ESCAPE

Chapter Eight

Our steps thud dully on the concrete ground as we slowly make our way down the wide corridor. The only other sounds are our breaths and my pulse throbbing in my ears. The light from the factory floor has all but left us at this point and we're venturing further into solid darkness. We've brought our phones out and are using the bright torches on them to look around. I have to keep my phone moving to try and see everything all at once, feeling like something can jump out at me at any moment. I don't think I've ever experienced being in complete darkness like this before.

"Tell me again why we came down here," Bella says in a low voice. She's practically pressed against me as we walk.

"Good question," I say. It seemed like our only option at the time. I keep looking back, in case the man with the axe - if he really was real - decided to follow us in.

Will looks at us with a firm set to his jaw. "I want you both to know that I'll do everything I can to get us all out of here. I'll protect you." He looks almost angry; like he's ready for a fight.

I try to smile but our situation is just too severe. I appreciate him trying to sound brave for us, though.

"Thanks," Bella says dully. "I just want to get Luke and Chia and get the hell out of here."

He assures us we will. A knot twists in my stomach, thinking about our friends being left behind. The man with the axe could have found them already.

I can't believe I ever had half a thought about Luke or Chia being responsible for any of this. Just because some of the puzzles included information that only the two of them knew didn't mean they had anything to do with this. If anything, I can't help but feel like this is my fault. It was my stuff in that storage room. Is someone trying to get at me, or at all of us? Whatever is going on, we haven't just stumbled on a random hell trap. This is something personal.

It's definitely not how I expected to spend my birthday.

There are narrow tunnels on our right, all leading into darkness. Up ahead, we can see the end of this corridor, which looks like it turns a corner to the right.

Will's breath is loud in the quiet air. Or is that Bella's? I turn to look over them both, trying to see their faces which are barely highlighted by our phone lights. I realise, with a spike of fear, that I can hear someone else breathing nearby. A ragged, shallow breath. Whispering in the air like a ghost following us.

I want to say something but my tongue is glued to the roof of my mouth. I shine my phone light over the narrow tunnels but only see empty darkness. Until it moves over a man standing beside us.

The darkness comes alive and the large man yells with an axe over his head. We scream and scatter as the axe slams down into the space between us. Bella grabs my hand and pulls as we follow Will into the nearest dark tunnel, which is narrow enough for a single file. The man lets out a harsh grunt as he starts chasing us. I think he's chasing us. I can't look back.

Our phone lights jerk around as we run, making it seem like the strobing darkness is moving. My brain is numb as we run through the concrete tunnel, adrenaline pushing me on. I don't know where we are or how close the man is behind us; I just want to keep running.

We get to an intersection and Will turns us to the right. I risk a look back and don't see anything. The man isn't there. Bella is whimpering and sniffing in front of me. I can feel the fear radiating off her.

We come out into a larger tunnel, wide enough to fit us all. This feels more like a corridor, with painted walls and thin strips of lights on the corners of the ceiling, which I take comfort in. At least we're no longer in darkness. We slow to an urgent walk as Will hums and looks either side, still pointing his phone light. I try and think of our next steps but my brain feels like thick sludge, my heart still pounding.