Chapter Text
Pomni despised horror movies. Not because of the gore or the occasional demonic symbolism, but because of the insistence on shoving jump scares in every two scenes of the movie. The crash of a cymbal, the startling screeching of a violin section, and the crashing of a creaky door all worked to scare the daylights out of her.
So when she found out that today’s adventure was another horror-themed excursion, the color drained from her already colorless skin.
“A Night In The Cabin,” Had said Caine while he floated over the group’s heads. “I had the amazing idea thanks to Jax! Especially after showing me all those wonderful horror games that were so popular in the real world.”
An audible groan passed through the group, while Jax stood proud of his apparent influence over today’s adventure. The bunny’s taste for adventures tended to land on the more violent side of things, so seeing his grin stretch from ear to ear deeply worried Pomni.
A night in a cabin sparked a plethora of horrors, despite Caine’s childish adventures. When he wanted to go scary, his abilities created living nightmare fuel. She could still remember the run-in with the angel monster. Chills.
“The rules for the adventure are very simple: all of you must spend a night in the cabin while a murderous rampage commences. Search around for clues and escape the killer’s clutches until dawn, and you win!” Caine explained.
Pomni would prefer to keep her dying experience to a minimum; if holding her breath was painful, she didn’t want to experience the edge of a knife in her stomach.
“Yeah, I’m good on this one.” Zooble began to walk away from the group, but before they could make any distance, Caine snapped his fingers, opening a whirling portal.
“This one is strictly mandatory!” The portal howled and began pulling the circus members into its onyx void. “It’s time to get into the Halloween spirit!”
Pomni watched as Zooble, Gangle, Ragatha, Kinger, and Jax were yanked away from her sight. She dreaded this part.
The floor slipped beneath her feet, and she pawed at the ground. Her gloved fingers made it impossible to dig into the shiny surface, and swiftly she began spiraling in the air towards the portal.
“I don’t want this adventure!” She cried endlessly against a backdrop of Caine’s hearty laughter.
The cold breeze of an air vent wafted the scent of fresh pine.
Fresh pine?
Pomni fluttered her eyes open to find herself inside a beige minivan. She sat in the second row out of three, just behind the driver, Kinger. He maneuvered the vehicle down a thin, solitary road, with a rolling tabloid of trees passing by both sides of the car.
A small air freshener in the shape of a green tree dangled from the rearview mirror, responsible for the crisp scent invading her senses. Static played from the car radio before clearing out and revealing a familiar voice. Bubble was apparently reciting his version of the morning news, starting with the weather, which gradually turned into a bleep fest as it derailed into nonsense.
Pomni’s clothing had also changed during the time she spent through the portal. Instead of her jester attire, she wore a flimsy white blouse. Thin cotton against her skin, with lace trimmings around her wrist and neckline. A brown mini skirt paired with knee-high socks worked together to make the most uncomfortable outfit she had ever worn. And, surprisingly, even her jester cap was swapped out for a headband.
Why would anyone wear this to a cabin?
“Ugh, change the station. It’s annoying to listen to.” Complained Jax from his spot in the third row.
His outfit struck envy within Pomni: a graphic tee with a warm leather jacket. She couldn’t completely see, but she knew he had pants on; she wanted pants.
The seating arrangement was interesting. Kinger and Ragatha sat in the front, Pomni was placed next to Gangle, and Zooble was Jax’s seatmate. At least it meant Jax didn’t have easy access to the wheel.
Pomni noticed everyone else’s costume change. Ragatha and Gangle wore similar clothing to Pomni, frilly blouses and skirts. Kinger’s cape was exchanged for a puffy outdoor vest. While Zooble… looked the same.
“For once, I agree with Jax.” Chimed Zooble.
The entire group agreed that Bubble’s rants were not the most pleasant of sounds to listen to, especially for a car ride to the middle of nowhere. Ragatha changed the station. First, it was pop, which Jax instantly rolled his eyes at, then it turned to jazz, then country, before finally landing on soft rock, which no one had any complaints about.
Pomni tried to close her eyes and concentrate on the strumming of the guitar. The ride to the cabin was stressful. She would rather have been poofed into the cabin, but her misery had to be milked.
Just relax, it’ll all be over soon, and then you can go to bed-
“Boo!”
Pomni nearly hit the ceiling of the car from how high she jumped out of her seat. She whipped her head to see Jax snickering in his seat. It was a cheap scare for laughs, and it worked; that was why she hated jump scares.
“Ha-ha, Jax. Super funny.” She drawled. Ever since their last set of adventures, Jax had toned down on his pranks towards her. It must have been the promise of violence that had him charged with energy.
“Lighten up, Pomni. You’re super tense- don’t tell me you’re scared?” Jax grabbed the headrest and rested his chin in the space between the seat and the window. “We’re just gonna meet a deranged psychopath, nothing too bad.” He teased.
“If it means getting away from you, I might prefer the company.” Interjected Zooble.
A fake gasp. “You wound me, Zoobie.” His smile and tone contradicted the words that spilled from his mouth.
