The Haunted House on the Hill

"Johanna?" Elizabeth said, her eyes widening. "What are you doing calling me?"

"I've been trying to call a lot already! You guys have been gone for days!" Johanna eclaimed on the other line. "I'm with an upperclassman of mine, we fell into this tunnel of sorts, but I think it leads to under the house you said you were going to..."

"Wait. You're IN the house?!" Elizabeth said quickly.

"Um... not exactly." The sound of someone grunting could be heard, alogn with creaking. "There's this door, it's locked..."

Joseph turned to Angel. "Someone's here?"

Angel shrugged.

Liz seemmed panicked. "Johanna, listen to me. It's not safe here. Go back the way you came- the way you came! That's it! Johanna, we're on our way. Sit tight!" Elizabeth hung up the phone, excitement pouring through her. "There's an exit! We can escape!" She hugged Denny, thrilled to death.

Denny laughed, hugging her back. "C'mon, let's get out of here."

"But-" Johanna's voice was cut off, a man's now being heard.

"What Todd neglected to tell you is that a rock fall ocurred."

Angel grinned her usual grin. "To the basement! Onward, Sherman!"

Bryant sighed, deciding to just go along with it for now. After all, this didn't happen during his time loop, so he wanted to see how it'll turned out.

Elizabeth took Denny's hand and went down to the door with the basement. Angel followed close behind. She hadn't been this happy in ages, and opening the door to the basement was wonderful with the thought that escape was coming. She wandered down the steps and found a door with banging behind it. It was quickly opened, and revealed Johanna and a friend of hers. Elizabeth grinned. "Show us how you got in!"

"We fell through a hole." Johanna replied sadly.

"There has to be a ladder or something...Maybe we can make a rope one, with a hook on the end?" Quil interjected.

Elizabeth ran into a dark cavern only to find a charred rope hanging down to about midway up. It was too high for anyone to reach.

Her heart broke as Angel came up behind her. "No.... no, please no! No!" Angel screamed as she ran up to the wall and jumped, trying to grab the rope's end. It couldn't be reached.

Elizabeth was speechless and fel to her knees. "We were so close..." she said quietly.

"W-what's going on you guys...?" Johanna said, her voice high with anxiety.

Bryant frowned and looked up at the rope, covering his right eye so he could see it better, before glaring at Johanna and Anthony. Goddamnit...

Anthony glowered back. "Look, we didn't exactly plan to be dropping in like this, so don't give us the stink eye."

"That might've been our last way out..." Joseph said.

Bryant sighed. "Whatever." He pulled out the journal and began to flip through it.

"Is there anythign we can use in the house?" Johanna asked around.

Angel went and gave Joseph a hug. She needed it, and she was sobbing into his shoulder.

Elizabeth shook her head. "We've found nothing."

The cavern began to shake, as if something huge was approaching.

Aria frowned, quickly grabbing Bryant's arm. "We should get out of here, or it's gonna collapse on us."

Angel was almost tempted to stay. She would die and leave the house if she were crushed under the rocks. But did she want to die here?

Denny grabbed Elizabeth's arm while Quil took charge. "C'mon, out of the tunnel!" she barked, ushering her friends towards the exit.

Elizabeth clung close to Denny, terrified. That hadn't changed throughout their time here. The ever constant state of fear.