Seconds

9:00 PM

His screams seems to give everyone a new adrenaline as they race through the halls, trying to see through the badly lit hallway.

"Everyone, in," Parker barks as he rams his shoulder into a door. It opens with a loud creak in protest and everyone files into the room.

Callie is the last one in, and just as she steps inside, a hand grabs her by the shoulder.

She screams out in fear as it tries to pull her back into the hall. But Ben is a stronger and pulls hard on Callie, making the hand release her as she falls back into the room.

Parker quickly shuts the door behind her. The others help him rebolt the door and put one of the old dressers in front it. They're hiding out in an abandoned bedroom.

There's a loud pounding coming from the door, and everyone stays completely still. After a few minutes, the pounding stops and the footsteps fade away.

They all step back and away from the door. Fear is gripping Callie as her body shakes uncontrollably. Her legs can't support her weight so she sits down on the floor as she lets out a quiet sob.

"What's wrong? Are you hurt?" Jessica whispers when she sees the fragile teenage girl on the ground.

"It almost got me," Callie's voice is shaking just like herself. Her tears are black like her shirt because of the mascara. "And that- that was me. I must have killed Reed."

"That wasn't you," Parker says forcefully. "I didn't kill Katie and you didn't kill Reed. He might not even be dead."

"But- But then who did it?" she asks quietly.

"It's not a 'who'," Seth growls as he crosses his arms. "It's a 'what'."

"Well, whatever it is," Ben starts. "It's out to kill us."

"Reed said earlier that Callie was on his card, and then she killed him," Seth states, trying to think. "Same thing with Parker and Katie."

"So, the second person who's on our card is the one out to kill us?" Callie whimpers. "Reed- Reed is really dead?"

"Ugh, the reception sucks here," they all hear Abby complain by the window as she holds her phone up to the ceiling. She stomps her foot. "My arm hurts, and I don't even have one bar yet."

"Two people just got murdered," Ben growls. "And you're worried about your cell phone's reception?"

"And it's battery," Abby mutters. "I only have ten percent left."

"So that means we can't call the police," Callie whimpers again.

Suddenly, there's heavy footsteps coming from the hallway again. Everyone goes silent as they hold their breaths.

The footsteps creak against the wooden floor, but then stop when they make it in front of their door.

The door handle moves violently, as if someone is trying to open the door. Callie and Jessica quickly scoot further away as Ben takes a few steps back with them.

After a minute, the door handle goes still again, as if the person on the other side has given up. The heavy footsteps leave the door and continues down the hall.

Callie covers her mouth as she cries. Her fear courses through her body again as her body shakes uncontrollably.

"What is going on?" Jessica cries out in a fierce whisper.

"Don't worry," Parker whispers across the room. "We're going to get out of here."

"How?" Abby demands in her normal, shrill voice as she pockets her phone. The others angrily shush her.
"How?" she tries again in a low whisper. "Through the window? That little brat from earlier locked it."