THE INTERRUPTION
“Mom?”
Danny’s voice, sharp with fear.
Maya pulled out her phone. Turned on the flashlight.
The beam cut through the darkness.
“What happened?” Kaela asked.
“Power failure. Maybe a blown fuse.”
“Or maybe someone cut the line.”
Maya walked to the back of the auditorium. The door was still closed. Kaela was still standing guard.
“Did you see anything?”
“Nothing. The lights just… went out.”
Maya tried the door.
Locked.
From the outside.
She pushed. Nothing.
She kicked. Nothing.
“We’re trapped.”
Danny ran to the stage door. Locked.
Kaela tried the emergency exit. Locked.
“Someone sealed us in.”
Maya’s phone buzzed.
A text from an unknown number.
“Noon broadcast canceled. You’re mine now.”
Maya looked at Danny.
“He’s here. In the building.”
They huddled together on the stage, their phones illuminating the darkness.
“We need to find a way out,” Danny said.
“There are no other exits,” Kaela said. “I checked. This place was built in the seventies. Fire code violations everywhere.”
“Then we make one.”
Maya walked to the window. It was high, narrow, painted shut.
She picked up a chair.
“Mom—”
She swung.
The glass shattered.
“Everyone out. Now.”
She helped Rachel climb through. Then Kaela. Then Danny.
She was about to follow when a hand grabbed her ankle.
She fell.
The phone flew from her hand, skittering across the stage.
The beam of light spun, illuminating a face.
Vance.
His eyes were wild. His smile was gone.
“You’re not going anywhere.”
Maya kicked.
He held on.
She kicked again.
He pulled her toward him.
“You should have taken the deal.”
“Go to hell.”
“I’ll see you there.”
He dragged her toward the stage door.