Haunting-Adeline

The broken doll is in a staring contest with Mark, exchanging smiles like
an addict and their dealer. She’s not a child by any means, but she’s s ll
young enough to sell into the skin trade.
“I got eyes on Mark,” I inform. Jay and the other mercenaries will be able
to hear me through the earpiece fi ed snugly in my ear.
Keeping a safe distance, I maneuver around passing bodies to get a
be er view of the doll's face. The creepy-ass smile warping her lips speaks
of a challenge far more than words ever could. Daring him to come a er
her. Based on the glimmer in her eyes, it feels deeper than just performing
for her job.
Claire is s ll staring at the girl, too. But fear is radia ng from her pores as
brightly as the blush painted on her hollow cheeks. Mark doesn’t no ce,
but it seems the doll does.
The la er hops off the bench, winks at Mark, and skips off towards a
haunted dollhouse. Mark’s eyes follow her the en re way, his gaze pinned
to her ass and tongue swiping at his crusty lips.
And then he’s sliding his phone out of his pocket and making a call. My
eyes thin, spli ng my a en on between Mark and the doll that
disappeared inside Annie's Playhouse.
He stays on the phone for all of a minute before he’s hanging up and
turning to Claire. His wife nods impercep bly, just a single dip of her chin.
What Claire has knowledge of is a mystery to me. Mark may hide most of
his dealings, but I imagine she’s not completely ignorant to how her
husband spends his free me.
The haunted houses come to life almost immediately a er. Flickering
lights blare from the windows, and eerie music fills the air, mingling with
the startled screams from guests. The colorful smoke that’s been dri ing
across the open field now clouds the inside of the houses.
Hordes of people start dri ing towards the creepy structures, forming
lines outside the s ll locked doors.
Mark clenches Claire’s arm and drags her up from the bench, speed
walking directly towards Annie’s Playhouse. And emerging from the
bustling crowd behind Mark are his colleagues. Jack, Miller, and Robert.
Well, I’ll be fucking damned.
“I got eyes on all four,” I say quietly.