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ASPEN
I’m startled awake by the shrieking of an alarm. I roll over and slap a hand against the nightstand, searching for my phone. The alarm gets louder, and I peel my eyes open slowly. My body is still heavy with sleep, and I take a bit to realize my phone alarm isn’t going off.
A loud booming mechanical voice fills my bedroom.“EVACUATE THE PREMISES!”
The sleep drains from my body and mixes with confusion.What the hell is going on?I climb out of bed, tossing the covers back. I reach for a pair of pants and tug them up my legs. Then I grab a shirt and sweater sans bra before shoving my feet into a pair of sneakers. I look like a mess.
The computerized voice continues blaring right along with the alarm, and I pocket my phone and rush out of the room. There is only one exit, so I head toward the elevators. In the hall, the sound of the alarm is louder, making my ears ring.
By the time I reach the elevator, I’m panicked. My heart gallops in my chest, beating like a drum. I still don’t know what the hell is going on, but I’m thankful to see I’m not the only confused person when Anja comes jogging up to me.
She looks just as out of sorts as I am. I press the button for the elevator, hoping it’s still working, and that whatever has caused this evacuation is a false alarm.
“What’s going on?” Anja yells over the deafening sound of the alarm.
“I have no idea. I was sleeping, and the alarm woke me up,” I yell back, and though we’re standing a few feet apart, it’d be impossible to hear one another without yelling.
As we stand there, it becomes obvious that the elevator is out of commission. Anja looks at me, fear swimming in her eyes. She’s afraid, and I understand that fear. It makes me want to make sure we both get out of here safe and sound.
“The elevator isn’t working. We need to take the stairs,” I yell and point toward the door a few feet away.
Anja crosses her arms over her chest, wrapping them around herself, and follows behind me. I walk over to the door, grab the handle, and give it a push. That’s where it ends, because nothing happens. My brows pinch together with confusion, and I try again, unsure why the door would be locked or unable to open. Again, the door doesn’t even budge.
I’m the one panicking now, and my stomach churns when I peer at Anja over my shoulder. Her eyes are glued on me, and I know as soon as I tell her the door is locked or blocked, she’s going to freak out. I can see it happening before it does, and it will not make the situation better.
I approach her like a battered animal. “Listen, Anja, I need you to stay calm.”
Of course, that’s the last thing she does. “What do you mean, stay calm? What’s going on?” She shoves past me, her shoulder hitting mine as she reaches for the door handle. “Just open the damn door, Aspen!” Turning the handle, she pushes on the door the same way I did a moment ago, her result ending the same way mine did.
Taking a slow step back, her skin turns white as a sheet.
“Look, everything is going to be okay.”
“We’re going to die down here. The elevator isn’t working, and someone locked the door to the only way out. They’re trying to kill us. We’re going to die. God, we’re going to die.” Her voice cracks at the end, and I realize this is the first time I’ve ever seen Anja genuinely worried.
I shake my head, ready to deny her accusation, but I can’t. Someone definitely set this up, but if it was to kill us or not, I can’t tell.
“We aren’t going to die. Let’s just stay calm.” I force myself to take a couple calming breaths. “People know we’re down here. There are still students at Corium. They won’t let anything happen to us.”
I tell her these things as a need to pacify her and keep her from freaking out more. I don’t know if Lucas or any of the other staff here really care enough about us to come to our rescue, but I hope they do. I really hope they’re better than that, at least at this moment.
“You don’t know that. You don’t know anything! Everyone at this school hates you. They would do anything to get rid of you, even if that means bringing me down right along with you.” The words come out in a rush, and I clench my jaw, biting back my response.
She’s just scared, that’s all.
“The rules say no one can die here. They won’t kill us. It’s not worth the paperwork or headache.” We both know I’m lying. I don’t believe that statement at all, but I’m not going to tell her that.
She lets out a bitter laugh, and her lips part, a response on her tongue. Before she lashes me with her words again, there is a loud banging on the other side of the door.
It’s so loud, I can hear it over the annoying boom of the alarm.Bang! Bang! Bang!I jump back with each bang. It sounds like a stampede of elephants is trying to break down the door.
“Back up!” I yell to Anja, who takes a defiant step back.
A gasp slips from my lips when the door explodes off the hinges and comes flying into the corridor. Jesus Christ, what the hell? My eyes bulge out of my head when I find Lucas standing there, in a T-shirt and sweatpants, his features twisted into a scowl.
“Let’s go. We need to evacuate the building and get everyone outside!” Lucas orders, his tone venomous.
“What’s going on? What happened?” Anja interjects and starts following Lucas up the steps.
