Chapter 17
Louis reached for the window and tried to open it. He tugged a few times, but the window didn’t budge.
"It won’t open," Hannah said, frustration clear in her voice. "It’s locked from the outside."
Louis took her hands in his and looked her straight in the eyes. "Don’t worry," he said, squeezing her fingers gently. "We’ll be fine. No matter what, I’m here for you."
Hannah gave a small nod, her brows furrowed. "Kimberly’s probably looking everywhere for us right now."
"She is. I know she won’t stop until she finds us." Louis gave a hopeful smile, though his eyes betrayed his concern. "We just need to hang on until she gets here."
They stood in silence, their ears straining for any sound, any clue as to what might happen next. A minute later, they heard footsteps approaching the basement door. Hannah’s breath hitched as they quickly moved to the corner of the room, watching the door swing open.
Joey appeared, carrying a tray with two burgers and a single bottle of water. "Here," he said, his voice indifferent. "Share the food and water."
He placed the tray on the floor, but as they moved to take it, Joey pulled it slightly back. "Also, don’t try anything stupid," he warned, looking up at the ceiling. "See that camera? It’s watching everything you do."
Hannah and Louis glanced at the small camera in the corner of the room. It was barely noticeable, but now that Joey pointed it out, its presence felt suffocating. Joey left the room without another word, closing the door behind him with a loud thud.
Louis picked up the tray and handed one of the burgers to Hannah. "Here, you should eat."
Hannah took it but stared at the burger in her hands. "There’s no way out of here, is there?" she asked, her voice trembling.