I take a step closer to Hazel, pressing my side against hers. She’s trembling, her body causing mine to shake. The loss of my sight makes my other senses run wild. I can smell paint so strong it almost chokes me; I can taste it. Hazel’s heavy breathing rattles in my ears.

“Where are they?” she whispers.

“Shh.”

Even though I can’t see, I close my eyes and listen. The space around us is dead, like there has never been any sign of life in here, like we’re the only ones.

Before I can take a full breath, light floods the room. My eyes blink open, and I whip my head around. Hazel whimpers as I spin us so our backs are to the wall. We can see more from this angle, and no one can sneak up behind us.

My gaze tries to take in everything at once. A relatively small room with two armchairs and a TV screen. In the corner is a water cooler. There is another door opposite the one we came in.

Caleb’s voice rings through the room: “Piper, turn the TV on and press play on the remote.”

“Don’t,” Hazel warns.

“They’re not here; we have to.”

“Get comfortable, Hazel. You’re going to want to be sitting for this next part,” Caleb says. Laughter feeds through the speakers.

My breath catches. “Did you hear that?”

“Them laughing at us? Yeah, I heard.”

I nod because I know they can hear us. But I definitely heard three voices laughing. Who is the third person?

“Just do what they say, Hazel.”

She sits, and I turn on the TV and press play. Retreating back, I forgo the spare seat meant for me and huddle next to my friend.

The screen flashes to life. Caleb, Owen, and another guy I’ve never seen before are grinning at the camera. They’re sitting behind a long table with their hands placed palms down on the wood.

“Welcome, player…or players,” Caleb says. His eyes darken the way they did after he locked the car doors. He almost looks like a different person.

“What the hell?” Hazel whispers.

“We know you must be wondering what you’re doing here,” Owen says and chuckles. He sits forward, his fingers spread wide like he’s excited. “You’re here to play.”

The third guy runs his hands over his face and says, “We don’t want to give too much away, the games will become crystal clear in due course, but I just want to take the opportunity to wish you luck.”

Owen’s head tilts. “Luck? How odd.”

Caleb nudges him with his elbow. “Through the door in the far corner, you will find another room. Grab one bag each from the hooks, choose the bag marked with your clothing size. Then go through the next door. You’ll know the one.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” I mutter.