Locked Away - Book 1

Chapter 28

"I'll be back soon." I look back at Duncan before stepping back into the door.

It's immediately different than before. The lights are out. There's a deep black fog slipping down the stairs. I look around and try and find any hint of where I should be headed, but I already know. No matter how much I don't want it to be true, I know I have to go to Room 237.

"I've got this" I repeat quietly to myself before putting the Hercules in the belt and I grab a chair, throw it to the ground, and grab one of the broken legs.

I grab the Matchstick Key and strike it against the end of the leg. It lights up like a torch and quickly lights the path in front of me. One more deep breath before marching forward.

As I get close to Room 237 I hold the Matchstick Key in one hand and the makeshift torch in the other, ready.

The door to Room 237 is open, of course. I step up to it, the black fog thicker here. I stick the torch into the room, but it doesn't help. It doesn't seem to give a single inch of light. I throw the torch into the room, but it quickly vanishes. Then I do it. I just walk in.

"Tyler? Kinsey?" I try and put some force into my voice.

"Hello. Hello. Hello." The voice hits me hard, but I stand tall and ready.

"Where are they?"

It just laughs.

"Where the fuck are Tyler and Kinsey?"

"Hmmm..."

"Tell me!"

A small gust of wind and its hands grab my stomach from behind. I instantly feel like weeping and throwing up.

"Wh...where are they?" My voice is shaky, but I'm not giving up.

"Don't you care about me?"

"I care about Tyler and Kinsey." I feel stronger as I push through the fear.

"They're gone! They're dead!" These words hit me hard, but I immediately know it's a lie.

"Lies!" His grip hardens, but I use the Matchstick Key in my hand and shove it behind me.

It screams a scream that hurts more than a mac truck hit me at full speed. My knees smack to the ground as it gets higher pitched. I cover my ears, expecting my brain to melt. But then the fog starts to clear up, not completely, but enough to see the dimmed torch on the ground a few feet away. I quickly turn around and whatever that thing is, is now gone. I turn around and look for Kinsey and Tyler. Tyler isn't here, but Kinsey is. She's on the ground, in the corner, and balled up. Her eyes are closed and she's just repeating the same thing over and over.

"Go away. Go away. Go Away."

"Kins!" I shout to make sure she hears me.

"What?" Her eyes open.

"You need to get out of here."

"Where's Tyler?"

"I don't know. I'll find him."

"I'm not going to just leave you or him."

"You have to. If I have to watch out for you, I won't be able to focus on him."

"Okay." She's hesitant, but I can see she's tired and isn't able to deal with this thing as I can... Can I?

"Run." She nods and runs out of the room.

"Where's Tyler?" I shout at the top of my lungs.

"You'll die here. Just like him!" The voice is angry. Angrier than I've heard before.

"Tell me where he is or I swear to god I will kill you and make you suffer a pain that you can't even imagine exists!" The room goes silent, the fog lifting completely.

Is it that easy?

"You wish." From nowhere it comes from in front of me, teeth out and sharp.

It pushes me back and through the wall, which shatters like glass, and into a thick and dark abyss.