The Blame Game

Chapter Six

She seems to be tied to a table, much like Sierra was, except this time she tied there with chains. I rush to her side and try to shake them loose, a rather useless attempt. I kneel down and look under the table, trying to gauge how much chain is actually wrapped around her. But what I see ties my stomach in knots of fear.

A huge spinning blade is rotating beneath the table, and slowly edging closer to the thick wooden surface.

"How do I get you out?" I ask, standing up again. She doesn't have duct tape over her mouth, so she is able to answer me. Her voice is shaky and terrified when she talks.

"I don't know, he didn't say. He just made me lie down, and then he wrapped the chains around me and turned on the saw. He padlocked the chain to the pole over there." she says.

I glance up and see a random metal pole stuck into the ground beside the table. April was right; the chain has been wrapped around it multiple times and a massive heavy duty padlock holds it in place. How the hell am I supposed to get her out by myself?

My prayers are answered just then as another door slides open and Victoria, Li, and Brodie stumble into the room. Thank you Lord!

"What kind of sick game is this?" Li asks, running over to us. I quickly explain the situation to the group, hoping one of them will have an idea of what to do. And that's when I hear the banging on the wall.

I turn to see Sierra and Alaska pounding frantically against a glass window that seems to connect the maze tent and the house of horrors. They're yelling something, but the glass is sound proof, so I can't hear what they're saying.

"Charity! The saw is getting closer!" Brodie yells, and I turn back just in time to see the first couple chips of wood flying off.

"We don't have long! Someone think of something!" I scream.

"Yea! I hope one of you has a bright idea because I don't fancy becoming two people." April laughs hysterically. There is absolutely no hope for her sanity now.

Sierra rushes away and quickly comes back with a piece of paper. She's written something on it.

"Dig the dirt away from the pole. Try to lift it out of the ground." I read aloud.

I hear the others as they fall on their knees around the pole and start digging at the dirt around the pole.

"Guys, it'll take to long. Think of something else!" April yells. "And be quick about it!"

"Can we turn the saw off anyway, Li?" I ask, having a brainwave.

"Um, maybe. Just let me look at this for a second.." she says, and lies down beside the saw. "Hmm.." she muses. She grabs a stray twig and touches the end of it to the base of the saw. The saw doesn't stop, but it doesn't falter.

"Nope, no off-button." she says, still staring at the contraption, her curious mind already trying figure out how it works.

"Guys!" April squeals. The saw is now buried half through the table. Any minute now it will break through the table and kill April in a second. "Can you move the table?"

I run to the table and try to push it aside, but the blade it buried to deep in the wood and the table won't move.

"No, that doesn't work." I say.

And then Li comes to the rescue. "Someone find me a pebble. There's bound to be some on the ground." Victoria rushes off and starts scratching around in the dirt like some crazed dog.

"I found one!" she yells suddenly, and rushes back to Li with it. Li takes the pebble and tries to position herself. She takes a moment, and then stands up, shaking her head.