I took a moment to change into the sneakers I’d brought with me, stowing my school shoes in my bag. Then I rose from my seat, patting the ass of my skirt to check it had dried out before I pulled a black hoodie out of my bag and put it on – I’d borrowed it from Blake’s room as Saint would rather gouge an eye out than see me in something like this. I tucked my hair into the back of it and shoved my blazer into my bag in its place.
When Mila returned and pulled on her own hoodie and sneakers, we headed out of the library and my pulse elevated as we hurried along the path in the direction of Tahoma Mountain. The path was cast in the low light of the moon as we hurried up into the forest rising.
As the path curved back down to the side of the lake, we reached the stone bridge which crossed over the main path. I walked straight up to the thick bushes at the base of it and pushed the foliage aside, revealing the large drum of corn syrup we’d stashed there yesterday. It had been a bitch to steal it from the kitchen stores and carry it all the way out here. But we’d taken the quieter paths in the dark during my library time, not meeting a single soul along the way. Fate was on my side for once and it was turning me against the Night Keepers with a powerful wind at my back.
I rolled the drum onto its side and Mila moved forward to help lift the other end and we carried it up onto the bridge. There was no lamp up here, but the path below us was lit in an orange glow while we remained hidden in the dark. I pulled up my hood to be sure I was well hidden and Mila did the same.
“You don’t have to stay,” I told her.
The idea of me getting caught was bad enough, but I didn’t know what they’d do to Mila. I was pretty sure I was the only one who’d get punished considering my rules, but I couldn’t be certain. This was going to piss them off hard. And I didn’t want her risking her neck for it.
“No way, I’m staying right here.” She stepped closer. “They might scare the shit out of me, Tatum, but they’ve fucked with you for too long.”
“Thank you,” I breathed just as my phone buzzed in my pocket it. I took it out, my heart thumping madly at the message waiting for me.
Monroe:
Two minutes.
Mila took a little tripod from her bag and set up my phone in it, angling it down ready to record the whole thing. Then she helped me heft the drum of corn syrup up onto the wall.
“Pour then throw,” I said with a smirk, placing the paper bag of tampons ready on the wall. “Then run for your damn life. I’ll make them chase me east, you go west. Get inside somewhere as soon as you can.”
“Is your escape plan really solid? They’re gonna suspect you straight away,” she said, supporting the drum while I opened the top.
“I know, it’s solid.” I hope.
Adrenaline dripped through me as we crouched down behind the wall, watching the path in silence as we waited.
Four shadows soon appeared up ahead and we both ducked our heads, taking hold of the barrel on either side. I bit my lip, anticipation making my muscles coil. This was going to be epic if we could pull it off. I just had to make sure they didn’t find out it was me. Because I had a feeling kneeling down to Saint was not going to save me a second time.
The four Night Keepers jogged side by side on the wide path, growing closer and closer as we readied to pour.
Twenty feet…
Ten…
Five.
Four.
Three.
Two.
One.
We tipped the barrel up just as they made it beneath us and the amber gloop cascaded over them as we swivelled it side to side to splash it over them all.
“Argh!” Saint roared as the others swore and Mila turned on the flashlight on her phone, blinding them as they all looked up.
They were covered from head to toe in the sticky mixture, their faces twisted in fury. Monroe was fighting a smile and I had to swallow back a laugh as hard as possible as I grabbed the bag of tampons, upending it and shaking it all over them. One got stuck right to Saint’s forehead, and another one stuck to Kyan’s lips before he spat it away. Blake yelled as he tried to get them off and that was it. No more time.
“You’re dead!” Kyan bellowed and my heart tumbled into panic.
“Go,” I hissed at Mila and she took off in the opposite direction to me, sprinting down the bridge and darting into the trees to the right of it.
I snatched my phone, flashing the screen back towards them a couple of times so they followed me instead of her. Then I stuffed it in my pocket as I reached the end of the bridge, taking the dangerously exposed route along the eastern path beside the lake.
I could still hear them shouting and footfalls thundered this way, but I had a plan. And I was fast. I could do this.
My hood covered my gold hair as I ran, rounding a bend and following the edge of the lake, sprinting towards the Willow Boathouse ahead.
“If that’s you Tatum Rivers, be fucking prepared!” Saint cried.
“I’ll get her,” I heard Blake growl as the footsteps drew
