Stepping out into the hallway from Lyla’s room, we all start splitting off into our teams of 2.

“We’re going to check out the art room and see if someone’s got stuff there.” James says.

“Sounds good, catch you guys later.” I say, watching them walk down the hallway. Now, it’s time for Kellie and I to start working.

“This way.” I say, heading off into the depths of the school.

“So, where exactly is this band room thing? I don’t think I’ve seen it while I was here.” Kellie asks.

“Well, it’s kinda closed off. It’s not really round where you guys do things.” I say. “I haven’t been down there in a while. They don’t let us go down there either.”

We pass the library, I can see some of the changed standing in the halls, giving me the eye, like I don’t belong here. With all the commotion going on the past two days, I think I’m starting to agree with them.

“So, there’s not really much aside from the band room?” Kellie asks.

“Pretty much.” I say, rounding a corner. Passing the auditorium, I point to the doors next to where the entrance is. “They’re behind this door. But, the doors locked. So we’ll have to find another way in.”

Kellie puts her paw to her chin, looking at the door up and down. She then turns to the door to the right, leading into the auditorium.

“You think it’s linked to the auditorium?” She asks.

“What’re you talking about?” I say.

“Well, think about it like this right? It’s the auditorium, this place is a school. They’d do plays wouldn’t they?” She says.

“Yeah I suppose.” I ask.

“So, there’d be a backstage, and if they’re going to put actors in a green room, it’d be linked to the backstage right?” She says.

“Sure.” I respond.

She walks to the other side of the auditorium entrance. Kellie then turns to me and points at the wall.

“Look, there’s no other hallway connecting the auditorium to the outside. That means that if they’re going to put a green room anywhere, it’d be in the band room hallway, since they’ll put the kids in there for both concerts and plays.” She says, smiling. “I used to be a band kid, so this is par for the course for me.”

“So, then how do we get in?” I ask.

“Simple.” Kellie says. “The projector room.”

“Oh I think I know where you’re going with this.” I say. “You want one of us to go up into the projector room, and turn all the lights off. Making everyone blind, letting the other get to the hallway while everyone’s confused?”

“Exactly!” Kellie exclaims. “It’s a pretty good plan right?”

“It could work, who’s going up into the projector room then?” I ask. “You could do it, since you’re a lot smaller than me.”

“Actually, I think it’d be better if you did it.” Kellie says. She starts pacing across the floor, formulating her thoughts into words.

“Because, if I were to do it, while I am smaller, and I could go, what happens if someone is in the hallways? What if I get into the hallways and there’s guys there? That would make this whole plan a bust. Now, If Carter were to go into the hallway to let me in, and he got caught, then he could think up some excuse.”

She turns to me again. “Yeah, I think it’s better that you do it.”

She holds out her paw. “Gimme your keycard. I’ll head up into the projector room.”

“Alright.” I say, grabbing my keycard. “But, you should only keep the lights off for 10 seconds, that should give me enough time to get backstage.”

I hand Kellie the keycard.

“Sounds good, Once I see you in the auditorium, I’ll turn off the lights.” Kellie says, using my keycard to open the stairs to the projector room before slinking in.

Now, I’m on my own, and I don’t have my keycard. So I better make sure I don’t get caught by someone who’s going to start asking questions. Walking into the auditorium, I start making my way to the stage. There’s a wild west movie playing, I can see a sizeable amount of changed sitting in the seats at the auditorium. I notice they’re sitting in groups. Some large groups, some small. There’s even two people in the back of the theater cuddling. I guess love can bloom anywhere, with anyone. As I turn my attention to the walkway leading up to the stage in front of me, the lights go out, as well as the projector with it.

Kellie must have saw me, problem is. I’m not ready.

I start walking to the stage. Counting in my head.

10…..

9….

This walk, soon becomes a racewalk, trying to make as little sound as I can over the commotion and yelps of people. I can hear someone cry out from the bleachers.

“I’m scared of the dark!”

8….

7….

6….

Now, the racewalk turns into a light jog, I can’t really see where I’m going, but I know that if I keep going straight Ill make it to the stage.

5….

4….

The light jog is now picking up, but while I’m moving, I end up double stepping and stumble, catching myself as quietly as possible. However, being one hand short, not only do I barely catch myself, but I can feel my shoulder ache in pain as the force causes me to jolt. I look in front of me and I can see where the hardwood of the stage turns into the painted floor of the stage.

3…

2….

I start crawling as fast as I can, beginning to round the corner to the backstage.

1….

The lights come on, as I swiftly pull the rest of my body into the backstage. The commotion calms down as the movie picks up right where it left off. Holy cow, I didn’t think I was going to make it. Holding my hand to my chest. I can feel my heart beating rapidly. For a few moments, I calm myself down, and walk to the door.

