Meant to Be Read Online Free Page B

exasperation mixed
with curiosity.
    Rad chuckled. “Let’s just say you seem
like the competitive type, and I knew you’d be game.”
    Lauren smiled. Well, he had that part
right. And from what she had read about it this morning, it might
be fun.
    She stood beside Rad, listening
intently as the operator explained what would happen when they
entered the room individually. The objective was to race across the
floor as quickly as possible, push a button on the opposite side,
and then race back—all while trying to avoid the web of laser beams
that crisscrossed the room.
    “ You go first.” Rad pushed
Lauren toward the door. “So I know what I have to do to beat
you.”
    When the door closed behind Lauren,
she had a moment of low-grade panic. The room was dark and full of
haze. She didn’t like enclosed places. But as soon as she stepped
across a line on the floor, the lasers appeared, and she forgot her
fears. She bolted over one beam, under another, over and under,
until finally she saw the red button on the opposite wall. She
lunged for it, gave it a push, and then scooted across the floor on
her stomach, under the beams, until she got to the other side and
slammed the last buzzer.
    When the door opened, Rad was there
looking at the results screen with a serious expression on his
face. “Hmmm. That’s better than most people do.”
    “ You look
scared.”
    “ You
didn’t let me finish.” He gave her a lighthearted grin. “That’s
better than most people. Too bad, it’s not good enough to beat me .”
    Lauren smiled. “Go for it, buddy.” She
watched the screen and bubbled over with excitement when she saw
the final results. Their times were only seconds apart. He was
faster, but she had one fewer beam disruption.
    The operator shrugged and shot Rad a
sympathetic gaze. “Looks like a tie.”
    Lauren looped her arm in Rad’s as they
walked away. “That’s no fair. I think she thought you were good
looking and scored it a tie so she didn’t hurt your
feelings.”
    “ Really? If anyone won, it
was me,” he responded. “I had the better time.”
    “ But what’s a good time if
you hit the beams? Anyone can run across the room in record time.”
Lauren was so intent on the conversation she didn’t notice where he
was leading her. All of a sudden they were in a strange, dimly lit
room with loud music and flashing lights on the floor that made her
dizzy. When Rad walked away, she froze, afraid to move forward and
afraid to move back. She knew where she was now because she had
seen it in the tourist guide—The House of Mirrors. Just seeing the
pictures and description in the booklet this morning had made her
heart race. “Wait. Stop. Don’t leave me!”
    Rad glanced over his shoulder at the
tone of her voice, as if to see if she were serious, but before he
could react, Lauren lunged forward and grasped the solid strength
of his arm. “I’m serious. Get me out of here.”
    He apparently thought she was joking.
“Yes, that’s the idea, but it’s not going to be easy.” He walked
and hit a mirror then turned another direction and did the same
thing.
    Lauren closed her eyes tightly and
hung onto him as if her life depended on it.
    “ If you open your eyes,
you’d be able to help,” he said, looking down at her. “And I could
use it, obviously.
    She just shook her head. “I’m really
claustrophobic. Please. Get me out of here.”
    “ It’s okay. We’ll get out.
Just stick with me, kiddo.”
    Even though it was obvious Rad had no
idea how to get out, he took charge with quiet composure, patting
the hand that still clenched his arm with a confident and
convincing touch that assured Lauren he was in control. She opened
her eyes only once, but instantly shut them again, preferring the
darkness and Rad’s voice to the confusing lights and
mirrors.
    “ Here we go,” he’d say in
a calm, soothing tone after finding his way through a doorway. “I
think we’re almost there.”
    After what seemed