Eve of Destruction by Patrick Carman Page A

everything.
    â€œWait, what’s wrong with Ben?” asked Marisa, alarmed and confused. “Ben? Ben! What happened?”
    â€œHe’s fine. Banged up a little bit, nothing to worry about.”
    â€œWhat do you mean, banged up ?” asked Marisa. “Will, this is crazy. What are we doing down here? Tell her to let us out!”
    â€œI demand that she let us out every time I see her stupid face!” I yelled, frustrated by the position I’d been put in. “And just as soon as she shows up again, I’ll ask her another time. But I can tell you based on what I’ve been dealing with—it’s not going to change her mind if she knows one of us is hurt.”
    â€œSo banged up is hurt. What happened?”
    â€œMarisa, he’s fine—right now I need you to focus on getting down that hall as slowly and carefully as you can.”
    â€œStop treating me like you’re in charge or something. I’m just worried about Ben.”
    â€œBen!” I yelled, and he nodded his head toward me, staring up into the camera like there was a flashlight in his face. “How you doin’? You okay?”
    â€œYeah, I’m good. Just tired. Back hurts. But I’m fine.”
    I turned to Marisa in her monitor and made a face that asked whether or not this was sufficient enough evidence for her.
    â€œThis isn’t easy for any of us,” Marisa said, and then she turned away, putting her hand against the curved wall, staring off toward Kate. Without my consent, Kate had started working her way along the edge of the watery, electric hole of death.
    â€œTake it easy, Kate,” I said.
    â€œWe’re on the other side, Will!” shouted Connor. “We’ve cleared the door!”
    â€œStanding clear!” said Alex, attempting to fit in or mocking Connor, I couldn’t tell which.
    They sounded like they were on a mission with a stated objective of setting off major explosives and blowing things up.
    I engaged the red zone emergency lock and heard the door slam shut, losing contact with Connor and Alex until they wound their way through the labyrinth of tunnels and found the next station.
    â€œKate!” Marisa screamed.
    When I looked back at S2, Kate was wobbling along the edge of the tunnel, having lost her balance. Marisa had gone along the other side of the long hole in the floor, and leaning out, caught hold of Kate before she was forced to step forward into an electric charge she’d never recover from.
    â€œMarisa! Don’t move!”
    The two girls were holding each other’s shoulders, leaned in, facing one another as they stared down into a wide mouth of death.
    â€œJust take it slow. Reeeal slow,” I said.
    â€œYou didn’t answer my question,” Ben said from S1. “Do you think we’re getting out of here alive?”
    â€œI’m a little busy right now, Ben. Gonna have to get back to you on that.”
    I shut Ben’s monitor off and focused every ounce of my attention on Kate and Marisa. I zoomed the camera in at their feet, panning back and forth over the water.
    â€œI think you should keep going, just like that. Pushing off of each other might not work.”
    â€œDon’t go falling asleep on me,” Kate said to Marisa, and she took one tentative step sideways, then another. Marisa mirrored her movements, but on the third step the tile broke free and fell heavy, like a flat boulder, into the hole. Sparks of electricity flared up and water splashed on Marisa’s foot. Both girls went into a brief spasm as an electrical charge jumped through the water and died, but not before giving them both a jolt.
    â€œDon’t let go!” I yelled as the side Marisa was on gave way and vanished in front of her. More sparks flew, more water splashed on both girls, more jolts held them together like electrified glue.
    The center monitor crackled alive and Mrs. Goring appeared, calm and elusive as