Bonding Experience
Chapter 1:
"I want to all tell you something" the screen in the corner said. "You will be bonding at IKEA". Natalie groaned in frustration. IKEA was the worst nightmare for her. "Seriously!" she protested "I have to waste my time at that Swedish barn"? The other members had mixed opinions too. Nellie took it as an opportunity. "At least I can refurnish my home" she said, taking it with a grin "And make me assemble it…I don't think so" said Dan. "The Ninja Warrior does not spend his time there" he confirmed. Ian made up an excuse "I have a date somewhere else." "You do not" said the screen. "You do not; Ian; your date is at IKEA." With that Ian's mind crashed.
Amy got a call. It was the same voice they heard on the screen, except it was unknown to Amy who it was. "Amy" the voice said. "Who…Who is this?" Amy's voice was shaking irritably. A sixth sense told her it was someone she had encountered before. "Never mind." The voice was silky smooth and misleading… to her, anyway. "So how are you all?" the voice enquired. Silence. "Amy" the voice said. Amy's face was white as a sheet. "Amy" the voice said. "Meet me at IKEA tomorrow at 11." Struggling, Amy pressed the "Call end" button. She carefully lifted the receiver and placed it back in the charging cradle. Another mobile rang: Ian's phone. He picked it up, after waking to a computerised tone. Enclosed was a text.
Meet me at Ikea tomorrow, 11am.
Beside escalator. All four and five or swipe card.
Xx
"Guys" he said. "Look." They all crowded over: Ian, Natalie, Dan, Amy, and Nellie. Fiske was away on a trip somewhere else. They all sat around the table, contemplating. Finally Nellie commented. "What does Swipe card mean?" "It could mean anything," suggested Amy. "Doesn't it mean that we need a credit card?" "Hells no" said Ian, not too sure. To demonstrate he took out his credit card, as if mimicking the card on the swipe, doing the downward motion a few times. Nothing he knew of registered. "There are a lot of car parks with 4's in them," said Nellie. "Let's park on level 4… if there is any level".
Many minutes had passed, all of them trying to work it out. "Wait" said Amy. "I've got it. You have to meet this lady and everything beside the escalator and whatever, but park on level 4 at spot 44, but if we're all not there…" Amy trailed off. "Guys" she said. "I don't want to tell you this but… one of us is going to go". All of the children were scared and surprised. They might've all been teenagers, but they were all vulnerable. "Go where!?" said Ian. "Dead" she mouthed.
It was nine already. 9pm. Amy was in her own room. Just before she drifted off a phone buzzed. A message told her;
C u there. Im watchin. xx