Following the chilling success of their first collection, Lady Eckland, Glenn Riley, and new collaborator, Bella Darkwood return to guide you through the shadowy corridors of fear with their second compendium, *Whispers In The Dark 2*. These master...
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Chapter 1
"Just sign here to confirm you release the organizers from liability in case of any injury or...other occurrences during the challenge," said Walter, the shifty looking agent who had brought us by boat to this remote, ramshackle old prison.
My friends examining their "release forms" looked equal parts hesitant and thrilled as I felt. We were risk junkies, drawn to the viral escape room challenges posted on obscure internet forums guaranteeing authentic supernatural encounters. The games took place in notoriously haunted locations, and if the whispered legends about this place were true, we were in for a terrifying night none of us would forget.
"C'mon guys, aren't you tired of fake jump scares at Halloween mazes?" I said. "This is the real deal. Let's do this!"
I grabbed the pen and scribbled my signature with an eager flourish. One by one my friends followed. As the last person signed, Walter grinned, revealing a gold tooth that glinted in the fading evening light.
"Excellent," he said. "The game begins at sundown. Enter through those doors and find your way out of Stonehurst Penitentiary by daybreak. Good luck...you'll need it." His low laughter sent a chill through me as he walked away.
We stood in the stone courtyard with its overgrown weeds and crumbling pillars, staring up at the immense abandoned prison, our nerves rising in unison. Stonehurst loomed over us like a great tomb promising horrors within its depths. Gargoyles peered from corners as if standing guard over damned secrets. The small windows were like endless dark eyes awaiting our souls. But playing these games took steel courage, even foolhardiness, which our self-dared group had always had in excess.
As the sun slowly set, we stepped inside the creaking metal doors into a vast hallway with debris and dirt strewn about. Heavy shadows clung to everything. It was dead silent. The air smelled foul, like moldy earth and decay. We clicked on our flashlights. Their pale beams illuminated clouds of dust filling the space, flooding over us as we walked quietly down the hall lined with tiny cells. Some old cots and broken furniture lay abandoned in them. Everything was still except for scurrying rats.
"Where do we start looking for clues to get out of this hell hole?" asked Akil.
"Shh!" said Ria. "Do you guys hear that?"
We froze, listening to the darkness around us. The silence felt heavy, watchful.
Then we jumped as a loud metallic clang shattered it. We spun our flashlight beams toward the noise. A large metal door had swung shut at the end of the hall behind us where we had entered.
Ria grasped my arm. "Guys, did that just lock us in?" Her eyes were wide.
I strode to the door and examined it, tugging uselessly on the handle. "Yup, definitely locked. I guess once the game starts, the doors begin closing behind us automatically." I studied the solid metal door and shining new electronic lock. "The game makers clearly installed some remote controlled doors and sounds to mess with us."
