“Since I’ve been here I’ve met others,” Daggett continued. “Two of them even wanted to join forces with me, can you believe that? What, they gonna start a union next? Ridiculous. You can never trust a serial killer, not even if you are one. That’s what I told them, but off they went. I’d have shot them both in the back, but there were too many witnesses – and that just proves my point even more! Serial killers cannot be trusted! Do you get it now? There’s so many of us that it’s over for you. You never stood a chance.”

“But why you?” she asked. “Why not send more like Elias Mauk? They have powers. You’re just a guy.”

“Because we’re the new breed,” said Daggett. “Mauk belongs with Shanks and Utt and that guy in Iowa – relegated to the history books. Me and my brothers and sisters, we’re the new generation of nightmares.”

“New generation of assholes, you mean.”

He raised the gun. “Move.”

“You’re not going to kill me.”

He switched his aim to her leg. “I don’t have to kill you.”

“Do you know how far we are from the edge of town? You going to carry me all that way, are you? I know I’m not one to talk, I’m carrying around some extra baggage, but you? You’re already close to dropping dead from exhaustion.”

“Shut the hell up.”

“You’re not fit, Phil. You’re not going to be able to carry me.”

“No,” said Daggett, “but I can shoot you in the leg, beat you into a coma, then go back and get my car. What do you think now, smartmouth? You gonna start walking now?”

Amber resumed walking.

“Yeah,” said Daggett. “That’s what I figured.”

He kept pace behind her.

After another hour, walking with a gun pointed at her didn’t seem like that big of a deal. She got flashes of panic when she heard him stumble, or trip over something, and the more they walked, the more he stumbled, but he didn’t fall and the gun didn’t accidentally go off.

They approached a carnival site, the rides and attractions covered with tarps and the grass growing wild and long. Sunlight glinted off a mirrored door. In the height of the summer, it probably looked a lot more impressive than it did right now.

They kept going. Her feet were hurting. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d walked this much. Her skin itched. She wanted to shift and spin and tear his head off. Instead, as 10pm passed by and the sun went down, she kept walking. In this crazy twilight, it was still more than bright enough to see.

“How far?” Daggett said eventually.

“Dunno,” she answered.

“I thought you knew where we were going.”

She glanced back. “You pointed me in this direction – you said walk.”