A Deadly Trip (Now Available on Amazon!) (Unedited Version)

Chapter 13

"Are you sure the button won't work?" Avery asked for what I felt was literally the millionth time.

No one had stepped foot outside the elevator since we arrived in the basement. Instead we all stood huddled together inside the cramped space looking out at the dim hallway.

"Do you want to check for yourself?"

You could hear the exasperation in Cade's voice.

Just like Avery had been asking the same question over and over, Cade had been giving her the same answer over and over.

Avery shoved her way over to the panel and repeatedly pressed the L button, like we hadn't tried that 20 billion times, and when that didn't work she started pressing random numbers for the floors.

When still nothing happened Avery turned around with a huff.

"It's not working."

I'm not positive, but I'm pretty sure I saw Cade's eye twitch.

"Yeah I know. I've only said it like a hundred times now."

Avery shot him a look before crossing her arms over her chest.

"Whatever. How are we going to get out of here?"

"Mr.Frazier should notice we're gone." Megan said as she eyed the hallway.

"Yeah unless he actually did leave. He did say that if we weren't outside in five minutes the bus was leaving with or without us." I added.

"He wouldn't leave us in a hotel unsupervised." Megan said shaking her head.

"So what do we do? Just sit here and hope that someone decides to check the basement?" Dawn asked.

"That's all we can do. Unless you want to go out there." Archer said nodding towards the hallway.

Dawn shook her head.

Archer sighed.

"So I guess we wait then."

***

Five minutes turned into twenty minutes and twenty minutes turned into forty.

We had been stuck sitting in the elevator for almost an hour and no one had come.

"You guys, no one is coming. If we want to get out of here we're going to have to find our own way out." Cade said after checking his phone again.

Seeing as he shoved it back in his pocket it was safe to say that there was still no signal.

An involuntary shiver ran through me as a bad memory resurfaced.

I felt Archer squeeze my hand and I looked over at him.

"You alright?" He asked quietly.

I simply nodded and turned to look back out at the hallway.

"Cade's right. If we want to find a way out we'll have to find it ourselves." Dawn spoke up from her spot in the corner of the elevator.

"Are you crazy!? We don't know our way around down here. We could get lost and then no one will ever find us. We should just stay here. Someone has to notice we're gone." Avery eyed us with a distasteful look before adding, "Well me at least."

Megan scoffed.

"Whatever. You can stay here and wait all you want. As much as it pains me to say it, Cade's right. We can't just sit here and hope someone will magically come by. We've been sitting here for almost an hour already."

Cade turned to look at the rest of us.

"What about you guys? What do you want to do?"

Ignoring Cade completely, Archer turned to face me.

"What do you want to do? If you want to stay we--"

Archer was cut off as Hotel California by the Eagles suddenly started playing through the small speakers at the top of the elevator.

Everyone's heads lifted to the speakers as the song continued to play.

I gripped Archer's hand and looked back at him, my mind made up.

"I want to get out of here."

Archer nodded slowly.

The song had obviously freaked Avery out too because she was gripping Cade's shirt like it was a life line.

"Let's go." She said while still eyeing the speakers.

Cade took Avery's hand and led her out into the hallway.

Dawn and Becca followed and then Megan and Blake.

Before stepping out into the hallway Archer kissed the side of my head.

"Everything is going to be fine." He said, obviously sensing my nervousness.

"I know." I said quietly, even though I didn't.

Archer led me out into the hallway where the others waited and as soon as both of my feet touched the crumbling stone floor there was a ding and I turned around in time to watch the elevator doors slide close.