Chapter 565 Mrs. Windsor, Compliments to You
The cameramen couldn’t follow into the haunted house’s secret chambers, so both teams were waiting outside.
The two photographers, men in their thirties or forties, were sitting around taking a break and gossiping:
Natalie's cameraman asked, "How are Susan and Leonard doing?"
Susan's cameraman answered, "They don’t really seem like a couple. What about your side? Must be awkward getting back together after a divorce, right?"
"I'm not sure about the awkwardness, but... they don’t act like they've split."
"…?" What do you mean?
"…" I'm just telling it like it is.
The escape room was designed for a minimum of eight players to start the game, but after a short wait, Barrett and Cadence joined in. The organizers ended up negotiating with the escape room owner to reserve the entire venue for just the six of us. They extended the usual one-hour limit to three, giving us plenty of time.
"The success rate of this escape room is less than 10%, with the record time being forty-seven minutes," the host remarked. "Many escapees go for a two or three-hour session straight."
Before entering the room, the six of them, following the rules, stored their phones in lockers, and the owner handed them a walkie-talkie for communication.
Blindfolded, they were led by the staff in one direction. They could faintly feel the floor's texture change beneath their feet, from a wooden surface to flagstone.
A mechanical yet deep female voice echoed through the speaker:
"Players, please remove your blindfolds."
"Welcome to—Castle of Murmuring Grudges!"
Susan shrieked in fright as she slipped off her blindfold, instinctively leaning into the person beside her.
Leonard cast her a cool, indifferent glance. Despite being her fiancé, he offered no words of comfort.
"Holy smokes, that scared the crap out of me! I didn't expect an escape room in this small town to be so lifelike!"
Cadence was also frightened but held it together better than Susan, at least not clinging onto any guys nearby.
Natalie felt a jolt in her heart, but it was more from the startling visuals than actual fear.
They were standing in front of an old-style castle, before them a large wooden door, splattered with red "blood."
The surrounding darkness was broken only by a faint luminescence. The cool breeze whispering through the wall vents made it feel like we were truly outside in the wild.
"Not scared?"
Oliver had been keeping an eye on Natalie and noticed that at first glance, her pupils had dilated, but she quickly switched to calmly surveying the surroundings.
Compared to the still unsettled Susan, it was a stark difference.
"Not really," Natalie responded casually. "These things are less frightening than the human heart."
Oliver pursed his lips with a hint of regret.
Guess there goes my chance for her to cling to me on her own.
Susan glanced at Natalie, realizing she was being mocked!
She took several deep breaths, forcing herself to stay calm, continuously reminding herself that it was all fake, nothing to be afraid of.
Barrett, being bold, was the first to push the door open.
The haunted house escape room was modeled after a traditional two-hall castle.
Beyond the gate lay a courtyard dimly lit, where an old stone table stood, surrounded by a carpet of fallen leaves. Across the yard, a door loomed, firmly locked, flanked by a pair of lamps, casting an eerie and frightening aura.
"Damn, no flashlight? The boss didn't hook us up with any," Barrett grumbled, recalling his escape room experiences where operators typically provided a couple of flashlights.
Cadence rolled her eyes, "Flashlights? They don’t have those back in the day!"
"Oh, right, my bad," Barrett conceded.
Natalie, after a swift survey, nodded towards the plaque and said to Barrett, "Hey, see if you can grab those lamps."
"You want me to mess with lamps for the dead?!" Barrett looked at her as if she had just plotted his doom.
Had the light been better, he would've seen Natalie and Oliver giving him the kind of look one saves for the hopelessly clueless.
Natalie walked over herself, stepping on the flagstones which shattered instantly with a sharp "crack."
Startled, Susan quivered and looked for Oliver, only to see him striding alongside Natalie.
"Mrs. Windsor's got guts," Oliver commented with a chuckle, removing the right lamp as Natalie reached for the left.
Their movements were almost in perfect sync.
"What did you say?" Natalie, preoccupied with the inscriptions on the tablets, hadn't quite caught his "Mrs. Windsor."
"Just complimenting you."
Natalie smirked, "Well, keep them coming. I can handle it."
Oliver's smile grew wider.
Cadence and Barrett exchanged looks, suddenly feeling like the unwitting audience to a display of affection.
"How'd you know we could take the lamps?" Barrett inquired.
"What else around here looks like it could give off light?" Natalie replied, her disdain nearly tangible.
Oliver's smile turned sly, his pride evident.
Look at her, that's my wife—sharp as ever!
Cadence couldn't help but snicker.
Susan heard her fiancé, Leonard, chuckle with a hint of delight and amusement.
She watched Natalie with envy.
Why wasn't Natalie afraid? How could she remain so composed in this setting? Why did Natalie always have to steal the spotlight?!
Suddenly, a loud "clang" echoed.
"Ah!"
"Woosh!"
"Ahh!"
"Ahh!"
All of a sudden, a window on the right side of the courtyard flew open, and a pale figure burst out, charging straight toward the group at the door. Before anyone could get a good look, it swiftly retreated back inside, leaving Cadence, Susan, and the others screaming in terror.
"Holy crap, there's actually an NPC lurking around..." Barrett broke into a cold sweat from the shock.
Natalie glanced over at the rest of the group, her brow furrowed ever so slightly—any normal person would have been startled, except for Leonard, who didn't even flinch. This was beyond strange.
He either knew what was about to happen or he had nerves of steel.
"It's all your fault, Barrett, insisting we play this haunted room game. You scared me to death!" Cadence kicked Barrett in annoyance.
Natalie, surprised, asked them, "Did you guys come here just to play?"
"Uh, what else?" Barrett was taken aback for a moment, "You're not here on some kind of mission, are you?"
What if it had been someone less courageous? Both Barrett and Cadence glanced at Susan, who was feigning composure, and they couldn't help but snicker inside.
If this had happened before, Barrett might have comforted Susan, but after everything they'd been through, he figured someone as smart and cunning as himself should probably keep his distance from Susan.
Natalie walked over and handed a lamp to Leonard.
"Thank you, Miss Watson, for looking out," Leonard said with a smile as he accepted it. Their fingers briefly touched as the lamp passed from her hand to his.
Natalie frowned slightly, noticing that Leonard's expression remained unchanged, and she wondered if the touch had been accidental.
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