Actor

You and your friend enter an old hangar. You bought tickets during the day—"Escape from the Lab," HARDCORE level. Warning: the actor will chase, grab, and tie you up. You laughed. In vain. The door slams shut. Darkness. A voice: "Forty minutes. He's already coming. If he catches you, he'll tie you up. Don't let him tie you up ." Your friend squeezes your hand—it's icy. A corridor. The lights flicker. On the wall: "Don't run in a straight line ." A creak behind you. You turn around—a guy is at the end of the corridor. He stands there, his head down. He raises his face. He smiles. A step.

"Let's run!" my friend shouts.

You turn. He walks quickly, confidently, as if he knows every turn. You run into a room with boxes—and then he appears in the doorway. Your friend stumbles. The guy grabs her by the shoulder, spins her around, and pins her against the wall. She screams. He quickly ties her wrists with a belt—professionally, without rushing—and whispers:

• Quiet. I'll be back.

She leaves. You untie her. Your hands are shaking. Your friend whispers:

• He is strong...

Further on, there's a narrow passage. You climb in first. Footsteps sound behind you. The guy catches up, grabs your ankle, and pulls you back. You fall. He squats down next to you, puts your hands behind your back, and tightens the rope around your wrists—tight, but not painful. He leans in to your ear:

— I'll count to thirty. Then I'll follow you.

He gets up and walks into the darkness. Your friend unties you. You run on. Ahead is a fork: to the left is a corridor with a flickering light, to the right are stairs going down, from which a chill comes. On the wall between them, a sign scratched with something sharp: “One path leads to the exit. The other leads to it. Choose .” Your friend looks at you, breathing heavily. Behind you, somewhere in the darkness, you hear footsteps again. Slow. Confident. He’s in no hurry—he knows you’re not going anywhere.

“Well?” whispers my friend. “Where to?”