“I’m not scared of murderers. I just don’t like jumpscares. There is literally no way not to get scared by them.”
“It’s okay, Pomni. I don’t like jumpscares all that much either.” Gangle, with her happy mask still intact, tried to comfort her. Which was nice, but didn’t change the situation.
“Maybe it won’t be that bad. Caine did have a less scary version in the last horror adventure.” Ragatha suggested.
Yeah, the route Pomni skipped when she was dragged into the mature version against her will.
“Hopefully…” Mumbled Pomni into the glass of the window. Her reflection displayed the wavering of her pupils, and for a single glimpse, she was certain she saw Jax staring at her reflection as well. But when she turned to look at him, he was focused on teasing Gangle instead.
It was going to be a long night.
They arrived at the cabin, stumbling out of the minivan with wide eyes.
The cabin looked like it was ripped straight out of a realtor’s magazine. Walls made of brick and cobblestone, a chimney with smoke curling out into the air, and even a wooden porch equipped with a rickety rocking chair.
It was peaceful, with the birds still outside chirping, and the sun lighting a blue sky. But it was all part of the ruse, because once the sun set, the cabin would turn into a bloodbath.
“Hey, Bunnyboy! Grab the stuff that’s in the back.” Zooble demanded as they opened the trunk.
Jax stretched out his body as he left the minivan, rewarding Zooble with an eye roll. “Why do I have to?” He complained.
“Because this was all your idea.” They responded, and in a flash, a giant duffel bag barreled towards Jax. The bag hit him square in the stomach, and he nearly doubled over in pain. “Good reflexes,” Zooble said sardonically.
“I so can’t wait until the murderer comes.” He muttered.
Pomni watched the two go back and forth, not realizing she had been staring until she and Jax met eyes. They always held eye contact in odd quiet moments, but this time she lasted a millisecond before averting her eyesight down to her impractical boots.
The trunk was full of duffel bags, one for each of the six members, all color-coded to their specific designs. There was also a guitar case and a cooler stuffed with bottles of beer stowed against the backseats. It may have been the perfect packing list for a camping trip, but there was a noticeable lack of sharp, pointy items. They would all need weapons during this specific camp outing.
Jax tried to walk with two duffel bags on each arm and a guitar case on his back. His limbs were exaggerated as they walked down the dirty path to the porch. Pomni was surprised he was actually helping, but the surprise ceased when Jax heard Gangle snort, which led to him dropping the bags in anger.
“I’m carrying my own stuff.” He announced, slinging the guitar and duffel bag over his shoulder.
No one complained.
Pomni picked up her duffel bag, the one with blue and red stripes, and hauled it over her shoulder. Just as she was about to follow everyone inside, a gleam caught her eye.
On the side of the porch stairs, she spotted a metal lighter. In her hands, she carefully inspected its shape. One side was rusted over; on the other, there was a row of Roman numerals carved into the metal.
I III V VI
Caine did say to keep an eye out for clues.
The lighter was safely tucked into her pocket, and she made a mental note to bring it up to the group for when the sky darkened.
Pomni ran up the creaky stairs and slid past the propped-open door. Inside the cabin, she was instantly greeted by a small hallway entrance. Arches were built into both sides of the door; one led into a living room area, while the opposite side led into a dining room and kitchen. In front of the welcome mat, there was a set of wooden stairs that led to a second story. And further down the hallway was a closed door. Pomni deciphered that it must be a bathroom. A necessity rendered useless in this digital world.
“Pomni, in here, come look.” Ragatha peeked her head out from the arch that led to the living room. Her hand eagerly waved Pomni over to the living room.
Inside, she saw Jax sitting in the center of the couch in front of the fireplace. His feet were perched on top of the round coffee table, and he was unfocused, gazing at the lit flame. Before she could say a word to him, Ragatha had nudged her over to a large, massive window at the end of the room.
Zooble and Gangle were already crowding the view, mesmerized by the scenery of trees and mountains. Gangle swore she saw a deer dash into the woods, but Zooble suggested it might have been a raccoon.
“Caine really upped the graphics for this adventure.” Commented Ragatha.
The view was nice, but Pomni could only see herself running through that field of grass while being chased by an axe-wielding murderer.
“Yo, Pomni. Come help me grab the beer.” Jax had gotten up from the couch and approached her. His hands rested in his jacket pocket, but he still used them to point over to the exit.
“Can’t Kinger help?”
“Nope.” No further explanation. Typical.
“Fine, I guess.”
She dropped her duffel onto the couch and followed Jax outside. The door shut behind them as they stepped into the cold. “Are you sure you want to drink again? There is a murderer coming, and you’re kind of a…”
“I’m a what?” Jax stopped midstride and slowly creaked his head towards Pomni. The smile was gone from his lips
“You know.” Pomni conceded. “A lightweight.”
“A lightweight?” Jax’s eyes widened in offense. “I had one bad night; you can’t judge my drinking capabilities from that.”
