Escape Room: Airplane Mode

Chapter 5 : The Exit

Dasher chuckled as he stood up.

"Congratulations. You found out."
"You think this is all a game, don't you?"
"People's fears are my games. And you... you're the best game yet. What can you make you crack, Kelsey?"

I saw Ben with a gun in his hand, tears streaming down his eyes.

"What can make you so mad by just a simple touch of his best friend that you question your whole relationship with Phoenix? Is it Ben?" Dasher asked, "Ben's important to you, isn't he?" he continued with a fake pity face.

I looked down at my hands, knowing the latter mentioned was listening.

"Ah... I get it now," said Dasher.

He took the gun from Ben with ease, and held him in his arms, while pointing the gun at him.

"BEN!" I yelled.
"Please, you don't have to do this!" Ben struggled, being in a tight chokehold by his own younger brother.
"But you were," Dasher said.
"Admit, it Ben. Admit your deepest darkest secr—"

Everything from this point on went in slow motion for me. Dasher and the bullet hole in his forehead. Me holding a gun. Ben cradling his brother. Me, finally letting the tears out, falling down onto my knees. I had killed Dasher. I had killed Dasher Miller. I had killed MINOS.

14 MONTHS LATER

"Ben... do you think... they're actually dead?"
I asked him, as we were watching Survivor's Guilt.

The couple had just died in a cabin fire in the movie, and all I could think about was everyone we'd lost.

"Kelsey, I saw Zoey with her head cracked open. My best friend," he said, "And you saw Phoenix jump—"

...in the fire.

"Yeah... what about MINOS?" I asked.
"You mean... my brother?"

I took his hand and mine, and kissed him. Yep. I kissed the guy.

I whispered against his lips, "I trust you."
"And I trust you back."

For some reason... I wasn't convinced this was all over.