Chapter 11: Chapter 11: The Marking

Henry held back his dismay. The hallway seemed to go on forever, but he wasn't about to mention that to Riley.

Grey concrete walls surrounded them all on sides, the current length stretching for another 100 yards before approaching another corner. The only light they had came from Alysa's flashlight.

Upon leaving that small room, the clown had started up again, crashing into the metal door. Slowly the sound of it faded as they gained distance, but it only left him wondering. What if it made its way through?

He raised his watch. It was 11:11 PM. He hastened his step, leading the way. He might have summoned the forklift, but the ceiling was too low.

"As much as I'd hate being any closer to that thing. It might be wise to go back," Henry said.

"Near that mother fucking clown? No thanks, big man," Alysa said.

"Getting caught outside without shelter would be worse. I'm pretty sure that door would hold. I know its been 2 hours, but if we run, we might make it back in time."

"I know I could make it. I don't think you would. Or the others," Alysa said, her long rifle held toward the ground.

Henry tightened his jaw. She wasn't wrong. He wasn't much of a long distance person. He couldn't remember the last time he did cardio. When he had frequented the gym, he was more of a load up bunch of weights on the bar, pick it up a couple times and leave kind of guy. It had lended to his size, but not much for his stamina.

"I would catch up," Henry said. "Plus I can defend the rear."

"No," Riley said. "We're probably closer to an exit."

"And how do you know?" Alysa asked.

Riley crumpled the page she had written, throwing it to the ground. "Because how much worse could my attempt to save us be?" She froze in place, hands held outward in contest.

Henry stopped. "Either direction carries its own risk. I choose forward."

"Aye, gancho. Me too."

The rest nodded in agreement.

Henry started into a slow jog. It was all he could manage with Princess in his one hand, and a bag of drinks in the other. Luckily, Julio hefted the food bag.

Slowly they crossed the remaining distance. Henry looked around the corner, hope snuffed out by yet another hallway. The time remaining until midnight quickly bled down as they traversed the endless halls.

With ten minutes on the clock, they approached another turn. Henry looked down it, surprised to see light at the end.

Henry raised a hand, signalling for them to stop. "Turn off your flashlight."

Better to not alert any monsters of their approach.

Alysa flashed a glance through her scope. "It looks more arcades."

More? Had they mostly gone in circles, or was that area that big? He wiped sweat from his forehead as he barreled onward, big legs turned leaden and sluggish. That small square of light slowly grew as they drew near. Shadows stretching toward them.

"Against the walls," Alysa said as they reached the end. Henry let her take the lead, keeping his back against the wall as they scooted forward. She scanned the area to the right, sweeping left with her scope, finishing with a peek around the left corner.

"4 minutes and 30 seconds," Henry breathed. He was feeling lightheaded.

A soft hand touched his forearm. "Let me carry the drinks," Riley said.

Henry handed it over. "Thanks."

She nodded at him, blue eyes almost glowing in the shadows.

"I don't see the clown or recognize any landmarks," Alysa said. "There are a few enclosed fast food resturants. We could take cover in one of those."

"Let's go," Henry said.

As a squad they stepped out into the open space. The arcades did come to end. This was it. Two fifty foot walls met in a distant corner, several sliding door entrances set into its two faces.

He couldn't believe what else he saw. A River. It cut off the top corner of the arcades, a long stone bridge set over it. Beyond that was a castle. Not an actual one. But The Royal Burger. The franchise built mock castles throughout the 90s and early 2000s. This was one of the older models, therefore more elaborate, unlike the cleaner, modern versions.

They approached the bridge with one minute remaining. Henry lumbered across the stone arch, heart thundering in his chest. Every muscle beneath his ribs had cramped up, along with both his sides. He just had to push a bit further.

"Hurry up!" Alysa said.

Henry had fallen to the back of the crew. Riley slowed to stay near him.

"Just go," Henry heaved.

"Summon your forklift."

Right. He'd spent so long on his two feet he'd forgotten about it. Henry summoned the vehicle, falling into its seat. With Riley by his side, he sped full speed to close the remaining distance. Alysa remained at the front door of The Royal Burger, holding it open with her hip, looking through her scope at the distant horizon.

The clock ticked zero. Henry dissmissed the forklift, slipping in behind Riley. Julio was already in the bathroom, peeking out through the crack.

