They were filled with so much hope. She almost felt sorry for them, knowing that their hope was pointless. She tried to expel this unwanted emotion, but she could not help but feel it. It was uncharacteristic of her. If she was not careful, it would overtake her.
Much to Ingrid's relief, it didn't take long for her efforts to start to make some effect. Though nothing around them changed for a while, she was almost certain that she could feel some kind of growing presence. She could feel it getting ever closer. Connor, however, didn't seem to feel anything.
"It's not working," he complained, the hope slowly draining from him.
"Shush, Connor. I can feel it. It's nearly working. Keep trying!"
Connor sighed, clearly not taking much encouragement from her words. Though, he didn't have to wait long to be disproved. There was a faint cry in the distance, closely followed by another which was ever so slightly nearer.
"Did you hear that?" cried Connor, taking hold of Ingrid's sleeve anxiously.
She brushed him off, not wanting to lose her focus. Her head hurt with the effort of summoning Jodie and Andrew, and with every passing second she found it harder to hold on. It was only when she saw them in the distance that she stopped. The cries they had heard were now confirmed to be Jodie's; she was crouched on the ground, screaming at the top of her lungs.
"Help us! Please!"
Ingrid took hold of Connor, pulling him along with her as she rushed to her friend's side. Her worry gave way to speed and she could feel Connor falling behind despite her hold of him. Eventually she had to let go.
She reached Jodie, eager and afraid to see what she was looking at. She covered her mouth, stifling a gasp.
Andrew was sat on the floor, bent forward, clutching at his leg. He was wincing in pain and his eyes brimmed with tears. He looked up slowly, catching sight of Ingrid. His eyes widened at her, and Jodie followed his gaze upwards.
"Ingrid!"
But Ingrid couldn't speak. Her throat went dry and she could hardly breathe. Seeing Jacob had been bad enough, but this? Just beneath his trousers, Ingrid could see that Andrew's leg was grey. Without thinking she reached down and pulled up his trousers, revealing what she had hoped had just been a trick of the light. Stone.
Jodie's mouth fell open in shock and she moved back a little. The frown etched in Andrew's brow turned from one of pain to that of confusion.
"What the heck?" he asked.
Connor by now had caught up to them, and his reaction was much the same. Ingrid, however, could not conceal her fear any longer. Tears that had been threatening to fall finally started to pour down her cheeks, and she turned away.
She felt Connor hug her, but it gave her no comfort. She looked down at her hands, and then back at Andrew. What had happened to Jacob...
It was going to happen to them too.
She then looked at Connor and Jodie. They showed no signs. Not yet. But who was the say that it wouldn't happen to them eventually? They might have all been reunited, but they were no closer to getting out of there. She had been so blind. She had let herself be too hopeful, and now they were all going to slowly waste away in Carrie's basement.
Her friends were talking to her. Were they asking her if she was okay? She didn't know. She didn't care. It was all going to end her, so what was the point?
"It will not end here for you."
That voice was one that Ingrid had not expected to hear again. She had been certain that she would die here, and those words in particular caught her off guard.
And as it seemed, her other friends had heard it too.
Connor and Jodie looked optimistic, but Andrew's frown only deepened.
"She expects us to believe that? It's a trick or something, surely," he said, glancing at his leg with hatred in his eyes.
Ingrid couldn't blame him. She had done so much to hurt them - why would she now have a change of heart? It seemed too good to be true.
After a moment of silence, the air in front of them began to shimmer. Ingrid took a step back cautiously, guessing at what was happening. And she was right. The air morphed, forming the shape of what was vaguely a human. Another second and Carrie stood there, her dark eyes staring at them from the darkness. Ominous shadows covered her face, though her eyes shone with a strange, inhuman glow. At the sight of her even Connor and Jodie's optimism faded into terror.
"Do not be afraid of me. I am not here to harm you. Unless you give me reason, of course."
The final comment was added with a grin. Ingrid felt herself tense as Carrie took a step forward. Her shoes clacked on the ground and echoed all around. With wide eyes Carrie looked down at her own feet, beginning to tap them.
"What an interesting sound," she marveled thoughtfully.
