28. River

RIVER

I bolted into the theater, having no idea where to start looking for my boyfriend. All I knew was I needed to find him and get the fuck out of there now.

I lifted my head to call his name, but just as I did the big screen came to life, the volume of a movie drowning out my voice. I called again over the surround sound, but nothing.

I raced along one of the rows of seats, feeling the bow of the floorboards beneath my feet when suddenly an entire section of the flooring gave way beneath me.

Boards splintered.

A chasm opened up.

And along with several seats and a tangle of frayed carpet, I plunged into the hole that had unexpectedly opened in the middle of the auditorium.

I hit a crossbeam on the way down…

Fell through a bunch of loose wiring…

Then crashed down hard, one foot taking the brunt of the fall as several theater seats hit the ground around me.

As dust rained down on top of me, I realized I was lying amid the network of planks and pillars that supported the tiered seating of the auditorium above.

I tried to move, but grunted in pain when I realized my ankle had snapped in the fall.

I sat up to inspect the damage, when suddenly a red glow caught my eye.

A few feet away, taped to one of the main beams holding the entire structure in place, was one of Dwight's dynamite-strapped bombs, the timer ticking down fast.

5:26

5:25

5:24

My blood ran cold.

Every muscle in my body contracted…

Paralyzing me with fear…

And unleashing the panic.

"No," I breathed. "No, no, no, no, no!"