“You had one drink.” She held up a singular digit. “One.” She repeated.
“Pretty sure Caine spiked all the drinks in there, but regardless of your incorrect assessment. No, I’m not drinking. I just had to get you away from the ragdoll.”
He planned to get her alone? Her gaze flicked around, searching for any sign of a trap. Jax was still Jax after all.
“I’m not gonna hurt you, jeez, Pomni. I want to talk to you about the adventure.”
“What about it?”
“I think you and I both know, we are pretty much safe as long as that-” he points to the bright yellow ‘that’ in the sky. “Is up. Free rein of the cabin, so we’re encouraged to let loose and drink.”
All of the information wasn’t new. It was implied through Caine’s brief explanation. Why did Jax feel the need to drag her over for that?
“What’s your point?”
“Do you know what death flags are?”
The term was unfamiliar, if not a little unsettling. Her weight shifted as she shook her head.
“In games and movies with a killer, there are death flags. Which are basically actions and events that trigger a death scene. Think of famous last words. ‘I have a bad feeling about this.’ or ‘It’s all gonna be okay.’ Boom!” He mimicked a finger gun to his head, going off. “Dead.”
Pomni nodded. The logic was sound; if Caine really was inspired by Jax’s horror games, then the mechanics must be the same. But how many death flags were there?
“So, if we avoid the death flags, we avoid death?”
“In a way. But finding clues to win the game will make it impossible to avoid all possible flags.” He explained further.
Famous last words were easy to avoid. But Pomni had seen enough horror movies to know that there was always a character who tripped while getting chased. How would she avoid that?
Selfless actions were also punished in horror movies; the character who tells the others to go on, they’ll catch up, or the character who confesses their undying love. Steering clear of those tropes should be easy-
“Hey!” An ice-cold touch to her cheek jolted her out of her thoughts.
Jax had taken one of the cold, wet beers and placed it directly on her face. “Earth to Pomni.” He said softly. When he pulled the bottle away, she could still feel the dampness on her skin linger.
Her hand wiped at the wetness before she snatched the beer bottle from his outstretched hand. “I was just thinking of possible death flags.”
“It’s impossible to avoid them, but if we use them to our advantage, it could make this a cake walk.”
Jax strode alongside the car, lifting the cooler of beers.
“Why are you telling me all of this? I’m not gonna use death flags to hurt the others.” She protested, not wanting to turn into the killer of the adventure herself.
“As fun as it would be, that’s not my plan.” He clarified. “I remember playing a bunch of horror games growing up. I hated that they always made you feel helpless, at the whims of some incel who has serious mommy issues.”
“Are you suggesting you want to kill-”
“Kill the killer?” He finished for her. A devious gleam shone in those onyx pits. “That’s exactly what I want. What do you say, Pompom? Join me?”
Pomni initially hesitated, her expression a mix of disbelief and fear. “How do you even know that’s possible? And what can I do against a slasher character?” She pointed out the holes in his plan, hoping to dissuade him.
“It will work. Don’t you want to go through the night with some sense of control? A killer can’t jumpscare you if you’re the one deciding when he can scare you.” He retorted.
Maybe it was his choice of words, or maybe his unwavering confidence, but Pomni’s defenses melted. If she could remove jump scares as an option, the night would be at least ten times more bearable.
Frustration boiled in her gut, and as a sign of surrender, she used her canines to pop off the cap of the beer and held it out to Jax’s imaginary drink. “If you betray me, for even one second. I’ll kill you before the killer can.” She said after sending the bottle cap to the ground.
“A girl after my own heart.”
Before they headed inside again, Jax told Pomni one crucial detail about their new murder the murderer plot.
Don’t tell the others.
Pomni wanted to refuse, but he explained that if Ragatha or Zooble found out, they would consider it too risky and try to stop them. Sticking together as a group was also a death flag in and of itself. The two compromised that as long as Jax didn’t target or harass the others, then her mouth would remain shut. He whined, but agreed to the deal.
Inside, everyone had situated themselves in the kitchen. Checking cabinets, drawers and even the trash bin. Pomni set her beer down on the counter before joining the conglomeration at the dining table.
“Okay, so there are utensils, lighter fuel, and a party-size bag of chips.” Zooble listed, holding a non-branded bag of potato chips in their orange claw.
“You want to use the chips to throw at the murderer?” Jax commented.
“No. It’s just the cabinets are filled with a bunch of junk food. Figured they were here for the same reason as the beer.”
“What would the reason be?” Gangle asked.
“Haven’t you ever seen a scary movie before, Gangle?” Jax spat back at her, earning a glare from Zooble.
“Shut up, Jax. But I’m guessing Caine put these things in here so we can have a party. Maybe it’s the only way to progress the game.”
“How about we split up and try to find as many things as we can before the party starts? That way, we can be extra prepared.” Suggested Pomni.
They all agreed and dispersed throughout the cabin in search of any valuable items. Pomni went upstairs, which housed several bedrooms, and she looked through the bedside tables. She found some bobby pins, batteries, and even an empty cassette player. But nothing screamed useful, she didn’t want to return to the group empty-handed, so she took all three with her back to the kitchen.
