Chapter Three

||KIT||

†

The car pulled up at exactly 6:50 p.m.

Amy had already left at six after easily convincing Sara that I would be in capable hands the entire night. I was pretty sure that Cassandra had just about finished plotting my murder by now but I was too excited about the fact that I was going to be sitting next to Mason for the next hour to actually care about my impending doom.

He pushed the door open from the inside almost hitting me in the process and I hopped in having only a second to spare before the car sped off down the street. Amy was right about telling me to wait outside twenty minutes earlier than seven. If I hadn't been waiting there they would've left without even a single knock on my door.

I looked like I normally did, apart from my hair that I actually put some effort into this time having it caught up in two puffs, a few stray hairs framing my face and a black choker with a silver symbol that I'd gotten as a gift from Amy now snug around my neck. It had a circle with an X going through it. She said she wasn't sure what it meant but we both thought it was pretty.

May and her boyfriend Rolland were chatting nonstop in the front and I looked over at Mason with a hopeful smile but his eyes were closed as he rested his head against the cool glass with his airpods in. I could hear the music from where I sat and I grinned.

We didn't have the same taste in music but that was no problem. I could try new things and it was probably something we could bond over.

Right now I could hear him listening to some trap song.

No one had said a word to me since I entered the car but I didn't really mind since I was sitting next to Mason. His curly brown hair tickled the nape of his neck making me wish I could run my fingers through it and although his eyes were closed I knew if they were open I'd be losing myself in those deep ocean blue pools.

Too bad he was Cassandra's brother.

They were nothing alike and sometimes I feel like they just dragged him along with them.

Letting out a sigh I continued to stare at him, putting my own earbuds in and starting to play the songs in my 'favorite's' playlist.

One of my favorite songs, A little Piece Of Heaven by Avenged Sevenfold came on and I felt a sliver of excitement course through me as I turned it all the way up. Would Mason like this song?

My thoughts came to a screeching halt as he turned to give me a death glare, mouthing some words that I didn't hear.

"What?" I asked loudly, pulling the earphones out my ear, only to hear the music playing even louder in the car.

"I said turn the music down, why have earphones if you're not even gonna use them?"

"I- I uh-" I tried to come up with a response but got lost in the way his eyes seemed to capture mine with that hard expression.

"So, you gonna turn that down or not?" He spoke after a few seconds, pulling me out of my daydream.

I chuckled awkwardly, pulling my wire jack out and putting it back in, something I'd been doing a lot lately to combat the error.

"What was that song anyway?"

Mason was trying to make conversation?

"Uhm, well it's by Avenged Sevenfold and it's about this guy who's proposal is rejected by his girlfriend so he kills her and eats her heart then uhm..." I could see Mason's expression morphing into one of concern as I spoke. His expression was growing more repulsed by the second and I trailed off, "w-well it's really interesting I promise."

"Yeah, no. Go back to your thing, I'll just- go back to mine."

Dammit! The song really wasn't even that bad!

"But they get married in the end!" I whisper shouted at him but he'd already plugged his ears with his airpods again blaring some Fall Out Boy song and I sighed sitting back onto my seat. So much for my plan to bond with him over music.

★

"We're stopping for food," Mason mumbled to me as the car pulled up at a diner in the middle of nowhere, "And the others are probably here already."

I felt an intense need to start breakdancing whenever he talked to me. That would probably be embarassing.

He got out and I followed suit, blinking as he suddenly stopped and turned making me run into his chest, ducking his head a little to bring his lips closer to my ear.

"If you wanna fit in don't sweat it. Just be quiet and agree with whatever Cass has to say, it'll save a lot of trouble."

I nodded in understanding, almost shaking from how close he was.

"Come on" he grabbed my elbow and started walking me to the diner which we entered a few seconds after May and Rolland. Spotting them all at a table at the back he led me over and I sat next to him hearing Cassandra scoff.

The diner was dimly lit and empty except for the eight of us. Slow country music was playing from speakers somewhere and I tried to relax.

Cassandra scowled, eyeing me before she ran her fingers through her hair and directed her attention at the others, "there's no one here."

"Maybe they stepped out?" May asked catching her hair up into a messy bun.

"Hmm, one of you guys go check" Cass replied digging into her bag for something and Mason started to get up beside me making me slide out of my seat so he could get out.

He tucked his hands into his pockets and started to make his way to the "Employees only" door. I was about to sit again then decided against it when everyone's eyes landed on me.

