Chapter 24: The Knife
327 Words
Darkness.
Then pain.
Sharp.
Cold.
Jessica opened her eyes.
She was holding the knife.
Blade in her hand.
Blood on her palm.
Not her blood.
Other Jessica was gone.
The mirror was gone.
The room was gone.
She was standing in a white hallway.
10 doors.
Just like before.
But this time...
The doors had names.
DOOR 1: SARAH
DOOR 2: AMY
DOOR 3: LISA
DOOR 4: MIA
DOOR 5: ???
Jessica: What is this...
A voice.
Man's voice.
From the ceiling.
Man: Welcome back, Jessica.
Man: You chose.
Man: Now the real game begins.
Jessica looked at the knife.
Her hand was still bleeding.
Drip.
Drip.
Man: Rule 1.
Man: You have 24 hours.
Man: Open 1 door.
Man: Save the person inside.
Man: Or they die.
Man: Rule 2.
Man: If you fail...
Man: You take their place.
A timer appeared on the wall.
23:59:59
23:59:58
23:59:57
Jessica ran to DOOR 1.
SARAH.
She grabbed the handle.
Locked.
Man: Oh.
Man: Forgot to mention Rule 3.
Man: Find the key first.
Laughter echoed.
Jessica turned around.
At the end of the hallway...
A box.
Black.
With a note on it.
She walked to it.
Hands shaking.
Blood dripping.
The note said:
"To open the door, you must remember."
"How did Sarah die?"
Jessica dropped the knife.
Clang.
Jessica: No...
Jessica: No no no...
The timer: 23:55:00
She closed her eyes.
Flashbacks.
Blood.
Screaming.
Her fault.
All her fault.
Tears fell on the floor.
Jessica: I remember...
Jessica: It was 3:33 AM.
Jessica: She called me.
Jessica: And I... I didn't answer.
The box clicked.
Open.
Inside was a small silver key.
With "SARAH" written on it.
Man: Good girl.
Man: 23:50:00 left.
Man: Don't waste time.
Jessica grabbed the key.
Ran back to Door 1.
Her hand was shaking so bad.
She missed the keyhole.
Twice.
Third time.
Click.
The door opened.
Darkness inside.
And a voice.
Weak.
Familiar.
Sarah: ...Jessica?
Sarah: Is that you?
- Writer
