Chapter 568 Hold Still, Just Embrace Me for a Moment
The sounds indicated that Cadence and Barrett were with him. The towering silhouette of a man approached speedily through the corridor.
Before Natalie could even discern who it was, she was enveloped in a broad and warm embrace.
“Hmm.”
Oliver held Natalie tightly, his brawny arms encasing her tightly, a gesture tinged with a trace of residual fear.
“Ouch— Oliver, you’re— you’re hurting me.”
Natalie lightly patted the man's shoulder, “Oliver, what’s up?”
Was he... scared?
“Hold still, I just need to embrace you a little longer.”
Oliver’s grip relaxed slightly, but he still held her securely in his arms. His breath, warm and unsteady, tickled her ear.
“Oliver…”
“Just a little longer.”
Natalie felt an unusual turmoil inside, realizing she might need to take some time to sort out her relationship and... feelings with Oliver. Maybe it was time for a talk.
“Holy smokes!”
Barrett and Cadence were caught off guard and terrified by the scene inside the room. It took them several seconds to recover, as they were shocked with no mental preparation.
After regaining his composure, Barrett even pinched the foot of the woman's corpse, exclaiming, "Wow, this prop is incredibly realistic!"
Susan's face was ghostly pale as she glared at Barrett in silence.
To think that the very thing which had left her breathless with fear was now Barrett's plaything!
"Jesus, Susan! Where the hell are you? Why didn't you say anything? You scared the bejeesus outta me!" Barrett finally noticed Susan huddled in the corner.
With a tight smile, Susan said, "I'm just a bit of a scaredy-cat, really... I didn't expect to end up down here so suddenly."
It was clear to anyone listening that she was implying that Natalie was responsible.
"As if you weren't the one who pushed her," Cadence rolled her eyes dismissively, too disdainful to stoop to such manipulative tactics.
It used to be that Cadence didn’t have a problem with these games, but now that she watched others resort to such... it was downright cringeworthy.
Thankfully, Natalie's intervention had been an eye-opener for her.
"I didn't! I was just startled by that NPC," Susan defended.
She would never admit it, and with the chaos of the moment, no one could be sure that she had "intentionally" pushed Natalie.
Feigning injury, Susan protested, "And for the record, I was the one who got scared after all!"
"If you wound up crippling yourself while attempting murder, would you still feel innocent?" Cadence rubbed her eyes, then decided to look away; the sight of that woman was just too polluting.
"Cadence, there's no need for such harsh words!" Now, even hearing the phrase "commit murder" made Susan feel bad.
Cadence simply rolled her eyes, feeling no obligation to sugarcoat anything for Susan's sake.
"I've found the key; we can get out now," Natalie changed the subject, no longer wanting to hear Susan's nonsensical chatter.
After a thorough check to confirm no other exits from the room, it was apparent they needed to backtrack to the courtyard, and the brass key would unlock the main gate.
"Oliver, please!" Susan remained pitifully in the corner, trembling like a startled deer in headlights.
Oliver paused in his steps.
"Oliver, I'm scared," Susan pleaded with hopeful eyes, wishing for Oliver's compassion to take her out.
"You'll only feel more scared staying there."
Oliver continued on, unmoved by her plea.
Natalie, walking ahead of Oliver, couldn't help but smirk.
Barrett and Cadence approached the corridor entrance, leading the way.
"Hey, Natalie, weren't you freaked out when you came in just now?" Cadence inquired, puzzled.
Because of the room's acoustics, they had only caught Susan's shrieks of terror and hadn't heard a peep from Natalie.
"Nope," Natalie explained calmly. "Remember that note we found in the yard? About the woman who was thrown in the well but wasn't dead? That means her actual death took place down there. I was mentally prepared when I went in."
Cadence was relieved he'd decided not to rival someone as sharp as Natalie. It was mentally exhausting!
Although Susan was so scared she could barely walk, her fear of being left behind was even greater. Taking a deep breath, she stumbled hastily from the cabin into the corridor.
After clambering out of the well into the courtyard, Natalie and the others didn't wait long before Susan emerged too.
Leonard, who had been looking for clues in the yard, announced, "I found a book and a wooden object, but the door's locked."
Then he caught sight of his fiancée, trailing behind with a scowl—what happened to Susan's face? She looked crazier than ever.
Natalie used her key to effortlessly unlock the door.
Upon their entry, they saw a vast parlor unfolding before them, set up like a funeral home's viewing room. At the very heart of the room is placed a casket, with two mannequins bearing unnerving grins positioned on either side, their laughter a macabre "cackle" that echoes eerily.
To the left, the wall is adorned with a large circular emblem, akin to a Native American medicine wheel or a quilt with spiritual significance, about one to two meters in diameter. It's embellished with inscriptions, cords, and pieces of wood carved into peculiar shapes. Evidently, the objects Leonard had stumbled upon earlier might just have a role to play.
Suddenly, "Clang!" The coffin lid flew open!
A "corpse" dressed in a black ceremonial robe sat up abruptly before lying down again after a couple of seconds.
Though everyone was on edge from previous scares, they were somewhat prepared, and most were barely startled.
Except, of course, for Susan.
The parlor was expansive, so they split up to cover more ground.
"This closet seems movable," Natalie noticed right away. It was unusual for a closet to be in a parlor. "It's probably a passageway. I'll go check it out."
"Hold on." Oliver grabbed Natalie's wrist. "I'm coming with you."
Natalie glanced at the tight space inside the closet. "It looks like it can only fit one person, or maybe two women."
"I—I can..." Cadence began to volunteer with a raised hand but withered under Oliver's icy, intimidating stare and lowered it again. "I could recommend Mr. Windsor to go with you."
Natalie was silent for a moment before teasing, "Come on, buddy, don't be such a pushover."
Oliver slightly cocked his head, a subtle gesture that seemed to say to Natalie, "Did you hear that?"
The cabinet was genuinely cramped. A moveable machine at the bottom forced them to stand very close—shoulders touching and legs aligned. Natalie's hands clung to Oliver; his arms encircled her waist.
She could feel the warmth of his body and the firmness of his muscles, the heat rising to her cheeks.
The air was thick with an unspoken tension that hung heavily between them.
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