Locked In (Preview) (Patreon)

“This way,” Hugo said, leading them through the blackened room. When they got close enough, they could make out the door they needed so much. “Do you need me to go with you?” Hugo asked.

River nodded. If the lights were off in the restroom too, he didn’t want to be by himself in there.

“Okay,” Hugo reached for the door. “Let’s—“ He turned the handle, but only managed to budge it a tiny bit before it stopped moving.

It was locked.

Hugo didn’t bother trying the women’s room instead, because now he knew exactly what was going on. With River and Duncan both fast asleep, and him so focused on his email to Elijah, none of them had been aware that the library was closing. And, the employees must not have noticed they were still there, either.

Hugo wasn’t sure what they were going to freak out over more, the fact that they couldn’t access the toilets, or the fact that they were probably now locked up in a strange place for the rest of the night.

River apparently ran out of patience. He brushed Hugo’s hand off the door and tried to open it himself. Within seconds, he was frantically jerking it back and forth, trying his hardest to force it open. “C’mon, c’mon…” he begged under his breath. “I have to pee NOW— Have to—“

“It’s locked, River…” Hugo said gently.

“But— But—“ It was too dark for Hugo to get a clear view of his face, but just from his wobbly voice he could tell River was tearing up. “I can’t hold it!”

“I know, it’s an emergency…” Hugo said. “Let’s leave— I think there’s a bottle in the car, that should hold you off until we get home?”

Duncan released a small whimper, and Hugo flinched. He was pretty sure there was a bottle in the glove-box, but only one…

And that was IF they weren’t just locked in here.

But, a couple minutes later, they made the terrible discovery that they WERE. The FRONT door wouldn’t open, either.

“Uggghh,” River moaned. “I’m such an idiot! I shouldn’t have fallen asl—“

“No, no,” Hugo said. “This is— This is on me. I was up, I should have noticed they were closing. I’m sorry.”

River writhed, coiling his legs together into a tangled knot of need. “It’s— Ah— I’m not gonna make it until morning.”