Page 52 of My Undead Heart

Pages that don’t lie

Unless you can’t count.

Matt’s first instinct was the financial records of this mock office and I agree, but the other couple thinks they’ll find it in the bookcase lined with red bound books. We can’t be wrong. We have to win this thing, and not only because we’re both competitive, but because the couple we’ve been neck and neck with all night is one of those annoying power couples. She’s a lawyer and he’s a surgeon. They have two children, a dog, and a condo in River North. How do I know this? Because they’ve shared their many successes at every possible moment. Uber annoying, and it’s only fueled my need to beat their asses at this game.

“Mia!” Matt whisper-shouts and draws my attention. He’s retrieved a leather-bound book etched with the words General Ledger and hands it over. The timer buzzes overhead signaling another five-minute mark, and lets the zombie that much closer to us and the other couple. Matt grabs me by the waist and yanks us into the corner of the room before the zombie actor can knock the book from my grip.

I flip through the pages as fast as possible and when I get to the last written transaction, there’s the key.Bingo!“Matt!” I yank it from the little paper sleeve and we run across the room to the door.

I slip it inside and the door opens. Our host, a “scientist” from a special military section studying the zombie outbreak, congratulates us both on making it to safety first. The annoying couple follows through the doorway soon after and I try not to gloat.

“Lucky guess,” she says to me with a smile so polite it must be killing her to get beat. “You two worked really well together. Good chemistry. Let me guess, you’ve been together at least a year?”

“Nope. First date.” Matt laughs, deep from his belly and I swear it makes her eye twitch.

“We all made it out alive. That’s what’s important.” Her husband pats her shoulder and smiles as if they weren’t secretly competing with us this entire time. “Come on, honey, let’s go pick our sign for the winner’s photo. Add it to our collection.”

Our scientist is back, along with those who were eliminated early in the game. A few people still remain in the escape room, lost several clues back but really good at hiding from the lone zombie. “Okay folks, we’re gonna get a photo of both our survivors and newly infected participants. If you’ve been bitten, you can find props and signs over there. You survivors, take your pick from here.”

The power couple gives us one last look and turns away to follow the instructions.

“I don’t think this is their first escape room experience,” Matt whispers in my ear. “Did you see her face? Must suck to get beat by first timers.” He laughs again, this time out loud and I can’t help but join along.

“But damn, it feels good.” I giggle and throw up my hand to meet Matt’s high five.

“Gangsta. That’s what I’m gonna call you.” He grins and I really laugh this time.

“What should I call you? Boy genius?” I say and he laughs so loud the couple glances back at us. I pop up on my toes to whisper in his ear, “Smarter than a fucking brain surgeon and lawyer.”

A guffaw erupts from his lips and he shakes his head at me, holding his finger over his lips to shush me, but his smile tells me he finds it as entertaining as I do.

“You have a great laugh.” The compliment escapes my lips before I can censor it.

Matt’s smile lights up his entire face. “Thank you, Mia.” The scruff of his unshaved face moves with his lips. “You make me laugh a lot.”

He’s laughing at me. “So glad I could be of entertainment.” Rolling my eyes, I huff out a breath.

He laughs even louder and draws the attention of everyone in the room. “Not what I meant. Mostly.” He winks with that last part. The buzzer sounds and the remaining participants still struggling to solve their final puzzle are ceremoniously “eaten” by the now free zombie. He’s playing the part well but his costume and makeup could use a little work. All in all, it’s hilarious to watch.

We walk over to the selection of props and signs. I pick one that says, “Which zombie?” and Matt digs through the stack until he comes over with one reading, “I’m smarter than a zombie.”

“And other things,” he whispers, our inside joke that makes us smile wide through the photos we take.

“We’ll email these photos out tonight. Congrats again! If you had a good time, please consider leaving a review on Yelp. That’d really help us out.” The scientist grins after taking our photos.

“Will do. Shall we?” Matt gestures to the door and I nod, stepping in front of him to take the lead. There’s a bounce in my step as we walk back to our parking spot. That was so much fun. Like the best kind of fun, and I’m still reeling from it as Matt hands me my helmet and starts up the bike.

“You ready for more?” His smile is wide. Proud. And really, he should be.

“There’s more?”

“Hell, yeah. I promised you a spectacular date, and I never back down on my word.”

I slide onto the bike behind him, wrapping my arms tightly around his waist before he surges out into the weekend traffic. This time he heads away from the city, up along the lake’s coast. Even though the sun shines brightly, the wind whips across the water and stings my cheeks. I now understand why so many bikers opt for the full helmet. Not that I’m complaining. The further we go, the faster Matt drives, and the cars on the road become fewer with each mile.

It’s beautiful here. I’m not sure I’ve ever been this far outside the city’s center, not unless it was a rare trip to the suburbs. I wonder where he’s taking me, and how it can come close to competing with the zombie escape room we just ruled. That is, until he releases the throttle and I realize where he’s heading. His bike passes through the wrought iron gates of a quaint little cemetery. How is it possible this man gets me so well? We only just met. Unless he’s brought me here to murder me, I’m pretty sure anything he has in store will be completely perfect.

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