where they would have been dragged off to. The last thing I recalled clearly was having guns pointed at us.

A somber voice continued to croon from a polished record player on the other side of the room. The shrouded lyrics left the meaning of the song up for debate. I pushed down the comforter now only covering my lower half. I didn’t hear anything other than the music, but that wasn’t a guarantee I was alone.

“Hello?” I croaked out.

No response.

I swung my legs over the side of the bed and rose slowly, rubbing the nape of my neck. It was tender in the center, like I’d gotten a shot from a large needle.

Crossing my arms to ward off the chill in the air, I crept towards the door that was closest to the bed. I grasped the knob and began to turn, pausing when I heard a small click. Taking a breath and counting to three, I eased it open. The area beyond was nothing more than a small half bathroom.

A pair of brown eyes and a round face framed by long black waves stared back at me from within a mirror above the sink. With a sigh, I released my hold on the doorknob and went over to the small table.

There was bottle of water—not cold, and a small pack of crackers. Remembering what happened back at the Blight House, I examined both carefully.

They looked to be sealed and secure. I twisted the cap off the water and took a generous sip. It was lukewarm but still got the job done, quenched my thirst and put fluid in me. I had no interest in the saltines.