It’s…empty. Aside from another white door in the corner, there’s nothing here. There’s a keypad on that door, though. Why that one and not the others we’ve been through?

“What’s this?” Hazel mutters, turning to look at the space. We haven’t missed anything. We’re standing in an empty, sterile-looking, pale gray room.

“I don’t know,” I reply, glancing up at the camera by the speaker. “They’re trying to scare us, make us think something is going to jump out at us—or someone, maybe?”

She shakes her head. “Why?”

Isn’t that the million-dollar question?

“They’re pathetic,” I say, loud enough for the intercoms to pick up. “Playing with people to satisfy their own creepy needs.” I harrumph. “This isn’t funny to anyone but you.”

“Shh,” Hazel hushes. “Don’t aggravate them.”

“Or what? They’ll lock us up in their labyrinth? It’s a bit late for that, Haze.”

“Oh my God, Piper, let’s just focus on getting through this. Please.”

She’s right. I sigh. “What now, Caleb?”

“I see you’re beginning to enjoy our game, Piper,” he replies.

“You think this is fun? This is sick. How did you even get into college?”

Hazel nudges me, her bony elbow digging into my side. “Piper!”

My fingers curl into my palms with anger. Damn, I hate him, and I hate that I can’t stay calm. I hate being trapped. I don’t want to do this. I just want to go home.

I shuffle forward.

“Do you think they’ve done this before?” Hazel whispers.

I focus on what is in front of me, blocking out her question. Blocking everything that my reeling mind wants to tell me.

“We need to get through this door,” I tell her.

We’ll be on the outside when we’re through this door, I convince myself.

The room is so long, it must span the length of the building. But it’s narrow so we only have a few feet to reach the next door. We both take small, cautious steps.

“Nine. Four. Nine. Six,” Caleb announces.

The code to the door.

Though it doesn’t seem like there is anything in this oppressively empty space, that doesn’t mean there isn’t anything waiting for us behind that door.

Caleb and Owen could be lurking, waiting to jump out at us. They’ll laugh and pretend it’s a joke. They’ll probably tell us to lighten up when we don’t think all of this has been funny.

I lick my lips, my tongue sticking to my dry skin.

“Open it,” Hazel whispers.

I draw in a breath. With trembling hands, I punch in the code and the tiny red light on the keypad turns green.