"Alright, who's up for it?" Anton asks as a grin stretches wide across his tanned face as he peers around the poolside. “Come on, don’t tell me you’re afraid!” I shake my head. Does he really think we’re going to chicken out over a round of dives?

The sun beats down on us, but it's the thrill of competition that really heats up the atmosphere. Kat wears her best smile, but also frowns at Anton, who, however, doesn’t lose his fiery gaze. Those two can come up with the stupidest challenges and still be ready to give their all to battle each other.

By the way, all five of us jump at the chance to escape the heat as we want to prove ourselves. I watch as my friends line up. Their expressions are a mix of excitement and trepidation, showing different reactions to the impending challenge. Lindsey's eyes sparkle with mischief, while Brianna's gaze is more focused. Her determination is clear as she sizes up the water.

“Who’s first?” she asks, to which Kat raises a hand and makes a step forward. She’s indeed the first to dive, and she performs a graceful arc that makes a barely noticeable splash. The rest of us cheer and clap, after which she emerges with a triumphant giggle.

Anton goes next, as predicted. His attempt, instead of being graceful and poised, is more on the flashy side, so much that he sends a spray of water over the poolside tiles. Kat laughs loud as she witnesses his failure to make an impression, to which he merely responds, “Touché.”

The rest of us laugh as we take our turns, each trying to do better than the other. I keep my dive simple, sticking to a clean, straight descent into the water. I hear a round of applause from the other girls. Even Anton admits I’ve done a better job than he could imagine. “Great dive, Silla! I think you owned it.”

“I agree. To me, Silla has won this,” adds Brianna, raising a thumb at me. Lindsey and Kat agree, and so this playful competition is over. As we towel off and grab drinks from the nearby table, the conversation drifts to the mansion, more specifically to little things the others have noticed since we first moved here. 

The way the lights flicker occasionally in Kat’s room. The faint sound of footsteps echoing in the halls when we're sure we're alone, as Brianna puts it. It's all fun, it can be something to joke about—I mean, we all appreciate some good spooky stories. Yet, there's this uneasy feeling that I can’t quite shake, something Brianna and I have previously discussed.

I can't help but glance around, wondering if there are hidden cameras watching our every move, or if there's something more sinister at play. The hidden camera theory has been brought up by Lindsey, if I remember correctly, when the party started. At first, the rest of us brushed it off as unrealistic—but what if it’s actually true?

“What do you think, guys?” I ask, trying to test the waters on a potential next move. I’d like to tell them about my past explorations, the scavenger hunt and what more. I think they should see everything for themselves, though. They won’t believe me if I just tell them. I have to show them.

Therefore, I just suggest exploring the mansion together, in its entirety. Kat makes it clear that we should have dinner first. “We can’t search for cameras or other weird stuff on an empty stomach.” She’s right. Since we’re too absorbed by curiosity over the mysteries of the mansion, we resort to ordering pizzas.

***

The night is still young when we start exploring the areas of the mansion no-one has delved into yet. Considering how big it is, we’re spoilt for choice as to where to start. The grandeur of the place threatens to swallow us up as we wander through the dimly lit corridors.

The walls hide secrets we're not quite ready to hear or see. I can sense floorboards creak under my bare feet like they're trying to keep me and my friends in an eerie suspense. We stumble upon a locked door. It looks brand new, a stark contrast against the antique charm of the walls that surround it. 

Lindsey comments, “It looks a little out of place, don’t you think so?” This place must’ve undergone renovation. There’s no way the door was placed in the same period the entire house was built. Chances are that some of the original fixtures were defective and were replaced time by time.

My heart races as I think about what could be behind that door. Kat places a hand on the doorknob, trying to slam it open, but it doesn’t budge. Anton facepalms as he says, “You need a key, genius!” His posture drips frustration, his groan highlights the sarcastic tone of his statement.

For once, Kat is the one who has to admit defeat. “I guess we have to come back when we have the key.”

My interest is piqued; however, it wanes as soon as Brianna yawns. She points out, “It’s late… Why don’t we start our research tomorrow?”

I conclude. “That’s fine for me. Let’s get some rest, okay?”

***

A new morning comes, yet the memory of the strange room still lingers like an unsolved puzzle. Don’t get me wrong, I like riddles—like the scavenger hunt that led me to the necklace, as well as those pictures of past participants in the project. However, I can’t wait to solve this one so that I can experience some real freedom as POTENTIAL+ promised.

I join the others in the kitchen, where the aroma of fresh coffee and sizzling bacon fills the air. As we dig into our plates and exchange sleepy greetings, I bring up the door we found last night. "What do you guys think is behind it?" I ask, unable to keep the curiosity out of my voice.

Anton shrugs it off with a mouthful of toast. "Probably just storage, or part of the game they haven't told us about yet."

“Storage? Are you sure, Anton? If it were as you say, it wouldn’t be locked, and the key would be much easier to find,” I answer. I’m this close to revealing the result of my past solitary explorations; after all, they deserve to know where I found my new shining piece of jewelry.

Meanwhile, Kat laughs. "You're so suspicious, Silla. Just enjoy the mystery, it's all part of the fun!"

Brianna, who’s the most pragmatic among us, frowns. "I don't know, guys. There's something about this whole setup that feels... off." She’s the one who truly understands my suspicions and is the most interested in uncovering the truth, no matter how hard it is to swallow.

Lindsey nods thoughtfully as her eyes meet mine. "I've noticed things too.” Unlike Brianna and me, however, she stands more in the middle between believing there is something wrong indeed, and just thinking we’re exaggerating things. “Perhaps we're just looking for drama where there isn't any."

To keep the rest of us distracted, she suggests doing fun activities to unwind. After all, this is our great chance to prove we’re free, isn’t it? Therefore, we spend the day lounging by the pool, playing board games (including the domino game I found in my little secret treasure hunt), and watching movies.

We try to ignore the itch at the back of our minds by keeping ourselves busy, gossiping and playfully fighting over who’s supposed to keep tally of the scores. We even come up with creative penalties for losers, such having to stay barefoot for the rest of the day or eat sandwiches with the weirdest combinations possible.

It’s all fun and games, but that weird feeling keeps following me like a shadow. It’s like it wants to give me a sign, a sort of warning I shouldn’t underestimate. Because of that, I zone out a lot and the others in turn have to call me out to keep me focused on what we’re doing. Anyway, why is my mind drifting to that locked door? What awaits us?

The "20 Days of Freedom" project is supposed to be an escape from our lives full of struggles and pain. As we uncover more, though, it doesn’t look like an escape anymore. It slowly turns into a projection of our reality.