How To Survive Murder

Chapter 7 - Selina

SELINA'S POV

My brain can't quite comprehend what is happening. Shallow, unsteady gasps escape my mouth. The room and its contents are blurring into a chaotic frenzy, the edges of my vision dancing with indistinct shapes. I can feel the erratic thud of my heart, a frantic rhythm that seems to echo in my ears. Every nerve in my body is on high alert, tingling with a strange mix of numbness and hypersensitivity. What have I gotten myself in for?

   I can feel Finn's strong presence behind me, as I sit beside Everett's body in disbelief. It feels like I am submerged in a suffocating fog; not quite knowing where I am, what I'm doing or where I will be next.

   "Selina," Finn whispers gently attempting to comfort me.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck," Caleb's not so hushed profanities echo in the large room. With each retort from the people around me, I can feel time itself stretching and warping. This is not real, I think to myself. Just some weird, terrifying nightmare. I'll wake up any second now.

   But that's not the case. This is real, very, very real. The atmosphere is thick with a sombre symphony of mournful whispers, as if the sterile walls are echoing the sorrow that envelops me. My hands tremble uncontrollably, fingers fumbling and grasping for some sign of life. But life is nowhere to be found. Everett is dead. Some kind of response to the pills. Zak too. The bullet wound in the middle of his forehead justifies that. 

   I become acutely aware of the cold sweat that is clinging to my skin, a chilling reminder of the profound unease coursing through my veins.

   Finn's shuffles cautiously behind me, "Selina, please look at me." His voice is steady and calming, I try to look up to meet his gaze, but I cannot bring myself to do it. It's as though an invisible force has a hold of me, rendering me paralyzed in a state of suspended animation.

   The hurried thud of Olivia's chunky boots travel across the room interrupting the cold silence. "Let us out of here you bitch!" Olivia pounds the door we entered the room through. "These people are dead! You're a murderer!" Her bellows are ear shattering; each scream causes the ringing in my head to become more and more painful. Like a child having a tantrum, Olivia slams her feet down to the floor in anger, the boots now becoming a symbol of rebellion.

   "Oh, sweet Olivia," the demonic tones of Miss Mount force Olivia to stand static, "None of you will be leaving this building until we have a winner."

   Finn chimes in, "But these people are dead." His voice is shaky. He sounds as though the ground beneath him could crumble at any moment, leaving him plummeting into an abyss of the unknown.

   "Correct Finn." Miss Mount justifies Finn's point. "Someone is finally starting to understand what this competition is about."

   "So, you expect us to win all of that money at the cost of innocent people dying?' Caleb shouts in disgust. "That is so fucked up."

   The speakers muffle for a few seconds, and I swear I can hear another voice.

   "Well done, Caleb!" Miss Mount recovers and exasperates enthusiastically. "And here's me thinking Selina and Finn were the smart ones out of the bunch."

   My world is spinning, a kaleidoscope of confusion and dread. My fear is like an electric charge in the air that crackles with uncertainty. How does she know we're the 'smart ones'? Granted, I used my scientific knowledge to figure out the first challenge, but how would she know that I am good at science? I don't believe Finn, or I, have shown any other signs of intelligence.
  
   None of this seems right. The two dead people in the room tell me that. However, it seems Miss Mount knows more than she is letting on and I don't think I am the only one that is grasping that fact. The four remaining contestants all share the same emotions as me. Tears swelling up in our eyes, anger seething through our blood, confusion knitted in our eyebrows.

   I finally look up at Finn and he sends me a small smile. His eyes holding back tears and his mouth quivering. He stretches out his arm and I grab it so that he can haul me up onto my feet.

   I take a moment to let out a breath I didn't know that I was holding in. Still holding his hand, I muster up all my courage and let out a small "thank you." Finn politely nods back, before his eyes divert to the other side of the room. I do the same and notice Caleb prying on a loose piece of metal on the wall.

   Olivia rushes over to help him. Upon closer inspection, it is not a very large piece of metal. However, I can tell it has been screwed into the wall to conceal something.

   Caleb's strength is easily shown when he manages to pry away one corner of the metal. The rest of us stare at him in disbelief, not quite knowing what to make of this entire ordeal. "Three more screws," Caleb huffs under his breath.

   Within seconds, Caleb had made it to the final screw. He glances behind his shoulder to make eye contact with me, Finn and Olivia. "I'm gonna get us out of here."

   As much as I am not too keen on Caleb, I must admit that this feels like a saving grace. The final screw is removed and Finn helps Caleb remove the sheet of metal with ease to reveal a tunnel. Not too big but not too small either, meaning it would be big enough for one of us to crawl through. This is it. This is our chance to escape.

   "Hell yeah," Caleb smiles, proud of his discovery. "Right so, I will investigate this tunnel then come and report back to you guys."

   Finn blocks the entrance of the escape route and I question what he is about to do, "No, you can't go on your own." Thank God. I thought Finn was going to confront Caleb for leaving us. And as much as it is a bad idea to split up, this is our only hope now.

   "It would be best if you stay here with the girls, and I do this alone." Caleb justifies his decision.

   "How do we know you're not just going to leave us here for dead?" Olivia asks, tugging at the bottom of her sleeve.

   "I know I'm a dick," Caleb smiles at Olivia reassuringly, "but I'm not that much of a dick."

   And with that, Caleb disappears into the unknown, leaving us all apprehensive about what is yet to come.