My heart is beating very fast. Pa is screaming too much and it scares me. I don't move as the monsters carry me away. They open Door with the beeps and then SLAM! Door is shut and I can't hear Pa anymore. I'm in the outside. Does Room still exist now that I'm not there?
I lift my head to look through the gap at the top but all I can see is light. I take gentle deep breaths to stay calm. My heart is beating so hard and so fast that I can hear it, feel it. They carry me and I have to remember to stay still like I'm dead. I'm not heavy, but Rug is, and They are having trouble holding me. The witch is talking but I can't hear what she is saying. I'm so scared I suddenly wet myself. Sorry, Rug! Pa didn't say that would happen. It's only a tiny bit, but I hope They don't see. I can hear Their footsteps, thump, thump, thump. I'm not breathing very well, but I have to keep quiet. Pa's bad tooth is hidden in my mouth. It's still there, which means Pa is still real. I'm rocked from side to side and I wonder how long it will be before I'm in the truck. Will I remember everything Pa said? This is Plan B. Plan B has to be perfect. I've been given the most important mission ever: Save Pa.
They've stopped talking. I can hear a crunching sound when They walk. Is the ground different outside too? It's good I'm wearing socks.
I can feel cold on my face. Pa didn't say outside is cold. It's coming from the gap above my head and my hair is moving all by itself. How is it doing that? I try to deduce but I can't think of any answer.
I hear Them grunt and They lay me down on something hard. I hear movement and then a door shutting and then a door shutting again. It's different from the door in Room. There are no beeps. There's a loud VROOM! Like the cars on TV and the ground shakes. And then it moves and makes me roll and everything is bouncing around. I'm in the truck.
"Truck. Wriggle Out. Jump. Deduce. Somebody."
Pa! Pas was telling the truth; he is in my head. His voice makes me strong. The truck stops and then everything goes sideways to the left and everything shakes like I did when I was ill. I take a deep breathy and I push my arms above my head and I start to roll. I push and push as hard as I can, just like I practiced with Pa but it's harder because I'm being bounced around like Pa used to do with me when I was little. I wish Pa were here, then we could escape together.
I keep rolling to my right until Rug flaps open above my and I see light. The outside is very bright, brighter than Room. How is it brighter? I want to see. I want to see the world's Strip Light. It must be big. I kick Rug with my feet and push with my bottom to make it loose. I roll over one more time. I grab the flap with my hand and pull Rug off my face. I open my eyes.
Blue. Blue like Pa's eyes but a bit different. I didn't know there was more than one blue. It's everywhere above me. I breathe fast and my heart thumps. There are white things too. Are those clouds? They're all different shapes. I didn't know clouds could do that. My eyes are watering. The brightness hurts my eyes.
Brown things go over my head but I don't know what they are. Pa laughs quietly in my head.
"You're going to love it."
What?
"The World."
I cry, because Pa isn't here to see it with me.
I push myself up and look around. The space is everywhere. The brown things are trees and they fly past me because the truck is going so fast. The truck turns left and we go past houses and cars. They're all so much bigger than they are in TV. How big is the world? And why is it so blue? And so bright? I turn around and I see Old Magnussen and the Witch driving the truck. They haven't seen me yet.
I crawl to the side and look down. The ground is moving and it makes me dizzy. I look up and see people as we go past. I hear people laughing and they are playing with a ball.
"Jump. Deduce. Somebody."
The truck slows and then it stops. I put my leg over the edge. It's a long way down. I lean forward and…
The truck jerks right and I fall backwards into it with a loud BANG! I hear shouting and the truck stops. I hear doors. I put my hands on the sides and push forward. I fall to the ground and I gasp because it hurts. I hear Old Magnussen. My hair is all over my face because my ponytail is loose. I get up but I stumble. Their footsteps are right behind me! I'm so scared I can't breathe. I don't have time to deduce people. The ground is green now and I run across it. It's softer than the floor in Room and the ground I just fell on. The people are too far away. I'm not going to make it! I scream "SOMEBODY!"
The people turn. They're real! Just like me and Pa. The Somebodies closest to me are staring. The lady looks scary but the man; he's safe. I deduce him as I run. The Witch shouts "Grab him, quick!" I run so fast I hit the man's legs and I crash to the ground.
A new voice says "Jesus!" but I'm not Jesus, I'm Jack. I want to tell them that but someone grabs my arm and pulls me off the ground and away from the Somebody.
"Hey!" says the lady. "Keep an eye on your child please, can't you see he has a walking stick?"
"Shut up, Harry. Sir, is your daughter okay? Has she been in an accident?"
I spit Pa's tooth out into my hand and hold it out towards the somebody. Old Magnussen tries to take it from me. I start to scream.
"Hey, Sweetheart, is that for me? What have you got there? Sir, is everything alright, should we call someone?"
"Why don't you just mind your own business!"
He's taking me away! No! I mustn't fail! "Pa, help me! HELP ME!"
There's a loud click and Old Magnussen stops dragging me. I struggle to get away.
"Put her down, now."
I bite down on his hand as hard as I can and he throws me to one side and I roll as I land. I curl up into a ball and I hear the truck drive away. Someone touches me. I scream again.
"It's okay," says the man. "It's alright, I'm a doctor, I won't hurt you." He turns to the lady. "Call the police."
She sighs. "Only you'd bring your gun out on an evening stroll."
The Somebody helps me sit up. He's very kind and clever. He knew he had to call the police without me telling him. The lady is shaking. Maybe she's sick too. But the man is calm. I stare at his face and his hands.
"Soldier?" I ask him.
The man's mouth falls open and he stares at me. Then he nods and smiles. He has a nice smile, it makes his face look warm, like Pa's smiles. "What's your name?"
"Jack."
He looks surprised. "Well then, hello, Jack, I'm John."
I'm cold, so the Somebody wraps me up. The police come, but I'm tired and I want to sleep. I must help them rescue Pa, because the Monsters know I'm alive. The police try to talk to me, but I'm scared. There's so much noise and brightness it hurts my eyes. I hold on tightly to the Somebody and he gets into the police car with me. He hugs me tight. He's the Somebody. I must never let him go.
