Escape Room
2170 Words
Why am I looking at Eli? I thought I was admiring Irene's... smile... Was I... looking at Eli all this time? I was? That's- What's happening with me? The girl I like is Irene. I must have my eyes only for her. Never mind, I'll just focus on the movie. But I feel I need to pee.
“I'll go to the toilet,” I whisper at Irene. “I'll be back.”
“Okay,” she nods, not looking away from the screen.
I'm worried that I might get yelled at if I don't move faster because I'm blocking the view of other people. It's easier since I'm not carrying anything. I finally made it on the pathway that leads ro the restroom. There's a feeling inside me that makes me confused.
But I have to face it. Let's go back.
The movie was over eventually and Irene is so touched. I didn't watch that much but I can tell that it was good. The ending is quite sad because the female and male protagonists didn't end up together. They went on their separate ways in life. I can hear sobs and whines of disappointment. The lights are turned on and the credits play. It's time to go.
“Let's go,” I tell both of them.
“Argh!!” grunts Irene behind me as we walk out of the rows of chairs. “Why didn't they just get back together?!” she complains.
“Gotta accept it,” reasons Eli. “they weren't meant for each other.”
“But they were so perfect together!”
“Yeah but sometimes it happens to people. You can blame fate for that.”
“No...,” she depressingly complains.
That's when I gasp, making my chest jumping a little when a hand grabs a hold of mine from behind. I look back and the one who's holding me is Irene, looking down with a frown while walking. Then Eli nods behind her nods at me, half-smiling.
Was this her plan all along? She knew that Irene will be sad after watching this movie and bringing only me so that she will seek my company. If that was true, then she's a genius! A flirting genius!
Somehow... I thought it was her hand that-
Wait, no. What's with me? Ugh... never mind!
I nod back at Eli as a sign of gratitude. I'll thank her properly later. Meanwhile, I have to say something to Irene to make her feel better.
“It's okay, Irene,” I tell her and she looks at me in the eyes. I couldn't say anything clever so I just smile at her. Then she looks away, I feel her hand gripping tighter holding mine.
We hold hands until we exit. She lets go so I let go too. I think she's fine now. I don't wanna touch anything with my left hand at this point or her essence will disappear from it. We form a circle just the three of us because Eli wants to say something.
“I almost forgot about another reason why I came here!” she exclaims.
“What?” asks Irene, looking like she wants Eli to stay.
“I'm going to process some paperwork for my stay here.”
“Can we go with you?”
“No, thanks,” she smiles. “I can handle this. Also, it would be boring lining up. You two spend time alone together. Try the food here and there or have fun in the arcade.”
“But-”
“Here,” she says, pulling out a card. She hands it to me. When I got a hold of it, I knew what it is. It's her credit card!
Is she-
What does she-
I ask, “What're you-”
“Don't spend too much,” she says, winking at us. “Goodbye!”
“What?!” Irene and I exclaim. Eli is already walking away from us.
IS SHE CRAZY?!! She walking even faster, so I call, “Eli!”
“Enjoy!” she yells without turning. Through the crowd, she disappears and I was about to run to catch her but she's too far now.
“I can't believe her...,” I mutter then look at Irene.
She was looking at me the whole time but now, she's looking away. She gets what Eli was implying so I guess she feels embarrassed—just as I am. But I gotta say something.
“Are you hungry?” I ask.
“Uh...,” she hesitates. “I'm not.”
“You're sure?”
“Yeah,” she nods, looking at me.
“Then would you like to go somewhere fun?”
Like sun after a drizzle, she smiles and nods. I'm mesmerized.
Then I realize that I'm staring at her. I stir, saying, “Where do you want to go?”
“Anywhere,” she smiles.
“Okay,” I nod, can't help but answer with a smile.
I'm at her right when we walk side by side and I'm thinking about where to take her. In the arcade? Is that the only place to have fun? Then I saw this poster on the glass pane to my right. It says something about an escape room. What is that? Maybe we'll know when we check.
“Here,” I tell her and she looks this way.
“What's- Oh, an escape room?!” she exclaims.
We stop walking then I ask, “Yeah, what is it about?” Then when I look at her, her eyes are shining, looking at the poster.
“You know, you have ro escape the room by solving puzzles and stuff!”
“Oh, that. I think I've seen this before. Shall we give it a try?” She nods, smiling.
We went inside and there are no guests except us. It's not that popular, I guess. I won't expect much from this. But if it's what Irene wants ro try, then I'm all for it. And I'm praying for God to take away my awkwardness just for this time. I want her to have fun instead of feeling awkward because of me. Alright, let's go!
At the counter, I'm hesitating to use Eli's credit card. I feel guilty. But eventually, it was fated to be used because I already spent all of my money to buy the food. Because I know girls love food, at least. John told me this and I found out he's right. Thanks, John. I owe you.
“I feel bad,” I whisper at Irene after receiving the credit card.
