Total pages in book: 63
Estimated words: 60487 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 302(@200wpm)___ 242(@250wpm)___ 202(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 60487 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 302(@200wpm)___ 242(@250wpm)___ 202(@300wpm)
Grayson laughed and ruffled his hair, and Carl liked it so much, he imagined cartoon hearts popping up all around him.
He shook his head and folded his arms in self-disgrace.
“We should stop oscillating between scowling and smiling,” Grayson said.
“You seem to be smiling more than scowling.” But then, he’d had longer to come to terms with this.
Grayson’s gaze flickered out the window. “Here we are.”
Carl couldn’t jump out of the ute fast enough, and he was in the lobby in under thirty seconds.
His step stalled as he took in the room, bustling with energy and eager participants. The witches were looming over the reception desk and came away from it with tickets in hand and pointy chins tipped up in cackling laughter. Sage and Leo were tucked into a corner, beside large vintage posters and a shelf of curious brain teasing logic artifacts. Two doors came off the lobby at either end—to the left, a whimsical rainbow promised a journey to Oz; to the right, where the witches had gathered, was the obviously more popular Haunted House.
Carl had taken a look online in the ute—this Haunted escape room was a city favourite.
Grayson caught up to him and took in the volunteer team-building group; in sync, they beelined to Sage and Leo.
Before they got there, the witches—all wearing matching green scarves—slunk over. “Here are your tickets. The Haunted House is at maximum capacity so you guys will have to do the kid room.”
Another witch piped in, “It fits you. Your bakery has an Oz theme. Over the Raindough.” She patted Sage’s shoulder in a way that had Carl gritting his teeth. “Should be easier, too.”
An escape room worker in a red uniform sidled over with a wide smile. “Just because the Oz room is more colourful, doesn’t mean it’s lacking in depth.” To Sage, she said, “Better for sure.”
Carl liked this worker immediately. So did Leo, judging by his awed look at her.
The witches huffed quietly. “Shall we make a race of it? Your team and ours? We win, you give us free coffee for a month. You win, we come in and buy coffee every day for a month.”
Sage held her head high and smiled brightly. “Looking forward to having you as regular customers.”
The witches turned on their heels, heading for the Haunted House door. As soon as their backs turned, Sage sagged. She glanced over at Carl and Grayson, terrified.
Carl understood. He was nervous too. This was far too close to Quiz Night for his liking, but by golly, he’d do his best to beat those witches. He slicked on a confident smile and gave her a thumbs up, then leaned to Grayson and murmured, “You know how you taught me being smart wasn’t attractive?”
“I recall.”
“Could you be not attractive right now? For the next hour?”
“I’ll be downright hideous.”
“This is why I like you.”
Grayson bought tickets for himself and Carl, and they hooked arms with Leo and Sage and followed a painted-on yellow brick road to The Emerald Escape.
The first room was all black and white, and dimly lit. Several boxes sat randomly on the floor. Mist pumped into the room, thickening the air, and speakers pumped out anxious music and wind sounds. Projected onto the ceiling was a large twister.
“Spooky. What do we do?” Leo asked.
Sage murmured, “Hope most of this is like spot the difference. Something that doesn’t require much brains.”
“But we have brains,” Carl said, trying to sound upbeat. “We can decipher stuff. What’s that thingy?”
Leo and Sage sighed. “We are so screwed.”
“Screwed on!” Grayson said with far too much enthusiasm.
“Screwed up,” Carl amended.
A hand landed on his head and rubbed fondly.
Sage jumped with renewed vigour. “Gray, you can do the hard stuff, and look, Jason. A piano. Something for you.”
Carl whimpered.
“Actually,” Leo said, leaping to his rescue, “can I try cracking that one? I think we have to find the sheet music and play the right keys in the right order. You’d let me practice, wouldn’t you, Jason?”
Carl straightened. “Of course. The experienced should always give way for the developing. Playing under pressure will help improve your skills vastly. As they say, practice makes perfect—” At looks from Leo and Grayson, Carl choked on his inane platitudes and cleared his throat. “Carry on.”
Leo scurried ahead, calling out for the rest of them to look for musical notes. They were found under, over, and in nick-nacks around the room, and once Leo had lined them up in order, he played.
With a click, the wall beside the piano opened, and the four of them crawled through a long and narrow tunnel to—
Brightness.
The next room was all colours of the rainbow. Welcome to Oz.
They gathered in the middle of the yellow brick road. It stretched across the room and disappeared into a wall mural leading to the Emerald City. Four life-size figures were planted around the room. Sage raised her hand. “I get this. The tinman and the lion and the scarecrow and Dorothy—they’re in the wrong places.”