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29 - Red Speck of Light
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MAD END'S DECEPTION 30 - Every Ounce of Strength
ARAHShe bolted back into the amusement park, shoving through the chaotic crowd. Her mind spiraled, unable to fully comprehend everything happening. What had she done to these people? Was it something from her past? Panic threatened to overtake her, but she knew she couldn't succumb to it. If she were to survive the night, she had to stay focused.Screams, frantic footsteps, and racing heartbeats filled the air, merging with her own. She couldn't tune out the noise—every shadow, every sudden movement could mean danger. She even started suspecting everyone who glanced her way. Lights flickered sporadically, mirroring her confusion.She overheard a staff member mention that the police were on their way. All she needed was a safe place to hide until then. Spotting a cap on the ground, she picked it up and tucked her blue hair under it, hoping it would help her blend in. There were no signs of the bald man or the bearded man so far, thank goodness. And the hooded stranger didn’t seem to b
MAD END'S DECEPTION 31 - Nightmare Wasn't Over Yet
ARAHShe let out a shaky breath, relieved to have finally put some distance between herself and the brutish men. But she knew it wouldn't be long before they found her again—assuming they really did have some weird way to track her. She needed a good hiding spot, and fast. The Horror Maze was still surprisingly up and running, even though there was no one else around anymore. She couldn't tell if the flickering lights were from the chaos or just part of the maze's effects.She stumbled through the hallways, feeling dizzy and out of breath until she found herself in a catacomb-like chamber. Fake skulls lined the walls, and she squeezed into a small cave-like nook. It wasn't the safest spot, but her muscles were screaming for a break. If she didn't stop and rest, she was sure she'd collapse.Her flip-flops had already given out, so she tossed them aside. Dirt, blood, and something yellow—she didn’t want to know what—smeared the teal fabric of her dress. Torn in places, it was a miracle
MAD END'S DECEPTION 1 - Clover Wish
ARAHPlumber Paul was dead.Not even a month had passed since he’d walked into her shop and picked her Clover Wish for his first tattoo. She'd pitched that design as a lucky charm to her clients—just a gimmick of sorts. So imagine her surprise when Paul’s wish to win the lottery actually came true days later.Now, he was gone. Just like that. It wasn’t because of her tattoo, of course. But with that last memory of him, how could she ever look at her Clover Wish and call it lucky again?Her eyes drifted down to Barky, who was happily munching on his dog food. She squatted next to him, stroking his back and twirling her fingers through his soft brown fur. At least she had this big guy to cheer her up.The bathroom door creaked open. She glanced up to see Gildeon strolling down the hallway in black sweatpants, rubbing his dark hair with a towel. She’d seen him naked plenty of times, but each time, his perfectly sculpted body drew her gaze like a moth to a flame. The way his muscles flexe
MAD END'S DECEPTION 2 - Star-Crossed Lovers
ARAH“Still at the coroner’s office.” She threw him a puzzled look. “Why?”“Nothing,” he said, returning to his dinner. “And no, I won’t come.”Her shoulders slumped. “It’s Plumber Paul’s funeral, Gildeon,” she said, frustration slipping into her voice. How many times had he let her attend community gatherings alone?“Will it kill you to show up just this once?” She stabbed her fish harder than necessary. “I’m sick of making excuses for you.”And sick of the gossip that she was an incompetent wife or that she was trapping Gildeon in a loveless marriage. If only they knew what was really going on within these walls…The irony made her want to bang her head on the table.“I’ve got better things to do,” he said dismissively, not even bothering to look at her.“Like what?” She scowled, feeling the air thicken. “You never tell me what you're up to when you're not at home or at school.”His face froze, his eyes darting at the space surrounding her like he was seeing something she couldn’t.
