My body hair raised, eyes wide open, and sweat sliding down my cheeks.
Hira wasn't in a good state either.
She was shaking as if she were bathing in ice-cold water without an opportunity to get out.
Our hands were cuffed...
If we tried to rush out, we might get caught by him, which would lead to bad injuries or worse... death.
But the other way around, if we stay here, he might find us and crush us with his hammer like Bugs.
'I have to make a decision'
I grabbed Hira's hand and sneaked back into the kitchen.
She twitched slightly.
"What are you-... who is-... why is he-!?"
Hira's mind was blank.
It's rough for her to form a single sentence due to the shock.
"I'll explain everything later. Now we'll have to survive!"
Tho I also didn't know much.
There were still many questions in the air...
It was hard to find a place to hide.
The kitchen cabinet was too small, the fridge, no way, and behind the entrance door was too risky.
It might not end well.
Our only way is to hide on the opposite side of the room.
In the middle of the kitchen was a big working surface, so he couldn't see us when we crouched down.
I slightly glanced over the work surface, but couldn't see or hear any noise from him.
'Try to stay calm fellra!'
The atmosphere felt severe, as if an anvil was crushing down on my lungs.
The fear of the unknown and uncertainty made it hard to think rationally.
Tap...
Tap...
'He's coming!'
After his silhouette appeared in the entrance, I immediately pulled my head back down.
The killer stopped for a second, surveying the kitchen.
"Why is he stop-..."
"Shhhh"
I covered Hira's mouth with my hand, making sure she stayed quiet.
Still...
I'd like to know, too, why he's stopping so suddenly.
'Maybe he noticed something is off'
In a short period of time, he resumed.
I tried to navigate us in a safer direction by listening to his footsteps.
Tap...
Tap...
My ears perceived his steps, walking to the right side of the kitchen.
As he did, Hira and I moved to the left.
We continued hiding on the opposite side, down the working surface.
Slam!
He slammed down the body on the worktop, only hearing the blood dripping down.
Hira and I continued skulking to the exit.
Unfortunately, before closing the distance between us and the door, he stepped right in front of my hand, which I had laid on the ground.
I immediately pulled myself back, hoping he didn't see me.
Fortunately, I was right.
It seemed like he was searching for something...
Maybe a knife to cut down the body?
But...
I haven't found one here?
'Could it be?!'
I quickly glanced at Hira, stretching out my arm with an open hand, trying to symbolize to her to give me her knife.
"...!?"
She was slightly surprised by my gaze but understood my sign and just nodded.
She grabbed the knife out of her pocket and gave it to me.
The knife looked old and used with its surface scratches.
I took all my courage, wanting to get out of my hiding spot to ram the knife inside his eyes.
It would've been the best opportunity now. He was not concentrating on his surroundings.
So it's easy prey!
Tho...
'W-why can't I move?!'
I was glued to the ground, trembling.
I couldn't understand why it was so hard for me to try to attack him and get out.
I gritted my teeth and sneaked as fast as I could back and threw the knife on the ground next to the body on the worktop.
Clang...!
"...!"
It was vague, but I didn't have much choice but to risk it.
But...
He walked towards the noise, next to the body.
'It worked'
I grabbed my legs and crouched with Hira out of the kitchen.
In the last second, after Hira fled out of the room, he turned around.
Fortunately, he hasn't noticed us.
It is time to get the hell out of this place.
Both of us, continuously crouched until we reached the exit, out of the cafeteria.
My heart was pounding even more after reaching the door.
'Finally...'
I grabbed the door handle, but before opening it...
"...!?"
"...!?"
A shock ran down my spine. A knife, thrown behind us, was stuck in the door a few millimeters away from my head.
Both glanced backwards.
Our eyes, exchanging eye contact with the killer we thought we had escaped...
He was just standing behind the counter staring into our souls, before starting to move towards us.
Mine and Hira's minds were like connected.
Run and survive...!
And so we did!
Going through the door as quickly as possible, running through the corridor.
We didn't know where, but we had to find a hiding spot.
We stopped for a second.
There was a path to the left or the right.
'Where should we go!?'
One wrong turn and we won't see the next sunset
So think fellra! Think!!!
'The sign!'
The sign I ran into was leading me to the cafeteria.
It also showed a blank sign.
But... was it really blank?
