Free Nightmare in Niceville by Amberle Cianne

also wasn’t enough time. And, no offense Max, but he has no muscle,” Luke rationalized solemnly.
    Jacob slowly released his hold. His eyes were flashing back and forth between things I couldn’t pinpoint. “Sorry. I’m just freakin’ out, I mean look at this . . .” Another curse.
    â€œI know,” Luke said.
    â€œIt’s okay,” Max replied smoothing his shirt.
    â€œWe should call the police right now, but my phone is in my purse in the theater,” Emily said.
    â€œMy mom took my cell phone,” Jacob grumbled.
    â€œI left mine at home,” Scott said.
    I searched my pockets, knowing I would have mine and . . . felt nothing but the inside of my pockets. “Mine must have fallen out in the theater,” I said dazed.
    â€œI left mine in the car,” Max said patting down his pockets.
    â€œI don’t have one,” Sarah said, wiping her cheek.
    â€œNeither does Angela. And mine is dead, believe it or not. I forgot to charge it last night,” Luke said.
    â€œRachel?” Sarah bent down next to her. She shakily handed Sarah her purse while she stared into space not blinking. Sarah dug through it and pulled out a pink cell phone. She stood and held the phone up in many different spots.
    â€œI can’t get a signal!”
    â€œThere’s a phone behind the counter,” Scott said. He made his way through the obstacles and picked up the phone. He held it up, showing us the phone with a little cord hanging from it. The cord had been cut. Of course. What were the odds of not having a single cell phone to call for help when you really needed it? Apparently pretty good.
    â€œLet’s go back to the movie and try our other phones for service,” I suggested.
    â€œWe don’t know where the person is who did this,” Emily said.
    â€œWell, let’s just stick together, head into the theater, and grab our stuff,” Scott said.
    Everyone silently agreed.
    Sarah and Max were right behind us. Emily and Jacob followed next, still looking terrified. I looked back and told Emily it was okay with my eyes. She barely nodded back. Sarah helped Rachel up from the door and wrapped an arm around her shoulder, rubbing her arm. Luke and Angela were the last to follow. She was leaning heavily on him and wiping her eyes.
    â€œWho could do this?” she mumbled, shaking her head.
    We made our way down the hallway, our eyes flickering in different directions. As we passed the first theater, we heard someone yell in an angry voice, “Where is she? LOOK at the PICTURE! Tell me!” His voice seemed familiar, but I was so drenched in fear that I couldn’t concentrate.
    We froze. Nobody made a sound. Scott quietly opened the door just a crack so we could hear what was happening inside.
    â€œI–I don’t know! I swear!” a woman’s voice whimpered back.
    â€œWhy hasn’t anybody seen her?” the man screamed.
    â€œI—” she was cut short by her own scream. Scott pulled me away, and we started running down the hall. My heart was racing. I saw a flicker of someone’s body running toward Theater Five.
    â€œNo! We stay together!” Scott whispered loudly. Max turned around and opened his mouth to argue, but Scott interrupted him.
    â€œI’m not going to discuss it Max, stay with us,” he said in a serious, almost scary tone. Max just stared at him. Scott was like the Alpha Male in a wolf pack. And he was holding my hand. What did that make me? I felt myself suck in a breath, realizing that I had forgotten to breathe. His fingers weren’t intertwined with mine, but he was still holding my hand. If the circumstances were different, I would have blushed and smiled and gotten huge butterflies.
    Max spoke, “What do we do now?”
    Scott quickly made a decision and took us back into our dark theater. We all raced up the steps and searched for our purses. I fell to the floor and brushed my