MAD END'S DECEPTION 3 - Plumber Paul
GILDEONAs soon as Arah drifted off, he slipped out and hit the road. Her Clover Wish tattoo and Plumber Paul's death might’ve been a coincidence, but he had to be sure.“Where to now, Master?” Ghulik asked in his tiny, raspy voice. “Ghulik's tired, Master.”“You wouldn’t be tired if you didn’t provoke the dog,” Gildeon shot back, glancing at the two-foot, gray-skinned creature beside him.Barky's restlessness had kept Arah awake longer than usual, so he had to wait before leaving. His destination was opposite the tourist area, but the locals were early risers. There was always the risk of being seen even before dawn.So far, the streets were deserted.“But that mutt is wicked, Master. Always angry. It wants to eat Ghulik,” the goblin snarled, scratching the air with his sharp nails. “Can Ghulik eat the stupid dog once we're back home, Master?”“No,” he said firmly, turning onto a dimly lit street.Ghulik grunted, slumping against the seat.“You’re supposed to hide when the dog's arou
MAD END'S DECEPTION 4 - Powerful Witch
GILDEONBy the looks of it, the tattoo's magic had been drained, siphoning Paul’s life in the process. Whoever did this staged it to look like a jellyfish attack.“Ghulik, can you trace the source?” he asked urgently. The goblin clambered over Plumber Paul's body, sniffing around.“A witch, Master,” Ghulik said after a moment. “Ghulik smells the powerful kind.”“Are you sure?”The goblin nodded, stroking his pointed ear. “Ghulik lived with witches and faes long time ago,” he said somberly, his face twitching as if recalling a painful memory. “Ghulik knows who are friends and who are enemies.”Ghulik had been his secret companion for a thousand years. They knew everything about each other, except for this. Once, he’d tried asking the goblin about his past on Earthland, but Ghulik had begged him not to pry any further.He respected that.“This is not friend, Master,” Ghulik said, lifting his face to him, his crimson eyes bulging in terror.Gildeon stepped back, pushing a hand through hi
MAD END'S DECEPTION 5 - Mad End's Wall
ARAHLater that night, she woke up in a strange land. Her muscles ached, and it felt like her bones had been shattered and reassembled. Maybe this was what it felt like to be struck by a ship or to fall from the sky. But how was she alive? Her head throbbed, and the only thing she could remember was her name.Panic rose in her chest as she looked down to inspect herself. Her skin, decorated with odd blue marks, was pale—almost translucent—blending with her silk dress. Her body felt light as if she could easily float and disappear into the wind if she wanted to.Behind her, a towering wall of black rock loomed, stretching along the shadowy horizon. The only exit was a vibrant wall of pulsating lights ahead.“Am I dreaming?” she muttered, feeling as though her mind had been caught between two worlds, two fabrics of time and space.The wall before her buzzed with energy, making her skin prickle. She struggled to her feet—every movement was like wading through chest-high water. She teeter
MAD END'S DECEPTION 6 - On Your Knees
ARAHUnable to get back to sleep, she climbed out of bed and stepped out of her room. Barky’s ear perked up, but he stayed snoozing on his cushion. She was about to head to the kitchen when her gaze flickered toward the window. Gildeon’s car was missing from the driveway. Had he left? Where could he be at this hour?She shook her head, sighing. Why would this even surprise her? This wasn’t the first time her husband had disappeared into the night and returned in the morning without explanation.Arah grabbed a glass of water, the cold liquid offering some relief as it slid down her throat. Her gaze drifted toward the dark hallway, lingering on Gildeon’s study. She had planned to break into it tomorrow while he was at work, but since he wasn’t here now, why wait?Without thinking twice, she retrieved Tonio’s toolkit from under her bed and made her way to the study, switching the lights on. She knelt before the vintage-looking door lock, heart pounding as she tinkered with it.Tonio had
Latest chapter
- MAD END'S DECEPTION 31 - Nightmare Wasn't Over Yet
- MAD END'S DECEPTION 30 - Every Ounce of Strength
- MAD END'S DECEPTION 29 - Red Speck of Light
- MAD END'S DECEPTION 28 - It's Your Turn Now
- MAD END'S DECEPTION 27 - Nowhere Else to Run
- MAD END'S DECEPTION 26 - Have I Killed Someone
- MAD END'S DECEPTION 25 - A Memory Flashed
- MAD END'S DECEPTION 24 - You Lack Experience
- MAD END'S DECEPTION 23 - Odds Playing Out
