The hallway was empty. She listened for footsteps, echoes, anything that would give a clue as to where he was, but there was nothing. In truth, it was more unsettling when she couldn’t hear him, like he would appear behind them at any moment; the world would go darker than it already was, with no prior indication or warning that something was off. She shuddered.

Caleb walked ahead of her, leading with a strange mix of childish fear and seasoned sureness. Whenever they neared a corner, he leaned against the far wall and held out the camera in his hand. A loud shudder-flash rang through the hallway as the brief light illuminated the path ahead for half a second.

What would he do if that light illuminated some menacing form at the other end? Would they run? Duck under the nearest wheeled bed and pray the monster they’d so rudely photographed didn’t find them and tear them to shreds? She thought of asking but stayed silent, worried that their chattering would alert the man from earlier even if they spoke in hushed whispers.

Shaking her head in some sad attempt to clear it, she let her thoughts drift to the items Caleb insisted they needed; a flashlight, a notepad, and a bell. A flashlight was obvious. She could rationalize the notepad, but why a bell? He hadn’t elaborated before taking her hand and pacing from the room. Just like that, they started searching.

Well, perhaps ‘searching’ wasn’t the most accurate word. Really, Caleb seemed to know exactly where he was going. She followed behind him absentmindedly as he led the way, skipping turns and weaving through rooms with the confidence of someone who had done this a hundred times- which, she supposed, might have been true.

He’d been in and out of this building more times than she could count. Her now seven-year-old brother had been struggling with... all of this... for how long? The doctors hadn’t believed him. Their parents hadn’t believed him. She hadn’t believed him... yet here she was.

She blinked.

Their parents. They weren’t here. They were still in the normal hospital, weren’t they? What were they feeling right now?

Caleb’s hand pulled away from hers, but she didn’t notice.

What had happened to her? Had she just... collapsed the way Caleb had? Was she lying in a bed next to him this very moment, doctors and nurses shuffling around her in a vain attempt to deduce what was wrong?

Caleb moved a box, climbing up a shelf.

...What would happen if she died here?

She suddenly became aware of Caleb’s fingers snapping in her face.

“I got the flashlight.” He held up his prize, bringing her back to reality- whichever reality this was.

“...Oh.“ She mentally slapped herself. “Yeah, right. So... the notepad next?”

He gave her a partial nod, stopping halfway when the flashlight didn’t turn on. “We need batteries first. I know where we can find some.”

“You know everything, don’t you?”

“Well... It’s like playing a video game you’ve already played a lot, you know?” He shrugged, a casual gesture that didn’t fit his wary expression. “I guess... I got good at it after a while.”

Her heart stung. She grimaced.

He stared up at her with his bright blue eyes before taking her hand and walking towards the door. “It’s not as scary now... It’s almost the same, but there’s one thing different.”

“What’s that?”

“You’re here this time.” He looked back and gave her an optimistic smile. “Everything’s less scary when you’re here.”

The pang in her chest worsened as she gazed back sheepishly. “I’m not sure I’m much help... I’ve been scared the whole time.”

“That’s not so bad. I was super scared at first, too. I’m not scared now, though.” He gestured to the door handle, both hands full at the moment. She reached forward to open the door as he continued. “I want to be brave because my big strong sister is here with me. See, you’re scared because you don’t know where to go, but I know, and I almost hurt one of the bad guys once.”

Christa paused. “Really?”

“Really.” He looked excitedly at her. “I know how, but I’m not strong enough. You’re strong enough, though. We can fight back this time. I can tell you where everything is and how the bad guys work, and then you can beat them up!”

At his words, she couldn’t help but smile. “You think so?”

“Sure! That’s what we need the bell and notepad for. If we hurt one of the bad guys so he can’t guard the door, we’ll be able to get out instead of waiting for the morning... I think.”

His plan gave her hope, rekindled the fire that had dwindled so much since the incident at that woman’s house. He’d gotten this far on his own. How far could they get now that they were together?

It was at that moment that Christa made a promise to herself; a promise to trust her brother and do whatever she could to get them out. She wouldn’t be scared, not when he wasn’t.