ESCAPE

Chapter One

"So," Chia says, "do we need to figure out how to open this gate ourselves?" The shortest one of us - and at eighteen, also the youngest - she looks up with her big, tilted eyes full of doubt and hesitation.

"Oh," I say. "Ah, yeah, the email says to just press the white button to be let in."

A long alley of brick and concrete can be seen beyond the gate, covered in dim shade where the sun doesn't reach. Is this really the right place?

Luke reaches out and presses the intercom button.

A low buzz of static comes from the little speaker. Something is coming from within the crackles, but I can't make out what it is. I lean in closer, trying to hear over the street sounds. 

"What is that?" Bella asks.

I put my ear closer to the speaker. The low static pops and fades in and out.

A shrill scream bursts from the speaker, igniting the air. We all jump. The scream is cut off suddenly and now we don't hear anything else.

My heart is racing hard as I look over my friends.

"What the hell was that?" Luke asks.

Bella takes her hands away from her mouth. "Was that real?"

Chia lets out an awkward laugh. "Come on, guys. That's obviously just part of the game."

Bella frowns at me. "Andi, is this a scary themed room? You know I don't like scary things."

"It's not. It's not advertised as scary. It just said there were thrills and surprises."

"Oh, great." Bella throws her hands in the air. "Just great." Her smooth, tanned skin has flushed with a hint of red.

I'm still trying to shake off the shock from the scream when I catch Will looking at me. There's a little smile on his face as he turns away. 

"Yeah," Chia says, "the surprise is that it's actually a really scary room."

Luke tries the gate, which opens inward. "Hey, it's open, anyway."

We step through and make our way into the alley. Two tall buildings are either side of us, with little else around. The sounds of the busy main road fade away as we head further in. 

A shiver runs through me, although I don't know why. That scream had sounded so real. Like someone was calling out in pain. I can't help but wonder if that scream sounded familiar; like I knew the voice. But I'm probably just being crazy. Chia was right that it's just a part of the game experience. These escape rooms usually like to include elaborate background stories to set up the theme, like a comet coming to earth that needs to be stopped, or a murderer that needs to be discovered.

"You guys done these escape rooms before?" Will asks.

"We did one last year," Bella says. "Smashed it in forty-five minutes."

"Forty-eight," Chia corrects.

Bella shrugs. "Same thing."

"Cool," Will says. "I haven't done one before. Looking forward to it."

"We'll be gentle with you on your first time," Bella says and gives me a cheeky wink.

We come to an old antique shop on our right. The windows are dusty and it's dark inside.

"This can't be it," Luke says.

Bella frowns. "Looks like it's been closed for ages."

"Looks pretty good to me," Will says, shrugging. "Looks legit, doesn't it?"