The Hallow

4

The tension is released when we exit the schoolhouse, but I still feel incredibly nervous. I stay close to Maddy, but try not to make my being terrified too noticeable. Jace suggests we pull out the single tent and spend the night in the graveyard, and just hearing the excitement in his voice makes me want to cry.

I link arms with Maddy, and that gives her a sign that I am scared. She clings onto me tightly, and I try my best to hold the tears in. Damn Carson for freaking us out like this.

As we approach the cemetery, my head snaps toward the church. I release Maddy's arm and stand still, looking all around the inside and outside. There is only one door missing, and the uneven stair caused by Leighton in the front is quite noticeable from where we are standing. I see the leg of the person in the bright jumpsuit, Carson, on the edge of the doorway, then he sticks his head out. He is holding his finger in front of his lips, and when I see the face paint, I gasp.

"Knock it off, Carson!" Maddy calls as soon as she sees what I see. Alex and Jace laugh, but Maddy, Jasmine, and I stare at Carson angrily. He hasn't moved his finger from his lips, then he suddenly disappears. The boys take off running toward the broken down church, but us girls stay put.

"Boys are such idiots." Jasmine rolls her eyes, and I nod in agreement. Jace's jaw drops as if he is offended, then immediately agrees with us.

We stand in silence for quite some time, not hearing a word. I start to worry, but Maddy and Jasmine seem fine. Maybe they're in on it.

Suddenly, we hear a blood curdling scream coming from inside the church. Moments later, Carson and Leighton storm out of the church and almost trip over their own feet. I could be wrong, but it looks as if there is blood trickling down the side of Leighton's face.

Maddy and Jasmine are cursing to themselves just as the boys reach us, and I become confused when I notice that Alex is not with them. Carson is not in his clown costume, nor does he have any face paint, and that slightly concerns me.

"What the hell happened?" Maddy screams worriedly. Jace throws his hands up.

Leighton places his hands on Jasmine's shoulders, and Carson falls to his knees. They are both panting hard, and soon the blood on Carson's hands is revealed.

"We need to go, go now!" Leighton yells, forcing us to start running. There are shadows all around us, and some of them even look like silhouettes of people. I could be just imagining it, though.

We take off running—ironically into the cemetery, as our adrenaline spiked fear.

"We need to go back!" I yell, but am ignored.

"Just come on!" Carson shouts back.

The thoughts in my head are running faster than my legs. I cannot keep them all in line, and it's driving me insane. What did Leighton and Carson see? Why do they have blood on them? Where is Alex?

We keep running until our legs collapse. The six of us fall one by one onto the muddy grass floor. I am panting so hard for air and my throat becomes too tight to breathe correctly. Everything has frozen, and there is nothing around us. It feels normal. . .too normal.

"What. . .did. . .you. . .see?" Jasmine breathes out heavily. Leighton rests his weight on his arms to prop himself up. His breathing is a little more controlled than everyone else's, but he is, after all, a track star.

"Uh," Leighton hesitates. He squeezes his eyes shut and shakes his head. He wipes the blood off with one hand, then replaces it behind his back for support. "Alex. . ."

"What about Alex?" Maddy jumps, nearly lunging herself at Leighton. Jace pulls her back and moves her hair out of her face.

"It's not safe here." Carson chimes in. He is crying.