Leave This House

Day 1- Trial and Error

They climbed out of their hiding places again. Corbin sat on the bed with Iris beside him. "So, we're stuck in here until we escape?"

"Yeah," she sighed. "Solomon's been in here for... How long would you say, Sol?"

"I have been here for at least one month."

"And you've never gotten caught?"

"He's never really left the room," Flint said, rolling his eyes. "I'm at four days but I've been here for maybe a week. I'm not too sure."

Corbin asked, "Where did you get food and water?" He scrunched his nose. "And go to the bathroom?"

Becca nodded to the door. "There's a bathroom to the right of us. One of the sinks has running water. Granny keeps watermelon hidden in random places that we eat sometimes. We haven't found one in three days though."

"What random places?" 

"The tub, hanging from banister downstairs, taped underneath a bed, closets. You never know. And you never see her place them."

"There's also random stuff in them sometimes," Elvyne said. "We've found torn painting pieces, a hammer, a key."

"How the heck does she get a hammer in a fruit?" Corbin asked.

"She is evil, man," Solomon said shaking his head. "Serious voodoo."

"Can't we use the key to get out?"

"There's more than one key needed to get out. And a code is needed. And there's these glowing red buttons that when we push them, Granny comes," Flint sighed. "The one key that I found didn't go to any of the locks on the doors. After a couple days, Granny must have taken the key and other stuff back because it's not here anymore."

Corbin thought. "So it's like a treasure hunt? Or an escape room." He stood up. "We just have to find all the tools and keys! We could get out!"

No one seemed excited. Becca said, "Well, that's what we've been trying to do. Heck, that's what people have been trying to do for nearly 40 years. There's no way we can do it in five days."

Flint shrugged his shoulders. "If we're just going to die, let's die trying to get out."

Elvyne grabbed Corbin's hand. Corbin looked at it then her face. "I'm with Corbin," she said, looking into his eyes. Corbin noticed her eyes were hazel. She smiled and let go. "You with us Solomon? Bec?"

Solomon looked at them like they were insane. Becca rocked back and forth on her feet before she finally gave in. "I guess if we don't get out, we can leave hints and notes for other kids who get kidnapped. I'll do it."

Elvyne clapped quietly. "Solomon? Iris?" Iris was staring off into space. "I'll do whatever." she said dreamily. Elvyne looked at Corbin, eyebrows raised. "Oookay. We just need Solomon."

Iris came out of her daydream with a snap. "Solomon, you're the biggest person here but you're the biggest baby! Just put your big boy pants on and help us!" she snapped. Everyone stared at her awkwardly. Flint cleared his throat. "Plus," he said, " We need you for your strength and because you have the most days left besides Corbin."

Solomon rubbed his hands together. "Okay. I will do it." Everyone gave a silent cheer. "Good work Corbin," Elvyne said. Corbin blushed. "Oh, I didn't do anything."

Becca gagged. "Let's just go."

"Wait," Corbin said. "Is this everyone?"

Becca nodded slowly. "Yeah?"

"What about that kid that was in the corner? Brown hair, covered in blood?"

Solomon stepped forward. "That was Hadley Lucas. He is gone now. Do you see why now we should not do this?" Corbin shook his head. "I still think we should go." He took a deep breathe. "If this Granny is as bad as you say she is, some of us might not make it. Some, or all of us, might die. But I feel like this is still the best thing to do. Do we have a plan?"

"That is your territory, man," Solomon growled. 

"Fine then. What's all our supplies?"

Becca opened the drawer on the dresser, one of the four pieces of furniture in the room. She pulled out wire cutters. "This is it. And some broken painting pieces."

As she opened the other drawer, Corbin caught sight of something. "Wait, what it that?" He strode over to the dresser and looked in the left hand drawer. Painted in what could only be blood were the words, 'Leave this house'.

Corbin looked away from it, stomach churning a little. People really had been stuck here and couldn't get out. With a firm resolve in his brain, Corbin decided then they would be the first. They would show Granny that they could deal with her crap.

"Okay," Corbin said, taking the wire cutters. "These will help in someway. I think Granny wants us to put together a puzzle of escape, in a way. I think it's entirely possible. We just have to put our minds to it."

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Everyone was hiding under the bed except Corbin and Becca. Corbin looked at the hidden figures and nodded. He took a deep breath and kicked over the table. It clattered loudly on the wood floors. Corbin opened the door and he and Becca slid behind it.

There were sudden footsteps. The floorboards creaked. Through the crack between the door and the wall, Corbin could see Granny walk in quickly. She looked at the table then set it back up. She turned around and walked out. She never saw anyone. Corbin peaked around the corner and saw the old lady shuffle down the stairs and turn into the basement.

"Lets go," he whispered. Everyone slid out from under the bed and followed him and Becca.

Becca, Solomon and Flint went down the stairs to look in the kitchen. Iris, Elvyne and Corbin walked carefully into the neighboring bedroom. It was still plain room but more decorated then their bedroom. Iris looked through the drawers. She shook her head.

Elvyne checked in the closet for something. Corbin's ears were straining to hear Granny. There was a bed in here in case they needed to hide at least. Corbin walked into the closet. Elvyne ran her hand over the shelves, dust showering her hair. As she pulled her hand down, she bumped the one clothes hanger. It tumbled from the metal rail. Corbin caught it before it could hit the ground. Elvyne and Corbin let out a collective sigh.

The closet connected to another bedroom. Corbin looked through the dresser. The only thing he found was a rusty cogwheel. He sighed and left it in the drawer. 

"Corbin, Iris," Elvyne whispered from the closet. "Come see this." Corbin carefully walked to her, trying to avoid the broken floorboard. Elvyne was crouched by the wall of the closet. A stack of boxes were leaned against it. "What are we supposed to see?" Iris asked. Elvyne pulled back the boxes a little. "There's light behind here," she said. Corbin looked. There was. A dim light could be seen in the small gap. "Let's move them," Corbin said. He pulled back a little. The top box went toppling. Iris gasped and held out her hands. The box landed heavily in her arms.

Corbin breathed out. The near catastrophe hadn't made any noise. Iris pulled open the flaps. "What's in these?" Everyone leaned their heads in to see. Iris pulled the box back and... nothing. The box was lined with rubber to make it heavy. Everyone fell back on their knees in disappointment. "We can still check the other boxes," Elvyne offered. Corbin stood to grab the next box when someone downstairs screamed.

"She's coming!"