Z – Zealous

This is a serialized story – be sure to read in order: from A (afterthought) to Z (zealous).

Both heads peered around the door, hoping to see something good. “Not again!” they exclaimed simultaneously as they stared down an all too familiar alley.

Nash flung the door open and took a few steps. “Now will you let that darned cat go? This is where he belongs.”

“No. But I’m not running out that door…” Courtney followed Nash, hugging Cloud even tighter and the cat didn’t fight her. “Wait! Where’s the door? The one I ran through last time?” She spun around several times. “I don’t see it.”

Nash scratched his arm. “Mosquitos. They weren’t here last time either.” He looked up. “That’s where I went to get out of here. This looks the same, but it’s not.”

“Now what?”

Nash shrugged. “Nothing to do but keep walking until we see a way out. Neither of us really took or had time to investigate last time. Let’s go.” He took three more steps and looked back. “Are you coming?”

Courtney shivered and hugged Cloud closer to her. “I guess.” She frowned. “Not that I really have a choice.”

After walking for several minutes, paused to survey the area again. Nash looked ahead while Courtney looked back. “Um, Nash?”

“Yeah?” Nash stopped looking up and turned towards her. “Uh-oh. I see it.”

“How can that be?” The door they entered was now gone.

Nash groaned. “And how can you ask that after all we’ve seen and experienced so far? Nothing is as it seems.”

“I’m really done with all this creepiness. There has to be a way out.”

Nash sighed. “I know, but how?

“I have an idea. A strange one, but something we can try.”

“I think strange is good in here. What is it?” Nash continued surveying the area while talking.

“Well, I think we need to use our hands.”

“Huh?”

She put one hand on the alley wall beside her, not letting go of Cloud who appeared to be asleep. “Like this. You do the other side, then we walk forward.”

He laughed but complied. They had only taken a few steps when something in front of them shifted.

Courtney squinted. “Stop, look! Is that a door?” 

They both stared as the image shifted, then cleared. It was definitely a door.

Nash reached out. “Grab my hand, we’re not getting separated this time.” 

Together they raced to the door and slid to a stop, looked at each other and shouted, “Ready? Ready!”

The door was heavy and it took both of them pushing. As soon as they could see light coming through, they heard shouting and music coming from outside. They pushed harder and when the door finally gave way, the bright sunlight blinded them. They could hear cheering and their names being called.

Courtney whispered, “Who is it? What’s going on?”

Nash shaded his eyes and blinked several times. “I’m not sure. It looks like—”

“What? I still can’t see…”

Nash gulped a couple of times. “Guys? Is that you?”

A tall man about the same age as Nash strode toward them and called out, “Houdini.” The cat struggled in Courtney’s arms. “Houdini, c’mere you bad boy. I wondered where you had gotten to.” Courtney relaxed her grip on the cat and he jumped down, meowing.

“Josh, is that you?” Nash was still struggling to see clearly.

“Hey, sorry for the bright lights, man. The press, they wanted it lit up for photos.”

“Press? Yeah, but they’re not here right now. We have to call them.”

Another man walked over and took Courtney’s hand. “Can you see yet?”

She blinked several times, then threw her arms around him. “I can’t believe it! Marshall Munson, what are you doing here?”

Nash laughed. “I’d say it looks like the band is back together. Almost everyone is here. But—” He stopped short. “Wait! Grandpa… I don’t understand. The threats. Someone better have a good explanation.”

Courtney sputtered, “Grandpa? This is about your grandfather?”

Nash nodded and snarled at his former bandmates. “Talk! Now!”

“Let’s sit down and get you some refreshments and we’ll tell you the whole story.” Josh motioned to a folding table that had been set up with several folding chairs. “Marshall, call Eric and let him know we need the stuff ASAP.”

“So the entire band will be here? Dang, I haven’t seen you guys since…” Nash struggled to remember as Josh chuckled.

“Graduation week when we had that big blow-out party. You quit the group for law school but we three kept playing.”

Courtney sank into a chair with a groan and the cat, obviously named Houdini, jumped into her lap and purred. “I’m so confused by all this…”

Nash sat in the chair beside her. “They threatened my grandfather.”

“They? Who? I thought he was in Italy?”

Nash continued. “I had no idea who it was, the voice was disguised. They told me that I needed to save him, gave me this address, and told me I could bring one person to help me.”

“Well, that explains the mystery part. So, where’s your grandfather?”

Nash glared at Josh and Marshall but before he could say anything more, a black van pulled up with Eric, the final band member, driving. He hopped out, waved to the group and went around to the passenger side to open the door. As they got out with a little assistance from Josh, Nash jumped up and raced to the man, yelling, “Nonno!”

“Ah, Nash, il mio bellissimo nipote.” The old man embraced Nash. “You okay?”

“I’m fine. What about you? Why did they,” he gestured to the others, “take you?”

“No, no. Not take, I came. I have something for you and wanted to surprise you.”

“Come, sit down.” Nash led his grandfather to the seat vacated by Josh. “Do we have any more chairs?”

“Coming up. Eric! Chairs!”

Shortly they were all seated, enjoying the drinks and refreshments Josh had brought.

“Nonno, you said you had something for me?”

The old man nodded. “Soon. Mangia! Too skinny.” He pointed to Courtney.

“I have a more important question. What is this…” she gestured indelicately at the building “…monstrosity?” She continued stroking the purring cat in her lap.

Nash nodded. “This was one wild way to get me here. I agree, explanations are in order.”

Marshall, Josh, and Eric all laughed. “It’s our new business venture,” Marshall replied.

Courtney scowled. “What in the world could you possible do with this as a business?”

The three bandmates stood, bowed, and simultaneously announced, “Welcome to the Wonderland Escape Room!”

Courtney chuckled. “Well, that definitely explains the Alice in Wonderland feeling to the place. But why was I kidnapped? That was pretty terrifying.”

Marshall sat beside her. “We’re sorry about that. No one should ever get hurt. You were our guinea pigs. I mean, we all knew what to do so we needed someone who didn’t have a clue. No pun intended. You ending up outside was a glitch and it’s already been fixed. You guys were really zealous about making it out of there, even without knowing what was going on.”

“So you were watching up the entire time?”

“Yes, at least one person was monitoring you both.”

Nash interjected, “What about that explosion that split the room?”

Courtney nodded.

Eric replied, “You were never in any real danger. Gotta love technology. All the cgi stuff available is amazing, then factor in LED screens. We can change the images projected instantaneously.” He laughed. “You only thought the room split. You could have walked right across the floor.”

Courtney shook her head. “I really can’t get over all the special effects. It was so realistic and believable.”

Nash asked, “It really was amazing. When do you plan to open?”

Josh smiled. “We need one more investor. An active partner. You in? I’ve heard you aren’t very happy with your current situation.”

“I admit, being a lawyer isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, and not at all what I expected. But I do expect you will need one eventually. Where do I sign up?”

Courtney chuckled. “How about a head of security? I mean, if we’re really getting the band back together.”

“Hurrah! Done!”

Nash’s grandfather nodded to Eric who went back to the van. He carried a package out and handed it to the old man who then handed it to Nash.

“Open,” he commanded.

Nash impatiently tore the paper off the box, opened it, and gingerly removed the contents.  “Your trumpet…”

“Yes, now your trumpet.”

“But I played the drums…”

“Only to annoy your parents more. You are a musician. You will learn. I will teach you. My stay in Italy is over. I’m back for good.”

Nash stood and lifted his drink glass. “Well then, here’s to getting the band back together for good!”

“Hear, hear!” chanted the group. Houdini purred in agreement.

THE END