Willa pulled out her pen clasp and rolled-up can top and went to work. It was more difficult than the first time because she had to keep the light turned down so low. While she concentrated on feeling for the lock pins to drop to the sheathing line, she was also listening for the sounds of someone coming.
The pins finally fell into place; Willa turned the tension tool and the door swung open. Diane Wohl looked down at her. “You’re only a child.”
“I’m nearly a teenager,” Willa said firmly “And I managed to get out of my room. And get you out of yours. Come on.”
As they headed off Diane looked around. “Where are we?”
“You really need to keep your voice down,” whispered Willa. “Sound really carries in places like this.”
“Places like what?” the woman said in a lower voice.
Willa touched the side of the wall. “I think we’re in a tunnel or old mine.”
Diane hissed, “Oh my God, if we’re in an old mine it could come down on our heads at any second.”
“I don’t think so. The support beams look really sturdy. And the men who are keeping us here wouldn’t have brought us to an unsafe place.”
“Why not?”
“Because they might get hurt too.”
“Do you know which way is out?”
“I’m just, you know, trying to feel some air movement.”
“But if we keep going, we’ll get lost. Maybe forever.”
“No we won’t.” She shone the light on the dirt floor. “I cut up the paper labels off the canned food. I’ve been dropping pieces every ten feet or so. That way we’ll know where we came from in case we have to turn back.”
They kept going forward, around one turn and then another.
Willa checked her watch by lantern light. “We have about twenty minutes left before they come by again. But the other man might show up. He’s unpredictable.”
“The tall man with the white hair?”
“Yeah. He doesn’t seem as bad as the others, but I’m still afraid of him.”
“I’m terrified of them all.”
“Where do you live?”
“In Georgia.”
“I’m from Virginia. I hope my family’s okay. The man said he contacted them and told them I was okay. Do you have a family?”
“No, I don’t,” Diane said quickly. “I mean, not of my own. But I asked him to contact my mother and tell her I was okay. But I don’t know if I’m going to stay okay.”
“Another good reason for us to get ourselves out of here,” answered Willa.
“What was that?” Diane said sharply.
There had been a shout somewhere behind them.
“I think they found out we’re not there,” said Willa. At that instant she felt a bit of air current on her cheek. She grabbed Diane’s hand. “This way.”
They hurried down the passage.
“Look!” Willa said.