“I found two flashlights.” Announced Ragatha as she placed two yellow handheld flashlights on the table. “But no batteries.”
“Wait, I have some batteries,” Pomni spoke up. “Since there are only two, we should designate specific flashlight people.”
Jax raised his hand to volunteer, but the group decided that Zooble and Pomni were the safest choice.
“I found a first aid kit.” Said Gangle.
“I got this sick crowbar.” Enthused Jax.
“I got these logs of wood.” Everyone turned to look at Kinger, who indeed was carrying logs of wood. “There were so many outside.” He was so proud of himself that everyone thanked him for his contribution.
Their haul wasn’t terrible, but besides the crowbar, there wasn’t anything meant to defend themselves with. Unless a butter knife counted. Pomni hoped Caine had included more items the further they progressed.
All that was left was to start the party.
Zooble moved the stereo system from the living room into the kitchen, initiating a heated debate between Jax and them over what music to play. The speakers were cheap but powerful, and after ruthless arguments, the sound of the electric guitar exploded. “Can’t Sleep” by K.Flay transmitted out through the entire room, and the two stared at each other in silent agreement.
Pomni had just witnessed two warring nations come to a truce in real time. Thankfully, Jax was keeping his promise of toning down his torment of the others while they prepped the room. For a second, everything felt at peace.
Ragatha and Gangle arranged the table with an assortment of flavored chips they scrounged from the cabinets. Kinger started to string up fairy lights, but was promptly distracted by the music midway. Zooble handed out the beer bottles, even passing one to Jax- though he refused, and then took their seat next to Gangle.
Pomni chuckled as she watched Kinger and Ragatha struggle with untangling the cord of fairy lights. It was nice, she hated to admit it. But there was a reason she preferred relaxing adventures; it was a time when everyone could just be themselves, doing normal activities. The star-gazing activity they did before was her personal favorite.
She laid next to Jax that night, and they talked, actually had a conversation. He wasn’t putting on a mask; he was just being honest.
Her gaze drifted towards said purple bunny. He was leaning against the wall, and a red solo cup he nursed was in his grasp. Everyone else was occupied, and in a moment of solitude, he looked approachable.
Her feet led her to him, navigating through the room with the slow pulsating rhythm of the song. She took her spot in the space next to him.
“Bored already?” She asked.
“Yeah. Just waiting for the murder.” He admitted. He lifted the cup to his lips and gulped its contents.
“I thought you weren’t drinking?”
“It’s just orange juice. Though it has pulp, so it’s just as gross as liquor.”
Jax’s face scrunched up together, resulting in Pomni giggling at his appalled expression. “You’re so weird.” She said mid-laugh.
“First, you call me a lightweight, then you call me weird. You’re getting brave, Pomni.”
“It’s called liquid courage for a reason.” She mused.
“Oh?” He flicked his gaze downward towards. “Are you tipsy already?” The tone in his voice was light and playful. Almost flirty.
Flirty!?
Pomni nearly choked on her beer. Why the word ‘flirty’ was even in the same vicinity as Jax was beyond her. Maybe she was drunk.
“No. I’m just enjoying the party. Everyone seems happy. I’m trying to enjoy it before we all end up dying in gruesome ways.” It took all her effort to keep her voice steady, not to reveal what she had just thought about Jax.
“I guess it’s alright.” He agreed.
The two continued to stand in a comfortable wordless conversation. There was no pressure to say anything if they didn’t want to. They just watched as everyone prepped the party.
“Okay! It’s all done.” Ragatha clapped her hands together, beaming at the result of their hard work. Chill music, loads of snacks, and the dreamy twinkle of the fairy lights. A little thrown together, but it got everyone in the mood to relax.
“To a horrible night,” Zooble announced, lifting their beer bottle in the air. Everyone repeated their words in unison and clinked the mouths of their bottles together.
The air turned humid as their bodies kept moving around; the promise of death allowed everyone to overindulge in the alcohol. Even Gangle was spotted dancing to the music, her happy mask reflecting the glow of the fairy lights.
Ragatha’s face had slowly shifted into a rosy hue. She approached Pomni’s spot in the corner and put her arm around her shoulders. “I’m so bored- aren’t you bored?” Her slurred speech brought back memories of their shift at Spudsy’s.
“Uh. I’m alright.” Pomni watched the ragdoll’s expression fade out into the distance. “Are you okay?” She asked, growing worried.
“I have an idea!” She announced, waving her empty bottle in the air. “We should play spin the bottle! That happens in horror movies, right?”
That was a horror movie trope, but Pomni worried if Ragatha was in the right state of mind to play.
“That’d hurry things up.” Said Jax. “I want to get to the fun part already.”
“I am not kissing, Jax.” Hissed Zooble.
“You can’t kiss anyone, you have no mouth, remember?” He tried to nudge them, but wound up earning himself an ear yank.
