As it turned out it was, in fact, a really bad idea. Grabbing my arm Algea maneuvered us through the crowd toward the back exit. The music had slowed down to a sleepy waltz and everyone was either swaying in pairs or hanging around the food. Both activities, however, were in the opposite direction Algea was dragging me. Luckily, no one paid us any attention, but I couldn’t help myself from nervously glancing towards Aurelio. Luckily for us he was too drunk to stand, let alone look for us. His wife was holding him up as they swayed to the music. Once we had slipped into the hallway and I let out the breath I had unknowingly been holding, I looked around to try and see where we were.

The corridor we entered was all concrete and steel giving off an eerily lifeless feel. The halls stretched on and branched multiple times in both directions. I could not tell which way to go. Hoping that Algea knew the path to freedom, I turned to her, only to see a look of poorly concealed worry.

“This way.” Algae grabbed my arm and started heading left. It was after we rounded the first courn and was about to round another that I spoke.

“Where are we going?” Agea’s response was to cover my mouth as she pushed me against the wall. “What are you doing?” I angrily mumbled into her hand.

She slipped her mask off and tilted her head into my neck, sending chills down my arm and to the rest of my body. I started to lean away when a hand forced me to stay.

“Two people are coming. I think they are guards.” She murmured into my ear punctuating each word with severity. “Now, if you cannot pretend to enjoy this, turn your head away from the open hallway.” She pressed her thumb into my chin to tilt my head right as I heard footsteps thudding against the concrete floor. Cramming my eyes shut I listened to my heart pound in my ears slightly off beat to the steps.

“Wait, where are the steps?”

“Why hello there you two. Nice night?” A gruff voice inquired.

I jumped. Algea was quicker though. She was already off me and was addressing the two guards.

“Hello gentlemen, were we being a bother?” She sweetly asked, cocking her head to the side. Her smile looked placating to anyone who didn’t know her.

“No bother,” the gruff guard replied as his partner grinned. “We were just making our rounds, and we were just making sure you two wern’t a threat.” He winked at that. It took all my willpower to not make a face. “Well, we’ll be on our way then. Have a good night you two.”

“Thank you, we will.” As soon as they turned around the corner Algea relaxed leaning against the wall. She looked like she was going to be sick.

“Algea, what’s wrong?” Taking a deep breath she righted herself and smoothed her dress. With a small flash she had her eyepatch in her hand, and she was tying it on.

“Nothing much, my eye has heightened vision so if I have both eyes open I get a splitting headache. The only thing it can’t see through is my eyelid. The eyepatch serves to dampen it while I’m awake.” Looking a little less green, she started walking away from where the guards disappeared. I wanted to offer to help her, but the fear of getting stabbed kept me quiet.

We slowly made our way through the silent halls. It was only after what seemed like ages did I start to recognize the hallway we had just turned to. The walls were lined with numbered rooms. We were standing next to a room labeled N20. Algae must have felt me stiffen for she had stopped and was looking at me with concern.

“We do not need to continue together, but I need to see. It is the reason I am here.” I swallowed and nodded my acceptance, but I could not take my eyes off of the oncoming hallway. Down there was where I was held and where I was tortured. Ridley was also down there waiting.

I pushed my fear down and started leading the way. The hall felt shorter than I remembered. Too soon I was at the door, but it was padlocked. I was turning to Algea to say I have no idea where the key was when I saw her crouch down with a lock pick set and start to fiddle with it.

“Wait, let me.” She raised her eyebrow at me, but handed over her tools anyway. Quickly I took one of the metal tools and slipped it in between the where the shackle met the body and worked it a bit until I heard a click. Turning to Algea I gave her back her tools. Her look of approval made me smile for the first time in a while. Swiftly we both entered the room.

I had forgotten how depressing the cell looked. The chains and dried blood covering the floor were not helping the atmosphere as I watched Algea take it all in. Her expression darkened when she saw Ridley in the back of the room. He had perked up when the door had closed behind us with a loud click and was now sitting with a look of relief.

“Algea.” He breathed. It looked like the weight of the world was lifted off of his shoulders. While I was looking at Ridley, Algea had walked over and knelt in front of her lost friend. Placing her hand on his shoulder she murmured words it seemed she had been holding onto for fifty years.

“I always keep my promises.”