71 Final Resolution POV (1/2)

There is no way out. There is no way out!

The hallway loops back around, somehow.

I had thought that if we keep on walking straight ahead, we would be able to find a way out eventually, but we are now back to where we have started from.

This can't be the same room as ours from before. But the green door with the scratches marks outside tells me that it is.

Becky and Daisy have even found their ways back here after running ahead in fright.

How can this be?

I don't understand.

I don't understand anything anymore.

Mummy! Daddy! Where are you?

Please come and get me.

Please. Please!

Mr. Maxwell!

I'm scared, I'm so scared.

My hands are shaking.

You have said to think clearly and calmly even when I am scared and alone, but I can't.

I just can't.

The howling sounds appear again, groaning, whispering, echoing and haunting me and the other girls.

I cover my ears tightly.

I want to block the sounds out.

I want to block everything out.

The other girls are crying again.

They don't know what to do either.

We are all alone here, in this place, wherever this scary place is. Even without our arms and legs being tied up, I feel like we are still locked up in the room, blindfolded and unable to call for help again.

Why didn't they cover our ears as well?

Is it because they want us to hear these ghostly sounds?

Are there really ghost?

”Stephanie…”

It sounds like someone has just called my name, very faintly.

How am I still hearing it when I have covered my ears?

”Stephanie…”

No. I'm no listening. I'm not listening!

Leave me alone! Please.

”Stephanie…”

I'm hearing thing. I'm hearing thing!

The ghosts are talking to me!

There are ghosts here! Mummy! Daddy!

”Stephanie…”

But the ghost sounds familiar, very familiar…?

”Mr. Maxwell?”

I utter and uncover my ears slowly.

”Stephanie… where are you...?”

I look towards the darkness to my right, trying to hear his voice over the crying and whimpering of the other girls.

They don't seem to hear his voice like I do.

”Stephanie… where are you? Call out if you hear us!”

”Stephanie! Stephanie! Are you here, somewhere!?”

”Call out if you can hear us!”

I blink rapidly. It isn't just Mr. Maxwell who is calling for me.

There are plenty of other people calling for me, but they are not familiar as Mr. Maxwell's.

His voice is very clear and crispy, like he is very close to me. I follow his voice, walking into the darkness.

His voice becomes louder and louder. I can hear more people. A lot more people!

They are looking for me! They are! They are!

”Susan! Where are you? Are you here? Call out!”

”Anna! If you can hear us! Shout!”

”Becky! Dad's is here! Where are you, little princess!?”

”Daisy! Please! Oh God Please! Daisy!”

No. They are looking for us! Everyone is looking for us!

Where are they? Where are they!?

I look around, trying to figure out where their voices coming from. It feels like they are everywhere.

No, it sounds like they are in the ceiling, but that couldn't be.

Are they upstairs!?

I can see tree roots hanging off the ceiling. Why didn't I notice it before?

Are we underground!?

”I'm here! Someone! Help! Help us! We are in here!”

I shout at the top of my lungs, again and again. My shouting brings the other girls back.

They all look at me while sniffling and rubbing their eyes.

”Stephanie… why are you…”

Susan utters.

”Hey! I can hear something! Wait a second. It is coming from the ground. Oh My God! Are they buried! Someone hurry! Call the diggers! Hurry! Hurry!”

A voice interrupts Susan.

Her eyes widen, and she gets off the ground immediately. She knows who it belongs to.

”Dad!? I'm here, daddy! Daddy! Where are you!?”

Susan calls out as she runs towards me. Her dad shouts back, much clearer and louder.

”I'm here, daddy! Daddy! We're are here!”

Soon the other girls also shout as well.

Our voices echo in the empty hallway, amplifying greatly.

The people in the ceiling also shout back at us, loudly and rapidly. They are asking if we are all okay amongst many other things. We are unable to answer them all since they won't let us.

After a few minutes, the whole ceiling rumbles, causing dirt and gravel to rain on us.

We all scream and hug each other in fear.

Several rocks land on my shoulders.

It hurts!

”Stop that goddamn excavator! You are going to cause a carve in, you idiot!”

”Everyone shut up! Let them speak!”

”I don't think they are buried in a small tomb or something of sort. Girls! Can you hear us. Tell us what you see down there!?”

We shout back, describing the hallway.

No, it is called a tunnel now. We are underground. No wonder the air is stuffy and cold. And the walls and grounds are made of cobblestones.

”Hey, there is a chain here! Why is there a fucking chain here? It must open the tunnel. Hey, you three there, get over here and help me pull it.”

A lot of people are shouting above ground.

I think they are pulling the chain from the clattering sounds I could hear.

We scream when a loud creaking is heard.

The ceiling collapses just a few meters from us, forming a staircase.

Countless blinding light purge the darkness, radiating on us. We couldn't see the people behind those lights, but we could make out their voices.

”They are here! We found them!”