Faira’s head cocked again toward the others as the robot-like man spoke, and Marianne responded with a less than desirable answer.

[i]So she’s in on this![/i] she thought, suppressing a groan. Cautiously, she took a few more steps away from the demon, glad his focus had shifted from her.

Still keeping an eye on the demon as he danced about like a madman, she reached into a front pocket of her black jeans and pulled out her cell phone, relieved to find it still there. 

Holding her breath and biting her lower lip, she slid her thumb across the screen to unlock it, and checked for service. Her shoulders slumped as she looked at the blinking service icon with no bars. Hours had passed since she had left for the Starbucks. She ran a hand through her hair, her parents coming to mind. They would be good and worried by now.

[i]I’ve gotta get out of here.[/i] She slipped the phone back into her pocket. Then, another thought occurred, and she quickly reached down and felt the long makeshift pocket on her left pant leg. She sighed in relief as she felt the couple pieces of her flute safely tucked away there. She jumped and straightened as the demon spoke again.

She looked to the boy who she had seen earlier as the demon laughed. Turning from him, she looked to Marianne and took a deep breath.

“I-if you won’t tell us where we are,” she began, “at least tell us how to get out of here!”