Gangle was holding onto their beer with both hands, a subtle brush of pink on their white mask revealing their inebriated state. “I wouldn’t mind kissing you even without a mouth, Zooble.”
The candor sparked a change of opinion in Zooble, who was now a fan of the idea. The majority won, and the group moved over to the living room to play spin the bottle.
Ragatha placed her empty bottle in the middle. “Okay, who wants to go first?” She asked in between giggles.
Zooble sighed. “I’ll go.” Their hand unwaveringly reached for the bottle, and with a flick of their wrist, the glass blurred. It spun with a hypnotic orbit that drew all members closer to the surface of the table.
Pomni held her breath in anticipation, hooked on the potential outcome. Would it Gangle? Ragatha? Or maybe it lands on her. Spin the bottle was more exciting than she had imagined.
As the bottle lost its momentum, it completed three whole rotations before wobbling to a halt. Its mouth was pointing directly at Jax of all people.
A collective gasp, then silence as everyone turned to gauge Zooble’s reaction.
Zooble blinked, then blinked again. Their entire head slammed down against the table. A reasonable reaction, thought Pomni.
“Ew- no, I skip-” Jax started.
“You can’t skip. That’s not the point of the game.” Argued Ragatha.
Pomni stayed silent as the two bickered, nursing her own beer. She felt a strange tug in her chest; the image of Jax kissing Zooble stirred a confusing whirlpool in her gut. To encourage the kiss felt wrong, but discouraging felt even worse. Maybe Zooble would call it off on their own-
“F%$@!#.”
Jax and Ragatha ceased their squabble and stared at Zooble.
They creaked their head robotically towards Jax, lifting their hands out towards him. “I’m gonna kill you-” “What are you doing!? Stop!”
Their face practically smashed into his, like a fly swatter smacking a bug. Jax’s ears straightened, and his eyes were wide as the two pressed their faces together. Was it even a kiss? It looked painful, and neither of them bothered to close their eyes.
The sensation in Pomni’s stomach went away, instead replaced by a bubbling laughter she couldn’t contain. “Why do you guys look like that!?” She chuckled, all the muscles in her cheeks ached from smiling too widely.
Zooble released Jax with a push and sat back down in their spot. “It was as horrible as I imagined.”
“I feel like I got hit by a plastic frying pan!” Jax frantically wiped at his face. “You’re a terrible kisser.”
“You’re not all that either.”
It was Ragatha’s turn. She leaned over the table and spun the bottle, her giddy state growing the longer it spun. “This is so fun!” She gushed.
When the bottle stopped, it pointed directly at Pomni. Her eyes flickered towards Jax, who didn’t react outwardly while everyone else ‘ooh’ed and ‘aah’ed. She didn’t expect him to say anything, but his stoicism was surprising.
“Oh!” Ragatha nervously rubbed the back of her head. “I mean, if you don’t want to, we don’t have to, Pomni-”
Pomni stood up from her spot and walked over to Ragatha. “It’s the rules of the game.” She cupped the doll’s cheek and gently pressed their lips together. Ragatha’s body tensed before she leaned into the kiss.
When Pomni pulled away, she opened her eyes to Ragatha staring with a star-gaze grin. “You okay, Ragatha?” Slipped out of her mouth.
Ragatha snapped out of her stupor and began fanning her face. “Wow- That was, wow.” She stammered, forcing an awkward laugh.
It was kinda cute.
“Ahem.” Jax cleared his throat. “Can we hurry and move on? We’re losing valuable blood and horror time.”
The two girls parted back to their original places, and the game continued.
It was a kissing fest. Pomni gave Kinger a peck, Gangle got the opportunity to kiss Zooble, and Kinger and Ragatha exchanged platonic air kisses. It was easy for Pomni to lose herself in the flow.
That was until it was Jax’s turn. The fire had died out, and he had grown irritable the longer the game went on. His foot thumped against the ground, and he kept staring out the window. Pomni wanted to ask what was wrong, but held her tongue.
“It looks like it's your turn, Jax.” Said Kinger.
“You’re kidding- Why hasn’t the killer arrived?!” He groaned.
“Maybe the killer will only come when you’ve taken your turn.” Suggested Gangle.
Jax rolled his eyes. “I don’t want to kiss any of you.” A sentiment that was shared between him and most of the other circus members.
“You have to play. Just suck it up and go Jax!” Whined Ragatha, who had rested her head against the coffee table. Pomni had heard her mumbling about horses halfway through the game.
The entire group began to chant ‘do it, do it’, hoping that the trap of social pressure was enough to get him to participate.
Jax winced. The twitching in his left ear signified to Pomni his growing levels of irritation. But before she could open her mouth to give him an out, he had already spun the bottle.
It was a lazy, reluctant spin. A clear act of defiance was defined by the bottle barely completing two rotations before it landed on Pomni. The one person she hoped it didn’t land on.
Not because she hated Jax, she would not have minded the kiss as much if she had. It was because the moment they locked gazes, she felt her heart begin to hammer against her ribs like an idiot.
