Panic Room

Chapter 5 - Panic Room

Lilith

"You can't be serious. Even on the day, we're supposed to be mourning the loss of your sister, you insist on going out to party. You haven't changed at all." My mother cried out as she took in my short black dress, fishnet stockings, and black doc martens. I had even curled my hair and put on a bit of makeup, not too much because it wasn't me, but enough to please Kylie.

I planned to tell them I was tired and going to bed early, but that was quickly derailed when my mom walked into my room to check in on me. Instead of finding me in bed sleeping, she caught me with one leg out the window dawned in my jacket and shoes.

It was sad that I, a twenty-one-year-old woman, had to sneak out of her parent's house like a sixteen-year-old sneaking off to see her boyfriend. Not that I ever did that; the boys here only wanted one thing from me: information on how to get with my sister.

"I don't see how me going out at this hour means that I didn't mourn Eve. I have been since I got here. I have done everything you asked me to without argument." My mother threw her arms up in the air, shaking her head in disbelief. Her blonde hair pushed back from her, continuously pushing her fingers through it.

"You are unbelievable. I know you and Eve didn't get along, but she is dead now, Lilith. Your sister is de-" A rush of tears cut off her words. Even in death, I couldn't escape the twisted truths my sister had spun.

"Portia, I'll handle Lil. You go lay down. I'll bring you some tea and Advil in a minute." My mother shot me a quick glare, her red-rimmed eyes narrowing at me in disgust.

I always thought my parent's disapproval and disappointment in me would sting, and I guess it did at first, but now I was so used to it that it no longer fazed me. If anything, I was shocked when I didn't get scolded.

Instead of arguing further, my mother patted my dad on the shoulder, and he pressed a quick kiss to her temple before she descended down the hall to their room, shutting the door with a louder-than-necessary click.

My father heaved a heavy sigh, rubbing his hands down his face. He was exhausted from the emotional day he had endured; we all were.

"Be back by three at the latest, Lil. I will have an alarm set to wake me up, and if I check your room and you aren't there, I will call the police to report you missing. Do you understand?" My father asked me, and I stared at him for a moment, my mouth slightly parted in shock. For a second, I had to check and ensure I wasn't dreaming.

"You're going to let me go?" I asked in disbelief.

"You are an adult now, Lilith. In reality, I couldn't hold you back if I wanted to. But I know this is a lot for you, and everyone copes differently. So all I ask is you be careful where ever it is your going. And tell Kylie to do the same."

Okay, so maybe Eve dying did knock some sense into one of my parents, at least. Or some evil demon is possessing him, and this is just part of its plan to get close to me so it can kill me too. 

'Be realistic. He is clearly trying to make up for the years he didn't help you when you were younger."' That nagging little voice reasoned, killing my imagination once again.

I knew demons were not real, not even close, but sometimes it was easier to explain things with make-believe scenarios than face the truth of it all.

I nodded, giving my dad a tight hug before pulling away.

"I promise I'll be home by three."

Kylie had been waiting outside when I left my house, and she lost her shit when I told her what happened.

Our conversation quickly changed to her catching me up with all the latest town gossip.

Not that I really cared to know, but it felt nice, almost normal, just to sit there and let Kylie go off about some of the things that had happened in town since I left. Before I knew it, we were pulling into a large underground parking lot in the middle of nowhere.

Kylie turned off her car, and we both got out. Silence greeted us, along with the cold winter air. Her car alarm echoed through the concrete structure as she locked it.

"So, how do we get in?" I asked, looking around at the oversized parking garage. Rows and rows of cars filled the area, but despite how busy the place appeared, there was no noise besides our shoes against the hard ground to signal us of anyone else's presence.

"This way, we have to go further down. It's like this whole thing. There is a metal door, and you have to knock on it to gain entry. Then once you are in, you have seven rooms you can enter, each holding a different theme." Kylie explained, the excitement making her voice raise an octave as she gave me an enthusiastic look.

I arched a brow at her in question.

"I thought you said you've never been here before." Kylie shrugged her shoulder.

She wore a short blue dress that was covered in rhinestones, so many rhinestones, in fact, that if the light hit them a certain way, I was sure they would blind someone. Her strawberry blonde hair was pulled up into a high ponytail, and she wore cute flats to complete the outfit. She was as bright as a damn rainbow compared to my blacked-out outfit. The only colour on me was my green eyes and my red lipstick.

"I haven't, but that doesn't mean I haven't researched the place. It never hurts one to be prepared, Lil." She said matter-of-factly. I laughed as we rounded the corner, the ground sloping down the further we went.

After another minute of walking, I spotted the large metal door with the words 'Panic room.' written in neon lights above it. Kylie squealed in excitement as we approached, and it took everything in me not to cover my ears from the piercing blow she had sent to my eardrums.

"We're here. Let me do the talking. Just stand there and look pretty." She instructed, walking ahead of me and knocking on the door. A peephole slid open, and a pair of deep brown eyes stared out back at Kylie before flicking to me.

"We-" the peephole slammed shut before Kylie could say anything. She turned back at me, confused, and I shrugged my shoulder.

"Guess we didn't make the cut." I mused. Kylie's face fell as her excitement was replaced with disappointment.

Just as we turned to head back to the car, the metal door creaked open and loud music poured out into the empty car garage. A tall man, no, a man wasn't enough to describe him. He was more like a god who was built like a brick house. He stood in the doorway with a bored expression etched onto his face, but somehow that made him even hotter. His dirty blonde hair was tied back, and the black suit he dawned was a sin in itself by the way it simply clung to his body.

"Lilith Porter and Kylie Johnson." Not a question but more of an acknowledgement, his voice was deep and smooth like chocolate. I gave Kylie a wary look before looking back at the man.

"Yes," I answered tentatively. He stepped forward, moving to the side as he stuck out an arm, gesturing into the club. His deep brown eyes held a fire that made my heart race. He looked at me almost as if he knew me even though I knew I had never met this man before in my life.

His lips pulled up onto a smile that was full of sinful promises. His voice was like silk as he spoke, so alluring, almost as if he was pulling you under a spell.

"Welcome to the Panic room. We've been expecting you."