The trio began to think separately. Each of them tried to e up with ideas on how to escape their predit. Risebelle sidered the yout of the hidden arcade, Jess thought about the iions she had witnessed, and Harty tried to analyze their current situation.

  After some time had passed, Harty turo Risebelle and asked, "Risebelle, I've been w... why you shout out like that when you heard the name 'Rosebelle'? It's almost like you knew her or something."

  Risebelle hesitated for a moment, pting how to respond. She decided to be ho with Harty. "I uh... I heard a simir name before..."

  Harty's curiosity got the better of him, and he leaned in closer. "Roselle? You mean like 'Roselle,'?"

  "Roselle," Risebelle repeated softly. "Yes, it's simir to 'Roselle.

  "That expins it. I actually met someone named Roselle the other day. She and Sarah agreed to be part of our iigation team."

  Risebelle looked fused. "Roselle is a student at our school? Why would she even be involved in something like this?"

  Harty held his head down. "Yeah, about that… it's plicated. Roselle has been going through a tough time. She cims she's been seeing a doppelganger who's been ruining her life. Last week, there was a fight between Roselle and Sarah, her best friend, which left Sarah in the hospital. The strahing is, both Roselle and Sarah insist that Roselle would never do something like that to her. But because of this i, Roselle was expelled st week, and her friends have beeing her poorly ever since her return this week."

  Risebelle's mind processed this information, and a sense of utled over her. "A doppelganger... It sounds like Rosebelle might be ected to what's been happening with Roselle."

  Jess, who had been listening ily, chimed in,"So, if I'm uanding this correctly, Rosebelle, or someone like her, has been impersonating Roselle and causing all these problems?"

  Harty nodded while bringing one hand up to his face. "That's the w theory. I’m shocked to find Sarah had a hand in this though… It looks like she’s no loing to be a part of the iigation team."

  Risebelle's took in this new information, and a sense ency began to take hold. If Rosebelle was impersonating Roselle and causing harm to her and others, they o uhe truth and put ao these maniputions.

  "Jess, Harty, we o find a way out of here and then front Rosebelle and her panions. We 't let this deception tinue, especially if it's affeg i people like Roselle and Sarah."

  Jess nodded in agreement. "You're right, Risebelle. Let's focus on finding our way out first, and then we'll deal with Rosebelle."

  Harty added, "I'll keep a for any hidden passages or clues that might lead us to a. We 't afford to stay trapped here."

  The trio resumed their search for an escape route, but to no avail. They could not find mu the darkness. After what felt like hours, Harty, Risebelle, and Jess exged weary gnces.

  Harty let out a sigh and then kicked the side of a mae. "I 't believe this!”

  Risebelle tio look around but her eyes didn’t see anything different. "It's as if the passage we used to ehis area has vahis is highly unusual."

  Jess crossed her arms and frowned.

  Harty's words echoed through the hidden arcade as he leaned against the spot where the passage should have been. His frustration showed as he spoke, "How could they set this up so fast? It's like they knew we'd be following them and phis escape route in advance."

  Risebelle nodded in agreement, her mind analyzing the situation. "It's possible that Rosebelle and her panions have been using this hidden arcade as a base of operations for some time. They might have had multiple escape routes prepared."

  Jess decided to take a bold approach, leaning in closer to Harty and pyfully rubbing her hands on his arm. She fshed him a flirtatious smile and teased,

  "Harty, darling, why you don’t show off those impressive muscles of yours and knock down this wall? I'm sure you've got the strength for it."

  Harty's cheeks turned several shades of pink as he stammered, "W-Well, I mean, I'm not sure if that would work, and, uh..."

  Risebelle, who had been the exge with lowered eyes intervened. She "Jess, this is not the time for this. We o stay focused on finding a practical solution to our current predit."

  Jess pouted but said, "Fine, fine, you're such a buzzkill, Risebelle."

  Harty cleared his throat and attempted tain his posure. "Let's think logically. There must be a reason the exit seems to have disappeared.”

  Risebelle turned her attention to the area where they had ehe hidden arcade. She searched for any clues or anomalies that might be able to help them.

  After a moment of careful observation, Risebelle noticed something unusual. She poiowards the wall where the entrance had been and said, "Look closely, everyohere's something peculiar about that wall."

  Harty and Jess followed Risebelle's gaze, squinting to see what she was referring to. It took them a moment, but then Harty noticed it.

  "There's a small little seam in the wall, like it's a hidden door or panel of some sort."

  "You think that's how we got trapped in here? Maybe it's some kind of meism that ceals the passage."

  Risebelle nodded. "Exactly. I think if we find a way ter it, we might be able to reopen the exit."

  Harty's analytical mind kicked into gear. "We should search for any buttons, switches, ers that could activate this hidden door. It could be well-cealed, so we o be thh."

  The trio began to iigate the area around the hidderance, carefully examining the walls and any potential meisms that might reveal the exit.

  As Harty and Risebelle searched the area, their eyes met, and an unspoken uanding passed betweehey both had the same idea, and without a word, they began to move towards a row of old arcade maes.

  Jess, sensing their non-verbal exge asked, "What's going on, you two? Why the secret looks?"