The sudden, intense silence was deafening. Why were they all just staring?
Would he actually do it? Is he blushing? Should I say something?
He was frozen. She watched the muscles in his jaws tighten, and his ears begin to sag. Was it really that bad of a concept? To kiss her? It was worse than a punch to the gut.
“You do a good job of making someone feel desirable. “ A petty quip from Pomni, but her annoyance won out over any civility. “It’s just a game, Jax.” A phrase meant to convince not only him, but herself.
Her words managed to have an effect on him; the shadows across his face darkened. Was he upset? But before she could dissect the meaning, Jax had begun to lean across the table. “Yeah. It’s just a game.”
Pomni bit the inside of her cheek, wincing at the agreement. A stupid reaction, considering the words were echoed because of her. It didn’t matter to him, so it shouldn’t matter to her.
She set her cup down, following Jax’s lead by leaning over the table. Their faces inched closer, until there was only a paper clip’s distance between them. Her view flickered down to his lips and then back up to his eyes. A mistake that sent her heart racing and made everyone else in the room fade.
He always wore a mask of mischief, but there were these special moments where it would slip, and genuine emotion would take its place. At Spudsy’s, it was tiredness; during the stargazing, it was contemplation. And now, it was determination.
She ran her tongue across her bottom lip, the taste of malt liquor sparking worries in her mind: would Jax hate a beer-flavored kiss? Would it be weird to ask for a breath mint?
The graze of a hand sent thrills down her spine as it whisped across her jawline. He stared deeply into her eyes for a brief moment. And then he tilted his head, allowing his eyelids to shut.
Her arms began to ache from holding up her weight, but she ignored the sensation. Jax’s face faded from her sight as she closed her eyes. Lies encircled her mind, just a quick peck, but her lips parted, hoping for something deeper.
Just as his breathing tickled her face, a loud pop sent them both flying apart in shock.
The light in the living room had gone out, engulfing everyone in darkness. The main event had officially started. No one said a thing, but they knew that somewhere in this cabin lurked a murderer out to get them.
“Guys, are you okay?” Gangle’s voice trembled.
A second later, a beam of light was turned on from Zooble’s spot. “I’m alright. Pomni, you still have the other flashlight?” They asked.
“Yeah, I left it here.” Pomni reached down to the floorboard and pressed the ‘on’ button. She scanned everyone to gauge their well-being. Everyone was fine, albeit a little spooked.
When the light reached Jax, he bore his signature grin. “Finally!” He pushed himself up from his spot, rolling his shoulders back. “Glad that was over. I guess we should all split up now.”
Glad that was over?
“I don’t think splitting up is a good idea, Jax.” Argued Ragatha.
“It’s bound to happen anyway. Horror movie tropes work like that.”
Zooble stood up. “Maybe we should split into two groups. Gangle, Kinger, and I will go check out the breaker and see if we can turn the lights back on. The rest of you can explore the house and see if Caine left any way to call for help.”
Their calm-minded approach left no room for pushback- despite Jax groaning at the idea of being paired with Ragatha, so everyone agreed to meet back in the living room once the power was back up.
Jax, Ragatha, and Pomni searched the different rooms of the cabin. The kitchen and living room had been scoured clean; only bowls of chip crumbs were left. The laid-back music went away with the rest of the power, replaced by creaking floorboards and the muffled moaning of wind outside.
Out the window, clouds had darkened above, and Pomni dreaded the potential weather that would arrive. She hoped the other group would be okay and that they would avoid the killer. But if the killer wasn’t outside, there was only one other place they could lurk. Inside.
Pomni searched through one of the bedrooms. Inside, there was a bunk bed against the far east wall, an empty bookshelf, and a kids' toy chest.
Clearly, the bedroom owner could not have been older than eight. A worrying conclusion. The last thing she wanted to encounter was the ghost form of a little kid.
Across the room, Pomni scanned the bookshelves, hoping to find a clue or hint etched into the bark. Unfortunately, the only thing she found was a layer of dust and cobwebs resting untouched.
“Gross.” She commented before moving on.
In the kids' toy chest were a bunch of old 80s playthings. Their colorful patterns had dulled over the years, creating a rainbow of muted pinks, blues, and yellows. Pomni pulled out the toys one by one, hoping to find something out of the ordinary. Why else would Caine put this here?
From the toy pile, she retrieved a Cabbage Patch Kid. With blue vinyl eyes, dimpled cheeks, and red yarn hair, she came to a pause. The doll looked a lot like Ragatha.
This must be a hint.
Her hands squeezed the soft body; through the worn fabric, there was an odd lump in the midst of all the stuffing. Pressing harder, she could make out its square shape. Caine did hide something in the toys. Why it was in a doll that resembled Ragatha was a question that went better unanswered.
Her immediate reaction was to go find the others. She tucked the doll in her armpit and headed out of the bedroom. In the hall, the only other door open was the master bedroom, which hung ajar. Jax and Ragatha must have gone searching in there.
