Sequel to my original psychological thriller “No Way Out” where the main character mysteriously wakes up in a strange place, not remembering how she got there or where there is.

By Gianna Liantonio

Attempt number 42

I’m surprised I have kept count, but kept track and remembered numbers is one of
the only ways I have been able to retain my sanity. No contact with the human world for
God knows how long will slowly drive someone insane. I just hope I escape before that
happens to me.

I stare at the asymmetrical ceiling, each tile in a different spot as if it’s a puzzle with
none of the right pieces. I groan, wanting to scream. Who put me here? Why can’t I
remember anything? How did I get here? Questions constantly swirling in my mind as I
get up from the metal bed.

I pushed my hair back wishing I had a hair-tie to pull it back. I resolve in tucking my hair
inside the back of my shirt knowing it won’t stay, but it’ll do the job for now.

I mentally count the seconds until the door opens and just like clockwork, it opens when
I get to 15.

Like always, there is no one behind the door, yet I always feel like I see a shadow of
feet at the bottom of the door. Must be my imagination. Or this guy is a phantom.
Anything is possible at this point as every attempt I do leads me more towards insanity.

I take a deep breath, remembering the mental notes I have stored in my head and walk
out.

The lights feel brighter somehow, the familiar hum I have grown so accustomed to in my
time of being here. Whatever here is. It feels almost too bright and I wish I had a pair of
sunglasses which sounds stupid because where would I get those right now.

I walk around, the map in my mind as coherent as if it was physical in my hands, and let
my intuition at this point lead the way. I walk by the same white walls and the
fluorescent lights, flickering as if the bulbs are going to go out, but they never do.

I walk and I hear footsteps. Strange, they’re early. I usually don’t hear them right away.

Listening to them get closer, I realize they don’t sound as heavy as usual. They sound
lighter and more hurried if anything. I stop, not sure if I should keep going and try to lose

this new mystery person, or wait and see who it is. Is it possible I am not the only one
trapped here? Why are they only showing themselves now though?

I don’t have time to dwell on it when I see a shadow of a person about the same height
as me and a man runs up and freezes when he sees me. We both stare at each other,
with scrutinizing looks. He looks into my eyes and I can see he isn’t a threat. His hair is
mussed, going in different directions, his eyes bloodshot and skin pale, probably like
mine given how long we both have been trapped in here.

He visibly relaxes, his shoulders dropping from their tense pose and his hands
unclench.

“You’re trapped here too?” he asks, his voice hoarse as he has to clear his throat.

Probably from not having anyone to talk to. My voice probably sounds the same and it
makes me realize that I haven’t used my voice since I’ve woken up in this place.

“Yes,” I say, my voice softer than I remembered. God, how long have I been here? I
didn’t even remember how I sounded.

“How long?” he asks tentatively and I hesitate.

“I…don’t know. I woke up here and then…it’s like I’m–,” I start, but then he cuts me off.

“Doing the same thing, over and over?” he says and I nod.
“It’s happening to me too. I woke up here and then the door opens, I run around this
place and then all of a sudden it goes dark and…I’m back in the room. Sound about
right?” he asks, seeing if I have been going through the same thing and I nod even
though I know I can speak now.

“Yeah, I don’t know how long I’ve been here. Do you know who’s keeping us here? Do
you know where we are?” I ask, having to take a breath. I know I shouldn’t be asking
this many questions so fast especially if he may not know as much as I do. Still, this is
the first person I am talking to in a while and my questions aren’t confined to my mind.

“I don’t know how long I’ve been here either. My guess, some psychopath who thinks
kidnapping people is fun and it seems like a warehouse, but its probably bigger than
what we see, or what he wants us to see,” he says and I’m surprised he answered
everything with no annoyance in his voice.

“Well, two heads are better than one. Let’s stick together and when we black out again,
we find each other and go from there,” I say hoping that’s a good plan. It’s the only plan
I have at the moment and we really don’t have a lot of options.

“Yeah, sounds good. I’ve been slowly going insane in here. I’m glad I found you, despite
the circumstances.”

“Yeah, me too.”

“I’m Alex,” he says, putting out his hand and my brain falters before I put my hand out
and shake it.

“I’m Abby,” I say and he smiles.

He has dimples.

Not the point Abby.

“Alright Abby, where to first?” he says and I’m surprised he isn’t taking charge.

“Um…this way,” I say pointing in the direction I was already going. He nods and puts his
hand out signaling for me to lead the way. I nod smiling slightly and start walking,
hearing his footsteps behind me.

“So, do you think there are others here?” I ask.

“I’m not sure. You’re the first person I’ve seen here.”

I nod and continue walking, my feet taking me to the familiar spots. However, we make
it to an unfamiliar part and I wonder if this place changes every time or maybe I haven’t
made it this far yet.

“So, which way?” I hear Alex ask and I shrug, looking down both ways and just seeing a
little light with the end pitch black.

“I’m not sure,” I say, bouncing back and forth on my feet. “I haven’t been here before.”

“I haven’t either. Weird, I feel like I know this place better than my own house by now,”
he chuckles softly.

I smile knowing the feeling, and it feels wrong to laugh, but for some reason it feels easy
with Alex.

“Well, I say we go right. I don’t know when we’ll get knocked out again, so if its wrong
we come back and go left,” he explains and I nod starting to go down the right. He
follows and as we walk, we both hear the same footsteps making us freeze in our spots.

“Oh come on,” I hear him mutter bitterly under his breath.

“Let’s remember to meet back here, deal?”

He nods and says, “Deal.”

Before either of us are ready, the footsteps get louder, and everything goes black.