Haunting-Adeline

Con nuing on my wayward path, I concentrate on where I’m going, soon
forge ng about anything else going on around me. The trick is to focus on
the floor and not your reflec on.
Just as I almost face plant a mirror, I hear a dark chuckle. My head snaps
up, the tone of the laugh sounding evil. A spark of adrenaline ignites,
pumping the chemical into my heart and kicking up the speed further.
Did an employee dressed as a monster sneak in here to mess with me? I
wouldn’t hold it past them. They’re known to follow people around and
terrorize them.
Swallowing the lump in my throat, I turn to find my bearings. If there is a
creepy monster in here with me, I’d rather they not get close enough that I
have to look at a thousand of their reflec ons.
Finding my way past the mirror that almost gave me a nose job, I start
ahead again.
“Li le mouse.” The whisper seems to travel from every direc on.
My limbs lock, not sure if my imagina on is playing tricks on me or if
Zade is actually here.
Unfreezing, I force myself to keep moving, hoping I’m just imagining
things.
“Where are you, li le mouse?”
I gasp, the deep voice closer. Another sinister chuckle echoes, and Jesus
Christ, this man is capable of evil. No one sane sounds like that.
Squeezing my eyes shut, I take three deep, calming breaths, trying to
ease my racing heart.
He’s fucking with me. Trying to scare me. And it’s fucking working when
I’m trapped in a maze of mirrors, and he’s laughing like a goddamn luna c.
He can’t just let me have my night, can he? For once, I didn’t think about
him and my conflic ng feelings. And though Zade doesn’t quite scare me
as much—except for maybe right now—the feelings he brings out of me
certainly do.
Maybe if I keep quiet, he won’t find me.
Restar ng my path, I quicken my pace un l I’m speed walking through
the labyrinth of mirrors.
I’ve no idea how far I am, but I don’t even think I’ve made it halfway
through.