Radley's Home for Horny Monsters by Annabelle Hawthorne (chromebook ebook reader TXT) 📕

them looked ancient, animals being hunted by men with spears, drawn with charcoal. Others were pictures done by children, masterpieces of crayon and chalk. “Where the fuck are we?”

Tink shook her head. “Less wonder, more walk. Secret tunnels, go through house. This one go...” Tink’s eyes went wide. “Hurry, quick!”

“Wait, why?” Mike ran after the goblin, his head bent at an angle. It was hard seeing up ahead, Tink 's flashlight waving everywhere. He chased her along the tunnel, the dark shadows dancing away from her light. Finally, they stepped out into an opening.

Mike stared in awe. The ceiling was now hundreds of feet high; giant, glowing crystals embedded in its surface. In the distance, a large waterfall fed into a river that disappeared into a large structure composed of tall, stony walls and large hedges.

They stood on a ledge, the trail winding back and forth on the cliff beneath them. Several levels down, Beth was stumbling across the rocks, struggling to keep her balance.

“Is that...” Mike was afraid to say it, his eyes on the distant structure.

“Yes,” Tink said, adjusting her goggles. “That is the Labyrinth.”

Mike peered toward the bottom of the trail. Beth was most of the way down, and the loose gravel became a paved path that led to a large pair of iron gates. Between the rocky trail and the Labyrinth was a giant pool of water, the still water reflecting the ceiling of the large cave.

Tink pointed at the pool. “Shortcut for get out. We stop Jenny before Labyrinth, or lost forever.”

“Where does the pool go?” How could a pool be a shortcut? How could a cave be in his house?

Tink was right. Thinking about it hurt his head.

“Outside,” Tink replied, already running down the slope. “But not sure where!” She was picking up speed, her tail swishing behind her as she ran. Mike was close behind, then passing the goblin. The ledges were steep, and it took Mike quite a bit of effort to keep from slipping and falling. Looking down the slope, he saw that Beth was still much too far ahead to catch up to.

“Fuck it,” he swore, stepping off the beaten path onto a worn patch of stone. The switchbacks were close enough together that the fall was just over five feet, but he was able to land safely, his knees creaking in protest. He ran to the next spot where he could drop down safely, cutting the distance between them dramatically when he jumped down.

Beth never bothered looking back. She appeared disoriented, stumbling constantly. Mike was close enough now that when his feet scattered stones, she looked back at him. She scowled, and broke into a limping run down the final ramp and toward the path that led into the Labyrinth.

Mike howled, his adrenaline peaking and threw himself off the next ledge. The fall was farther this time, but he landed safely and rolled forward, then quickly found his feet. The idea of Beth dying was simply too much for him. It was his fault if it happened, his fault...

It was all your fault! his mother’s voice screamed in his ear.

Sprinting now, Mike closed the distance between them.

The large iron gates of the Labyrinth opened with a loud creak. An ominous figure stood just inside, holding a large axe. Mike’s outstretched fingers closed on the hem of Beth’s dress, and he yanked her backward, clutching her tightly against him, pulling her into the pool of water.

“No!” Beth screamed, her voice harmonizing with Jenny’s.

The cool water embraced them, the world spinning as gravity changed directions. Mike’s ears popped, and his body filled with unexpected pressure. Beth fought him, trying to shove him off, and suddenly they burst out of the downstairs closet, water cascading across the wooden floor. The closet door slammed itself shut, splashing him in the face.

Mike stumbled to his feet, his inner ear throwing a tantrum.

Beth was sprawled out, barely able to get on her hands and knees.

“Look, I’m sorry I gave you away. If I had known I would have-“

“What, let me stay? Let me sit on the shelf? Talked to me when I was lonely, played with me when I was bored, made me feel like I mattered?” Beth dry-heaved.

Mike shook his head. “It could still happen that way.” He pulled the doll out of his pocket. “But I’m going to need you to leave Beth alone.”

“Fat fucking chance,” she hissed, dark eyes squinting. The coat rack by the door flung itself at his legs, tripping Mike up and knocking him to the ground. Beth crawled on top of him and wrapped her fingers tightly around his neck. “I’ll make you pay. I’ll make everybody pay.”

Gurgling noises filled the room, like a washer machine draining. Beth and Mike looked over at the closet, which opened up, dumping gallons of water into the room. Spilling through the doorway, green limbs flying everywhere, was Tink. She collided with Beth, knocking her off of Mike.

Beth clawed at Tink’s face, but Tink was having none of it. She lifted Beth’s head off the ground and head-butted her, knocking her out.

“Fucking ghost girl ruins everything,” she snarled, climbing off of Beth. Her hair was a wet mess, her dress torn in several places. Mike realized that her goggles were missing.

“Tink, what happened to your goggles?”

“STUPID COW FUCK TOOK TINK’S GOGGLES!” she roared at the top of her voice. Her green skin flush with anger, Tink stormed to the closet door and slammed it shut. “When Mike done with Jenny, we go get goggles back!”

Mike shook his head, rubbing his eyes. The shadowy figure just beyond the gates sprang into his mind, weapon drawn, a shadow that had filled him with dread. In his mind’s eye, he could see the dangerous horns tucked just to the side of the brow line, the tail, the thickset legs...

“Wait, a fucking minotaur took your goggles?” Mike cried. Tink nodded, large tears welling up in the corners of her eyes. “Tink, a fucking minotaur lives in