Opening the door, and looking down the hall, I can see the door that Kellie and I were looking at before we started our plan. I’m in the right hallway. I notice the large doors where the band room is right down at the other end. All I have to do is go to the doors, let Kellie in, and check for any entry into the room.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

Walking out of the doors, I start shuffling down to the double doors to let Kellie into the hallway. This is surreal, I feel like I’m doing something I’m not supposed to. Well, I am. But, I can’t shake the feeling that I’m doing something right. It’s a lot easier to make my way back into the hallway where Kellie is, and tell her that I couldn’t find anything, it’d keep her out of trouble, and my coworkers off my back. Although, they’d be at square one. I don’t know if I can do that in good conscience. I make my way to the door, and push it open slowly. As soon as I can see the other side, I’m greeted with Kellie, with a massive smile on her face.

“Holy crap dude, that was awesome.” Kellie says slinking into the hallway.

“I tripped, I didn’t think I was going to make it.” I reply.

“I wasn’t tall enough to see much of it, but I did the 10 seconds like you asked. I don’t think anyone saw you. Still though, that was super cool.” Kellie smiles.

“Thanks Kellie.” I reply. “Now, lets get to this door and see what we can find.”

Kellie and I walk down the hallway slowly. I keep checking over my shoulder to see if there’s someone coming to throw us out.

Kellie stops dead in her tracks. Eyes glued to one of the doors before the band room.

“What’re you doing?” I ask in a whisper. “The door’s right here!”

“Dude, look.” She reaches down in front of the door, and holds something in front of me.

It’s a pack of gum, one of those small 5 stick packs, it’s missing 2.

“Someone dropped their gum, how long you think it’s been here?” She says, unwrapping the package.

“I don’t know! It’s gum! You’re just going to eat gum left on the floor for who knows how long?” I ask.

“Why not? It’s wrapped.” She says, unwrapping all three pieces and then eating them all at once.

I shake my head. “You are something else.”

“Hey dude, free stuff is free stuff.” Kellie replies. “Now, lets go check out this door.”

Kellie walks past me, and up to the door.

A massive double door stands in front of us. Kellie approaches the door, and presses one of her ears to the wall, listening for anyone inside.

“Seems like no one is in here.” Kellie says.

She then puts her paw onto the door and starts jiggling the handle. The door doesn’t budge. However, it does make a surprising amount of noise.

“Quiet down!” I say. “I would like to not be caught.”

“No ones in there! So it wouldn’t hurt to try the door, right?” Kellie says. She looks around at the door, and then starts heading down the hallway. Towards the end of the hall.

“What’s that door down there?” Kellie asks, pointing to the door at the end of the hall. It’s a metal door, however, the glass on the door has been blacked out. Leaving the only source of light in the hall coming from the florescent bulbs in the ceiling.

“It goes outside, part of this reason this hallway is off limits.” I say.

“So, if I were to walk through the door right now, I would be able to escape?” Kellie asks.

“Hypothetically, I guess.” I say. “But, I don’t know what patrols are, especially with Paul’s previous escape.”

“Interesting…” Says Kellie.

Kellie pauses, and continues to walk down the hallway.

“Where’re you going?” I ask. Starting to follow her.

Kellie doesn’t respond, and instead starts walking faster. She’s seriously not going to pull this is she?

I start slowly chasing her, gaining on her as she starts to run faster. She’s making a break for it?! Reaching out with my only good hand, I manage to grab her by the hood on her hoodie. Stopping her in her tracks.

“We’re you seriously going to run?!” I ask.

She turns around, with a big smile on her face. “No stupid! I’m just playing a prank on you!” She laughs, “Now, if you’ll let go of me, I’ll show you what I’m really looking for.”

“You aren’t going to book it?” I ask.

“Yeah, dude, it was a joke. Ya know, lol, lmao. A joke.” Kellie says, imitating internet abbreviations.

I glare at Kellie, this chick is supposed to be helping me, and she’s starting to get on my nerves now. I reluctantly let her go, and she starts walking to a door on the side of the hallway. The sign on the wall says “Green Room.” Next to the door on the wall, is a vent grate.

“Bingo.” Kellie says, Peering into the window in the door. “Carter, look.”

I walk up to the window, and peer inside of the room, on the other side of the wall, is a grate similar to the one that is next to the door, and in the back of a room, behind some tables, is another door.

“See that door in the back of the room?” Kellie says. “That’ll lead into the band room. I guarantee it, so, it’ll take a little longer than I thought, but if I can get into the green room, which I should be able to. I can then get myself inside of the band room.”

Kellie pulls herself from the window to look at the grate on the wall. I turn to the grate as well, and I find a set of 4 screws holding the grate into the wall. They’re all Phillips head, which means that we need to have Lyla and James get Kellie a screwdriver.

