It's Complicated: A Zombie Romance Novel

Second Elevator

Who would have thought that there was a secret elevator tucked behind all those lights? Not any of the other players for sure, yet it was there for everyone to know. Every person had to get fitted up here at some point or another, zombies and runners alike.

How devious of Headset Guy -- Derrick -- to place the entrance to a second elevator right under our noses, in the room he applied makeup. The question was how was I going to get there from here?

"So what's the plan, Michael?" I asked.

"I thought you were the one with all the plans," he said.

"I take it you don't have one then." I started playing with my hair. It was a nervous tick, I know, but it was better than eating my nails down to nothing. I might need my nails for something; my hair was just a liability here.

"No, I'm just the guy with the controls," he said. I had to think.

"Is there anyway to get to the makeup room from in the game?"

"No, the only access is from the first floor on the party side. There are no exits on the second and third levels."

"Ok, ok I get it." I bit down on my hair. It was crunchy. "So where does that leave us?"

"I thought about the best route. The problem is there really is only one and you aren't going to like it." Was he trying to make me more nervous than I already was? I really hadn't thought that possible. "If you can get to level one again I might be able to get you out. But then there's the party."

"It's worth a try."

"You will have to leave the game and travel through the hoards of partying college zombies, without drawing their attention. It's not going to be easy."

No it wasn't, but that elevator was my only shot. What had that stupid test said about traveling through hoards of dancing zombies? 'Party like it's 1999?' No, that couldn't have been right. 'Cover yourself in the scent of the dead' or something. I'd do anything at this point if it meant putting an end this.

"I'll do it."

"You'll have to ditch the card to leave the game."

"It's worth the risk. I can use the copy you made to make the elevator work, right?"

"Yeah, the clone card I gave you should work."

"No better time to try it out." I could hear footsteps outside the room, but they were fading. Nothing was coming my way yet. I put my hand on the door, ready to run for my life.

"Wait for my signal," he warned.

"Run," Michael yelled in my ear, "You have an open window." That's what I did. I ran right into the arms of Gideon.