Roxanne Finds Mia

Mia’s heart thundered in her chest as she tried desperately to keep track of Roxanne’s movements. Her boots disappeared behind the smoke again. She cursed to herself, realizing she’d have to move and potentially give away her position.

She slowly climbed to her feet again. Putting a hand out in front of her, she moved with care, not knowing if she was moving in circles.

“That won’t work.” Roxanne’s voice sliced through the haze. “I can hear you to my right.”

Mia put the voice from her mind as the device continued to billow smoke with a hiss. Her hand twitched as it came into contact with something hard. It was the railing of the steps. Now she knew where she was in the hallway.

She put her hand out again to continue trying to move towards where she’d heard Roxanne’s arrogant tones. One step forward. A hand darted out from the smoke tightening on her wrist, Roxanne’s black-painted nails digging into her skin.

Mia winced as Roxanne jerked her towards her. She caught the feral glint in Roxanne’s eyes, displayed as nothing but dark outlines behind the colored haze of her chromatic glasses.

“Hi,” said Roxanne.

Mia cried and twisted away, wrenching her wrist out of Roxanne’s grasp. She stumbled backward into the railing in a frantic bid to escape. She knew she had to escape the smoke and take Roxanne’s advantage away from her.

Throwing herself over the railing, she ascended the stairs two at a time, not stopping until she found herself in fresher air. Mia knew she couldn’t stay here. She ascended the next set of steps until she came to the next floor up, a part of the mansion none of the previous three had explored in any great depth.