As they kept walking, the layout began to feel… familiar. Too familiar.
The shadows on the walls. The cracks in the concrete. The rusted pipes. The cold hum in the air.
Owen narrowed his eyes.
"…This is it, right?"
Ava, a step ahead, nodded. "Yeah. Just a few more turns and we'll be there."
Samuel said nothing. He just nodded, gaze pinned to the darkened hallway in front of them, like his thoughts were buried miles ahead.
The silence continued to follow them, dragging behind like a chain.
Minutes slipped by.
And then, they saw it—the same cellblock. That same haunting corridor that had once been their temporary "safe zone," now just a reminder of where it had all gone wrong.
Two figures came into view.
Sierra and Evelyn.
Sierra was sitting against the cold corridor wall, her knees bent to her chest, arms loosely wrapped around them. Her back slouched, her head low. Her eyes weren't watching the others approach—they were fixed on the floor, completely unfocused. Like she hadn't blinked in a while. Like she was somewhere else.
Evelyn sat beside her, mimicking the same posture without realizing it. The silence between the two of them was loud—deafening, even. They weren't talking. Just existing in that moment. Side by side in a shared weight of loss and exhaustion.
The fluorescent light above them flickered slightly—just once—but it was enough to make the whole scene feel even more lifeless.
Ava, Owen, and Samuel stopped walking a few feet away, taking in the image.
No one spoke at first.
It was like stepping into the aftermath of a storm—one where nothing was physically destroyed, but everything felt broken anyway.
Samuel swallowed and quietly walked over. Ava followed, and Owen remained a step behind.
They were all reunited now.
Well…
Almost.
But nobody wanted to say that out loud.
Not yet.
Not until they had no choice.
Ava was the first to react.
"Hey! Sierra! Evelyn!" she called out, her voice echoing faintly through the corridor as she broke into a sprint.
Samuel and Owen followed behind at a slower pace, their footsteps quieter, more cautious. They watched as Ava rushed ahead, her footsteps quick and filled with a rare burst of hope amidst the despair that clouded this place. At the sound of her voice, Sierra's eyes snapped up, followed by Evelyn's. For a second, disbelief flickered across their faces—like mirages witnessing an oasis after endless wandering.
"Oh my god, you're here?!" Sierra practically shouted, scrambling to her feet. Her voice trembled, but not from fear this time—from relief.
Evelyn's eyes widened. She stood up, almost stumbling, as she scanned the faces behind Ava. "We thought we were all alone and lost!" she said, her voice filled with stunned surprise.
Ava reached them and pulled them both into a quick embrace. Samuel and Owen finally caught up, standing just a few feet behind, watching the reunion unfold.
Ava quickly looked around, scanning the dim cell block. Her tone shifted. "Where's Riley and Noa?" she asked, her brows furrowing.
Sierra's smile faded.
She turned to Evelyn, who had the same puzzled expression. A pause. Then Sierra spoke, a little slower this time.
"Wait... they're not with you?"
Ava shook her head, her voice soft but firm.
"No... they're not."
And just like that, the brief comfort of reunion gave way to a new wave of dread. The silence that followed was heavy—because now, the question lingered in all of their minds:
Where were Riley and Noa?
Ava looked between Sierra and Evelyn, then cast a quick glance back down the corridor they came from. Her voice was calm, but it was trying too hard to stay that way.
"Maybe... they went in a different direction during the panic," she offered, "and maybe they're together?"
She said it not just for them, but for herself. She needed to believe it. She needed them to believe it too. Anything to keep the hope ignited. She didn't want to see despair return to their eyes—not after everything they'd done to keep her from drowning in her own.
Because the truth was… she hadn't had the time to grieve. Not properly. Her boyfriend's death still clung to her like a phantom, but there had been too much happening, too many lives in danger, too many steps forward to ever stop and mourn. So she clung to the people around her, to the distractions… and to hope.
Evelyn nodded quickly, forcing a smile.
"Maybe. They have to be together," she said, though a tremor in her voice betrayed the uncertainty.
"If they're not… they might get into trouble, y'know?"
Sierra added, quietly:
"You're right."
A pause. Silent agreement. But the weight of it was still there.
Samuel and Owen exchanged a brief look. A silent conversation passed between them, but neither chose to speak it aloud.
