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“We need to go,” he said.
“That’s what I’m trying to do,” I shouted back and then slammed my shoulder into the door again. A sharp pain burst through my arm as I repeated the action over and over.
“No.” He pulled me away from the door. “I mean back to our rooms. You can’t get out. It’s like Bri said. All we can do is follow directions. Come on.”
He led me away from the door as another chime went off. Bong. His feet moved faster. Another sense of déjà vu flashed through my mind. In less than an hour, this guy had dragged me through these hallways twice.
This time I kept up. Images of Elise being electrocuted and the blistered spot on her neck flashed across my mind and gave me the impetus to keep up with him.
He left me at my door and disappeared into his own room down the hall. With one last look at the corridor, I stepped back into my room. Fear and surprise washed over me anew. My bed had been made up perfectly, as though I’d never slept in it the night before. Someone had been in here while we’d eaten. A heavy lead weight dropped into my stomach as one question flashed through my mind. What was this place?
Chapter 5
The door clicked and was again locked. My mind knew this, but I still reached out and tried the knob to be sure. It held fast.
My stomach growled and ached until I cursed myself for not eating when all that food had been there on the table a few minutes ago. Things had been too crazy to think correctly. Nothing about this made sense. Everyone else stuck here seemed conditioned to living like this. If I’d been able to think, I would’ve asked how long they’d all been there. I would’ve asked a million other questions.
For several minutes I stood and stared at the locked door, unsuccessfully holding back memories of other locked doors.
Foster care had been a living nightmare. When DCS had finally come to take me from my parents’ home, if I could call it that, I’d almost wept with gratitude. Anything to get away from the hellscape that was living with them. That gratitude had only lasted until I got to my foster parents’ house. That house held as many bad memories as my real home.
Staring at the locked door of this strange place, I found myself caught in those memories, like I was fourteen years old again.
One thing that was different here was I at least had a nice bed, and it seemed like food was plentiful, if what I’d seen at breakfast was any indication. I needed to remind myself to eat the next time there was a meal. I’d never be able to think straight if I was starving.
Bong. I flinched at the sound of the alarm.
“Dahlia Belrose, proceed to the library. You will spend your morning reading.”
The door clicked and swung open an inch. Oh, shit. I had to go, but where the fuck was the library? Panicking was the last thing I should do. Last time I’d only been given a couple of minutes to get where I needed to go, so I rushed into the hall and prayed I could figure it out. I didn’t want to find out what the punishment was for being late.
Jeffery rounded a corner going the other way. Drake was nowhere to be seen, so I wouldn’t have him to save me a third time. Bri came out of her room and walked straight toward me.
“Where are you supposed to be?” she asked, but didn’t slow her gait.
“Uh… the library? Do you know where it is?”
Still walking, Bri pointed behind her. “Follow the hall, go up the stairs, it’ll be the third door on the right. Hurry. There isn’t much time.” She vanished into another corridor.
Fear fueled me as I sprinted down the hall. The stairs were where Bri said they’d be. I took them two at a time, sweat trickling down my back as I went. At the landing, I sprinted down the hall. This damn house was massive. I caught glimpses of other rooms as I went. I thought I saw Elise in one room as I flashed past, but a second alarm sounded and I realized I had seconds to get where I needed to be.
My feet pounded on the floor as I went. What would happen if I was late? Would they shove a stun gun into my neck like they had with Bri? Would it be worse? Christ, would they fucking kill me? The person running this place was obviously not concerned with the lives of others.
I nearly tripped over my feet as I lunged into the third room on the right. The door was already swinging closed and it caught me in the shoulder, sending me spinning, but I kept my footing. It closed with a click behind me, and I glanced at my surroundings.
My jaw nearly fell off my head. As well appointed as the hallways were, all these rooms were like something out of a dream or movie. This library was huge. Fifteen-foot ceilings, and along the walls were huge bookshelves that ran all the way up to the molding. Half a dozen leather sofas and couches, and several coffee and end tables were scattered around the massive room. Two high-backed chairs faced a roaring fire, with wood logs spitting and popping under the flames.
Above the fireplace was a small security camera. We were always being watched. For the millionth time since I’d arrived, I wondered who the psycho was that held us here.
“Select a book,” Sam said. The speakers in the room were better hidden than the camera.
I’d always liked books, but the last thing I wanted to do was sit and read. I was a quick learner, though. Punishments in this place were harsh and unforgiving from the looks of it. I walked over to the nearest shelf and grabbed a leather bound volume at random. The only chairs that looked inviting were the ones in front of the fire, so I walked toward them.
As I got close to them, a shadowy figure leaned forward out of the nearest chair and turned his face toward me.
I hadn’t realized anyone was in the room. “Fuck.” I stumbled back. If I were going to survive, I had to start controlling my startle reflex.
Yeah, like that was so easy in this place.
