Trenton

“Go fish,” I say. Eric, Kylie, and I are on our hundredth game of go fish. I look over at the clock. Still 5:02. I look back as Kylie’s asking for nines. I hear Dawson gasps loudly and I stand up. I rush to his bedside. He looks up at me. I see red marks around his neck, but they’re fading. He gasping for breath and is coughing heavily. I catch him up to speed and he escapes his bonds. He’s still coughing, so I get him a cup of water. As I come back, I see tears starting to form at his eyes. I quickly give him the cup, then give him some space.

“You can join us when you feel ready,” I tell him.

“Thanks,” he says quietly. I get back to the game. We finish and decide to play a different game. We all have become master shufflers and dealers. The cards are getting worn down and the edges are starting to fray. I’ve noticed that we’re the only ones that can move in this time lock. I also haven’t gotten hungry or tired, but I guess that’s expected. Kylie, Eric, and I have grown really close, and now we can tell each other inside and out. At one point, we couldn’t play because we were laughing too hard. After playing a few games of spoons, Dawson comes and joins us. His eyes are red and puffy, and he avoids eye contact with us. After a few hours, and multiple different games, he’s laughing and smiling with us. I realize that this is one of the only times we will have a fun time, so I enjoy it. I rest in the safety of the time lock.