"What are you doing?" He asked when he found me squishing myself against his back.

"Um well I'm not really in the mood to be cannibalized by Cassandra" I grinned as he peeled my fingers off the back of his shirt. He smirked and dropped my hands.

"She's vegan though."

"Wow that- I've never met one before," I chuckled watching him push the door open. His reply was only a light "hm," as he entered the space beyond the door.

I followed and rubbed my hand against my cheek, I could still feel his touch. The room beyond was the kitchen area and weirdly enough everything was in working order. There were freshly chopped veggies on a cutting board and fries simmering in the deep fryer along with other things.

We kept looking around, throwing out a few "Hello?'s" here and there but there was no one to be found.

"What you think happened to the workers?" Mason asked before stuffing a pineapple slice into his mouth. I gave him a weird look and shrugged using my index finger to scratch my head.

"Maybe they're in a meeting?''

"Could be," he mumbled as we looked around. I saw another door that said "No Entry" and advanced towards it. I was about to pull it open when the feel of a hard body behind mine made my heart stop.

I turned to face Mason, finding him looking down at me with a grim expression.

"You know what I just realized?"

"W-what?" I asked, stuttering as I tried not to spazz out from being so close to him.

I'm so happy I actually decided to come! Thank you Amy, wherever you are.

"This is like the beginning to some kinda horror movie," his voice was a deeper octave now, which gave me instant butterflies.

"W-why do you think so?"

He grinned and lifted his hands, "look around. 'Bunch a teenagers go on a road trip, find an abandoned gas station slash diner, some old wrinkly dude tells them not to go that way but they go to their destination anyway and end up getting butchered."

I giggled shaking my head, "Half of that stuff hasn't happened yet though"

"Keyword: yet," he tugged the bleached tips of my hair reminding me of Amy and I felt my palms begin to sweat.

"If that's the case then there's the small possibility of one, maybe two people surviving tonight," he chuckled and dropped his hands, "my money's on you."

"Me? Why me?" My eyebrows shot up.

"Well if we're going by horror movie standards the lone survivor is usually female, has a dark past that somehow gives her more endurance than others and, the biggest requirements, must be a virgin goody two shoes who looks like she couldn't hurt a fly."

"I'm none of those things" I crossed my arms over my chest with a pout and he laughed patting my head.

"Okay fine I might be one or two of those." I said after a small pause making him laugh.

"Either way, my money's on you, weirdo."

I bit back a smile at his nickname for me and was about to reply when I felt something sticky by my feet.

I looked down, lifting my feet to see some gooey red liquid drip from the bottom of my shoes and back into the puddle I was standing in.

"I really hope someone just spilled some strawberry syrup," I muttered turning around and pushing the 'No Entry' door open.

What I saw beyond it made my eyes almost pop out of their sockets.

Blood and guts were everywhere and I heard Mason gagging behind me but I was too intrigued to care, which was saying a lot.

I'd never seen an actual murder scene before and this was amazing. I pulled out my phone and took a few pictures, stepping over the bodies of the workers who'd been butchered there, their insides spilling out and the metallic smell of blood as well as an even sicker smell of waste assaulted my nostrils.

There was something scrawled in blood on the furthest wall and I recorded a video, using my elbow to cover my nose to prevent the disgusting stench from upsetting my stomach before my eyes widened again.

Right next to the words "Go To Sleep" was that same design from my choker. A circle, though not as perfect, with a ragged 'X' going through it.

What did this mean?? Was it some kind of cult? I was growing more excited with each new photo I took before I heard a scream behind me.

The others had probably been called by Mason.

"Oh my God what the fuck?!" Cassandra shrieked before doing a U turn and heading back out the door.

"Why are you even in there you freak? Are you taking pictures?!"

I quickly shook my head at Stephanie's question, "I was uh- calling 911."

"Mhm, let's go. The killer might still be lurking around."

By the looks of things I highly doubted that but I didn't say anything, taking Mason's advice and trying to stay on their good sides.

I exited the room, my body buzzing with excitement. I was always interested in watching serial killer documentaries and true crime cases but this was the closest I've ever gotten to a real crime scene.

I wondered if my reaction was appropriate. Should I have been more concerned?

A part of me was just happy to have been able to make progress with Mason despite everything. I didn't care that some diner in the middle of nowhere was targeted by a killer, I cared about how I was going to convince Mason to see me as more than just Amy's weird friend.

†

NB: the mc's full name is Kitani Marianne Blair.

Thanks for reading!

❤