The Gone

7. Escape

“Lights,” Max whispers. I can tell he is on my right because he is breathing heavily. The popping sounds are still audible but seem to be much further away.

Max starts to move around and I can only guess that he is running his hands down the wall trying to find a light stitch. He stops.

“Don’t,” Colin says quietly.

Max doesn’t move. The sounds are becoming fainter as if they were getting further away. I think they might be outside the airport.

“What are those sounds?” I ask. I have an idea but I don’t want to admit it.

“Guns.” Colin answers me and I jump. He has moved closer and I hadn’t even realised.

“Shall I crack the door?” Max asks.

“Not that one,” Colin says. “There has to be one out into the space behind the desk.”

I look around and to the left of me I see a sliver of light shining from under a door. The guys are starting to fumble around in the darkness and I know it is only a matter of time before they bump into something.

“Stop,” I say. It comes out a little louder than I intend.

“Shhh.”

Quieter, I say. “There’s the door. Do you see the light?”

And I point. I mean we are in complete darkness and there I am pointing like a loon. “Colin, to your left.”

“Got it,” he replies. “I’m going to open it a little.”

I hold my breath and Max is completely silent. The sliver of light grows up the side of the door and is then partially blocked as Colin peers out. The door opens wider and he drops to a crouch. He pulls it open enough to crawl out. The door closes behind him.

“They’ll see him,” Max says.

I shake my head and then realise he can’t see me. “No, he is behind the desk.”

“Oh.”

We wait. There is no sound and the popping has gone. “Do you think they have left?”

“Yeah.”

“Do you think the others are okay?”

He doesn’t answer and I’m about to ask again when the door is opened. It is slow but it opens completely revealing Colin. He looks pale. “It’s safe,” he says.

I move forward but Max pulls me behind him. He leaves and I follow. I have a bad feeling about this.