A Key Drenched In Blood

1 Before The Escape

"That's a little too tight."
Cody draws his hand back as his daughter touches the place where her ribbon is. She pulls the ribbon out, placing it on the table.
"Sorry baby, I'm defeated."
He steps back as Reese throws her hands up.
"Ugh okay. I'm gonna get mom."
They had been working on Reese's hair for an hour. Cody knows he's just not cut out for this sort of dad life. These are the times he is thankful for Clover. He watches as his daughter leaves the room.
Moments later, a woman follows Reese into the room cutting a look at Cody. She moves softly, her dark hair moving with her. Turning to face her, he mouths a "Sorry". The woman shoots him another glare. Reese pulls Clover to the mirror. The girl sits in her vanity chair and Clover immediately goes to work.
"I want a nice bun, not too tight." She pauses. "Unlike some people." His daughter side eyes him, making Cody grin. Just like her mother. Not Clover, but Andrea. Andrea. The sudden memory of his first wife hits Cody like a wave. He exits the room, holding onto the wall to steady himself. Not just Andrea. Leah. His baby.
-
A noise outside his room. Gage opens his door, looking out. "Dad?" He sees his father leaning against a wall, looking shaken. Cody stands quickly and puts on the mask he'd been wearing for years. "Hey bud. Almost ready?"
Gage shakes his head.
"I still have so much to pack."
He opens the door, so Cody can see the mess of clothes on his bed.
"Is Ronan still asleep?"
Cody realizes his son is still a lump under the covers. Cody walks over and pokes the lump. "Ronan!"
The bed moves and the oldest brother lifts his head, sleep visible on his face.
"Wha-."
Cody thrusts a bag of clothes in his sons lap.
"Get up and pack. Gage, go wake your sisters."
Gage grumbles. The last thing he wants to do is disturb his sisters peace, but with a glare from his dad, he finds himself walking down the hallway.
He doesn't have to wake his sisters, Jayla is awake, throwing her arms out while she sings a Taylor Swift song. Madison is putting on makeup in the mirror.   She turns as her brother enters.
"Have you seen my mascara?"
"Dad says to come down, and Jayla."
His sister stops singing and turns to face him.
Gage smirks."You sound like ass by the way."
Jayla rolls her eyes and flips him off. Madison turns back to the mirror. "Tell him, I'll be down when I find-." Her voice trailed off. Her eyes catch sight of a small black moving object. Madison screams. "Miranda!"
The mouse scuttles out of from under the vanity, a tube of mascara in its mouth. It turns at the door and rushes out. Madison watches in horror. She was going to kill her older sister.
-
Miranda closes the gate of the cage.
"How did you get out again?"
In response, Riley stares at her with little black eyes and a blank expression. The mouse had been a gift from her mom. Miranda had loved Riley despite her family's absolute distaste of animals. Especially Madison, who would've gladly smashed the mouse with a hammer. Miranda tucks the cage in a corner of her closet and cracks the door to about an inch. The mouse continues to stare at her.
"Don't give me that look. I'll be back."
She sighs, spinning around to her suitcase.
The idea of going to an escape room had come from Miranda. She loved mysteries and locked room cases. Her siblings would often find her lying in bed, a mystery book propped on her lap. "It's my life." She'd said, any time they made fun of her.
This escape room in particular, her dad had discovered.
"An escape room with a night at their hotel included." Her dad had said, toast in hand. Cody had taken a bite, dropped the toast, and wiped his hands. "Oh!" With his mouth full, her dad beamed. "And, they have a pool and sauna!" He had looked over at her stepmother and they'd shared a look. Something in their look had made Miranda feel uneasy. The two did that a lot, sharing secret looks that felt dark and dangerous.
With the memory, Miranda sighs. Her mom had never been a secretive person. She stands, picks up her suitcase and walks out of her room.