Logically, there must be a hatch in the floor. It would be challenging for Dennis to get both of your bodies underneath the church. You are still puzzled as to how he did it without stirring you, you think as you begin scanning the floorboards for hinges. Above you, the church is silent. It's possible that he left , but if so, how long until he sets it on fire?
A few minutes later and less than 10 feet away, you find the hatch. You try gently pushing it upward, enough to peer out and scan for Dennis, but the weight of the door requires strength. He must have set something on top. You try again with force and manage to push it up enough to quickly scan for him.Your eyes water from the proximity to the gasoline soaking the floor and you ease the door shut. You pocket the key light, place Michelle's cell phone in your t-shirt pocket and gripping the mace in your left hand, you prepare to shove the trapdoor open. You push with all your force and it flings open to the 90-degree mark, catches and slams shuts. You wait a few seconds and then slowly push it open. Whatever was holding it shut earlier is gone.
You are reluctant to stand up, but know that you cannot waste anymore time. You decide to just stand up and quickly survey the church. You make sure the mace is ready to spray in case Dennis is up there and you stand up, quickly spinning around with the mace-wielding arm extended. Nothing. You stop with your back against the trapdoor and find you are facing the rear of the church. The pulpit must be right behind you.
THWIPPPPP!!!!
You screech in pain as a fiery pain erupts in your left shoulder. The mace drops from your hand. Your try to duck back into the crawlspace but cannot. Turning to your shoulder, you find a crossbow bolt sticking out just above the collarbone. You look over your shoulder and find the other end buried deeply in the trapdoor. Your already blurry eyes fill with tears from the pain as you try to find him. Is he down the aisle, by the office? Is he in one of the...
THWIPPPPP!!!!
Another arrow rips into your left bicep, pinning it to the trapdoor as well and another howl escapes you. You begin tugging on the ends, hoping to free yourself and retreat. Each pull sends a explosions through your nervous system.
"I can keep doing this all night. I know every spot that won't kill you quickly, but rather let you die slowly," Dennis says as he steps from the darkness of the entrance.
"WHY???? WHY THE HELL ARE YOU DOING THIS TO ME????" You scream.
"Throw me your lighter," He says, raising the crossbow to firing position.
"NO! YOU CRAZY ASSHOLE, YOU TELL ME WHY YOU ARE DOING THIS TO ME!"
"Throw me your lighter, or I will put one through your right shoulder and retrieve it myself."
You are peripherally aware that he is moving closer to you, but you cannot focus past the pain. There has to be a way to free yourself from the boards behind you. You know that you need to leave the arrows in your shoulder and arm or you'll run the risk of bleeding out. The pain is too intenses to pull yourself free, every move causing your vision to dim. You would only black out if you tried to force yourself free. With a madman standing over you with a crossbow, you doubt you would ever come to.
"Son, I'm not joking around. Give me your lighter." Dennis is standing over you now, with the crossbow pointed into the hatch. You look around you, realizing this is it. You're either going to die from burning alive at the hands of your own lighter. Or this nutjob is going to fill you with arrows until you slowly bleed to death, and then he will take the lighter and burn you. You see the mace, laying just a few inches from your left hand. He's leaning in, reaching for something. You notice the pistol tucked into the front of his pants. If only he were a little closer, you could try grabbing for it.
Crouching now, he pulls the cell phone from your breast pocket and grins before throwing it across the church. You hear it crash through one of the windows. "No more phone, no more fun. It's time to go, kid."
"Dennis"
"Yes?"
If you give him the lighter, turn to page 68.
If you refuse to give him the lighter, turn to page 69.
A few minutes later and less than 10 feet away, you find the hatch. You try gently pushing it upward, enough to peer out and scan for Dennis, but the weight of the door requires strength. He must have set something on top. You try again with force and manage to push it up enough to quickly scan for him.Your eyes water from the proximity to the gasoline soaking the floor and you ease the door shut. You pocket the key light, place Michelle's cell phone in your t-shirt pocket and gripping the mace in your left hand, you prepare to shove the trapdoor open. You push with all your force and it flings open to the 90-degree mark, catches and slams shuts. You wait a few seconds and then slowly push it open. Whatever was holding it shut earlier is gone.
You are reluctant to stand up, but know that you cannot waste anymore time. You decide to just stand up and quickly survey the church. You make sure the mace is ready to spray in case Dennis is up there and you stand up, quickly spinning around with the mace-wielding arm extended. Nothing. You stop with your back against the trapdoor and find you are facing the rear of the church. The pulpit must be right behind you.
THWIPPPPP!!!!
You screech in pain as a fiery pain erupts in your left shoulder. The mace drops from your hand. Your try to duck back into the crawlspace but cannot. Turning to your shoulder, you find a crossbow bolt sticking out just above the collarbone. You look over your shoulder and find the other end buried deeply in the trapdoor. Your already blurry eyes fill with tears from the pain as you try to find him. Is he down the aisle, by the office? Is he in one of the...
THWIPPPPP!!!!
Another arrow rips into your left bicep, pinning it to the trapdoor as well and another howl escapes you. You begin tugging on the ends, hoping to free yourself and retreat. Each pull sends a explosions through your nervous system.
"I can keep doing this all night. I know every spot that won't kill you quickly, but rather let you die slowly," Dennis says as he steps from the darkness of the entrance.
"WHY???? WHY THE HELL ARE YOU DOING THIS TO ME????" You scream.
"Throw me your lighter," He says, raising the crossbow to firing position.
"NO! YOU CRAZY ASSHOLE, YOU TELL ME WHY YOU ARE DOING THIS TO ME!"
"Throw me your lighter, or I will put one through your right shoulder and retrieve it myself."
You are peripherally aware that he is moving closer to you, but you cannot focus past the pain. There has to be a way to free yourself from the boards behind you. You know that you need to leave the arrows in your shoulder and arm or you'll run the risk of bleeding out. The pain is too intenses to pull yourself free, every move causing your vision to dim. You would only black out if you tried to force yourself free. With a madman standing over you with a crossbow, you doubt you would ever come to.
"Son, I'm not joking around. Give me your lighter." Dennis is standing over you now, with the crossbow pointed into the hatch. You look around you, realizing this is it. You're either going to die from burning alive at the hands of your own lighter. Or this nutjob is going to fill you with arrows until you slowly bleed to death, and then he will take the lighter and burn you. You see the mace, laying just a few inches from your left hand. He's leaning in, reaching for something. You notice the pistol tucked into the front of his pants. If only he were a little closer, you could try grabbing for it.
Crouching now, he pulls the cell phone from your breast pocket and grins before throwing it across the church. You hear it crash through one of the windows. "No more phone, no more fun. It's time to go, kid."
"Dennis"
"Yes?"
If you give him the lighter, turn to page 68.
If you refuse to give him the lighter, turn to page 69.
