The Stepbully She Craves

Chapter 9

“We’re riding it together. There’s no way I’m taking any chances,” Mercy says, shaking her head. She pushes the button and the doors to the elevator automatically open. Standing inside is a guy dressed as Jason.

Banner is here. As much as I love my dear friend who’s standing before us, I don’t trust him. Not when all of our other friends have turned on us.

“Only one rider at a time, ladies,” Banner says, and both Mercy and I shake our heads.

“No way, Banner. I’m not sure what you guys are up to, but we’re going together. The other girls got taken and there’s no way Mercy and I are getting split up.” I link my arm tighter with hers.

“Okay, Pipster. Suit yourself.” He waves us into the elevator, so we both step inside. But as soon as the door closes, it opens again.

“You have exceeded capacity. Please exit the elevator,” a dark voice comes through the speaker above us.

“See. The boss is watching,” Banner says. “They have rules we must follow, girls. Sorry, but I can’t take you both up at the same time.”

“Well, then, neither of us is going.” I step out of the elevator, thinking Mercy is following right behind me but she’s not. I turn and find her pressed against the wall, Banner’s mask resting on the top of his head and his mouth sealed to hers.

Holy crap! They’re kissing. Not just kissing. He’s holding her leg up around his waist, swallowing her whole.

What the hell is happening tonight? Nothing in this place is making sense.

The elevator door closes in front of me, the heavy-petting couple disappearing. And then it hits me: I’m all alone. I push the button frantically, wanting it to come back down. It feels like an eternity before the thing returns and opens before me. This time Banner isn’t here to greet me. It’s empty.

I step inside and press the number two—the number it stopped at when Mercy was inside. The doors close, but instead of the elevator ascending to the second floor, it starts going down. When the doors open again, I see a dark and empty room.

I press the number two again even though the button is still lit. I’m waiting for the doors to close. But the elevator doesn’t budge. I press the door-close button and the doors still won’t close.

“Step out of the elevator.” That dark voice booms overhead again.

I don’t budge. At least in the elevator, I’m safe. I don’t know what’s lurking out in the dark shadows of the room before me. Knowing this place, it’s probably something much worse than the boogeyman.

“You either exit on your own, or your fate will be much worse.” The sinister voice rattles me again.

Oh God. I don’t know what to do. Although, it doesn’t really sound like I have a choice. I don’t think this elevator is going anywhere. And I’m pretty sure if I don’t get off, someone will come in and take me out of the thing. And I don’t want a monster touching me.

“I want to go up with my friends,” I plead, looking up at the speaker like it’s an actual person, hoping whoever is listening will take pity on me. “We’re supposed to stay together.”

“Sorry, little kitten. You’ll have to see them on the other side. That is…if you make it out alive.”

Not having any other choice, I step off the elevator into the empty room. Only, just as I expected, it’s not empty. A huge dark figure appears in the far corner, as dark as the shadow it was lurking in. The creature begins circling the perimeter of the room. Slowly creeping towards me, narrowing his loop around my body each time he passes. Whoever is underneath the black cloak is huge, which has me terrified.

“Look who decided to enter my lair,” he says, his voice as menacing as his presence. “A stray little kitten. Are you lost, my little pussy cat?”

I remind myself again that this is all fake. I’m scared, but it’s just a costume. The guy in front of me is acting. He’s getting paid to scare me, and this room is his stage. It’s probably another footballplayer from school.

I turn back toward the elevator, but the doors have now closed and the numbers tick above them, going up. Up to the second floor where I wanted to go. I turn back around, looking along the wall but there are no other doors. Surely there’s a way out of this room. There has to be.

I squint my eyes and start scanning the floor for a trapdoor. A hidden passage. A fire exit. Any way to my freedom.

An evil chuckle sends a shiver down my spine. “Looking for a way out?” The monster shakes his mask-covered head. “Sorry, my pretty kitty. There’s only one way out, and you have to pay a toll in order to leave.”

I reach for my purse, ready to pay the guy whatever he wants just to get out of this room.

“No, little kitten.” He clucks his tongue, tsking at me. “That’s not the kind of toll I’m talking about.”

He’s moving closer. Every step he slithers forward, I take one step back, until my back hits the wall and I have no chance of escaping him. “I want you to pay me with a kiss.”

“No!” I practically shout. I’ve had enough of this place. If this guy thinks he’s going to coerce me into making out with him to get myself out of this room, he’s wrong. “I’m not kissing you. And if you come any closer, I’m going to call the police.”

“Wow, little kitten. You have some pretty sharp claws there.” His hands brace against the wall next to my head, trapping me in further. I’m in full-on panic mode. He’s obviously not threatened by me. He’ll probably have my phone ripped from my hand and stomped on before I can do anything.