ESCAPE

Chapter Six

"Maybe this isn't a clue for anything," he says.

My head darts back and forth from the photo to the room. There must be something. This has to mean something. I go and stand by the entrance door and scan the room and the photo. There has to be something- 

"There." A jolt of adrenaline flushes my system as I notice something. I make my way to a table and pick up a large flashlight. "This isn't in the photo. It's the only difference."

Will nods and smiles. "Great work, detective."

I smile back at him, feeling a genuine sense of comfort and calm, despite our circumstances. A faint glimpse of a thought comes to me. He and I are making a good team. "It helps that it's bright red," I tell him sheepishly.

Chia has been searching the other side of the room, but she comes to us now. "A light?"

Luke calls over. "That's a blacklight."

Chia takes it off me and finds the 'on' button. She shines the dark purple beam over the walls. "There should be something to find in the light."

Luke says, "We don't know what the hell kind of rules this place has."

He's right, I think, but also not right. "So far we've had clues for puzzles that have worked with logic. I don't think there'll be any tricks to trap us just for the sake of it. I think, in its own twisted way, this is still an escape room. With some rules and logic."

"Right," Luke says. "Tell that to the hole in my hand."

I grimace at the hard look he gives me, feeling a shiver run through me. I feel so bad for bringing us all down here.

"Oh, here. Here!" Chia says excitedly.

She has the beam on a wall between the shelves of a metal unit. The word 'the' can be seen on the wall.

I call out to the others that we have our first word. Will scrambles around for a pen and paper.

"Another one," Chia soon says, shining the light on the side of a cupboard. "It says 'type'."

A gasp from Bella draws my attention and I turn in time to see her vomit on the floor. She's pressed a hand down to support herself but has dropped it into the puddle of vomit.

"We have to move fast," I say to Chia.

The beam of light wavers over the room, moving too fast to see anything clearly. Chia starts to panic. "I... I can't." She looks at me with a big frown, on the brink of tears. "You do it."

I reach out and take the flashlight, giving a supportive nod. Her hands are shaking and she looks defeated. I can understand that there's too much pressure to keep going, but I force myself to be strong. I have to be.

Will has gone over to check on Bella. She seems to be getting worse, now. Oh god, she could die right here. I shake the thought away with a violent shudder and focus on the light beam. Something catches my eye near the metal door. "Here. It says 'for'."

Will goes to a table where he's laid out a notepad and pen and scribbles down the word. The smell of Bella's vomit reaches me, making me gag. The air has begun to feel too stuffy.

A beeping sound comes on in the room. The sudden sound silences us all. My eyes dart around until they pinpoint the source.

There, above the glass unit; a timer display has begun counting down from three minutes. Large red numbers tick away with each beep that sends a pounding thud through my chest.

We all exchange uncertain looks. Chia begins to emit whimpering, distraught noises.

"What the fuck is that?" Luke asks, although I can tell he suspects the same as us. We don't have long to get that syringe in Bella.