Kim stared at the wall, unmoving. One part of her life was over; a new part would now begin. She closed her eyes and said the same silent prayer that she had recited through the night.
Please just keep them safe. Please let them be happy.
A noise jarred her out of her thoughts and she looked up.
Over by the door, Kayla shouted. "Cal, is that you? You know you won't get away with this."
But it was not Cal.
Kim recognized Shane's voice immediately. Thank God. Kayla and Shane whispered something that Kim could not hear, despite racing toward the door. Then she was able to make out his words.
"Is Kim with you?"
Kim felt tears of joy and relief fill her eyes. She doubted she had ever been so happy to hear Shane's voice before.
"I'm right here," she said.
Next to her, Kayla had fallen back against the wall and was now looking at the ceiling, probably saying a silent prayer.
"We're going to get out of here," Kim said. "We're going to get out of here."
"Shhhh," Kayla hissed, holding a finger to her lips.
Suddenly, Kim remembered something that Cal had said the first day. The noise from the room could be heard in other parts of the building. Did Cal hear them? Had he heard them talking to Shane?
And Cal said he would be coming back soon. How soon was "soon"? Kim rushed to the door.
She heard a sound just beyond the door. It sounded like someone rustling through something.
"Shane?" she whispered. Was he still there?
"I'm here." His voice was so reassuring. "I'm going to pick the lock. I just had to get a lockpick."
"Hurry, Shane," Kim said. "Cal said he'd be back in a minute."
She heard the sound of the lockpick enter the lock. Her heart pounded. In a moment, the door would open.
"Damn!" Shane hissed.
Kim pressed her head against the door. "What?"
"The pick snapped. . . . I've got anoth-" Shane stopped abruptly. "I think someone's coming."
It had to be Cal. Kim remembered again him saying he could hear people talking in the locked room. Oh no! If Cal came through the door with his gun out, Shane would be caught with nowhere to go.
She exchanged looks with Kayla, who had an equally stricken expression on her face. Through the door, they heard the rustling sound again.
"I'll be back," Shane whispered.
No, don't leave us, she cried silently. Out loud, she whispered, "Don't go."
"He's probably just ducking behind a wall or something," Kayla whispered. They both had their ears pressed against the door, waiting anxiously for whatever would happen next.