It had been three days since the two bodies had been stored away in the basement freezer. I didn’t even know there was a freezer in the basement, even though me and Wim had been in the arcade/library room almost every day since they confiscated his laptop (because there was a chance he would hack the systems). It almost felt as if the police knew they’d have to store the dead. Klaus’ body had been in there for ages, according to Jim. 

Speak of the devil. 

Jim appeared into my line of vision, walking down the hallway of the basement, as I stared at him through the arcade’s open door. He poked his head inside the gym, before walking the rest of the way down the hall to us. Wim was busy reading a book on Victorian ways of torture, and didn’t look up when the man walked in.

Just looking at him made my gut wrench. He was next. I could feel it. 

He leant against the door frame, trailinga hand through his voluminous brown hair, almost nervously. I waited for him to speak, patiently.

After a few minutes, he had the courage to speak, “I was wondering... I need help fixing the transmitter,  it’s the only working radio we have. All the cops’ personal phones were smashed, but the radio has a chance. Would you two like to help?”

Wim looked up and he smiled, pushing his glasses up his face like he saw the smart people in animes do. “Would I like to help? I’d love to help!”

We followed him back upstairs to the police-only area. Jim punched in the code, and the door clicked open. He guided us to one of the rooms and I hauled myself up onto one of the counters as they gossiped about scientific stuff. 

If he was here with us, then the murderer couldn’t get to him... 

Right? 

A sense of unease rested over me like a cloud but the people in front of me continued to babble, happily. 

Couldn’t they feel it? Couldn’t they feel the danger? 

I gritted my teeth, gripping the firm metal as hard as I could. 

Why were they so happy? 

Wim grinned, his pearly whites reflecting the orb artificial lighting above. 

It had been so long since I’d been outside to the point my homebody body was tired of staying inside. My foot began to thump against the drawer, and I closed my eyes on the room. I imagined the sky that stretched above the house, the sky I couldn’t see, the sky that was freer than me. 

I opened my eyes to the light again but there was only darkness. I gasped, propelling myself off the counter. What had happened? I felt someone jostle me, and I was pushed to the wall.

There was a sickening scream and the THUD of something, no, someone falling. 

My hand fumbled and I found the light switch. But the lights didn’t switch back on no matter how desperately I flicked it.