Page 14 of Insanium
They didn’t waste a moment, bolting from the concession stand as the camera captured their swift retreat, their long shadows stretching ominously across the floor in the dim light. Bursting back into the theater, the door slamming shut behind them, they were met with applause and cheers from the rest ofus. They had not only returned safely but had beaten the timer by nearly thirty seconds, a feat that drew appreciative shouts and claps.
Darrel leaned forward, his face split with a broad grin. “Now that’s how you do it!” His enthusiasm was great, though I couldn’t help but wonder where that energy had been for Raphael and me.
Eryx and Hael settled back into their seats, Eryx trying to wipe his hand and lower arm off and Hael taking the key with him. Our attention collectively shifted, and we all waited for the screen to change yet again. Only one key remained, hidden somewhere among us, and there was limited time to find it. When the next duo was presented, it was none other than Liam and Aisha.
She was on her feet within seconds, urgency clear in her voice as she declared, “We need to be quick.”
Liam nodded, immediately rising to join her. They began their search through the theater, and I craned my neck, trying to spot the key, feeling more like a frustrated spectator than a helpful teammate.
“It’s gotta be by those clowns.” Liam’s hushed voice carried from the row behind me, guiding Aisha’s next move.
“Well, fuck. I thought that too but was hoping it wasn’t the case.” With determined steps, she approached the clown nearest to where she had been searching, its grotesque smile seeming to taunt her.
“He’s probably sitting on it,” I murmured under my breath, keeping a close watch. If that clown made any sudden moves, I’d be the first to jump up and defend my best friend—rules be damned. Aisha’s cautious reach under the seat prompted the clown to theatrically place its hands on its face, mimicking shock, clearly amused by her boldness. I tensed. It couldn’t be as simple as that.
“Got it!” Aisha sat back on her hunches, key in hand.
The screen lit up with confetti, and a pair of digital curtains swept closed before rolling credits that listed only Tyler’s name. I couldn’t help but scoff softly. It seemed unjust to give him sole recognition when he hadn’t really played a part in our progress at all. Aisha went to stand, keeping a close eye on the clown right in front of her. As she rose, it sprang into action with a speed that was startling. Its arm shot out, narrowly missing her as she dodged—just barely. “What the hell?” she yelped, leaping over the seats to put some distance between them.
“Watch out!” Maya shouted in warning, tracking another threat.
Turning, I saw Juno making a narrow escape from a different clown. The rest of those seated began to rise in tandem, their painted grins mocking in the dim light. It was clear now; the end of the riddle had hinted at a chaotic free-for-all.
“Yellow door!” Darrell bellowed.
At his shout, I scrambled from my seat so quickly that I practically fell into Raphael’s lap, clutching the plushie tightly—a key too vital to lose. He lifted me effortlessly, his strength surprising as he navigated us through the growing danger. He didn’t set me down until we’d reached relative safety near the door. Before us stood the final barrier—a keypad that demanded the correct sequence of numbers.
Raphael frowned down at it. “I need three numbers.”
“We’ve got a 1,” I noted, holding up our plush.
“1 here too,” Aisha chimed in.
“And a 6 from us,” Hael added.
Liam suggested a sequence first. “Try 161.”
Raphael punched it in, but the pad flashed red—wrong. “Switch me places,” he said suddenly, moving so that he was behind me, and I was closest to the door.
“Try 661 next,” Aisha suggested.
I quickly tapped it in—another red flash. “Damn it!”
“Spread out! Don’t make it easy for them!” Jerome directed.
That was something we should’ve been doing without saying.
We scattered, moving to make ourselves harder targets while still trying to solve the puzzle.
“Why don’t you give it a try?” Janelle sneered at Eryx, her tone dripping with sarcasm.
“I will.” Eryx dodged an incoming clown with a predatory grace and approached the keypad. His fingers danced over the keys after a brief calculation, and the light turned green—immediately a success.
Naturally, he was the first through the now-open door. The rest of us were quick to follow. A clown broke from the pack, its twisted form a blur of motion. Just as the door was about to shut, it made it through, hurling its curved blade into the first person it got close enough to. A sharp cry cut through the air as one of the girls—the one with the pixie cut—was impaled right in the center of her chest with such force she bounced back and hit the wall. The clown whirled around, ripping her apart as it forcibly removed the large hook-like knife, leaving her to fly through the air.
Instinct kicked in and I slammed against the door with all my might, trying to seal it shut before more broke through.
They pushed back, causing my booted feet to skid across the floor, and Aisha grabbed my waist in an attempt to keep me grounded. Suddenly, Eryx was there too, his hard body pressing against mine, adding his strength. Together, we pushed hard, the metal groaning under our combined force. Behind us, the narrow hall had erupted into chaos. The sound of a scuffle broke out—grunts and thuds echoing as our group confronted the clown while trying to avoid its blade. Manic laughter twisted through the air.