The grate is smaller than Kellie height wise, but it’s wide enough for me to sick my upper body in. I turn to Kellie.

“You think you’re going to be able to fit through that?” I ask.

“Oh yeah, this is no problem, I’m a lot smaller than I was before, so I’m sure I’ll be able to fit inside of the vent. It’s not that long of a crawl, so I should be okay. Kellie says.

“Ok, I reply, then we’ll just have to find a locker, and Tell Lyla and James you need a screwdriver. It’s the only thing you really need, you think you’re going to need anything else aside from that?” I ask.

“Just a screwdriver?” Kellie replies. “I suppose that would do it, I can just go through backstage in the middle of the night, and then sneak through the green room to get the phones.”

“Sounds like a plan, let’s get out of here.” I say, turning to the door. “I could probably give you the screwdriver myself, since it’s only one thing.”

Kellie nods, and we start walking our way down the hall to the big door I let Kellie in. While we’re walking, Kellie trips over some boxes on the way there. Falling to the ground with a surprisingly loud thud, I scramble to pick her up.

“You okay?” I ask.

“Yeah… yeah I’m fine, jeez, that hurt.” Kellie groans as I pick her up.

“you seriously biffed it Kellie, you sure you’re not-“ Right as I’m about to finish my sentence, the sound of the double doors we were walking two swing open. Both of us freeze. Someone’s here, and we’re both right out in the open.

A single security guard in swat uniform walks in. Oh no, this isn’t good. We start to walk backwards to the nearest corner to hide from the man, but he sees us before we make it.

“Hey you two!” The man shouts, increasing his pace towards us.

I can feel Kellie starting to shake as the large man approaches the both of us.

“What are you two doing in here? everyone knows this hallway is off limits to security staff only.” The man says looking at us. I can feel Kellie starting to slink behind me.

“I…I..” I stammer, not knowing what to say. I can’t think of a good excuse to give this guy for why we’re both in here.

“You what?” the guard says, his expression shifting from concern to slight anger.

Without thinking, I say the first coherent thought that comes out of my mouth.

“This changed followed me into the hallway, she’s been doing this all day and I can’t shake her.”

Wait… I didn’t mean to say that! No, no, no!

“That so?” The guard says, peering around to Kellie, whose claws are now digging into my shins.

She’s going to blow it, oh god I just threw her under the bus.

“Yes… I’m sorry.” Kellie says.

Kellie’s… playing into it? Oh god no this is terrible. I didn’t mean for this to happen at all. The security guard speaks once more.

“Well, looks like we’re going to have to take you back to your room, since staff has lodged a complaint about you.” The guard says.

“Can he just, take me back?” Kellie asks.

“No, he said he’s been trying to shake you all day, I’ll take you.” The guard replies.

“It’s fine.” I say, I can take her.” I reply.

“Too late buddy, this situation is mine now.” The guard says. “Come with me, now.” The guard says.

“Please don’t yell at me.” Kellie says. “Then I’ll come with you.”

“I’m not yelling at you miss, but I’m about to.” The guard says. Readying his stun stick.

I stand in between the both of them, dumbfounded at how quickly this is going south. Kellie starts to stand up as the guard pulls his stun stick out.

“Faster.” He says.

Kellie hurriedly stands in front of me. Now, I’m a pure bystander to whatever is about to start next.

Kellie looks at me, with the same expression that you would get from a grieving family member. Before I can open my mouth to say anything. The sound of crackling electricity, followed by a thud emanates through the wall.

“Don’t stare at him.” The guard says looking at Kellie laying on the floor in pain. The guard looks up at me, his expression turns from anger to smug.

“These things really pack a punch, don’t they? I heard you had to use one on that bear guy.” The guard chuckles.

He picks Kellie up like a football, holding her under his arm.

“They’re still looking for him outside by the way. Nothing yet though. We’ll keep this scuffle between the three of us, if you don’t tell them I finally got to test out the stun stick.” The guard says.

“…sure.” I say. Fully committing myself to the story.

“Sweet.” The guard says. “Now, I’m going to leave with this… creature. You be a good staff member and walk out a few minutes after I do.”

The guard then starts walking out of the hallway, I turn away, not looking at the aftermath of my stupid mistake. I threw Kellie under the bus. She got hurt because of me. I reach down to my leg to feel the spot where she dug her claws in. It’s tender, and hurts. Worse now, that she’s gone. I lift my pant leg up, and notice that she broke my skin, I’m bleeding slightly. Serves me right.

A few minutes pass, and I start to head towards the door, going to open it, I feel the door move a little easier than before. Examining the door from the corner of my eye, I can see a wad of gum holding the door’s locking mechanism open.