Then Samuel broke the quiet, stepping forward with focus returning to his voice.
"You guys reached here before us, right?"
"Did you notice anything off about the surroundings?"
Sierra and Evelyn had expected that question the moment they sat down. They'd checked everything as soon as they arrived—because they knew someone would ask. Because in this place, peace was never to be trusted.
Sierra responded first.
"Nope. Nothing seems off."
"We checked the light bulb, the rust patterns, the cracks on the wall, the cell bars… everything seems exactly the same."
She looked at Evelyn for confirmation, and Evelyn gave a small nod.
"It really looks like this is the same cell we were trapped in. Like the one we're supposed to be in."
Owen hummed thoughtfully, his hand resting against his chin as he scanned the space again. A faint "hmm" slipped from his lips.
Ava also started looking around, more cautious this time.
Evelyn spoke again, more seriously.
"Still, you guys should analyze it too. In case we missed something. There's no room for mistakes anymore."
Everyone nodded at that. They didn't need convincing.
A few minutes passed. Samuel, Owen, and Ava each inspected different parts of the cell block, combing through the smallest details: the scratches on the wall, the way dust had gathered in corners, the integrity of the bars, even the faint smell of rust and concrete.
But nothing seemed wrong. Nothing had changed.
If Victor's theory was right… then the only way out was forward. This cell block was just a temporary stop—a safe point in the hellish pattern. For now, no traps, no tricks, no illusions.
"For now," Owen said, breaking the quiet, "let's wait for the others to reach here, right?"
Evelyn agreed, sighing.
"Yeah… you're right."
Samuel added, counting in his head as he listed off the names:
"We need to wait for Victor, Jace, Callen, Lawren… Noa and Riley."
"Once everyone comes back, we go for the exit." He glanced at each of them. "And get the fuck out of this phase."
Everyone nodded in agreement, the tension in the air finally easing—just a little.
This hell would end soon.
And maybe… just maybe…
The next place wouldn't be worse.
And so, they waited.
Minutes dragged into what felt like hours. The group sat quietly, spread out in the dim corridor of the cell block. The silence was heavy—not awkward, just tired. Their bodies had finally begun to feel the weight of everything they'd endured.
No more running. No more screaming. Just… waiting.
They shared the last bit of supplies Owen had tucked into his backpack, carefully laying them out between the group on a torn piece of cloth.
One last bottle of water.
Three packets of dry biscuits.
A slice of bread.
And... a full bottle of mayonnaise.
Evelyn squinted at the bottle.
"Wait… seriously? Who the hell brings mayonnaise to a place like this?"
Owen didn't miss a beat.
"What? It's good. Goes with everything."
"No, it doesn't," Evelyn said, making a face. "It's just... white goo. It's like edible glue."
"Wow. That's disrespectful," Owen replied, holding the bottle defensively. "This stuff has saved more dry bread than I can count."
Evelyn raised an eyebrow. "You know what's worse than dry bread? Bread with mayo."
"You take that back," Owen muttered. "This is quality survival sauce. You should be thanking me."
"I'd rather starve," she shot back, though a faint smile tugged at her lips.
"More for me," Owen shrugged, twisting the cap like he was about to chug it. "Honestly, I should've brought two bottles."
Ava laughed quietly, watching the banter with a soft shake of her head. "Guys, maybe we can just… use a little. For the bread. Peace treaty?"
Sierra, half-smiling, added, "Yeah, if you two start throwing mayo at each other, I'm walking into the next cursed phase myself."
Evelyn groaned. "Fine. But if I end up liking it, I'm blaming low blood sugar."
"And I'll take full credit," Owen grinned.
It wasn't much—but for a moment, it was enough.
A breath of lightness inside a place that had stolen so much from them.
And for now… that was everything.
As they slowly began eating—breaking apart biscuits, dipping the dry slice of bread in mayo, and taking small sips of water—the mood lightened just a little. Their bodies felt slightly more at ease, stomachs no longer painfully empty. For the first time in hours, it felt like they could breathe.
That's when footsteps echoed softly from the far end of the corridor.
Two familiar silhouettes emerged from the shadows—Callen and Lawren. Their pace was calm, almost casual, and they were talking to each other in low voices. No urgency in their steps. No panic in their eyes.
