Just as we were about to reach the door to the clock , we heard a loud banging sound from the front. Fearing the worst , I rushed towards and found the door completely locked from the outside. A loud gasp bounced around the tunnel followed by the several softer murmurs. For a few short seconds , we stopped but soon we were taking turns to push the door open. Some of their shoulders and a few by kicking it.  It was a while before we took the whole thing in. Someone had not only closed the door but also blocked the grandfather clock with a heavy object so that would not be able to open from inside. The conclusion was the worst possible nightmare for us taking into account that we were not able to reach the other side of the tunnel unlike the one in the dining room.

But the door was sealed and so were our fates. There was no other way out but to either wander around the tunnel’s multiple turns in hope of an exit or go through the known path again without stopping. Both choices were not what we would consider as “safe” choices. It didn’t too long before everyone in the tunnel realized the painful truth. There was only one way of out of the horrible predicament and the sanest choice would be to turn back and go through the path which we were unable to complete but that time without stopping. Even if it meant some of us were to collapse or die , the rest must move on.

And so we turned our back and once again dived deep into the abyss. What was then unthinkable had become reality for us. It would either be reached till the end or would be the end of us. Neither options were particularly appealing to us but we couldn’t think of any other options either. Soon , we reached the place where we were forced to stop previously. And knowing how some of us would be affected by the thinning of the air , we decided to rest before continuing.

then someone heard the sound of water droplet dropping from the top.