Breaking The Loop

Chapter Seven

Trigger Warning
Some content in this chapter may trigger some readers

We hit the elevator at the same time, the weight of both our bodies halfway breaking the cable. I race over to the vent grate and tug on it, Mono rushes over and helps me. The grate flies off; without a word Mono shoves me into the vent. I hear the cable snap and I spin around. I grab Mono's wrist just as he was about to fall. I pull him into the vent.

"Thanks for- OW!" I punch him in the shoulder. "Damnit, that hurt!" I glare at him. "You almost died you, Idoit! You think that would've helped me?! I NEED YOU TO STAY ALIVE!" I'm breathing hard from yelling and adrenaline. "I said I would keep you safe. I ment it." He mutters. "Yeah, well, don't die in the process. You're a good friend." I mutter. "Do you punch all your friends?" Askes Mono.

I smile, he's joking. "Of course not, only the stupid ones." "Hey!" He lightly punches me and we laugh. We crawl forward in the vent, a bit more lighthearted. I fall down into a room with a flashlight on the ground, everywhere else is dark. I shudder at what could be lurking in the darkness as I hear Mono jump down behind me.

He grabs the flashlight and turns to me. I shade my eyes with my hand. "Watch where you're pointing that thing." I say. He turns and we head towards the partially open bar doors. We slip through and pass a very dark area of the room. We pass a medicine cart as we walk through the doorway. As we continue through the hallway I kick something, I pull out my phone and turn on the flashlight. Looking down I see a pair of scissors. I grab them and shove them into my pocket, following Mono.

We pass a hallway and meet a dead-end, a boarded up door. I turn around and walk towards the hallway we passed, shining my light down it. Mono walks over and I reach over, grabbing his hand. We walk forward down the dark hallway. We pass a wheelchair and an IV stand as we walk. We turn to our right and walk through the doorway.

The next room is lit so we both turn off our flashlights and look around. I see a vending machine and a door with bars next to a button. Mono walks over to the vending machine and pulls the lever. A can with grapes on it rolls out and he picks it up. "Want some juice?" He askes. I smile. "Why not?" I pull out the scissors and jester for Mono to put down the can. He sits it down and I stab to top of the lid with my scissors.

I cut open the top of the can and carefully pull back the lid. I put my scissors back in my pocket and dip my pinky into the juice. I taste it and immediately gag. "It's bad." I mutter as I try to spit the taste out of my mouth. Mono walks over to the vending machine and gets a new can; we walk over to the door and Mono tossed the can at the button.

Another loud buzz makes me cover my ears again. When it's over me and Mono continue forward. I heard the sound of the TV and watch as Mono has to cover his eyes from it. He walks slowly forward and I watch as he manipulates the tv, straightening the hallway. He gets pulled in and I race forward. He's walking down a hallway, towards the Thin Man's door. I push my arms through the tv and grab his shoulders trying to pull him through.

I manage to pull him backwards and out of the tv. We hit the ground and the tv shuts off. I look over at Mono, his body at bit glitchy from the tv. He stands and I stand up as well. He turns to me. "That... was strange." I nod. We turn around and walk towards an open door that's past the stairs. We pass the elevator, the X-ray, and into the kid's room. I know they're all connected for a puzzle but I can't remember how.

Mono runs over to a stuffed... thing and picks it up. I here a metallic clank and smile. "I think there's a key in there." Mono shakes the toy and sure enough they key jingles everytime it hits the floor. I pull out my scissors. "Well?" Mono takes the scissors and brutally stabs the thing; he rips out the stuffing and produces a key. "HA!" He turns to me and smiles. I smile and take my scissors back. "That was... a bit sick." He shrugs. "Had to get it out somehow." I laugh and look around the room.