It was... strange.
They looked like two people who had already been through the worst of it and were now simply exhausted, dulled by the weight of grief.
Samuel stood up, narrowing his eyes at them.
"Callen? Lawren?" he called out.
The two turned their heads and saw the group.
"Oh—hey!" Callen waved, his voice steady but quieter than usual.
Lawren gave a small nod. "You guys made it back too. Good."
They walked over. Everyone shifted to make space, some offering tired smiles, others just watching silently. Callen and Lawren sat down near the others, accepting a small piece of biscuit and a sip of water when offered.
Ava noticed it first—how their faces looked a little puffy, eyes slightly red.
They had cried. Hard.
Probably somewhere quiet. Somewhere away from danger. Somewhere they thought no one would see.
"You guys okay?" Owen asked carefully.
Callen let out a slow breath.
"Yeah. I mean… as okay as we can be. We—uh—found a quiet spot. Just sat down and talked for a while."
Lawren continued, her voice soft but steady.
"We lost Wesley. We both just… needed to let it out. I think we did."
Everyone fell silent for a moment. Sierra's gaze lowered. Ava placed a gentle hand on Lawren's shoulder.
Callen gave a short nod, looking around the group.
"I was honestly worried we'd be the last to return. But…" he paused. "Victor, Jace, Noa, and Riley—they're still not back, right?"
Samuel shook his head.
"No. We're waiting on them."
"Figures," Callen muttered. "Victor probably found some cursed hallway and dragged Jace into it."
Lawren looked around the cell block, noting how settled everyone seemed. "So nothing's changed here?"
Sierra responded, shaking her head. "Nothing. We analyzed the whole area. It looks like we're meant to be here."
"A safe point, at least for now," Evelyn added.
Callen leaned back against the wall. "Then we wait for them and get out of here... right?"
They all fell into a quiet rhythm after that.
The weight of everything still hung in the air—but they were together. That meant something.
Callen and Lawren eased into the atmosphere, finally allowing themselves to relax. They chewed slowly on the last bits of bread and biscuits, not because the food was particularly good—far from it—but because it reminded them they were alive, still here, still together.
The minutes stretched on in silence, only broken by the occasional creak of rusted pipes or distant hums echoing through the stone corridors. It wasn't peaceful, exactly, but it was calm—and that was rare in this place.
Boredom started to settle in like dust on forgotten furniture.
Owen, who had been fidgeting and checking his pockets for anything remotely interesting, suddenly perked up.
"Wait... I still have these." He pulled out a slightly bent deck of cards, the edges a little dirty from previous uses.
Sierra raised a brow. "Seriously?"
"Yeah," Owen grinned. "A little game never hurt anyone."
Sierra, Evelyn, Ava, and Owen sat in a circle as Owen began dealing the cards. Samuel, Callen, and Lawren remained seated nearby, still on edge, but visibly softening as they watched the game unfold.
Ava leaned closer to the circle, her mood visibly brightening for the first time in a while.
**10 Minutes Passed**
Hah—I win again!" Owen declared as he laid down his final card with flair.
Sierra groaned. "Ugh, this is rigged."
"You shuffled the cards!" Owen laughed.
Evelyn narrowed her eyes, crossing her arms. "Now I know you're cheating somehow."
Ava clapped her hands. "Let's go, Owen! You're on a streak!"
The small burst of laughter, the tiny flame of something resembling joy—it was fragile, but real.
And then… it shattered.
A scream.
A blood-curdling, loud scream.
Everyone froze.
A voice they all recognized in an instant.
Victor.
"AAAAAAAHHHHHHH—!!"
His voice echoed through the corridor like thunder in a cave, laced with desperation.
The sound of heavy, desperate footsteps followed, growing louder—closer.
Samuel was on his feet instantly. "Everyone up!"
The card game was abandoned in an instant. Cards scattered across the floor. Evelyn jumped up, eyes wide. Ava's heart pounded as she stood beside Sierra, both instinctively grabbing each other's arms.
"That's Victor's voice—he's coming this way!" Owen said, turning toward the hallway.
The once quiet prison now buzzed with tension.
Something had gone wrong.
And Victor was running straight toward them.