PANIC ROOM

Six

 An alarm blares sharply, as the red lights dim. The tunnel plunges into darkness.

CLICK!

A relief of pressure dissipates as my mask breaks into two segmented halves.

You may remove your masks to eat and drink.

"Has anyone got any matches?" Mark's unfiltered voice resonates in the darkness. Some shuffling in the darkness, as someone removes their rucksack.

"In here somewhere goddammit..." Nick's voice sounds frustrated, but then the rummaging stops.

A match is lit, weakly illuminated a few candidates' faces. Nick looks about twenty, with thick brows and a strong, stubborn jaw. Andy however, whom I presume is the youngest, is about fifteen at most, his youthful face haggard with exhaustion.

James has set up a makeshift fire, already preparing the food as Nick lights it up. An orange glow glowers in the centre, revealing everyone crowded around the heat.

All except me.

"C'mon 020 it's getting cold, you coward-"

Johnny snaps, turning around and gazing at me with slight contempt. I sit by the fire, as Will distributes the vacuum-packed stew. It looks like a flattened turd. I try not to compare its taste as such as I eat it.

"Who's that?" Charlie points at me rudely, his small mouth filled with stew. The others look with mild interest, slightly caught off guard.

I look at my reflection in the greasy stew. Honeyed skin, rosebud lips, two untidy braids cascading down my shoulders.

"I'm 020...?" My voice is higher without the mask's distortion, my hesitation exposed through its shaking tremors.

"What's your real name?" Lucas asks, staring intently with intimidating blue eyes. I shrug, focusing my attention on my food.

"Jeez, I'm sorry about your face," 006 Jacob smiles apologetically, his pointy fang-like teeth glittering in the light.

"I was the guy who you beat to get the rucksack"

"Is the cut that bad?" I feel the jagged gash where the metal of the mask carved into my cheek. Jacob shakes his head quickly, his eyes piercing into my face.

I eat the stew, stealing glances at the others. I realise I'm the only woman. The youngest candidates eat in a huddle, exchanging small whispers. Will looks the oldest, but he himself is no more than twenty-five, his tanned golden face reflecting the embers of the fire.

I try to ignore the feeling that I'm being watched. The eyes of the other candidates burn with hostility. I look up from my food, straight into the most intense gaze of all.

James fixes his round eyes on my face, not breaking his stare. Recognition clicks in his eyes. I look away, terrified.

Suddenly the air around me feels cold and unfeeling, my breath chilling in vapour as the fire dies.

"What happened?" Tommy's whisper echoes in the gloom. A high-pitched savage giggle comes from the end of the corridor, nails scratching against the stone floor as the fallen crawls towards us.

"Everyone hide!" I hiss, grabbing my mask and groping through the darkness, praying I don't meet the hungry Fallen.

This is like Hide and Seek.

But the seeker's found me now. Game over.