The Recall Trials-Chapter 105: Don’t Tell Anyone

There was a tiny keypad hidden on the pedestal. I punched in 4928.

With a soft hiss, the glass popped open.

The red button waited inside.

Theo looked at me. "Together."

We pressed it at the same time.

A hidden door slid open at the far end of the chamber, flooding the tunnel with pale white light.

Theo exhaled. "Don’t fucking tell anyone what I said."

I managed a thin smile. "Okay."

I realized then... the riddles weren’t just puzzles. The real escape code was the truth we were too afraid to say. The game wanted our secrets. And the only way out... was to confess.

We stumbled forward, into the light.

All I could think was one desperate prayer:

Please let Zaara be waiting on the other side.

The door slammed shut behind us as the guards escorted Theo and me back into the main chamber.

The bright lights felt harsher after the dim escape room. My eyes took a moment to adjust. Around us, contestants were already filtering back in from their own trials, faces pale, clothes rumpled, some shaking, some angry.

Theo stalked ahead of me, pressing his fingers to the fresh cut on his cheek.

I caught up beside him.

"Hey..." I said, rubbing my jaw where his punch had landed earlier. "So... we cool now?"

Theo stopped. He turned his head, staring at me for a solid second. Then he gave this crooked smile.

"Cool?" he scoffed. "Vincent, who the hell’s ever said I was cool with you?"

I blinked, unsure whether he was joking or about to swing again.

I let out a tired huff. "I mean...are we at least not trying to kill each other anymore?"

Theo nudged my shoulder with his elbow. "You were practically crying like a baby in there, man. ’Ohhh no, we’re gonna die! Let’s work together!’" He clutched his stomach and started laughing.

I scowled. "Dude, I was trying to save both our asses!"

He grinned wider, showing the blood still drying on his teeth. "Whatever you say, Lover Boy. Just... keep the waterworks under control next time."

Theo’s grin faded into something more genuine.

"...But for real," he mumbled, glancing away. "Nice job with the safe. You’re not completely useless."

I blinked in surprise. "Did you... just compliment me?"

"Shut up before I change my mind." Theo stalked off toward a bunk, flopping down and throwing his arm over his eyes.

I let out a shaky laugh.

That was probably as close to "cool" as we were ever going to get.

I kept glancing toward the main corridor where guards occasionally herded contestants back, one pair at a time.

Minutes dragged by.

Duos returned, both drenched in sweat, mumbling about the riddles and hidden compartments.

I barely heard them. My eyes were fixed on the hallway.

My chest felt tight as I counted every second. Where are they...?

Then, Zaara appeared at the doorway. Her hair was mussed, sweat dampening her forehead, but her eyes went straight to me.

"Vincent!"

She broke into a run, nearly bowling me over as she threw her arms around my waist.

I caught her with a shaky laugh, hugging her so tight my arms trembled. freewebnσvel.cѳm

She was breathless, talking so fast I could barely keep up. "We had this room...it was like this creepy Victorian thing, and Nomi found this chip, and there were riddles about photos, and oh my God, I thought we were gonna die..."

I leaned my forehead against hers. "Zaara, breathe."

She pulled back, wiping at a stray tear. "But we did it, Vincent. We got out."

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Nomi trailing in behind her.

Nomi’s eyes met mine for just a moment. She gave me a small, strained smile, then looked away and kept walking.

She didn’t say a word as she slipped past us, heading toward the locker area.

Zaara glanced after her, worry flickering over her face. "We had a fight, but we’re good now."

I squeezed her hand. "We’ll figure it out later."

But before either of us could say anything more, a loud, jarring thud echoed from behind us.

We both spun around.

"—Nomi!" Zaara screamed.

I darted forward, dropping to my knees beside her.

Nomi lay still.

Zaara collapsed beside me, grabbing Nomi’s shoulders. "Nomi! Hey! Nomi, open your eyes!"

A few other contestants began crowding around, murmuring in alarm.

"She was fine a second ago," I rasped, pressing two fingers gently to the side of Nomi’s neck. Her pulse was there..but rapid and fluttering.

Zaara brushed hair off Nomi’s forehead. "Her skin... Vincent, she’s burning up."

Nomi’s lips parted slightly as though trying to speak, but only a soft whimper escaped.

I looked up, scanning the room. "Somebody get help!"

Suddenly, one of the contestants—a young woman named Kira, whose background was in med training before the games—pushed through the circle.

"Move, move!" she snapped. She knelt on Nomi’s other side, pulling a penlight from the pocket of her jumpsuit. She gently pried open one of Nomi’s eyelids and shone the light back and forth.

"Pupils reactive," Kira muttered. "But sluggish."

She pressed two fingers to Nomi’s wrist, then laid a hand across her lower belly, as though feeling for something deeper. She paused. Her brow furrowed.

"Kira?" Zaara said urgently. "What is it?"

Kira didn’t answer right away. Instead, she unzipped Nomi’s jumpsuit a few inches and palpated gently along her abdomen, feeling for firmness, tenderness, any sign of internal pain.

And then Kira’s eyes widened. She drew in a sharp breath.

"Oh... my god," she whispered.

I felt ice pour through my veins. "What?" I demanded. "What is it?"

Kira looked up, her face pale, mouth hanging open in shock.

She swallowed and spoke in a shaking voice. "Guys... Nomi is pregnant."

A collective gasp rippled through the small crowd.

Zaara recoiled slightly, hand flying to her mouth. "What? No... that can’t—"

Nomi gave another soft, pained moan but didn’t wake.

The other contestants exchanged stunned, horrified glances. A few staggered back as though the air itself had turned poisonous.

"Holy shit," someone whispered. "Here? In this place?"

I felt as though all the blood drained from my face. My thoughts spun in dizzy circles.

Pregnant. Nomi was pregnant.

Zaara shook her head frantically, eyes brimming with tears. "But... how? Vincent... what if—"

I held her shoulders, trying to keep her from spiraling. But my own mind was splintering into panic.

Pregnant. And trapped in the Trials.

The silence in the room grew suffocating.

Above us, the overhead lights flickered, as if the entire facility itself was shuddering under the weight of this secret.

This 𝓬ontent is taken from f(r)eeweb(n)ovel.𝒄𝒐𝙢