"What were those things?" Zoey said breathlessly.

"I don't know," Dallas shrugged. "I'm just glad we got away from them."

"Not all of us did," Miguel reminded him.

They all went quiet. It still didn't feel quite right that their friends could have actually been killed.

Brian looked at Lindsey. "So what's the plan?" he asked.

"I'm thinking," she replied.

EY looked at the entry hall. It was dark except for a couple of candles. All of the furniture was worn and broken. On the staircase there was a piece of paper. No, she told herself, I've had it with notes. But she couldn't just leave it sitting there.

EY picked it up. Lindsey noticed and grabbed it out of her hands and read it out loud.

To Whom it May Concern:

If you are reading this it means you've survived past the gate. You're one of the lucky ones, you're a survivor. From here on out it's a waiting game until your demise. I'll go ahead and guess that you've already lost two people.

"How do they know that," EY panicked. Brian covered her mouth with his hand so Lindsey could continue.

In the end, only one person will survive this nightmare factory and that person will never leave the mansion. While you are here you will be given three clues, but use them wisely, for there is only one way out. The clock is ticking. Watch your back, danger lurks everywhere. Win the game. Stay in a group. Above all........BEWARE THE VOICES.

Lindsey chose not to be scared, or rather she chose to pretend not to. She didn't have time to be scared. There were more important things to occupy her mind than fear. If this was all a game. She was going to win. "The note says there's a way out," she stated. "We're gonna find it."

The others looked slightly reluctant, but nevertheless, they made their way through the entryway into the living room. Like the rest of the house, it was old and worn out.

"See an exit?" Lindsey asked.

"No," Miguel responded before tripping over a coffee table. With the state it was in, he was surprised it didn't fall apart. Brian was too.

"That's weird," he observed. He walked over to the table and tried to push it. When it didn't move, he looked at the floor. "The furniture," he said, "it's bolted to the ground."

"Yeah," Miguel agreed quickly, relieved that the oddity was serving as a distraction from his clumsiness. "And the stuff on the tables looks like they're bolted too. He made grabs at the coasters, pencil cup, and the lamp. Unfortunately, the lamp was the only thing in the room that did move. As soon as he touched it, the floor flew open, sending them all into the basement.

Miguel felt disoriented after hitting the concrete floor. He moaned in pain.

"Are you all right?" Zoey asked him.

"Hard fall," he mumbled.

"Really," she said confused. "I thought the landing was pretty soft."

"Yeah it was like we landed on a bunch of vines or something," Brian added. A faint hiss could be heard as he spoke. He lifted his hand off one of the "vines" to notice the slimy texture.

"You guys don't think..." he began.

EY shrieked and shot upright. Snakes weren't her biggest fear, but they definitely weren't something she wanted to be trapped in a room with. She didn't even like looking at pictures of them.

"We have to get out of here" her voice shook horribly.

"There's a door on the other side." Zoey pointed.

The hissing grew louder. From a dark corner, uncoiling, was a giant cobra, at least ten feet tall, slithering towards them.

EY tried to scream again, but she couldn't. She couldn't even move. It was that silencing fear. Like what she had at school, except a thousand times worse. It was as if she had no voice instead of just not knowing how to use it.

The cobra advanced toward her.

"Move kid," Dallas yelled at her.

But all she could do was stand there paralyzed while the giant snake used its tail to knock her down.

"EY!" Miguel exclaimed. He tried to run over to help her, but the snake released some sort of smoky fumes. He inhaled them and began to cough and sputter.

What's going on? He tried to ask although the words never left his mouth.

Miguel, a voice spoke, you're under new management.

What, he said worried.

You're dead, it explained. That gas, it's poisonous to the first person who breathes it in.

"Miguel, are you okay?" Brian asked.

No, he wanted to scream, but the other voice spoke for him.

"I'm fine." The voice sounded exactly like his own. That voice was using his voice to talk to the others.

Give it up, he told him. You're no longer in charge of yourself.

What do you want? He pleaded.

Revenge, the other responded, for a wrong-doing committed twelve years ago.

But what did I do? I didn't even live in this country twelve years ago, Miguel tried to rationalize. He couldn't think of anything that bad that he did when he was 4 years old living in Spain.

Oh no, it's not for anything you did, the voice assured him, or for anything your friends did either. You see, I can't get even with those who wronged me, so you guys are the next best thing.

He laughed maliciously and followed Miguel's gaze to EY. Poor thing, he taunted.

Don't touch her, Miguel warned, but he felt himself running over to her against his will.

"Come on EY," he said, gently pulling her arm and taking her away from the danger.

Dallas approached them. "I've got her," he said, picking up the kid. "Now let's get out of here. While that thing was attacking EY, the others were able to open the door." He carried her to the exit.

Miguel felt his body running, but he was being mocked as he went.

You know you're not strong enough to do that, the other voice told him.

Get out, he ordered.

Oh no, the other said, having him step out of the snake room and slamming the door shut. I'm just getting started.