The sign was just a few steps in front of us.
"We have to check something"
"Check!?"
Hira was clearly puzzled, but nodded immediately.
As we started to walk forward, the killer exited the cafeteria as well, accompanied by his big spiked hammer in his hands.
Every second mattered.
As we approached, we noticed a writing
EXIT
'I was right!'
A warm feeling developed inside my belly.
There is an escape!
But it's too early to celebrate now...
Our hearts fell into our pants as we saw the killer just a few meters behind us.
My legs started moving on their own to the right. Followed by Hira.
We ran past many cells with the killer right behind us.
With every step, our legs get heavier and heavier.
'Where's the exit!?'
My eyes are going left and right multiple times.
Any hint of an escape also seems far, as the end of the corridor approaches.
The killer... He's getting closer and closer while our bodies are getting more exhausted.
'Dammit! It must be here somewhere!'
Except... we took the wrong side overall.
If we don't find the exit soon, our fatigued bodies will be destined for death.
And as all hope was lost, Hira caught something with her eyes.
"Fellra! We have to turn around!"
Turn around!?
Is she crazy!?
"Are you out of your mind!? If we stop now, he surely will end our lives!"
"I saw something!"
Maybe she meant the exit!? If that's true, we have to go back... but how?
"I've got an idea."
"And what's going on in your mind?"
I asked worriedly, but I was open to trying.
I mean... there's nothing to lose! Except maybe our lives.
"Get him closer. And before he reaches us, we stop, dodge, and run oppositely."
I understood.
We take the time where he gets confident reaching us, stopping unexpectedly, and taking the brief time of confusion to turn around.
"Alright. I see two possibilities. The first one is after he tries to grab us, duck.
The second one, if he uses his hammer, dodge to the side."
Hira nodded without saying a word.
We slowed down our movement, at the same time making it look natural.
Both felt the pressure of him getting closer and closer.
It felt like the air was getting thicker.
He's already right behind us, craning his arm towards me!
'I need to wait for the perfect moment'
He's getting closer
'Be patient...'
And closer...
'Wait...'
Sweat is dropping down.
And then...
"NOW!"
I ducked down.
As I did, he immediately tried to grab Hira.
Fortunately, she instinctively ducked, but almost got caught.
We took the moment and ran with our last energy towards the exit that Hira saw.
With no hesitation, the killer turned toward us, continuing the chase.
Still... is there really an exit? Or did Hira mistake something for an exit?
After a long and hard run, she pointed out an open prison cell in front with her finger.
"Inside the cell! There's the exit!"
We dashed inside.
Just a normal prison cell.
Except.
'A vent!'
A vent above a white, scraped bed. Big enough to fit through with ease.
We rushed onto the bed, ready to climb inside.
Hira first.
Getting up was like a cat jumping for her.
'Now me'
Hira stretched her arm out towards me.
"Here! Take my hand quickly."
Gladly, I took the generous offer and wrapped my hand around hers.
"Hngggg!"
With her last power, she pulled me up.
"Let's get out of here"
Frazzled, Hira began crawling through the aluminium vent.
There wasn't time to relax, so I commenced following her.
'Finally safe...'
After quietly celebrating the survival, I felt something was pulling my legs
"...!?"
As I gazed back, I saw the killer halfway climb into the vent, yanking me to him.
"Shit!!!"
Fortunately, Hira noticed and immediately grasped my hand, pulling me to her.
My body is being stretched back and forth as if they were playing tug-of-war, and I'm the rope.
It hurt... A lot!
Luckily, I slipped through his hands.
Hira and I immediately resumed crawling as fast as our bodies allowed us.
The vent was too big for him to crawl inside further, so he couldn't continue chasing.
"Fellra, let's take a short break."
"Sure..."
I stopped, leaning my back against the wall sitting
Hira did the same.
There wasn't a single word exchanged.
We were just glad that the horror was over.
Surprisingly, no one had big injuries.
I just had a little scratch on my leg from the killer.
But out of the sudden...
The vent below opened like a trapdoor
"Huh...?"
We fell on a bed.
First me, then Hira who landed on me
"Ow ow ow..."
My eyes were closed.
I rubbed my bruised back, while Hira was arising up, away from my body.
As I opened my eyes, I was in shock.
"Why... are we here again..."
The surroundings looked like the last prison cell.