I stare at Will through the glass, forcing myself to stand strong and keep my chin up, despite sheer terror running through my veins. It feels like seeing a stranger for the first time. Without another word, he spins around and storms out of the room, disappearing from view.
"Oh god, oh god," Bella says, her hands shaking. "I can't believe this is happening."
I scan the room, hardly able to lock on to anything. "He's on his way. We have to get out of here."
Bella hums and makes panicked sounds as she looks around. "How the fuck could Will do this to us?"
I ignore her as I focus on the consoles. There are so many buttons; one of them has to do something. I turn as Bella starts grunting and see her pulling against a metal pole under the counter. I'm surprised by the strength and determination in her as she yanks and kicks at the pole, shaking it loose. She manages to break it free, almost collapsing to the floor with weariness. I help her up and she heads straight to the glass divider.
Bella slams the metal pole into the glass, which leaves a sliver of a crack. Huffing and panting, she hits it again and creates a larger crack. She keeps going, screaming wildly as she swings, working like a machine. I'm waiting for the moment that Will bursts through the door and comes for us. Chia is squirming in her chair but seems to be held firmly in place. Bella cracks the pole into the glass several more times before she collapses over the consoles, exhausted. There's a large spider-web of cracks but the glass is holding strong.
Adrenaline pushes me on as I grab hold of one of the square, blocky monitors and pull it free from its cables. I charge forward and throw the monitor with all the strength left in me. It slams into the cracks and a corner embeds itself in the glass. The monitor holds in place for a heartbeat before it falls back onto the consoles, sliding down to hit the floor. There is now a large hole in the glass.
Bella reers back with renewed strength and cracks the pole into the glass, knocking shards away until there's a large enough hole for us to climb through. My heart is pounding as I keep one eye on the door behind us.
"Go," Bella says, ushering me through the glass.
I don't want to spend a second debating who goes first and climb onto the consoles. "Keep the pole," I tell her as I jump through into the room with Chia.
I rush to Chia and start scrambling at the thick rope bindings over her hands. Bella comes to us and takes the gag out of her mouth. She drops the metal pole and gets started on untying the ropes at Chia's feet.
"Oh, guys," Chia says, sounding delirious. "I'm so happy to see you."
"Let's get out of here," I say as the ropes fall to the ground. I start to wonder why Will hasn't reached us yet, although I don't know how long it takes to get from one door to the other.
Bella helps Chia to stand and they hug. I point my head to the open door. "Come on, let's go. Quick."
Bella picks up the pole and nods. I take Chia's hand and lead us out of the room, not looking back.
We go through a dimly lit metal-walled corridor, my feet dragging with exhaustion. I have no idea where we're going and if we're heading straight towards Will or the old man.
"Chia, what happened to you?" Bella asks.
"A man came into the room." It's hard for her to speak with a swollen and cut lip. "I tried to run but he threw me around, and then hit me with the butt of a big axe. I think I hit my head when I fell. I just remember waking up tied to that chair. I don't know how long I was there for until you guys showed up. Was that really Will?"
I focus ahead. "Yeah. That son of a bitch has been messing with us this whole time."
"That slimy little shit," Bella says.
We turn a corner and see there is an open doorway at the far end of the corridor. I immediately recognise the daylight and large room beyond. "This way," I say.
We come out into the large abandoned factory. I think we've come from the doorway Bella had first seen the man with the axe. The hole that Luke fell through is ahead. I spin around as we go, waiting to catch sight of Will or the old man.
"Luke!" Bella calls out. "Lucas!"
I worry when there's no reply. We get closer to the hole, but before we can look down, someone steps out from behind a pillar ahead. We stumble to a stop, bumping into each other, and see Will stepping towards us with the giant butcher's knife in hand. He's still in the big raincoat but has his hood down.
I start to push us back as he approaches.
"Luke!" Bella screams, her voice cracking with desperation.
"Don't bother," Will says.
