DARLINGTON

From Chapter One
I took a deep breath and plunged through the trees, not bothering to try and keep quiet. Anything in here knew I was here anyway. I just had to keep going and hope Tennyson was smart enough to stop at one of these bases.

But I didn’t make it to the third base. Darkness opened beneath my right foot, and I sunk in to my knee before I could stop.

“Shit!” I tugged backwards, but the thick black muck held me tight. A trap, and I’d landed right in it.

I’d even been looking. Ever since Van, I’d been damn careful. And I still hadn’t seen it.

I tried to calculate my chances. If the trap wasn’t monitored regularly, I might be able to escape in the morning. But the pounding rain and the chill could get me before then-- if I froze out here, well, that was that, Baddies or no Baddies. And if it was monitored… well, I didn’t have to worry about catching cold. I’d be dead before it could set in.

“Come out tonight, Marna,” I sniped at the air. “My date’s really interesting, Marna. It’ll be fun, Marna.”

I glared up at the dark swirling clouds. “Could you please cut it out!” I shouted.

As usual, it didn’t listen. I hadn’t expected it to. But behind me, something chuckled. Something with a deep voice. Something that sent waves of goosebumps over my skin.

A Baddie.

I twisted around, but it didn’t help. He didn’t seem to be moving closer, so I let myself relax into the ground and leaned back.

There was a patch of darkness right behind me. Not moving closer, but not moving away, either.

Watching me. Waiting.

I could play that game, too; lie here and wait for him to take me. Or I could try and free my leg-- which was pretty much pointless, since, even if I freed it, the muck rendered it nearly useless. I knew better than to think I could run.

Option three was scream for help. So that’s what I did.

The Baddie chuckled again, but moved no closer. That’s when I heard it from my side, too. I paused mid-shout and saw another patch of darkness to my right.

Two. There was no way I was getting out of this alive.

Another chuckle, to my left, and I knew for sure.

I was doomed.

All because of Lyssia and her stupid date, who knew everything about Darlington but that Baddies were real, the forest was dangerous, and leaving in the middle of a rainstorm ensured death.

I made one last attempt to yell, but it didn’t come out as more than a weak shout. I was done for. I knew it, the Baddies knew it, hell, even the trees probably knew it.

I stilled in the chilly rain. Maybe I’d be devoured whole in the next few moments, but I wouldn’t give them the satisfaction of acting like I was as terrified as I really was.

And then, the sky exploded.