Naomi smiled, excitement bubbling inside her. "Great! I'll head there right now. I'll meet you in 15 minutes." Rose bit her lip, her excitement evident; it felt as though they were trapped in a horror movie, racing against time to escape from an escape room. Naomi switched off her phone, her heart racing as she prepared for what lay ahead.
She walked out of the room, glancing left and right before stepping into the large hallway. The space was dimly lit, shadows creeping along the walls, amplifying her sense of unease. She moved with a careful rhythm—half a step slow, half a step light yet quick. Suddenly, she halted, pressing her back against the wall as a maid passed by. Last she checked, the maid wasn't supposed to be there. What had really happened?
Naomi pieced it together, and her heart raced as she realized the maid was stealing. Her eyes widened in horror, and she immediately covered her mouth to stop the gasp that was about to escape her lips. But at that moment, she didn't care. All she wanted was to escape. She decided to avoid the front door and opted for the back instead. If she passed by now, the maid would surely see her. She caught a glimpse of the maid's face but dismissed it, focusing instead on her own escape.
Taking a deep breath, Naomi walked slowly, carefully, her heart pounding in her chest. The hallway felt longer than usual, each step echoing in her mind like a countdown. As she reached the door, she immediately covered her face, her heart racing as she heard a voice behind her. "You there!" Her eyes widened, and her body froze. A male voice echoed—he looked more like a guard. The guard paused before speaking again. "What are you doing at the back door, maid? Go to the front door now."
"Yes, sir," she replied, trying to make her voice sound more like a maid's. As she hurried toward the back, she exhaled sharply, the tension of the moment flooding her system. "Phew, that was close." She needed to get out of here before things escalated further.
Once outside, she quickly walked over to the grass. Lifting the carpet grass, she revealed a stash beneath it—bunches of keys. "Oh my god, what's going to happen?" she murmured to herself, frantically searching for the right key. The cold metal felt foreign in her hands as she slowly scanned the keys. Finally, she stopped at a particular one, her heart racing. "Got it!"
With a deep breath, she took the key and unlocked the gate. As it clicked open, she prayed silently, sighing in relief. Stepping out, she glanced left and right, trying to gauge her surroundings. "Where's the car? Where's Rose?"
Just then, Rose appeared, her face pale and frantic. "Oh my god, Naomi! I had to hide! One of the maids stepped out. Good thing I parked the car far away from here; I had a feeling something like this would happen."
Naomi's breath hitched in her throat as she looked at her friend. "H-how long will it take to walk to the car?" she asked, urgency lacing her words.
"Like five minutes. Three minutes if we run," Rose replied, her eyes darting around.
Naomi nodded, adrenaline coursing through her veins as they both began to run, the world around them blurring. They were almost to the car, their breaths coming in ragged gasps, the panic of the situation fueling their speed.
"Damn it! f*cking damn it, shit!" Rose spat, frustration evident in her voice. "Where are my f*cking keys?"
Naomi's eyes widened at her words, panic swirling within her. Rose stilled, realization dawning. "It must have fallen when the maid came out from the back gate."
"Let's go get it!" Naomi urged, her voice laced with urgency, her instincts pushing her to act quickly.
"No, that's not going to happen. Go to the car; I didn't lock it. Just sit there, and I'll be back quick," Rose instructed, her voice firm but anxious.
Naomi nodded, heart racing, and began to run toward the car while Rose sprinted back. The night air felt cold against her skin, sending chills down her spine as she reached the car. She exhaled deeply, her breath coming in shaky gasps. The cold night breeze hit her like a wave, heightening her senses. Suddenly, she felt something cold behind her, a chill creeping into her bones.
She opened the front door and slid into the seat beside the driver, relief flooding her as she settled in. "Phew, we did it!" Her smile widened, but just then, her body jolted as the driver sit suddenly moved. A scream almost ripped from her throat.
"Don't be too quick to conclude, but I must say, that was one smart move," Zylan said, holding a cigarette in his hand as he lit it, the glow of the flame illuminating his striking features.
Naomi's body began to tremble, fear coursing through her veins. "H… how did he—wasn't he supposed to be at work?" she stammered, confusion mixing with terror.
Zylan smiled, a glint of something dark in his eyes that made her stomach twist. "You can't run from me. No matter how hard you try, I will always be right behind you." At that moment, Naomi was too stunned to speak; she had not expected anything like this. Just when she thought she was finally free, Zylan was already ahead of her.
He turned the next page of the small book—her escape book. He was reading it, and a chill ran down her spine. Zylan chuckled darkly, but there was something terrifying about the sound.
Who knew her escape book was filled with insults and not just her escape plans? Her body shivered at the thought. She had insulted Zylan in every way possible in that book, even mentioning that she would bury him alive while he was sleeping.
"That one was naughty, darling," Zylan said in a low, dangerous tone, his voice smooth as silk, but laced with menace.
Naomi hadn't seen her escape book since breakfast that morning, but she didn't care; she was escaping tonight. Little did she know, Zylan was already two steps ahead of her, a predator to her prey.
He continued reading, sipping his cigarette, flipping the pages slowly, chuckling as if he were reading one of the most interesting novels in the world. Naomi had written things in that book she couldn't bring herself to say or do in real life. Each insult felt like a confession, an admission of her deepest fears and frustrations.
"Your calculations, darling... I must say, I'm impressed." His tone was mocking, and Naomi felt her heart race. From the way he behaved, it seemed like he knew she was planning to escape from the very beginning. At this point, she felt like a fool, and now she had also put Rose in trouble. Her lips trembled, the weight of the situation crashing down on her.
Zylan laughed; he was not chuckling this time. He laughed, and the sound was dark and terrifying, sending chills running down her already frozen spine.
"He thinks he's some kind of god that gets what he wants. Sorry, Mr. Devil; you're just a big fool. I'm running tonight, aka Mr. Suicide," Zylan finished the line as he turned to her, his gaze piercing. Her body was shaking terribly. Why had she written this? The words that had once felt liberating now chained her in fear.
"You only got one word correctly there, darling," he said, leaning closer, his breath warm against her face,
"I am the Devil."