Oh god, did he do something to Luke? We back up until we almost hit a wall. No way out unless we run to either side. Bella has the metal pole held in front of her, but I don't think she's confident in using it. I've a feeling that Will is faster - and definitely stronger - than all of us. He's been cool and detached this entire time. It's only now that I realise just how calm he's been with us. Because he was never afraid. He knew exactly what was going on the whole time.
"How could you do this?" I ask. I stand there with my arms out, keeping the girls behind me, feeling more terrified than I've ever been in my life.
"It wasn't easy," he says, and cracks an ugly smile. "But it was a lot of fun."
"Fuck you, Will," Bella says. "What did we ever do to you?"
"To me? Nothing."
Anger is boiling inside of me, flushing my cheeks. "You know... I really liked you. I really thought you were a good guy." It surprises me how hurt I truly feel.
"Get used to disappointment, sweetheart." He glares at me with a crooked grin. It takes all my strength not to charge forward and slap him. Claw at his face. Or grab Bella's pole and swing at him. Even if it was the last thing I ever did.
"Why?" Bella says. "Why? You fucking psycho. Why did you do this to us?"
Will cocks his head. "It's very simple. You killed my sister."
Confusion gives way to sudden realisation. "May," I say. "Your sister?" That can't be. She doesn't have a brother.
"I know. She never mentioned me. I was never around much. She's my half-sister, really. But when I heard that she had killed herself, and had named two people responsible for her misery... Well, I had to meet them. So I came back to London. Then, one thing led to another, and you all showed up to my escape room."
"You won't get away with this," Bella says.
Will smiles. His hair is ruffled from the balaclava and his eyes look different now. His whole demeanour is like another person. He takes a step closer, causing us to flinch. Chia whimpers and hides her head in Bella's shoulder.
"Why the theatrics?" I ask, feeling sick as everything sinks in. "Why the twisted game?"
Will's face hardens. A vein is bulging on his temple. "I loved my sister very much. I heard how she kept telling everyone to ease off her. Stop with the taunts and the sick rumours. She said that everyone thought it was a game. They kept saying they were just playing with her. Just messing with her. Like she was a toy that everyone could bang around. I wanted you both to understand what it felt like to be played with. To play a game you didn't want to be a part of. I wanted you to confess to the world for killing my sister." A grin forms on his face. "I have to admit that I very much enjoyed watching you all suffer and panic, running around like headless chickens. It's the best time I've ever had."
"If you weren't around," I say, "how did you hear any of this? Did May tell you herself?" When he doesn't answer, I add, "The old man. The other guy. Who is he?"
"Enough," Will says sternly. "I've said enough. Forget about the old man."
My mind starts working again and I see everything that's happened in a new light. "You never ate the pastry. I didn't actually see you eat it."
He smiles at me, making my skin crawl. "You're a very clever girl, Andi. You're right. I threw it down when no one was looking. They were all poisoned."
"You sick son of a bitch!" Bella yells. I have to hold her back as she shifts towards him, holding the pole like a bat.
He takes a little bow, like a performer having finished a show. The knife glints in his hand. "It only took several months of planning. But I was glad I managed to convince Luke to suggest doing the escape room to Andi. He had mentioned how much she liked them. I figured why not spring the trap on her birthday? Easy targets."
Luke had been the one who first suggested the escape room idea. He hadn't mentioned that he got the idea from his gym-buddy, Will.
He takes another step closer with murder in his eyes. "Speaking of your birthday, Andi. I can finally give you that present I promised you." He holds the knife in both hands and raises it over his head.
Oh god, this is it. Fear seizes my muscles and holds me in place.
Will cries out and lunges at me. The knife swings down. Someone slams into him an instant later and they both fall to the ground. I blink and focus on the two people rolling and trading blows.
"Luke!" Bella shouts.
Luke and Will are grappling, rolling back and forth amidst thrown punches and head slams. The knife flies free and lands several feet away. I want to get it but it's too far away. My legs feel cemented to the ground.
Will gets to a position where he's lying on his back on top of Luke. He kicks his leg out and stomps on Luke's injured ankle, causing him to scream out in pain. Will breaks free and scrambles to his feet, teetering before steadying himself.
