ESCAPE

Chapter Seven

"No." The word leaves my lips in a shaky breath. I slam my hand on the door that's keeping us from Chia.

"What do we do?" Luke says beside me.

Will still has his arms wrapped around me. If he hadn't pulled me back, I would have been trapped in the room with Chia. Her eyes are wide and trembling as she stares at us.

"Hold on," I say. "We'll get you out."

Will is looking around. I know there's a long corridor behind us, but I only want to focus on Chia. "How do we get this open?" Will says, easing off me.

I can't help but feel cold and alone without his protective arms. I hold my upper arm to keep some of the lingering warmth.

Luke runs his hands over the door frame, looking for something, while Will also looks around. There is no handle or anything to take hold of on this side of the room. I don't even remember if there was a handle on the other side. Maybe it's only automated by a switch or something. Luke gives up and kicks the door in frustration.

Chia nods decisively. "It's okay, guys. Just go. I'll look around here for a way out. But you guys need to keep going." Her voice is muffled through the door.

I well up as I sniff and wipe my eyes. This can't be happening. "No. No way. We're not leaving you."

"You have to," she says.

Bella shifts by us to get to the door. She still looks exhausted but I think she's doing a little better. She places a hand on the glass window and says, "Thank you, Chia. You saved my life."

Chia gives a shaky nod and a smile that looks odd on her distraught face. "I'll have to give you your jacket back later." She points her chin behind us. "Go. Hopefully I won't be far behind."

Luke puts his good hand on my shoulder and gently turns me. "We'll come back for you, Chia. I promise."

I feel dazed as we walk away from the door, still not believing that we're just going to leave her there. This nightmare keeps getting worse.

I'm finally able to focus on the corridor ahead and see there are stairs several feet away, leading up.

"She'll be okay," Will says, rubbing my shoulder comfortingly.

I wish I can believe him, but who knows what will happen to her, trapped in that room. What if she triggers something like another spike in the wall?

Bella is less hunched over now but still looks drained and pale. "Did it work?" I ask her. "Are you feeling better?"

She slowly nods and looks like doing so has hurt her. "I think I'm better. I think it worked. Yeah. I'd kill for some water."

I rub her back. She looks cold. I only have a thin cardigan over my top and consider giving it to her.

We get to the foot of the stairs and stop. They lead up to an open doorway where a large, bright room can be seen beyond. It's hard to see what's up there, but the light feels the most natural we've seen since we entered the antique store. I have no idea what's waiting for us up there, as the other rooms haven't seemed to have made any sense together.

Hanging my head, I find myself staring at Luke's blood on Will's desert boots. I feel myself being drawn into the blood splatters, like I can drown in them.

"I'll go first," Luke says in a thick voice. He takes a step forward but Will holds him back.

"You're hurt. I'll go first."

Luke nods. The heavy tension in the air fills the silence as we all glance at each other. Will looks determined and severe, like he's psyching himself up. He takes the lead and we head up the stairs.