Ana fell to the ground, momentarily disorientated. In a second, she was back in the gym. Back in the burning hallway. Her ears were ringing;she shook her head trying to clear it, pushing herself up to sitting. She looked around.
The others were spread out, some on the ground, some on their knees. They all seemed cowed, shocked. Raya was trying to stand, shaking dust off her arms. Alex was already standing, staring at the fire that was burning on the spot where the shed had been just seconds ago.
Dirt and ash fell from the sky as an immense cloud of black smoke spiraled up into the air over them.
Ana turned back to look at the truck. The two men had thrown Benny’s body in the back of the flatbed. They slammed the tailgate shut and calmly walked to their doors. Not so much as a glance in the direction of the motel.
The truck pulled away, swerving fast, heading back to the nowhere it had come from. It was over. Benny was gone.
So that was it.
The motel was wired to explode. That’s how they would die if they tried to hide out—if they didn’t send someone over the line. They were in a cage, a trap, and there was no escaping, no running. Play or die.
They had been warned.
16
Ana
47:23
The second hour of the Balloon Game was counting down.
With its pink blinds pulled firmly closed and the ancient air conditioner rattling loudly, Ellis’s room gave the illusion of safety, hidden away from whatever was outside waiting for them.
After the explosion, they had somehow found their way here, running from the line, from the truck, from the place where Benny had died, the place where it had finally hit them;this was real. This was really happening. They’d followed Ellis inside, slamming the door shut and locking it behind them, and were now hiding in various corners. Their drawn faces carried the shock of what they had just witnessed. The horror of what was to come.
Ana’s hands were shaking so badly she couldn’t hold her phone steady enough to read the countdown. She tucked them under her arms and squeezed tightly.Breathe.
Push it away. Push it out of her mind. Just breathe. In. Out.
There were voices. Some of the others were talking, some crying. For now, she needed to hold on to her own space, her own thoughts. Eyes closed. Focus.
For several precious minutes she sat on the cream-and-brown swirled carpet fighting the rising wall of panic inside. If anyone could do this, she could. She knew it. She had been here before and survived. She could do it again. Somehow, she would find the strength. She just had to believe.
Of course, that was easier said than done.
She could hear voices around her, becoming clearer with time. One voice stood out. A familiar voice. She focused in on the words, reeling herself back from the dark thoughts in her head.
“What do we do?” More mumbling voices. Then the same soft voice again. “So, what now?”
Alex.
That was all it took. It was as though a key had unlocked her. Her eyes opened and she looked around, seeking out Alex first and then Raya. They were here, they were safe and alive—for now. Alex was standing by the dresser, arms folded around him. Raya was sitting on the floor by the window, hugging her knees to her chest, rocking slightly.
Alive for now. That was enough. That was all she needed to believe, to hope. As long as Alex and Raya were alive.
Ana stood up.
What would Danny do?She tried to focus her thoughts. What would he do if he were stuck here instead of her? She tried to imagine Danny standing in the room in his white trainers and scruffy Goodwill jeans, hands in pockets, calmly taking charge. He’d lead because that’s who he was—a leader. He would be proactive, move them forward and come upwith a plan. Ana wasn’t a leader, but she could certainly come up with a plan. She’d never run short of ideas.
“Is there a camera or a microphone in here?” Ana spoke calmly. Her hands dropped to her sides. They were not shaking any more.
A few faces looked up at her. Ellis nodded his head.
He had been pacing up and down like a benched player on the sidelines of a title game. His steely eyes were narrowed. There was intensity and tension there, but Ana didn’t see fear. He was ready to do what was needed next. He was ready to fight.
“I found two last night. There was a camera in the corner by the door and a microphone in the bathroom. I smashed them both.” Ellis pointed to a small pile of black debris on the nightstand. It looked like crushed beetles.
