ESCAPE

Chapter Five

Bella's horrified screams fill the small room.

Luke grunts and curses as he pulls his hand away from the wall. A six-inch metal spike remains there, covered in his dripping blood. Luke keels over, holding his bloody hand, as Bella puts her arm over him.

"Oh my god, oh my god," Bella repeats over and over.

"It's okay," Luke gasps, gritting his teeth. "It's okay, babe."

I wish I can do something to help, but can only look on as Bella tries to comfort Luke. Will has tried to make his way closer to his gym-buddy but he's on the other side of the room and there's little space to move around each other.

Bella grabs a handful of the hem of her top and yanks it until she manages to tear off a long piece. She takes Luke's hand, which is pooling with blood, and wraps the fabric around his hand. He winces and gasps while she sobs, but they manage to wrap his hand up.

I stare at the bloody spike in the wall. The reality of our situation hits me like a slap in the face. This definitely is not just a game. I brought us here and put us all in danger. This is all my fault.

"Hey, hey," Will says urgently beside me. He's bent down with a hand under a shelf. "There's a switch here." Before we can say anything, he's flicked the switch. Something unlocks from inside the door.

"Let's get out of here," Luke says with a grimace. Blood has already soaked through the fabric around his hand.

We hesitate as we shift closer to the door. Bella and I are nearest to the door, besides Luke. I can see there is no way she will reach for the handle to open the door. I don't want to, either, but I will myself to be strong. I got us into this mess and it was up to me to get us out of here.

My hand is shaking as I wrap my fingers around the handle. Part of me is waiting for something to shoot out at me or explode at any moment. Taking a deep breath, I pull the handle down, push the door open, and stride into the new room as though I have no fear in the world.

I catch sight of a long, dark room that looks like a kitchen area before I turn back to the door and hold it open for the others. Bella and Luke rush through, both hunched over and stumbling. Chia and Will follow and look around the room with me. Will flicks a light switch by the door, turning on overhead fluorescent lights.

Pots and long ladles are hanging over a marble counter in the centre of the narrow room, with workstations and deep sinks along the walls. The area is filthy; floor tiles cracked and moldy. Everything is rotten. Dark shapes of rats scuttle around the work surfaces, knocking over empty jars as they hide for cover.

"Oh, rats," Chia says. It's probably meant as a pun, but there is no humour in her voice.

"Great," Bella groans, throwing an arm out towards a door at the far end of the room. "Another door to get through. Just... great." Her eyes bulge, and for a moment I think she's going to be sick, but then she puffs out a heavy breath and wheezes. "God, this place stinks."

"I'll look around for whatever I can find," Will says. Chia joins him.

I find myself wondering about the room we'd just left. There hadn't been any puzzles to solve. All we had to do was find a switch to open the door? That didn't sound right. But then, nothing about this place was right. I have to remind myself that we aren't in an actual escape room. Whatever this is, it's something's sick, twisted idea of a game. I can't even begin to imagine why someone would do this to us.

I can still picture all of my possessions back there. The thought of someone having been in my house and taking my stuff twists my stomach. I can't help but feel like someone is targeting me, in particular. I try not to get lost in my chaotic thoughts and force myself to focus on the room at hand.