Voices grew louder as she neared the entrance.
“Pomni-”
The sound of her name froze her; it was Jax’s voice. He was talking about her.
Her hand shot back, and she pressed her back against the wall, hoping to blend with the wallpaper. She willed her body completely still and focused her attention on the two voices in the room.
“It looked like you wanted to kiss her.” Said Ragatha.
“What are you talking about? Why would I want to do that?” He responded.
“That’s what I’m trying to figure out. If you’re trying to hurt her, or use her-”
“Are you hearing yourself right now? As if I’d be caught dead trying to do anything like that with her, it was just a stupid game!”
The words rattled in her head, sending her into a nauseating fury. Why were they even talking about that? Her eyes closed, and she could still hear him.
“I’d rather eat glass than kiss her.”
Pomni moved in a haze; her body was on autopilot as she slammed the door wide open. It didn’t matter whether they knew she was eavesdropping; she wanted him to know she heard every word.
“I found this.” Her voice was as cold as the blood in her veins. She threw the Cabbage Patch Kid directly at Jax’s gawking face.
“Wait, Pomni, I-” He managed to grab the doll before it hit him. “You weren’t supposed to hear that.”
Wow. The audacity caused Pomni to snort, cause all she could do was laugh at this point. “It’s fine. The feeling is mutual, Jax.”
“I’m sorry, Pomni. It wasn’t my intention to have you hear that.” Ragatha tried to diffuse the situation.
“No, I’m glad I heard it.” Daggers shot from Pomni’s eyes, while Jax remained uncharacteristically quiet. “There was only that doll. Did you guys find anything while you were talking about me?”
It was childish, but the satisfaction of seeing him avert his eyes when she spoke was cathartic.
“We found nothing. Maybe we could check the attic. There might be a radio we can use to broadcast for help.” Suggested Ragatha.
“Let’s go check then.” She turned on her heels to leave.
“Wait, Pomni, I was just joking-” He moved fast, his fingers tightening around her bicep to keep her from leaving.
She tore her arm from his grip, stumbling back from the momentum. “I don’t-”
Her tirade was cut short when the sound of glass shattering emerged from the hallway. Silence passed, and then was followed by a single rhythmic thump. All three stood paralyzed, all arguments forgotten and replaced with fear.
“Maybe it was just the wind-”
Ragatha’s words struck a chilling chord, a phrase that had been uttered time and time again in cinema. Famous last words. The conversation with Jax reemerged, reminding Pomni about death flags. If she wasn’t mistaken, Ragatha might have just triggered an event with the killer.
Jax’s body tensed similarly to hers; he also realized what Ragatha had just done. In addition to the alcohol consumption, the risky game of spin the bottle, and the relationship drama, they all played right into the tropes of the setting.
Ragatha, whose drunken stupor had completely faded, backed herself up to the windowsill. “Why are you two looking at me like that?” She questioned, the color seeping away from her cloth face.
“Ragatha, we need to be very careful; the killer might be out in the hall.” Pomni approached her, hoping to soothe her growing nerves.
Jax stayed silent, brandishing his crowbar towards the door.
“How do you know?”
“Just trust me-”
A dark silhouette rose against the backdrop of the window.
CRACK
The glass spiderwebbed before shattering inward. Pomni covered her face as shards nicked the skin on her arms. It hurt- More than usual. Did Caine increase the pain threshold for the adventure?
A shrilling scream snapped her back into place, and she uncovered her face to see Ragatha. A gloved black hand shot through the opening and grasped Ragatha’s head.
“Jax, do something!” Pomni yelled.
He was a deer in headlights. Only the killer’s hand was visible, the rest of his body concealed by the wall. Pomni saw him calculating where to even hit, but a moment of hesitation costs greatly.
By the time he lifted his arms to swing, Ragatha was yanked back out through the window. Her screams left behind an unsettling echo.
One moment she was there, the next, gone.
Pomni ran over to the window. But below the patches of grass, there were no bodies. Of course, the killer had to have inhuman speed and strength.
“We have to get, Ragatha.” Declared Pomni. “She might still be okay if we hurry.”
“Are you seriously trying to set off another death flag?”
“Wouldn’t need to if you just stopped the murderer, I thought you wanted to kill him.”
“Kind of hard to when all he is is just a hand. I would have knocked Ragatha out.”
“Since when do you care?”
Silence forced itself between them.
“I don’t.” He huffed.
Exactly what she thought. “I’m gonna go search for her. You can join me if you want. Or don’t. I don’t care.”
“Hey, I bet she’s fine. Knowing Rags, she probably annoyed the killer so much that he let her go free. Right, Pomni? Pomni?”
The jester walked out of the room, not wanting to humor the rabbit any longer.
In the hallway, the far south window was shattered. Tattered curtains flapped against the howling winds, while shards of glass littered the floorboards. Ragatha had been taken, and the power was still off.
“Pomni-”
“We should go outside; the others might still be out there.” She interrupted.
Their shoulders brushed against each other as she pushed her way over to the staircase. If he wanted to talk, he would have to wait.
