“Just go! I’ll catch up to you outside!” His voice was drowned out by the chaos around us, and I gripped Trent’s sleeve.
“This way, Trent!” I said, feeling the tears and smoke burn my eyes. Dozens of panicked people were between Travis and his only escape.
I tugged on Trent’s hand, shoving anyone in my path. We reached the doorway, and then I looked back and forth. Two dark hallways were dimly lit by the fire behind us.
“This way!” I said, pulling on his hand again.
“You sure?” Trent asked, his voice thick with doubt and fear.
“C’mon!” I said, tugging on him again.
The farther we ran, the darker the rooms became. After a few moments, my breaths were easier as we left the smoke behind, but the screams didn’t subside. They were louder and more frantic than before. The horrific sounds behind us fueled my determination, keeping my steps quick and purposeful. By the second turn, we were walking blindly through the darkness. I held my hand in front of me, feeling along the wall with my free hand, gripping Trent’s hand with the other.
“Do you think he got out?” Trent asked.
His question undermined my focus, and I tried to push the answer from my mind. “Keep moving,” I choked out.
Trent resisted for a moment, but when I tugged on him again, a light flickered. He held up a lighter, squinting into the small space for the way out. I followed the light as he waved it around the room, and gasped when a doorway came into view.
“This way!” I said, tugging on him again.
As I rushed through to the next room, a wall of people crashed into me, throwing me to the ground. Three women and two men, all with dirty faces and wide, frightened eyes looked down at me.
One of the boys reached down to help me up. “There’s some windows down here we can get out of!” he said.
“We just came from that way. There’s nothing down there,” I said, shaking my head.
“You must have missed it. I know they’re this way!”
Trent tugged on my hand. “C’mon, Abby, they know the way out!”
I shook my head. “We came in this way with Travis. I know it.”
He tightened his grip. “I told Travis I wouldn’t let you out of my sight. We’re going with them.”
“Trent, we’ve been down that way … there were no windows!”
“Let’s go, Jason!” a girl cried.
“We’re going,” Jason said, looking to Trent.
Trent tugged on my hand again and I pulled away. “Trent, please! It’s this way, I promise!”
“I’m going with them,” he said, “Please come with me.”
I shook my head, tears flowing down my cheeks. “I’ve been here before. That’s not the way out!”
“You’re coming with me!” he yelled, pulling on my arm.
“Trent, stop! We’re going the wrong way!” I cried.
My feet slid across the concrete as he pulled me along, and when the smell of smoke grew stronger, I yanked away, running in the opposite direction.
“ABBY! ABBY!” Trent called.
I kept running, holding my hands out in front of me, anticipating a wall.
“Come on! She’s gonna get you killed!” a girl said.