Bella has the metal pole reared back, though it's shaking in her hands. Will glares at her, seething. His eyes dart to the fallen knife and I can see he's thinking of going for it.
Bella screams and swings the pole, cracking him on the arm he raises to shield himself. Will cries out and stumbles back, his arm hanging limp. She swings again but this time he catches the pole with his other hand, yanking it free from her hold. He throws the pole away with frustration, sending it clanking on the ground.
"I've had enough of you," he says, closing in on her.
I take my chance and rush to the knife, unable to think about anything else. I snatch it up, but don't know what to do next. I still feel frozen and helpless with the knife, which feels wrong in my hands.
Will is slowly stepping towards me with a fierce glare in his eyes. Bella and Chia are further back, holding each other. Bella edges towards Luke but I can see she's too afraid to move.
I'm faced with Will now.
"Give that to me," he says, wiping his bleeding lip.
I shake my head, trembling all over as I step back.
"I loved my sister, very much," Will says, still stepping closer as I shift back. He actually looks sad and hurt, but as he speaks I can see the anger rising in him. "When we were kids we used to say that she may do something, and that I will do it. Well, she may have been unable to find justice for herself, but I will make sure that you pay for your sins. Now, give me that knife. Now!"
He screams and charges forward. His body slams into me, knocking the wind out of me as we hit the ground. He remains pressed on me, no longer moving. A gasp leaves his lips, as does a stream of sticky blood that lands on my cheek. I grunt and shove him off me, leaving him to lay on his back with the knife stuck in his chest.
I lay there with shock and weariness clouding my senses. I can hear Bella rushing to Luke and checking on him. Chia comes into view and helps me up. I keep my eyes on Will as I get to my feet, which feel like jelly.
Will sputters and gasps, spewing blood from his mouth. The large knife looks perfectly embedded in his chest, as if it belonged there. I wipe his blood off my cheek with the back of my hand, feeling extremely unclean and violated.
"Luke, Luke," Bella says, helping him to sit up.
"I'm alright, babe." Luke grits his teeth and winces. The rags of his bloodied hand have come loose, exposing his wound which causes me to gag. He tries to stand but can't. One of his legs looks completely limp.
Chia has her hand on my shoulder. I can only stare at Will with a morbid sense of curiosity, like being unable to turn away from a car wreck. I don't think I feel any remorse for stabbing him, even if it had just been because the knife was between us when he hit me.
I don't like the knife being within reaching distance of him, so I reach down, wrap my fingers around the handle, and pull. I shudder as it comes loose and extracts, almost dropping the knife as I squirm. I didn't realise it would feel so sickening to pull it out. Blood pools over Will's chest as he gasps and sputters, splattering blood over his face. I feel like he's trying to say something but nothing comes out.
I finally look sideways at Chia. She gives me a small smile, though there is a terrible intensity in her eyes.
"Nice one, Andi," Luke says from the floor. "I would have done that myself, but, you know..." He shrugs.
I nod at him. It feels hard to shake the tension I've been feeling for so long. My mind wanders to the thought of getting out of here. We're still trapped. That older man is still here, somewhere. If he hasn't made a run for it.
I think about Will and that unknown man working together. They had either planned everything perfectly and we followed their every step to the letter, or they had both been in touch with each other while we've been here. They had to have been communicating with each other. Or the old man had been watching us on hidden cameras the whole time and knew our every step.
I remember Will having his phone out earlier, now knowing that I couldn't believe anything he had said. Swallowing, I move closer to him, reaching out a trembling hand. I ignore Chia's hisses of protests as I reach into Will's jean pocket and pull out his phone.
I back up several steps before checking the phone. My shoulders sag with great relief. "I thought so," I tell them, looking up. "The fucker had a signal the whole time."
Bella curses something in Portuguese.
I dial nine-nine-nine. Hearing the ringing tone is like music to my ears. But the sound of the operator's voice is the sweetest thing I've ever heard.
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Thank you for reading!
What did you think of the final showdown and all the revelations?
Any other major thoughts/feelings during this chapter?