The rain had started to drizzle. Jax kept trying to start a conversation with Pomni on their way outside, but her responses were short and curt. The longer it went on, the more confused she became.
As drops of water landed on her face, she struggled to keep her mind focused on Ragatha’s whereabouts. Her main concern wasn’t her friend potentially lying somewhere dead; her concern was the conversation she overheard.
Realistically, she should be grateful. If Jax had insinuated that there were secret feelings between the two, she would have also been upset. The further she thought, the more it made her head throb.
Cold began to ache in her bones as the downpour worsened. Rain soaked her clothes, and the sodden fabric of her white blouse clung heavily against her skin. Her breath came out as ghostly white clouds, uneven and rapid as she shivered.
She hated this adventure. Hated her clothing. Hated the rain. Hated Jax. Tears rimmed her eyes; thankfully, they were camouflaged against her soaked face.
“You’re shivering.”
“Stellar observation, Sherlock.” She spared no glance back at him.
A weight landed over her shoulders. The black sheen of leather caught her eye before she realized it was the same leather jacket Jax wore. “What are you doing?”
Jax didn’t answer, just pulled her arms through the sleeves of the jacket. “Making sure my Watson doesn’t die from hyperthermia.” The leather was warm from his body, providing her with a fierce hug as he zipped it up to her neck.
He called her Watson, a tease, but his voice had deepened and lost its usual prankster’s edge. That alone was enough to send off butterflies. "You mean hypothermia?” She mumbled.
They rounded the corner of the cabin, the spotlight from the flashlight surveying the ground and walls.
“Look!” She shouted when the light beamed on an open breaker box. She sprinted for it, hoping to find a clue when her body was lifted from the ground. “Jax!”
Jax wrapped his arm around her torso and lifted her from the ground. “Don’t ‘Jax’ me! I just saved your ankles.”
“What?”
He nodded towards the ground where a lone bear trap was set right underneath the box. She almost stuck her foot right in it. “Oh.” That was all she could say.
“Put me down.” She ordered.
“What’s the magic word?” Now was not the time.
“Please?”
He still held her above the ground. “I said please!” Her voice growled.
“The magic word was lotion, but I’ll accept ‘please’ this one time.”
Back on firm ground, Pomni approached the bear trap with caution. The metal was rusted over, and red strokes had stained the teeth. It’s blood. But none of them even have blood to bleed, except for her and Jax, maybe.
Her ankles managed to escape a crushing pain, but they were still miles away from discovering Ragatha’s location.
If only they knew where the killer hid, he must have a murder den or a cage where he keeps victims. But how would they even trap- oh. Oh.
“Jax. Is it true?”
She looked at him, his face wet from the rain, resting the crowbar over his shoulders. He took his jacket off for her, and she noticed the way it left him with the slightest shiver.
“Hm? What is?” He asked, his usual grin replaced with a pensive frown.
“You didn’t want to kiss me during the game?” She watched as his ears perked. I’m sorry, Jax.
She stepped across the hidden line between them, closing the distance step by step. She willed her voice to be softer, sultry.
“I wanted to.” One step. “Kiss you, of course.” Another. “It’s a shame we got interrupted.” To seal the deal, she lingered her view on his lips. Imagining the sensation had her sucking in her bottom lip.
“Huh?” Jax was speechless, a state he rarely visited. His hands raised in defense, the pupils in his eyes shrank. “What are you trying to say?”
“I love you, Jax.” Her voice pushed through the drumming of rain. Her fingers clasped around the nape of his neck, dipping him towards her.
She captured his lips against hers; they were cold, but soft and pliable. It was meant to be a simple peck, but her mouth moved on its own. She sighed as she fell into a soft rhythm.
It should have been enough; she could have pulled away, but two things stopped her. The hand around the small of her back, and the hand running up her hair.
He gripped a fistful of her hair and angled her head, plunging his tongue inside her mouth. The sweet taste of rain and oranges filled her mouth, and it cultivated an instant craving. He was losing control, and the hand on her back slipped underneath her jacket and blouse.
She rose on the tip of her toes, pressing her body flush against his. For once, she was glad the necessity for breathing didn’t exist. Their tongues tangled with each other, pulling out noises from Pomni she normally would have been embarrassed to make.
Jax pulled away from her, freeing both of their lips. His pupils were blown out, and his lips were parted, allowing for the cutest little panting. For once, he was like an open book of emotions.
Lust. Embarrassment. Panic.
Panic? She retreated from him, unlinking her hands around his neck. Two more steps back, and she was stopped by a jarring thump against her back. It wasn’t a wall- No, it was softer than that.
“Pomni, behind you-!” His yells were the last thing she remembered before a blunt object smacked against the back of her head. The wet, hard ground provided no cushion as her body fell.
Grey clouded her vision, the water blurring the world before her as a rough hand dragged her away. Pain muffled all her senses, but what she hated the most was using Jax.
There is no better death flag than a love confession.
Apologies can be said back at the circus.