The Forum by Marie Reyes (short books for teens .txt) 📕

baseball bat as he was first in line. Everybody turned off their flashlights, not wanting to alert anyone to their presence.

There was just enough light coming in through the upstairs windows for them to make out their surroundings. Martin couldn't keep the thumping of his heart under control and had to repeat to himself over and over, you're not having a heart attack. His body liked to convince him he was dying. It would trick him by mimicking the symptoms of a heart attack, right down to the tingling sensation in his left arm.

He only became aware of how much his hands were shaking when he saw the baseball bat vibrate, and he tried to steady it. He didn't want the others to panic too. His breathing had become fast and erratic, and he concentrated on taking slow, deep breaths as he peered around the corner. It was too dark to make out much of anything. Without the flashlight, it was like the blind leading the blind.

They needed actual proof before they could call the cops. Something to show them that they weren't just a bunch of people with too much time on their hands and overactive imaginations. A wail emanated from down the hall, and a series of short, sharp screams followed, echoing off the hard, concrete. Martin's leg started shaking, but he couldn't keep it still. There was no denying what they were doing now. Up until now, he could trick himself into believing he wasn't in any real danger.

He pulled his phone out and, barely managed to keep it steady as he dialed 911. It didn't take them long to answer, and he kept his voice to a whisper. "Someone is in trouble. They're screaming, being attacked."

Kristen struggled to listen to what the operator was saying.

"We're at that abandoned school." He took the phone away from his ear. "What is this place called again?" Before anyone had time to respond, Martin dropped to the ground. Kristen fumbled to find the button on the flashlight and could now hear the operator asking if they were still there.

The voice stopped as she heard a stomping sound and the cracking of glass. As she found the button, a shaft of light shone temporarily blinding someone who had emerged around the corner. Aadesh grabbed the baseball bat from the floor and swung it wildly, narrowly missing his target.

"He's got a gun," Piper shouted. She wanted to run in the opposite direction more than anything, and she wasn't sure if she was staying because of loyalty, or because she was paralyzed with fear.

"Is that Isabella Torres? Is she alive?" Aadesh asked over the screaming.

"Drop the bat. Drop it now," The man demanded. It must have been him.

"They're onto you Connor. The police are on their way, and they know who you are." He needed some sort of leverage as he tossed the bat on the floor. Aadesh concentrated on his face, trying to determine if he was surprised, or frightened that he knew his name, but all Connor gave him was a smirk. Martin grabbed Connor's legs, dragging him to the floor. Aadesh heard another scream and there was barely time to react.

Piper and Kristen ran towards the stairs. The sensible thing to do. Before Aadesh knew it, he was running in the direction of the pained cries like some idiot that he would usually berate if he was watching a horror film. Don't do it, he would scream, knowing full well that was never going to happen, but this time he was the one running towards inevitable danger.

Martin was close behind him and then a gunshot. It was the first time he had ever heard one, and it was deafening, louder than he imagined. He knew he should stop, check Martin was not dead on the floor, but what good would it do, if he kept running? Surely Connor would follow.

If Martin had got hit, maybe it wasn't fatal. He ran so fast he put his hands out in front of him to stop himself colliding headfirst with the wall. His hands stung as if he had just slapped someone and he turned around, darting through an open door to see who he believed to be Isabella Torres, bound, and gagged. She just screamed through the fabric, unable to form actual words. Martin was now at his side and followed him into the room, slamming the door behind them just in time to prevent Connor getting in.

Martin put his back to the door, putting all his weight against it. Martin ducked as another gunshot rang out. The bullet got lodged in the thick glass panel, somehow not making it all the way through. Aadesh now set to work on untying Isabella's feet. Martin could hear and feel the force of Connor impacting the door from the other side. "Some help please," Martin yelled. Connor had stopped pushing against the door, and it became eerily quiet until they heard a metallic click.

"He's locked us in. He..." Isabella sat in a corner hugging her knees.

"Aadesh do you have your cell phone?"

He checked his pockets but came up empty. "Must have fallen out."

"Shit." Martin couldn't hear anything on the other side of the door and wondered if Connor had pursued the others instead. Hopefully, they would be long gone by now.

"It's going to be fine." Aadesh turned to Isabella and took his hands in hers. "Our friends, they got out. We even called the police. People are coming for us."

Chapter

Thirty Seven

Kristen dragged Piper by the arm until they reached the window. She couldn't hear footsteps behind her and couldn't bring herself to look back. She launched herself out of the window and stumbled onto the grass. They were home free. "Come on Pipes." She egged her on from outside and pulled her by the arms until she fell