  Without uttering a word, Harty and Risebelle simultaneously moved towards a nearby row of arcade maes. They k down and began examining the area behind and underh the maes, searg for any hidden triggers or switches that might reveal the exit.

  "Found it!"Harty shouted. His shout echoed off the walls breaking the tension that had hung in the air. His discovery had led them to a particur arcade mae, and he wasted no time in expining their step.

  Gathering around the chosen mae, Harty directed their attention to the floor beh it. He poio a small, inspicuous switch hidden underh the mae, almost blending into the worn-out carpeting of the arcade.

  "It's here," Harty decred, "The switch to open the exit is right uhis mae. We just o activate it, and we should be able to leave this pce."

  Risebelle and Jess leaned in to get a closer look, their eyes fixed on the hidden switch.

  "But none of us are small enough to squeeze uhat mae. How are we going to activate the switch, “Jess questioned.

  Harty furrowed his brow. The switch was in a tight spao doubt, and their current sizes made it impossible for any of them to reach it. He muttered,

  "She's right. Risebelle, got any ideas?"

  Risebelle held a grin which was both mischievous and hopeful as she sidered the problem at hand. She instinctively reached for her bag, a pce where she often stored handy things for various situations; however, her face became fearful and her worries turo panic. Her bag was o be found.

  Ay feeling washed over her. She went to a er of the area and sat ial positioiness just filled my soul."

  Jess raised an eyebrow, her curiosity piqued. "Risebelle, what are you talking about? Do you have something that help us or not?"

  Risebelle sighed and expined, "I did have something that might have helped, but it seems my bag is missing. I must have lost it during all the otion earlier."

  Harty's shoulders slumped, and he gnced around the arcade. "This just keeps gettier aer. Without something to reach that switch, we're stuck here."

  Jess, however, refused to give in to despair. She looked around and noticed a nearby broom that had been carelessly left leaning against the wall.

  "What about that broom over there? It might be long enough to reach the switch," Jess suggested, her optimism shining through.

  With the broom in hand, Harty carefully maneuvered it to reach the hidden switch beh the arcade mae. It took a feard attempts, but he mao tap the switch just right. As he did, a low rumbling sound filled the air, and the passage they had been searg for revealed itself.

  The trio exged relieved gnces as the hidden passage became visible. Harty set the broom aside, and they wasted no time in making their way towards the exit.

  "Thank god for the sg janitor and his fotten broom. Let's get out of here!"

  When they exited the hidden arcade and stepped bato the maihey couldn't shake off the feeling of uhat had surrouhem in that secluded space.

  Harty, Risebelle, and Jess stepped bato the main area of the arcade. The once lively arcade had bee deserted and looked run down without any guests. There was not a single person in sight. But why?

  "Guys, you won't believe this," he stammered, "its midnight! We've been stu that hidden part of the arcade for hours. The door is probably locked..."

  The realization of how much time had passed left them all feeling disoriehey had spent a signifit portion of the night expl the mysteries of the hidden arcade; however, with a stroke of luck, the trio discovered that the door leading outside of the arcade had bee open. The security and manager's negligence had iently provided them with an easy exit.

  Jess smiled. "Thank god for the sg security ANNND the manager. Looks like luck is on our side tonight!"

  Risebelle let out a sigh of relief, a smile spreading across her face. "Finally, we get out of here. I was starting to think we'd be stuck forever."

  Jess turo Risebelle, her eyes twinkling mischievously. "And after all that excitement, I think we deserve a little treat. How about we grab some ice cream? Maybe we share a sundae, just the two of us... and then maybe we could head over to my pce for a movie night? I've got that cozy b you love and—"

  Risebelle lowered her eyes, the smile fading. "Did you fet my parents are about to flip? My Monna kill me..."

  Jess chuckled, uerred. "Oh, e on, just sneak out after they calm down. You know you want to. I'll even make us some pop, the buttery kind. And then we wear those matg pajamas you secretly love. And then... maybe..."

  Risebelle sighed and then karate chopped Jessed in the forehead. "Behave."

  Harty, who had been watg the exge with a bemused expression, finally spoke up. "Are you two always like this?"

  Risebelle lowered her eyes and folded her arms. "She's just on her -funny- pills today."

  Jess pouted dramatically, then ed one arm around Harty's shoulders, pulling him closer. "Harty, you believe how mean Risebelle is being? All I wanted was a fun night together, but now she's just crushing all my dreams."

  Harty ughed awkwardly, clearly caught off guard by Jess's antics. "Uh, I guess?"

  Risebelle smirked, shaking her head. "ry, Jess. You know that won't work on me. You pout and whine all you want, but I’m not budging."

  Jess deeply sighed, but gave Harty a spiratorial wink. "Well, it was worth a shot. Harty, how about you? Up for some ice cream and a movie night? You be my new best friend if Risebelle wants to be a party pooper."

  Harty chuckled nervously. "As tempting as that sounds, Jess, I've also got to get home. My little sister's probably waiting up, and she'll definitely chew me out for staying out this te."

  Jess's face fell. "Aw, reaaaally? Bummer."

  The group made their way out of the arcade with thoughts of the mysterious events they had witnessed.