Beth place three fingers on the handle and jiggled it. It made a considerable racket before she stopped, stepped back, and sighed. “This door,” she declared, “is impossible.”

“Could it be,” her brother Sam asked, “that it’s locked?” He sat in the corner while cradling his head. His eyes were closed as well, so he didn’t see Beth’s disparaging glance.

“It’s a simple closet door, Sam.” She looked up at the vent above it. “It’s a simple closet with a vent.”

Sam opened his eyes and through one puffy, purple lid and one blood shot eye, he followed his sister’s gaze. “All in all, I have to say that’s pretty useless.” Beth stood back and leaned against the wall next to Sam and then slid down to crouch down next to him.

“Yeah, you’re right. I’m thinking they barred it.”

“With what?”

“A desk, a shelving unit? Fuck, Sam, I don’t know. Maybe they used an actual bar.”

Minutes passed; they adjusted their stances a few times before Sam said, “We’ll have to break it.”

“They’ll hear that, Sam.”

“I know.”