PANIC ROOM • KENJI KON

XLII. Pure of Heart

Chapter Forty Two:  Pure of Heart

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It was dark for several seconds until bright yellow-white lights kicked on above.

"Check this place out!"

A dark oak desk stood against the left wall. The back wall was entirely one large bookcase filled with colorful books and dinosaur figurines. Next to it on the right was a sundial clock, and a groovy orange couch that looked like it jumped straight out of the 70s, indented into the wall. Fairy light dangled above the couch, producing a warm glow. The right corner of the room had a corner desk with a nice, cushioned spinny chair and tools hanging on the wall. The desk held an organizer filled with pens, pencils and highlighters galore. A large monitor was built into the wall above it.

The campers headed deeper into the bunker, checking out the new digs.

"It must have its own power generator," Ben guessed. He pressed a button on the table and it flipped, showing off a checkers board and a magnetic chess board.

Brooklynn gasped, and Eva turned in time to see wood legs jut out of the top of the bookcase, before lowering to the ground, revealing a bed.

Eva's eyes widened.

A bed.

She rushed over and flung herself onto it. The bed caved slightly under her weight, and she rolled into the middle. It was so much more comfier and softer than the ones they had been sleeping on back at camp.

"Guys!"

"Well, hello, friend!" Brimford's voice came through the speakers loud and clear. Eva picked her head up in confusion, but her friends were all blocking the view. "If you're watching this, it means you've made it to my bunker. Which means, you followed my clues. Thank you, for believing in me."

"He must've recorded it for Owen."

Eva dropped her head back onto the bed.

"Unfortunately, it also means that my worst fears have come true. The island belongs to the dinosaurs, and we have no one to blame but ourselves for giving them abilities they shouldn't possess."

"He tried to warn people, but they just wrote him off," Brooklynn said softly.

"Huh, I know what that feels like," Eva mumbled.

"I apologized!" Darius shouted.

"I fear as long as the people who run this place fancy themselves gods, our world is doomed to once again belong to the dinosaurs. But for now, please enjoy all that bunker has to offer. In fact, I'm sure you must be hungry from your journey, so don't be shy, the food pantry's just there on the right. ... Uh, sorry, your right. Not mine. You'll find it. Oh, and don't you worry. You'll make it off this island. I know you will. You're smart, and pure of heart."

Eva watched Yasmina pull open a sliding door, revealing colorful snacks and drinks. Her eyes widened, but she didn't move.

"Food!"

"Oh, yes!"

"No way. Ahh!"

"Now that's what I'm talking about!"

Darius and Ben were the first to emerge from the snack pantry. Ben's arms were filled with bags of mangoes. "Check it out! Dried mango! Bumpy's gonna love it."