We stopped at the threshold. The only thing separating the three of us from the room where we had awakened is the darkness leading into the unknown. I see nothing—only darkness, as if I were blind. No ceiling, no floor, no walls. 'Is this another illusion, just like the telepathic communication?'
Emily was the first to step into the darkness. Her courage surprised me, but my amazement didn't last long. Her eyes revealed her true emotions. Fearful tears gathered in them, yet that didn't stop her from fighting until the end.
I closed my eyes and took my first step into the darkness. Quickly, I caught up with Emily.
"Do you know where we're going?" I asked her.
"I have no idea. I see nothing, but for some reason, I'm certain that I'm going the right way."
Her answer was unsettling. Can I really trust her? What does she mean when she says she's certain of our path?
We both woke up in the same room, experiencing the same moments. I glanced at the boy, who followed Emily while gripping her hand tightly. If he trusts her, then so can I—at least until we escape this hellhole.
…
I feel my legs growing tired. Ten, twenty, maybe thirty minutes—perhaps even a full hour. I have no idea how long we've been walking in the same direction. We are surrounded not only by deadly darkness but also by an eerie silence. Throughout our entire journey in the dark, Emily's gaze remained fixed on a single point. There was no communication unless I revived it by asking questions.
"Are we still..."
Bam!
I smacked my nose against Emily's outstretched arm.
"Ow!" I shouted in frustration.
"We've arrived," she said.
I'm lost. I start looking around, searching for something familiar—anything that could help me understand where we are. But all I see is still just darkness. I see nothing.
The first thing I notice is the boy, trembling with fear, clutching Emily's leg tightly. His eyes are squeezed shut so hard, as if he refuses to see anything at all.
"Emily, what's happeni—" I stop mid-sentence. Emily isn't looking straight ahead—she's looking up, as if staring at a ceiling that likely doesn't exist in this darkness. But that isn't what silences me. What shocks me are her eyes—wide, frozen, full of terror. And then. I. See IT.
My breath stops.
My body goes numb.
Five… four… three… two… one… seconds.
First deep breath. I fell onto the invisible floor. My legs and arms tremble uncontrollably. Shortness of breath kicks in. My body is paralyzed. I want to run, but I can't stand. I'm afraid I'll just suffocate.
My gaze is locked onto one single point—on. to. IT…