Chapter 11：Light in the Dark

Marcellus stilled the moment he remembered Winter.

Now, he has enough distraction to keep himself from cowering in fear. He tries to draw his attention to that flashback - on how she somehow guessed that there was someone who would faint in a horror house. At the rate of how this is going, he is really starting to get a feeling that there is indeed someone who will do so, and as much as he does not want to admit it, it is very much probable that he will turn out to be that poor little soul.

'That can't be. Is she actually referring to me all along...?' Marcellus pondered in disbelief and disconcertment.

'She has predicted this? She knows that I'm gonna lose my wits?'

If that is the case, he is not sure what appalls him more - whether he will carry on with this death march of his or seeing his greatest weakness exposed to the public.

And that is just what happened.

"Ms. Anne?" he called but no one answered.

Right then, Marcellus freezes on his spot, completely thunderstruck.

He realizes that Anne is no longer there. The utter shock that goes along with that realization gets him feeling as if his lifespan has decreased by ten years.

Out of all the places he could have been left behind, he really has to find himself at a particular spot where there are graves and corpses all around - a cemetery-themed setting.

"Y-You gotta be kidding me," Marcellus stuttered as he remained scared stiff, standing in the middle of it all.

For what seems like an eternity, he only stays there - speechless, unmoving and slightly trembling. It seems like there are no jump scares around that area, but it does not do anything to calm his nerves down. He's barely hanging on, and he can't even move an inch anymore. Being left behind is the last straw for him.

"N-No... I-I don't wanna die yet..."

Marcellus is really going to lose his sanity at this rate.

He regrets even stepping a foot near that hellhole. It had been a while since he felt this extremely afraid. Everything about it just reminds him of that 'thing' - the eerie darkness, most of all. This is beyond normal fear, though it always ends up looking like a petty thing to others. That is why he never lets anyone know about this secret of his.

While still tyrannized by the fright that he is dealing with now, he then suddenly hears something from a distance. He perks up a little at that, but he just remains still and listens more closely.

There are approaching footsteps - his beacon of light and hope.

Then, he waits patiently, thinking that they must be here to explore this torturous, nightmarish labyrinth like him. However, much to his puzzlement, he didn't get to hear any screaming from behind him the whole time. Normally, he would hear shrieks and screeches, knowing that there were all those jump scares and horror-themed booby traps that he passed through.

But then, he isn't hearing anything. Just footsteps.

Still, he waited and waited.

That was until the sound vanished out of nowhere, making him shudder for the hundredth time before slumping and sighing in dismay. He could only zone out and stay quiet from then on, no longer sure of what to do.

There went his beacon of light.

"Boo!"

Then, he jolted -

Much more than he would have intended.

Marcellus was able to suppress his scream, but in return, he felt his heart leap out of his chest at that very second. Nearly falling over the ground, he went number and more rigid than ever. His hairs stand on end while his eyes bulge wide like saucers. At that moment, he knows that his soul has just left his body.

"Pfftttt...! I knew it!"

Marcellus then comes to a pause as soon as he realizes that it only turns out to be Winter.

She has her cellphone up, filming the whole thing while bursting out laughing. Her mirthful laughter bounces all around the place and fills every corner with some sort of life. Her not-so-welcomed appearance entirely catches him off guard. But for some reason, he is relieved - maybe, just as he is peeved.

"Now, I've got the scoop...!" Winter enthused in between giggles.

"Lexington Young President's Weakness: Ghosts and Horror Houses! Wait 'til I post this online-"

"Hey, give me that...!" Marcellus bolted out, suddenly finding the strength to pounce on her.

"You don't know what you're going to get yourself into, little brat. I'll sue you for that."

"Oh no, you wouldn't~! After all, I have more than one of these to show the world and get you crawling into a hole."

"Still saying nonsense, huh?"

"Besides, you ought to be grateful that I'm the one who found you. You would've already fainted had I not appeared. Other people would see you lying in this graveyard if that happened."

Marcellus could not deny that - not only because he knew that it was true, but also because Winter was giving him the look that was keeping him from doing so.

He feels pathetic for getting caught on the act. Even if she is nothing more than a sneaky, nosy stranger, it does not settle well with him that someone has seen him at that state. Never did he hope for something like this. He appears cowardly, weak and vulnerable - pathetic, indeed.

With all those in mind, Marcellus only heaves a deep sigh and lowers his head a little, screwing his eyes shut at the same time.

Feeling a bit sympathetic, Winter finally pipes down and stops making fun of him. She probably got too carried away with laughing like a maniac. But then again, it was just that amusing. She has never met an adult who is so afraid of something like a horror house.

"Done rolling in the aisle?" Marcellus said sarcastically, not giving a damn anymore.

"Done shaking like a leaf?" Winter retorted with a small smile.

"Shut up."

"I am, I am."

From that moment on, only a stretch of silence prevails in their midst - silence that is strangely comfortable and calming.