INFERNO (Dolan Twins) [ON HIATUS]

7. Night-Walkers

(Countdown Timer: 22:37:05)
Ethan's POV

"Who said that?" I whisper while squeezing Grayson tightly.

He looks beside at me and slightly shrugs at the question. A quiet and awkward cough erupts from his mouth as we wait for a sign of the voice over the speaker. Everyone around us glows with red as the group slowly huddled together.

"So you wanted to know why you're here?" The voice comes out again. "You're here because it's time for feeding."

"F-feeding?" Grayson repeats the last word quietly.

"This is no normal escape room, my friends. There are no limits to what can happen, and anything can and will harm you."

"What the hell does that mean?!" Troy disbands and looks all around the room, breathing heavily like a Spanish bull. "Don't be a pussy! Show yourself!"

The speakers crackle, and a distorted vibe rings sharply inside my ears as I cover them from the stinging, high pitched sounds. I clutch Grayson even tighter as the sound of a buzzer goes out loudly. Gas exhales from the floor and creates an opaque cloud that covers our feet.

What the hell did we get ourselves into?!

Rhea shrieks quietly and hugs Troy in fear, while Daisy, Shane, and Chris stand in a formation back to back, with concerned expressions plastered on their faces. The room's lights suddenly go out, leaving us in the dark. Silence ripples through as we feel like we're stuck here for an eternity.

"Initiating night-hunters, wave one."

Night...night-hunters?

"Something's not right," Daisy mumbles to us. "It's way too qui- OW!!!"

"Daisy?!" We all shriek in fright, terrified of why she would scream like that.

"Oops!" The voice comes back onto the intercom. "I forgot to mention that the night-hunters ambush by the sense of hearing and sound waves from any noise. But I'm sure you'll master it when you try to find the first crystal."

There's a first crystal?!

"Your lady friend has been infected by a night-hunter. They do not eat human flesh, but if you're bitten, you will transform exactly forty-five minutes from now. If everyone here gets bitten, you will be dead meat to the infernos.

However, if at least one of you can find the antidotes undetected, then everyone can be cured. Use your flashlights to your advantage. The night-hunters are blind as bats," the distorted voice informs.

"And since this is a first wave, I will be generous and provide you with the ability to message one another. Do not speak or make loud movements. They can and will bite."

My insides feel like squirming as the intercom crackles loudly, then silencing. The seven of us are left in the dark, unsure of where to start as a forty-five minute clock- bright red- ticks down. Each group member turns on their flashlight, holding their phones in such a way that we can all see each other's faces.

I notice the pale and panicked face of Daisy, who's been quiet this entire time after being bitten. Her hand squeezes the top of her left arm, giving a sign that it's the place where the night-walker attacked her. Daisy gestures her view to the side, where the rest of us look and see a horrendous looking creature.

It's bipedal, yet slouched like a zombie from "The Walking Dead." My insides twist at the sight of the ebony, burnt flesh, and a helpless gaze takes over my eyes as I observe the creature limping towards a corner of the room.

Grayson shines his phone behind him and I. To my horror, three more of these night-walkers are standing, motionless. The fact that they don't even have eyes make this whole situation worse. Way worse.

Between me and Gray, we stare at each other, then our phones. We nod once, automatically understanding each other.

(Grayson🤘🏼)
Me: dude...

Grayson: Ethan I'm scared.

Me: that creature thing looks like a zombie

Grayson: except it has no eyes 😐

Me: DID YOU SERIOUSLY NEED TO POINT THAT OUT?!

Grayson: can we just forget about it? Daisy's been bitten, and I'm pretty sure we've wasted ten minutes standing here and doing nothing.

Me: alright...

Me: but what do we do?

Grayson: ask the others for their numbers or something.

Grayson: and then we can create a group chat.

Me: ok

I look up from my phone and notice everyone else is staring and typing on their phones too. Rhea eventually looks up and sees me standing there in the poorly lit area. I raise my hand and show my phone prominently, pointing at it frantically.

She nods in assurance, turning to her friends to silently tell them the idea. Then, a few minutes later, everyone gets added into a group chat, where Daisy tells us something really, really concerning.

(Inferno Group)
Daisy: guys...

Daisy: everything looks twisted and distorted to me

Daisy: am I dying?

Rhea: Idek...and I'm really scared

Troy: so am I

Grayson: how about we split into pairs and search the room for this crystal and the antidote for Daisy?

Shane: that's a great idea Grayson.

Troy: we having an odd number of people dumbass

Troy: that means someone needs to search alone

Me: or...

Me: or we can have a trio...

Me: if everyone's okay with it.

Chris: I'm fucking done with this scary shit, so I'll do anything to get away from those damned monsters

Daisy: can I be in a group of three?

Daisy: I don't feel so good

Grayson: join Eth and I! Three heads are better than two!

Daisy: aww thanks Grayson :)

Troy: Rhea and I will search together

Shane: then that leaves Chris and I.

Troy: let's start looking around, Daisy doesn't have much time

Rhea: 33 minutes and 41 seconds to be exact...

Rhea: that's not a lot of time

Me: then split up, but don't make a sound.

Me: who knows how fast those things can move when they hear us...