“Yeah, me too,” she chuckles.
“Right this way,” says the boring guide showing his hands to the locked wooden door. He is wearing the logo of this attraction and his face implies that he dislikes this job.
He unlocks the door with a key and when we enter, the air becomes much warmer. It smells like old papers and books that have been eaten up by termites. The smell goes well with how it looks. There are a lot of pinned pieces of paper on the walls. The bulletin board has many threads but I assume they mean nothing. They could just be decorations. In the middle of the room, there is a desk with drawers on each side. Piles of folders and envelopes litter on it. The floor is made out of polished tiles with brown and black patterns. The lights are incandescent. That explains why the air here is warm. Overall, this room looks like an office of a detective or something.
“Are both of you ready?” asks the guide.
“Yes,” says Irene but I just nod.
“The clue can be found in the room. It will lead you to the key to escape the room. You have 30 minutes to figure it out.”
“Got it,” she nods.
Upon stepping outside the door, with no enthusiasm, he says, “I'm going to lock the room now. Enjoy.”
Although gentle, the door closes with a loud bang. The lock clicks and we're locked in here, alone...
Alone?
Two of us?
WHAT THE F*CK?!!!
We're alone in here! A girl and a boy! Together!
“Let's look for clues!” she cheers, looking at the desk full of paperwork.
I feel nervous and I don't know why. Why am I nervous? Nothing's gonna happen! Unless... Oh, she's looking at me. Is this is it? My first kiss?
“What's that?” she asks, passing by me. I turn around, and she was referring to something among the pinned pieces of paper on the bulletin board.
What was I thinking?!! I gotta expect nothing while we're here! We're just here to have fun solving the puzzle so we can find the key! This dirty mind of mine...
So, I stand beside her as she supports her elbow while her other hand is holding her chin, looking at the papers. She's thinking. It's best if I don't disturb her and I'll just make out of something from these. I got nothing. D*mn, I'm dumb. These pieces of paper are just from newspapers and maps. Could there be something from them? When I try to connect them with the threads as guides, they don't make sense. They're all just about random things about sports, animals, and such.
“Did you find something?” she asks me after a minute of our staring at it.
“Uh, nothing.”
“Hmm...,” she hums, thinking harder.
“I'll go check somewhere else.”
“Okay,” she nods, not looking away from it.
Alright, this is just like a puzzle in a video game. There should be things that should be made obvious to give the players direction. Besides the desk, there are other things that hold items. I could assume they're just props but not in this kind of game. Clues could be hidden from plain sight.
To the left, in the corner, there are three layers of the shelf. At the top, there's this odd vase. At the second, a bookshelf with wildlife books. The third holds four figurines of animals. Cheetah, elephant, warthog, and a hippo.
In the right corner, a tall wardrobe that the top reaches the ceiling. It's polished and carved intricately like an antique. There could be something hidden there so I must check. Leaving Irene's side, I walk there and take a look closer at the details of this tall wardrobe. It's beautiful, alright. This could cost a lot of penny. Now, for what it houses.
The knobs are made out of red glass. I pull them open and they swing outwards, creating a loud creaking noise, echoing throughout the room.
“Argh!!” What the f*ck is that?!!
I step back, almost tripping back because of my knees weakening. My back hit the desk so just lean against it and pant so hard.
“What's the matter?!!” exclaims Irene behind me.
“Nothing...,” I tell her while I'm still breathing hard. Whoever the f*ck put a realistic replica of a severed head inside the wardrobe, F*CK YOU! You almost took my soul out of me!
Reine goes there while I try to calm myself down. My knees are trembling. I hope she doesn't see me as a wimp after she had witnessed that scare of mine.
“What's this?” she asks, looking at the realistic severed head of a man. It's so weird-looking but she doesn't even hesitate to touch its forehead. “It's made out of wax,” she discovers.
“Really?” I ask with a cracked voice. I gulp and I think I'm fine walking on my two feet without collapsing now. *Phew* Sh*t...
At her left, I just stand and look at the contents of this wardrobe. The head is at the bottom of the wardrobe, sitting under the trenchcoats. F*ckin' head...
“Maybe there's a clue from it,” she says, kneeling to take a look closer.
“Oh, right,” I nod, kneeling beside her.
She lifts it and turns it around, adorably squinting her eyes to spot any small detail. After a minute of spinning it around, she gives up, putting it back in its place.
“I got nothing,” she says.
Then I believe it's my turn. “Wait, let me.”
“Go ahead.”
She leans back so I could easily get it. There's only one part of the head she didn't check and that's at the bottom. I tip it over while putting it on my lap. And there's a hatch.
“There,” I tell her.
“Oh!”
I open it and there's a safe combination. “The key must be inside this.”
“Wow, you're a genius, Kev!” she celebrates too early, grabs my arm with both of hers, and leans against me, giggling.
- Writer
