Kiara
I’d never kill my friends.
Kiara
Zoe, Abby, and Maya mean everything to me.
Connor
Kiara, only Abby and Zoe are going to die.
Connor
Maya isn’t your friend.
Connor
In fact, she’s very much your enemy.
Connor
And as it turns out, Maya is untouchable.
Connor
At least for the time being.
Kiara
This is unbelievable.
Kiara
You keep telling me there’s nothing I can do to stop this…
Kiara
So why tell me any of it in the first place?
Connor
So you can at least try.
Connor
So you’ll KNOW that you gave it your all.
Connor
And you’ll know it was me who tried to help you.
Connor
Because in the beginning, there’s nothing but anger and guilt.
Kiara
The beginning of what?
Kiara
You wanna be the guy who tried to help me?
Kiara
Then tell me where my friends are.
Connor
If I do, more people will be hurt.
Connor
And I’ll probably be one of them.
Connor
You can live with that—with putting lives at risk?
Kiara
Look, you should know I’d die for my friends.
Kiara
You want the two of us to have a connection?
Kiara
Then you should learn how much this means to me.
Connor
All right. But remember…
As we felt our way through the tunnels of the crumbling mansion…
The distinct scent of gas pierced my nostrils.
Suddenly, the world quaked—burned—
as chunks of crumbling mansion came flying at us.
Connor
Are you okay, Kiara?
Miraculously, I didn’t have a scratch on me.
But I wasn’t okay. And neither was the house.
The mansion was consumed in flames.
And so were my hopes of seeing Zoe and Abby alive.
That’s when Connor’s warning came slamming back into my mind.
Everyone in that house was likely dead because of me.
Kiara
Were they still in there?
Connor
We won’t know for sure until we get closer.
Connor
Come on—we don’t have a lot of time.
Connor
That fire was actually a good sign.
Connor
Now there’s a chance you can save them.
Kiara
The house is on FIRE, Connor.
Connor
But they’re still alive down there—I can feel them.
Connor
You can help them, but it has to be tonight.
Connor
They won’t live to see sunrise.
I was so creeped out that as we crawled through the tunnels,
I snuck out my phone and surreptitiously texted Maya.
Kiara
I need you to listen to me and listen closely…
Maya
Kiara? Are you guys all right?
Maya
Please tell me Zoe is with you?!
Kiara
And Abby’s still missing
Kiara
But I think I can get them back.
Maya
You god damn well better.
Maya
Now tell me what’s going on?!
And so I did. I told Maya everything that had happened.
We texted for a bit—our first real conversation—
And then four hours later, she checked back in with me.
Maya
Kiara, are you still out there?
Maya
Please tell me you’re okay?
The truth was, I wasn’t okay. Definitely not in that moment.
I was so afraid to answer Maya’s text…
That my hands were actually shaking.
Kiara
I keep calling out to them…
Kiara
But no one’s answering.
Kiara
I hear the panic in my own voice, Maya, and it’s scaring the shit out of me.
Kiara
This place is so dark and so…heavy…
Maya
Just keep looking Kiara, please…
Kiara
We’ve been looking for hours. I didn’t realize this place was so big.
Maya
You can find them. You always find things.
Maya
You figure things out.
Maya
Look, I know I can be a little mean to you.
Maya
But I have my reasons.
Maya
You’re destined for something great.
Kiara
What’s that supposed to mean?
Maya
That you have the ability to find them.
Kiara
Don’t put that on me!
Kiara
This isn’t that stupid Kiara’s Game.
Kiara
Our friends were kidnapped.
Kiara
And if I don’t find them they’ll be dead by dawn.
Kiara
That’s what Connor said.
Kiara
If I don’t find them. They die.
Maya
Maybe it’s time to call the cops.
Kiara
NO! The cops have been here.
Kiara
They don’t give a shit.
Kiara
Mr. Archivolt was able to sweet talk them away.
Kiara
That man’s pure evil, Maya.
Maya
God, you shouldn’t even be down there.
Kiara
But I AM down here.
Maya
Kiara, listen to me…
Maya
The reason I treat you like shit is because…
Maya
I’m intimidated by you.
Maya
I don’t know how you see what you see or do the things you do,
Maya
But I KNOW that you’re special.
Kiara
What can I really do?
Kiara
How are any of my freaky ‘abilities’ actually helpful??
Maya
Maybe that’s why you’re down there.
Maya
And our friends are out there.
Maya
They need your help.
Kiara
I’m doing what I can.
Kiara
But God, it’s just feels like…death… over here.
Maya
Kiara, I don’t like this.
Maya
There has to be someone we can call.
Kiara
Trust me, I wish there was.
Kiara
But I’m the only one who can do this—well, me and Connor.
Maya
How do you know that?
Kiara
Because I think I hear Zoe…
Kiara
They’re here, Maya…in there.
Kiara
It’s far off, but I hear screaming.
Kiara
I can see a little bit too—there’s a flickering light in the distance.
Maya
What does it look like?
Kiara
It’s some kind of man-made tunnel, not a cave.
Kiara
There are stones lining the walls…
Kiara
Wood support beams overhead and…
Kiara
Holy shit, that’s creepy!
Kiara
There are steel shackles hanging from the walls.
Kiara
They’re all along this tunnel… every few feet.
Kiara
There must be hundreds of them.
Maya
Kiara, maybe you shouldn’t go in there.
Kiara
Shit! That’s definitely Abby screaming.
Kiara
Maya, I have to go!
Maya
No! Wait one second, first.
Kiara
I can’t. I can’t leave them like that.
Maya
What direction does the tunnel run?
Kiara
Northwest, basically.
Maya
Let me check something real quick.
Kiara
Hurry, I’m losing reception.
Maya
How long do you think that tunnel is?
Kiara
I have no clue. Why?
Maya
I’m not positive, but, according to Google maps…
Maya
I think you’re heading into…
Maya
The Hallowed Grounds.
Maya
My Aunts and Mom NEVER go there. They’re too scared something bad would happen to them there.
