The woman entered first, her eyes darting nervously around the room. She stepped carefully, like she didn't even want to be there. The man followed behind her, his footsteps heavier, more confident… more cruel.
Emily crouched low behind the stack of chairs, clutching the rusty scissors in her hand. Her breathing was shallow. Her palms were slick with sweat.
She could hear them whispering.
"Where is she?"
"She couldn't have gotten out. We tied her up."
"Well, she's not here anymore."
Emily's heart thundered.
She took a deep breath, then crawled silently along the wall, inching toward the door. Every movement felt like a scream. Her legs ached, her arm throbbed from the cuts, but she kept moving.
Then—a floorboard creaked.
The man's head snapped around.
"Did you hear that?"
Before she could move, his voice roared through the room.
"She's still here!"
Emily bolted.
She threw herself toward the door, knocking over the chairs in her path. The woman shrieked, backing away, but the man lunged forward.
Emily didn't hesitate—she turned and slashed at him with the scissors.
He shouted in pain, stumbling back, clutching his shoulder.
That was her chance.
She pushed through the door and ran.
---
Meanwhile, Lena stood in front of the school office, arguing with a teacher.
"I know something's wrong! Her phone was in the bathroom, she's not answering, and her Snap location is off. That's not like her!"
The teacher looked unconvinced.
"Maybe she just went home. Prom can be overwhelming—"
"She wouldn't leave her phone."
"And she wouldn't leave without telling me."
Lena's voice cracked. She was scared now, not just worried.
The teacher paused, finally noticing the seriousness in her tone.
"I'll call her parents," she said quietly. "If they don't know where she is… we'll call the police."
Lena nodded, barely holding it together.
Please be okay.
---
Emily's bare feet pounded the stairs as she ran upward into darkness. The building was falling apart—an old warehouse, maybe. Dust covered the walls. Boards cracked beneath her. Her lungs burned.
She didn't know where she was.
She didn't care.
She just knew she had to run.
Behind her, the man shouted in rage. The woman screamed his name—but Emily couldn't hear it clearly through the adrenaline and terror roaring in her ears.
She burst through a rusted door into the open night air.
The cold wind slapped her face.
She was outside.
Free.
But… where was she?
There were no lights. No signs. Just an empty road and trees.
No one around.
No phone.
No help.
She dropped to her knees, gasping.
Then she heard tires.
A car.
She looked up.
But the car wasn't slowing down.
It was coming toward her. Fast
Emily's eyes widened as the headlights grew brighter, slicing through the darkness. Her heart pounded in her chest like a drum. She scrambled backward, but the gravel under her hands and knees made her slip.
The car skidded to a stop a few feet away, throwing up a cloud of dust. Emily froze, expecting the worst. The engine cut, leaving an eerie silence.
Then the window rolled down.
A familiar voice—soft, urgent—spoke.
"Emily! Get in! Quickly!"
Her mind raced. Could she trust this? Or was it another trap?
The door swung open. A figure—partly in shadows—gestured for her. Fear and relief battled inside her. She had to make a choice.
Her instincts screamed run, but exhaustion and pain pulled her toward the car. She climbed in, trembling.
The driver slammed the door behind her and turned on the engine. The car sped away.
Emily's breaths came in shallow, panicked gasps.
"Who are you?" she asked. Her voice barely above a whisper.
"Someone who's been trying to help," the driver replied, glancing at her. Their eyes were kind, but tense. "We've been tracking them. Your friends aren't far behind. We need to get you somewhere safe."
Emily's mind raced. The keychain… the man in the hood… Jayden… everything connected. But there was no time to think. Only to survive.
Back at the school, Lena was frantically pacing the hall.
"Where is she?" she yelled into the phone, trying the last number she had for Emily. Nothing. No response. Snap Map still showed nothing.
Then a notification popped up on her phone an unknown Snap location ping. It was close. Her heart jumped. She ran toward it, calling the other friends to follow.
"We're going to find her," she whispered to herself, determined.
Meanwhile, the kidnappers were back at their hideout, realizing Emily was gone.
"She… she escaped?" the woman hissed, panic creeping into her voice.
The man slammed his fist against the wall. "No one escapes. Find her. NOW!"
But Emily was already moving hurt, scared, and exhausted but alive. And that was all that mattered. For now.
Emily peered out the car window as the city lights approached. Safety felt close, yet she couldn't shake the chill. She had survived the basement, but the night wasn't over. Not yet.
Her mind drifted briefly to Jayden—who had danced through prom, oblivious to her danger. Anger, hurt, and betrayal mixed with the fear still coursing through her veins.
She clenched her fists.
"I'm not done. Not by a long shot."