Dear Hubby, Bro & BFF. You All Watched Me Break? Now Watch Me Leave Chapter 04
That weekend, Paige posted an invitation in our group chat.
She had booked an escape-room venue for the party. She tagged me specifically and sent a long message.
[Don’t worry! It’s an open-layout venue with no enclosed spaces. It’s just a few large rooms decorated with different themes. I called ahead and made sure!]
Colin replied for me.
[She’ll be there.]
A moment later, Derek sent a voice message.
“Natalie, go have some fun. Stop sitting at home all day overthinking everything. Colin will be there with you.”
Apparently, I didn’t get a choice.
When we arrived, the venue did seem open. The themed rooms were large and brightly lit.
Besides Paige and me, three of her friends were there. Colin sat on a couch in the corner, looking at his phone.
When we reached the third challenge, Paige spoke up.
“For this one, someone has to go into the Fear Room and get the key. Whoever loses has to go!”
She pointed to a small black door in the corner.
I followed her finger and saw a dark, completely enclosed room barely thirty square feet in size.
Blood rushed to my head.
“I’m not going in.”
I got to my feet.
The other three women all turned to look at me. I knew that look. They thought I was ruining everyone’s fun.
Paige came over with a smile and put an arm around my shoulders.
“Relax. You’ll only be in there for ten seconds, and the door won’t even be locked.”
“Aren’t you supposed to be cooperating with your treatment? Just try it once while everyone’s here.”
I looked over at Colin.
When our eyes met, he hesitated.
“Natalie, why don’t you try? The door won’t be locked, and I’ll be standing right outside. Just ten seconds.”
“Promise me you won’t lock it.”
“I promise.”
He nodded.
I walked toward the small black door, my legs so unsteady that every step felt unreal.
When I opened it, darkness swallowed me.
The door closed behind me.
Then came the click of the lock sliding into place.
In the darkness, the sound was as loud as thunder.
My entire body began to shake, but this time, I didn’t scream.
Paige laughed outside the door.
“Start the timer! Let’s see how long she lasts!”
I heard the faint beep of someone starting a video recording.
I bit down hard on the back of my hand until I tasted blood.
I wouldn’t scream. I wouldn’t give them the reaction they wanted.
Thirty seconds passed, then one minute, then two.
I curled into the corner as blood ran down my wrist. The darkness closed in around me, crushing my chest until I could barely draw air into my lungs.
Colin’s voice came through the door, sounding uneasy.
“That’s probably enough. Open it.”
“Not yet. My supervisor says it takes at least five minutes for the exposure to work.”
Colin didn’t say anything else.
Five minutes later, the door opened.
Light poured into the room, turning everything in front of me white.
I braced myself against the wall and walked out. Bite marks covered the back of my hand, the blood already drying over them. My lip was split, and the metallic taste of blood filled my mouth, but I stood straight.
Everyone outside the room went still.
Colin reached out to steady me, but I stepped aside.
“Natalie…”
“I’m fine.”
I walked over to the table and picked up my bag.
As I passed Paige, I stopped. The smile was still on her face, and she was still holding up her phone.
I looked at her, and the corner of my mouth twitched.
“Five minutes. That was enough.”
Then I pushed open the front door and walked out.
I wasn’t shaking anymore. The fear had burned itself out in those five minutes, and it had taken something else with it.
I called my attorney.
“I want to file for divorce. Tomorrow.”