I had to get out of there. I dropped Ruthie’s hand and walked in whatever direction I could find, grasping the air in search of a wall or a path or anything that could lead me outside. I felt like I couldn’t breathe, like the darkness and the voices were closing in on me and if I didn’t get outside it would completely take me over. Do you know where you’d go? echoed in my head until I pushed through an emergency exit covered in black felt and the cool October air slapped me in the face.

I didn’t know where I’d go. I didn’t know where I’d want to go.

The last thing I heard before I bolted out of there was a laugh, loud and triumphant. It had sounded like Ruthie.

Outside, I was shocked to see how bright it was in the darkness. The campus lights were blinding, covering everything in sight. A way to convince you you’re safer here than you really are.

I kept walking, behind the McMahon science building turned Hell House, around the corner, down one path, then another. I was sweating through my shirt.

“Elizabeth!”

My hands were shaking.

“Elizabeth!”

My temples felt like someone was squeezing them as close together as possible. The back of my throat was raw from screams I didn’t even realize had escaped.

“Elizabeth!” I felt someone grab my arm and pull me back, and when I turned around it was Ruthie. “I’ve been calling you. Are you okay?”

There was so much blood. That was all I could see when I blinked. So much blood.

“We have to go to the stadium,” Ruthie said, trying to tug me back up there. “This fucked-up thing isn’t over.”

I couldn’t move. I couldn’t breathe.

Do you know where you’d go?

“You, again...” It was the same deep voice as before but this time it didn’t scare me. When I looked up, there they were, at the top of the staircase, again appearing from the trees like they were part of the forest themselves.

Ruthie moved toward them quickly, then slowed herself down once she realized how obviously excited she seemed.

They weren’t only smoking this time, also passing a Poland Spring bottle around, wincing as the liquid passed their lips. I knew there wasn’t water in that bottle.