Henry spared a quick glance of the shop's interior as he traversed the remaining distance. He wasn't sure why the lights were on. He thought they'd been off earlier. The other resturants only had them on when Faceless were present.

Henry looked behind his shoulder at the stage. The animitronics formed a trio. The king. The bear. And the jester.

All of them stood on two feet. All of them felt they were watching him as he followed Riley into the bathroom.

The door shut behind him. He sighed with relief, twisting the lock. This bathroom was smaller than the previous. It only had one stall and two urninals.

Slowly the sounds beyond the walls grew. Henry tried to imagine how many monsters it would have taken to produce such a noise. He shivered at the thought. He sat with his back against the wall, petting Princess on the head.

He noticed something he hadn't before. A tatoo of an eye on the bottom of Alysa's forearm.

"See something you like?" the dark pretty woman asked.

He blinked. "I just didn't notice the tatoo before."

"What tatoo?"

"The one on your arm." Henry raised his arm, pointing to where it would be on his own body.

Alysa looked down at it, frowning. "I never got this. I don't do tatoos. Do you have the same one?"

Henry looked down at his body. "Not that I'm aware of. I haven't seen it on anyone else but you."

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Riley looked up from the place she lay on the floor. "Tell me more about that monster you encountered."

Alysa shook her head. "We got away."

"When it attacked, it played the same music we heard passing that room with all of those TVs," Henry said. "Like America the Great, but different. Heard it on the speakers as it attacked us."

"What did the monster do?" Riley asked.

Henry swallowed. He had crawled past the woman. Hadn't he?

"It got on top of her. It had this screen on its face. It looked like some kind of reflection."

"Is that all?" Riley asked.

Henry stroked his beard. "Initially it showed my face when it arrived. When it was done with her, it stayed with her face. Then it ran away."

Riley furrowed her brow.

"What does this mean?" Alysa asked.

"I don't know," Riley said. "But I think that encounter is what marked you."

Alysa cursed under her breath. She rolled over to face the wall. Julio was already snoring. That left Henry alone with Riley. The girl lowered her head gracefully, resting her head on her arm.

Minutes flew past as he sat up alert. He looked over at Riley. Her blue eyes remained centered on him.

He looked away quickly. He didn't know what to say. Or maybe he did. "You saved us today," he said.

Her brows lowered. "You mean I almost got us killed?"

"We would have died without your writing."

"No. We would have died without that dog."

Princess made a half whine half growl sound.

"It took both of you," he said. "Without the other we would have failed."

"So I'm only as helpfull as a dog?"

"In this case yes," Alysa said to the wall..

Henry sighed. "You're too hard on yourself."

Riley blew a stray pink long from her face. "Whatever."

"I'm glad you're with us."

She looked at him again. "You just want to fuck me."

"W-what?" Henry's face turned red. He whispered a prayer under his breath. "No, I don't want that."

"So you think I'm ugly?"

"No. You're beautiful."

"If you find me beautiful and you don't want to sleep with me, then you must be gay."

Henry tightened his fist. "No. I just don't believe in that."

"In gay people?"

"No! In sex before marriage."

"Oh brother. Can't you two go in the stall and get it over with?" Alysa said.

Henry knocked the back of his head against the wall behind him, tightening his eyes shut. "Why do you both have to make this so hard?"

"It doesn't look hard to me," Riley said.

"That's not what I meant." He loosened his fists, red energy dissapaiting.

"I make it hard to remain pure. Is that it?"

Did he say that?

"No."

"Then what do I make so difficult for you?" she asked.

"You make it hard to find the right words."

"And what are those?"

"To explain how much you matter to me. As a friend."

Riley blinked at him, a look of disbelief on her beautiful features. "Whatever dude."

Had he said something wrong? Could he ever say something right with this girl?

A wave of guilt washed over him. He had been lusting after her. It was true. He would never admit it to her though. He got the impression that she didn't want him to. That she wanted someone to care about her, for more than her body.

He did. But how did he put that in words?

Either way. He would not look at her body any more. Or Alysa's. They could flirt all they want. They could strip down right in front of... He pushed the thought away.

His hand felt his right jean pocket. It was empty. Nothing to drink.

At the very least, he needed some rest.

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