Page 153 of Forever Dead

“Did either hit him?”

“Don’t think so. He went through the bedroom and out the window.”

Connor shifted against the pillow and winced.

Selena leaned closer. “Stop. You don’t have to tell me the rest.”

“I chased him.”

“Connor.”

“He went down the hill toward Meekie’s.”

Selena could picture it immediately. The corn maze packed with families and teenagers. Costumes everywhere. Darkness between rows.

“You went in after him.”

“There were people inside.”

“So, you went in.”

Connor gave the smallest nod.

“I lost him in the corn. Then he came through the rows beside me.”

His hand moved slightly on top of the blanket.

Selena waited.

Connor turned toward her.

“You mentioned a mask,” Connor said.

Selena leaned closer. “He was wearing one?”

“In the maze. His hood was back by then. I think he put it on while I couldn’t see him.”

“What did it look like?”

“Pieces stitched together. Different shades. Dry and leathery.”

Selena thought of the fragments beneath Eleanor’s and Patricia’s nails.

“Could it have been the same material?”

“Looked similar. I only saw it for a couple of seconds.”

“Could you tell whether it was human skin?”

“No. That needs testing.”

Connor rested against the pillow before continuing.

“The openings for his eyes were narrow, hidden under folds beside the stitching. I could see him watching me through them.”

“So he could see where he was going.”

“Yeah.”