Evan's head was covered by the same mask of dirty Ace bandages she had seen over two decades ago, the eyes and mouth covered with the same strips of black cloth. Blood was splashed against his blue coveralls and carpenter's belt, which had been modified to accommodate several knives and a gun holster.
Carol screamed as Evan swung the axe. Darby slammed the door shut and threw her weight against it. This door didn't have a push-button lock like some of the others. Carol helped her try to hold the door in place.
THUMP as the axe split the wood, the blade sinking deep into Darby's cheek.
Darby screamed but kept her weight against the door. Had to run, where could they run? THUMP as the axe came down again. Think, they had to hide, think – the hole in the room with the dead body. Evan couldn't fit through it. Go that way. They'd have to run fast to make it.
A gunshot blew away the wood next to Darby's head. She gripped Carol's hand and ran fast through the dark rooms and corridors. Please God, please don't let either of us trip. Darby threw doors shut behind her as she ran, Evan chasing after them, his footsteps growing closer… closer… too close.
Another gunshot hit the wall behind her. Carol screamed and Darby pushed her into the room with the dead body. Darby turned and saw Evan raising the gun. She swung the door shut as he fired, blowing a chunk out of the door. It had a push-button lock, oh thank you God. Darby pounded it shut with her fist.
Carol was staring at the dead woman. Darby gripped Carol by the shoulders, turned her around and moved her to the hole. Evan tried to open the door but couldn't. He was locked out.
'Go through,' Darby said.
Carol wiggled her way through the jagged opening and got stuck. Darby pushed her through as Evan kicked the door, THUMP-THUMP-THUMP.
Darby got down on her knees again, whispering to Carol kneeling on the other side: 'Bang the doors like we're running away – bang them as loud as you can, okay? I'll join you in a minute.'
'You promised you wouldn't leave me -'
A gunshot blew another hole through the door.
'Run, Carol. Run.'
Darby stood, almost slipping in the blood. The room was dark, but she could see Evan's black-gloved hand reaching through the hole. Carol slammed doors open and shut. Darby pressed her back against the wall. She felt blood sliding down her neck. She touched her cheek, felt the deep gash and the bone. The eye above it was swollen shut.
Evan found the doorknob, turned it and opened the door.
He came through holding the gun. Darby gripped the bone with both hands and sunk the jagged end deep into Evan's stomach.
Beneath the mask a scream of pain, and Darby tore the bone free and stabbed him again in the stomach. Evan tried to bring the gun around and she stabbed him again. He fired the gun next to her ear, the sound deafening, and when he grabbed her hair she brought up the bone's jagged end and sunk it deep into Evan's throat.
He dropped the gun as he grabbed the bone with both hands. Darby pushed him back into the other room. His gun was lying on the floor – a nine-millimeter Glock, his FBI-issued sidearm. She picked it up, swung the door shut and locked it.
'Carol, stay where you are,' Darby said. Then, louder: 'I'm with the police. If there's anyone else in here, stay where you are until I tell you to come out.'
Darby threw the door open and raised the Glock.
Evan was staggering around the small room, the spiked end of the femur sticking out of his neck. He was trying to control the blood pouring out of his stomach. He was bleeding out. Let him bleed.
Evan saw her and went to pick up the axe.
'Don't do it.'
He brought the axe up over his head. Darby fired and blew a hole through his stomach.
Evan slumped back against the wall. She kicked the axe away. He tried to get up, fell, kept trying until his arms went limp.
Behind the mask came a wet, sick, wheezing sound. He managed to say one word:
'Melanie.'
Darby ripped off the mask.
'Buried… She's buried…' Evan started choking on his blood.
'Where? Where is Mel buried?'
'Ask… your… mother.'
Darby felt the skin stretch tight across her face.
Evan smiled, and that was all.
Darby removed Evan's belt and unzipped his coveralls. She patted down the pockets and found a set of keys. She didn't find a cell phone, but she did find a small digital camera stuffed inside one of the pouches on the carpenter's belt. She slid the camera in her back pocket.
Hands slick with blood, she tried each key until she found the one that unlocked the padlocks on the doors. Darby drew in a breath and looked up at the dark ceiling.
'He's dead. He can't hurt you. Is there anyone else in here?'
No answer. The music kept playing.
'I have his keys. I can come help you. If you're there, call out to me.'
No answer. The music kept playing.
Darby went back for Carol. The teenager was hunkered against a dark corner in the hallway, rocking back and forth, in shock.
'It's over, Carol. Everything's okay. Here, take my hand. That's it, hold on tight, I'm going to pull you through… No, don't look at the floor, look at me. I'm going to take you out of here, but I want you to close your eyes until I tell you to open them, okay? Good. That's it, keep them closed. Only a few more steps. That's it. Don't look down. We're almost there. We're almost home.'