lock, shock, and barrel ( complete )

7. Playing With Fire

"Are we there yet?"

"No."

"How about now?"

"Nope."

"Now?"

"Do you ever shut up?" Shock snapped, whirling around to face Barrel, who was slouching and whining.

"I will when you tell me we're there," Barrel shot back.

Shock rolled her eyes. "Hey Emily! Veronica! Are we close?"

"How should I know?" asked Emily. "I just followed her." She pointed to Veronica.

Shock let out an exasperated sigh. "This is the most unplanned adventure I have ever been on."

"You don't get out of the house much do you?" asked Veronica.

"No," said Lock. "Not in 10 years."

"That's sad," said Emily.

"Cry me a river," said Shock.

They had gone halfway down the pit and the stairs were getting wider. The light at the bottom was for some reason getting dimmer.

"Is the light going down?" asked Veronica, stopping.

Emily cocked her head and looked down. "Yeah, I think so."

"Why are we stopping?" asked Shock.

"The light is going down," said Emily.

"So?" said Shock. "The light is going out. Big whoop. Why does it matter?"

"What happened?" asked Veronica.

"Maybe the batteries ran out," said Lock sarcastically.

"Look," said Emily. "If you don't want to be here fine. Go."

"We want to be here," said Shock. She turned to Lock and Barrel. "Just be chill okay. I wish you weren't so dumb sometimes."

"I'm not the dumb one," said Barrel offensively.

"You're not fun," Lock snapped.

"Shut up," said Shock.

"Make me," Lock mocked.

"Hey!" said Emily. "Stop talking."

"Why?" asked Lock.

"Do you hear that?" asked Emily.

There were voices, not their voices, but different voices coming down the stairs. Emily and Veronica recognized them instantly.

"Mom!" they said in unison.

"Say what?" asked Barrel.

"Our moms!" said Emily.

"They must have followed us!" said Veronica.

"Think on the bright side," said Barrel.

"At least it's not your dad!" said Shock.

"Either or!" said Emily. "We need to go!"

"Down or up?" asked Barrel.

"No, sideways," said Lock. "WHERE ELSE WOULD WE GO YOU IDIOT?!"

"Down," said Barrel. "Seems ominous."

"Down it is!" said Shock.

The voices got closer.

"Go, go, go, go," Shock pushed Emily and the five hurried down the stairs until they reached the bottom. The light had gone out completely and they were plunged into complete darkness. They pressed against the wall and waited for the voices to cease.