Chapter 13: Escape Book
Naomi smiled, excitement bubbling inside her. "Great! I’ll head there right now. I’ll meet you in 15 minutes." Rose bit her lip, her excitement evident; it felt as though they were trapped in a horror movie, racing against time to escape from an escape room. Naomi switched off her phone, her heart racing as she prepared for what lay ahead.
She walked out of the room, glancing left and right before stepping into the large hallway. The space was dimly lit, shadows creeping along the walls, amplifying her sense of unease. She moved with a careful rhythm—half a step slow, half a step light yet quick. Suddenly, she halted, pressing her back against the wall as a maid passed by. Last she checked, the maid wasn’t supposed to be there. What had really happened?
Naomi pieced it together, and her heart raced as she realized the maid was stealing. Her eyes widened in horror, and she immediately covered her mouth to stop the gasp that was about to escape her lips. But at that moment, she didn’t care. All she wanted was to escape. She decided to avoid the front door and opted for the back instead. If she passed by now, the maid would surely see her. She caught a glimpse of the maid’s face but dismissed it, focusing instead on her own escape.
Taking a deep breath, Naomi walked slowly, carefully, her heart pounding in her chest. The hallway felt longer than usual, each step echoing in her mind like a countdown. As she reached the door, she immediately covered her face, her heart racing as she heard a voice behind her. "You there!" Her eyes widened, and her body froze. A male voice echoed—he looked more like a guard. The guard paused before speaking again. "What are you doing at the back door, maid? Go to the front door now."
"Yes, sir," she replied, trying to make her voice sound more like a maid’s. As she hurried toward the back, she exhaled sharply, the tension of the moment flooding her system. "Phew, that was close." She needed to get out of here before things escalated further.
Once outside, she quickly walked over to the grass. Lifting the carpet grass, she revealed a stash beneath it—bunches of keys. "Oh my god, what’s going to happen?" she murmured to herself, frantically searching for the right key. The cold metal felt foreign in her hands as she slowly scanned the keys. Finally, she stopped at a particular one, her heart racing. "Got it!"
With a deep breath, she took the key and unlocked the gate. As it clicked open, she prayed silently, sighing in relief. Stepping out, she glanced left and right, trying to gauge her surroundings. "Where’s the car? Where’s Rose?"
Just then, Rose appeared, her face pale and frantic. "Oh my god, Naomi! I had to hide! One of the maids stepped out. Good thing I parked the car far away from here; I had a feeling something like this would happen."
Naomi’s breath hitched in her throat as she looked at her friend. "H-how long will it take to walk to the car?" she asked, urgency lacing her words.