On Edge

Part Three

Chapter Seven

Leah awoke in a pitch black room. She couldn't see anything. Her entire body was sore and heavy. She couldn't hear anything. It was silent. She picked her head up from the concrete floor, and realized how awful she felt. She sat up, and realized there was a wall behind her. She leaned against it, and put her head back. She wrapped her arms around her stomach, as she felt nauseous. She closed her eyes, and prayed this would all be over soon. She didn't hear the quiet breathing as it approached her. She opened her eyes just in time to take a metal pipe to the jaw. She let out a scream as she knocked over. She rolled over to see a tall girl standing above her, with the pipe in her hand.

"Oh my god." The girl said. She dropped the pipe and it clanged to the floor.

"I thought you were one of them."

She sat down next to Leah and helped her up.

"One of who?" Leah said, rubbing her jaw.

"The people that brought us here. I suppose you're in the same situation."

Leah thought, and remembered it all.

"From what little I know, I suppose so."

The girl nodded back

"I'm Isabelle." The girl almost held out her hand, but decided it wasn't the time for handshakes.

"I'm Leah."

"I've been here for about 3 days. At least I think it's been around then. I have no clue when it's day or night." Isabelle looked down.

"Has there been anyone else here?"

"Yes." Isabelle said. "There was one girl here. Her name was Eloise. She left. I have no clue when or how."

"Did you try looking around here for a way out?" Leah said.

"Well, no. I'm not sure what to do." Isabelle said.

"Just walk. Hold on."

Leah stood up. She reached into her pocket, and pulled out a lighter. It was so dark that the small flame burned her eyes.

"Come along" Leah said, starting to walk.

Isabelle grabbed the pipe from the floor.

"Eh, you never know what you're gonna face." Isabelle walked with Leah. They walked in one direction to another side of the room, when they came to a hallway. When they stepped into the hallway, lights came on. The hallway was long and made completely of concrete. Leah let go in the button of the lighter.

"You're a genius, Leah." Isabelle murmured. It echoed down the hallway. They walked down, and soon, a wall dropped down in front of them. They stepped back. To their left was another branch of the hallway. On the wall that dropped in front of them was written "SOME SAY THE WORLD WILL END IN FIRE" Leah read it out loud. The branch of the hallway suddenly combusted. Leah and Isabelle dove back down the main hallway, and covered their heads. When Leah looked up, the hallway was back to normal, but was singed, and covered in soot. Leah walked down the hallway, and Isabelle followed. Another wall appeared, and so did another branch to the hallway. Right in the mouth of the branch was a girl, younger than Leah or Isabelle, laying on the floor, covered in soot, and knocked out cold.

"Eloise!" Isabelle kneeled down and took the girl in her arms. She slowly opened her eyes.

"Isabelle?" She croaked.

"Yes. It's me." Isabelle lifted Eloise up and set her on her feet. Isabelle dusted the soot out of Eloise's spiky blond hair.

"How did you get past the first hallway?" Eloise said

"I think that the poem is telling us what we are coming to." Leah said.

"Poem?" Isabelle asked

"Yes. It's a Robert Frost poem."

Eloise stared at Leah.

"I'm Leah, by the way."

"I'm Eloise."

Leah turned to the wall.

"I suggest staying away from that branch of the hallway. Isabelle and Eloise stood behind Leah and read the words from the wall.

"Some say in ice." Leah felt the extremely cold breeze come from the hallway. She looked over to see the hallway was covered in ice. "Come on." Leah said, motioning Isabelle and Eloise to follow her.

They made their way down the hallway and came to a dead end.

The wall in front of them said "SUFFICE".

The wall lifted, and light poured into the hallway.

All three of them stepped out, and looked around.

When their eyes adjusted, they realized they were standing in the hallway of a school.