Seeing her panic, I turn and sprint the few steps to the door. There’s a handle on this side, but the door’s lock is attached to the keypad, and I didn’t look when he punched in the code.

“Caleb!” I shout. “Let us out!”

Hazel slams into the door and hammers on it with tightly clenched fists. “Open the door now!”

“Caleb!” I shout louder. “You’ve had your fun, now open up.”

Pressing my ear to the door, I wait. They must be right out there, so why do I feel like I’m shouting to an empty room?

I stumble back a step and grab Hazel’s wrist. “What’s going on?” I mutter.

“What’s going on is that they’re dead as soon as I get out of this corridor.”

Oh God, this is not good.

“Caleb, please!” I shout.

Hazel and I jump as bright overhead lights blink on.

Caleb’s voice rips through a speaker: “Piper, Hazel, welcome to the game.”

5

Welcome to the game.

“Caleb!” I scream, panic searing through my veins.

“Go through the door at the end of the hall,” he instructs, his voice cold and tinny through the speakers at the very top of the wall.

I shake my head vehemently. “Not happening. Open this door now!”

“Orientation is in the room at the end of the hall,” he says. His voice sounds like a recording. But if it is, where is he?

“Caleb, you’ve had your fun, now let us out!”

“How do they find this fun?” Hazel snaps.

My head is dizzy. I slam my hands into the wall to steady myself. I don’t like this; I need to leave.

“Orientation is in the room at the end of the hall.”

“Shut up!” I scream. “Just shut up and open the door!”

Hazel slaps her hand over her mouth and sobs. “What’s going on, Piper?”

“They’ll let us out in a minute,” I reply. My voice sounds monotone even to my own ears. They have to let us out. They can’t hold us indefinitely. How long could they keep us? What would they want to keep us here for?

The speaker crackles with static. “Orientation is in the room at the end of the hall.”

My heart races, pounding in my chest as if it’s trying to escape.

“Hazel, maybe we just have to play their stupid game.”

“What? I’m not going through there.”

“Well, they’re not coming in here, and that might be a way out,” I say, pointing toward the door at the end of the hall.

She shakes her head. “I want to go home right now.”

I grip her hand, my fingertips tingling. “So, let’s do that. I don’t care if we have to walk home when we get out of here.”

“Orientation is in the room at the end of the hall.”

If I hear that one more time…