Page 112 of Rattle the Cage

The spotlight flicked on as a drag queen in a comically ridiculous scholar's outfit strutted onto to stage, mouthing the words of the narrator as they described the events of the first film.

The audience broke out in laughter.

When the drag queen finished, she did a dramatic death drop before disappearing off stage just as the title card flashed over the screen. A roar came from the audience and we all cheered for the film to begin.

Next to me, Nash jumped as a car sped down a dusty road.

On stage, a fake car popped up just under the screen with two young men acting along to the scene. The passenger held a water gun that sprayed into the audience with each bullet that went off in the movie just over his head.

But it wasn’t long before the two guys were driving in the dark, being tailed by a pickup truck across a bridge.

The scene carried out just as I remembered it, Leatherface standing up in the bed of the truck, running a loud chainsaw through the guys’ car. And as it did, an actor in a matching costume ran past us in the audience, jumping on stage with a blade-less chainsaw.

Nash flinched as the guy passed us.

Giggling, I watched the movie unfold.

Every few minutes, I’d look over at Nash. Her eyes were peeled on the scenes that played out before us. Audience members were brought on stage, popcorn thrown at annoying side characters.

It was perfect, and she’d made sure I saw it.

My chest tightened as we neared the final chase of the film. Leaning forward in her seat, Nash was locked in on the movie now.

All I could do was watch her.

My whole life, I’d never been considered like this, treasured.

But it came so easily for Nash, the ability to make me feel so seen.

A pit grew in my stomach.

What would happen if Cyrus grew sick of me again? What if they changed their minds? Could I ever walk away from Feverpoint and the Freaks that called it home?

54

TESS

Once the screen went dark, the rest of the audience ambled out of the theater mirthfully, laughing and squealing and re-enacting all the jump scares. But Nash and I were quiet as we wandered out of the Embassy and down the lamplit streets of downtown Valemont.

At the first hint of fall, the town got so into the Halloween spirit. Hay bales and pumpkins were stacked along the sidewalks at odd intervals. Fluffy white webs complete with tinsel spiders were strung from the street lights. All that was missing were the trick-or-treaters.

It was utterly adorable — if you could ignore the Messenger posters plastered at every corner.

Rubin always knew just how to harsh the mood.

But tonight wasn’t about him. And despite his constant presence, I refused to let him ruin the sweet date Nash had planned for me.

As we wandered away from the crowds, I looped my fingers with hers. But her hand was tense. Looking up at Nash, I was surprised to see that she was on edge in an entirely different way.

She looks like she just saw a ghost.

My brow furrowed to match her own as I glanced behind us. My mind instantly jumped to the worst possibilities — that she had seen a Witness or maybe even Rubin himself.

But it wasn’t until a teen splashed by on their bike, nearly startling Nash out of her skin, that I realized what was really going on.

“Oh my god,” I froze in my tracks.

“What?” She whipped her head around like a monster was going to jump out from behind one of the cars.