This continued for a while, and Carrie looked to have entirely forgotten that they were there. Yet none of them dared to move in fear of her. Eventually she looked up again. Just as she did so, Ingrid felt someone push past her. It was Andrew.
In their concentrated fear none of them had noticed him get up, and they weren't fast enough to stop him. He ran at Carrie, his fist raised and ready to strike her square in the face. Carrie reacted instantly, reaching out a hand and grabbing hold of Andrew's fist with such strength that he was now held in place. Ingrid could see the realisation of his mistake on his face, but he was powerless to go back on it. Ingrid watched as Carrie stared at him intently, unblinking. She feared what she was doing. Then, as she watched in horror, the grey from Andrew's leg started to spread...
His flesh turned to stone, closely followed by his clothes. It was exactly what had happened to Jacob. Carrie was just speeding up the process. Just before it spread to his head he turned to look at them - a silent plea for help. But they were all too scared to move, even as his eyes glazed over, and eventually fell from their sockets, leaving two empty holes just like Jacob had had. Except Jodie. She ran forward now, reaching out to pull Andrew from Carrie's grasp. She didn't get far.
"Not so fast, my little puzzle," said Carrie, waggling her index finger in a 'tut-tut' motion.
Jodie was frozen in place too now, her arms still outstretched towards Andrew. For a moment Ingrid feared that she too would be turned to stone, but Carrie clearly had other plans.
"You are just trying to be courageous. You don't actually feel for him anymore, do you? This brings you no pain whatsoever. Before I go, I will make sure you can feel again. I would not want you to leave this place without your missing piece."
"Before you go?" asked Connor tentatively, not daring to believe her words.
Ingrid could hardly believe what she had heard either; it felt impossible that Carrie would leave of her own volition. She must have sensed their surprise, for a humoured grin split across her face and she laughed. Only this was different from her maniacal cackle. This one held some kind of humanity, which seemed uncharacteristic of Carrie.
"Yes, my precious cookie. I have chosen to leave you from now on. I am done with you." She cast a quick glance at Andrew. "I originally planned to take you all, but she has decided that this one is enough."
"She?" interrupted Connor.
Carrie laughed again, though it was now more of a soft chuckle. She shook her head slowly.
"You could never even begin to fathom my purpose in this world, Connor. But you needn't know anyway, for it doesn't affect you anymore. In truth, I am not sure I even know my purpose anymore. It has been so long since it was placed upon me, that I cannot even recall the name of whom it was passed on from. But I will tell you this: you will never see me again. That I know for certain."
She smiled at them. It was a warm smile, as if the Carrie they knew had vanished, and been replaced by another. Ingrid almost felt herself smiling back.
"Where will you go?" she asked, her fear now extinguished and replaced by curiosity.
Between all the trauma and fear she had never had time to wonder about Carrie. There were so many questions that she wanted answers to, but Carrie's next words confirmed that she would never know them.
"Wonderful red-head, I don't know. She carries me wherever she pleases, and I must do my work there until she is satisfied. It is best if you do not think of me again. Of course, I will not remove your memories. That would just lead you searching for answers, and I fear that you may eventually find me again, which is something that I don't wish to happen. I will leave the exit open when I leave, and I only ask that you do not take what is left behind. Leave it be, to rot away and be forgotten."
Ingrid opened her mouth to ask another question, but Carrie held up a hand to silence her.
"No. I have lingered too long. I hope that you live fruitful lives, despite the pain I have no doubt caused you. But from what I have seen, I am sure you will soon overcome it. Goodbye, my dear friends."
And with that, her face went blank. For a moment she stood there, but then her body fell to the ground. Ingrid gasped, almost wanting to go and see if she was okay. But before she could even think of moving, she saw something that froze her in place.
From Carrie's chest floated a strange light. At first it was just that, but then it started to take the shape of something: a girl. Though the image was faint, it was undoubtedly a young girl. She smiled, but before Ingrid could take in her appearance, she walked away, slowly fading into the distance.
After a moment of silence, the air around them cleared, and the sound of a heavy door creaking open could be heard behind them. Ingrid turned to see the large metal door was now open, the long stairway back outside just visible through the opening. They could leave.
It was finally over.