Horror Game? Looks Cute novel · Chapter 8 of 24

Chapter 8: Pink Bow

We were dressed and out of the Bear House before the stars finished fading.

Garvan walked fast, with his hands in fists and his bare head tipped down.

I had never seen him outside without the bear head under his arm.

In the grey light he looked like a man out for a very bad run.

"Does one stroke hurt?" I asked.

"It tugs." His jaw was tight. "Like a hook behind my ribs. If it rings nine times, I put on the suit."

"Then it's not nine yet."

"It's one."

We climbed the hill behind the bakery with the dew soaking my socks.

The bell tower stood at the top, a pink stone thing with a pointed roof.

Its rope hung down through a hole in the ceiling.

A rabbit sat in the doorway.

It was a big grey rabbit in a waistcoat, holding a tiny sign that said BELL CLOSED FOR REPAIR. PLEASE BE PATIENT. THANK YOU!

Mari stood in front of it with her hands on her hips.

She had changed out of the pink raincoat into a leather jacket, and she held the bell rope looped around one wrist.

"Move," she said to the rabbit.

"Closed for repair!" the rabbit said cheerfully. "Please be patient! Thank you!"

"Move."

"Closed for repair!"

Mari kicked it.

She did it fast and hard, with the toe of her boot.

The rabbit rolled across the tower floor and hit the wall with a small, awful squeak.

The sign cracked in two.

I felt Garvan go still beside me.

Mari straightened and saw us.

She smoothed her jacket, tucked her ponytail back, and gave us the doorbell laugh.

"There you are, Juno. Dex sent me to test the bell. For safety. You know how it is."

"It's four in the morning," I said. "And you kicked a rabbit."

"It was in the way."

Behind us, boots crunched on the path.

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