The Best Part of Hello [sample]

05

dedicated to turtlette because her comments are always so supportive and really kind, thanks lovely.

Chapter Five

IT TURNS out that the door doesn't budge. Steel, hard as hell and completely frustrating. Five of us pushing at it and it doesn't move an inch. It's like pushing at air, nothing happens.

Damon also seems full of ridiculous ideas tonight. He first suggested we tried lifting the door from the bottom as if we're the Incredible Hulk. He then suggested we use the bobby pin picks we made earlier to pick the lock, which seemed like a great idea until we all realized that all we were doing was double locking it further.

Damon steps forward into the small shred of light, his shoe crunching over some glass. "Maybe if we try..."

"No." We all chorus. I breathe a heavy sigh and slump against the door, careful to avoid any glass. The metal is cool on my back and tickles the tips of the hairs on my neck. I'm all about given up and I knew this idea was absurd from the start. I can't even pretend to go along with it now.

"It's no use," Tom moans. It's the first time he's spoken for a while and I see his shadowy figure looming behind Evan. "The door is made from reinforced steel or some shit."

Sophie knocks into me, clearly by accident, but her hand finds my shoulder and clamps down, squeezing. I don't have to see her to know her mind is spinning, she's trying to think of another idea. We all are.

"What about if we—"

"Damon, dude," Evan shoots his friend down, "we've literally tried everything. I can't see anything that could help, I can't fucking see anything at all. It's not gonna work."

"I was gonna say," Damon's voice has a hint of laughter slipping through it, "if we press this emergency button, wouldn't the door just open?"

I'm on my feet before he finishes his sentence. "You're joking, right?" I try to stop the giggle, "just hit it." Damon does, and I move away from the door quickly as the sound of heavy metal rattles upward and a string of light floods through the corridor.

"Holy shit," Tom shields his eyes. "I can't believe there was a button there this entire time."

The door begins to slowly open from the bottom, beads of light suddenly filling the corridor. I begin to blink to make my eyes re-adjust. I've been staring into darkness for so long. It's like waking up in a dark room and looking at your phone, you're so blind for a moment that it takes a while to adjust.

But I wish I hadn't.

The door opens further, and my eyes suddenly adjust to the light. The cold air hits me, but it isn't the only thing that does. Outside is a mess. An utter mess. Trees decorate the runways, overturned trucks and cars line the corners and a head of a plane has crashed through one exterior building. Pools of water so deep I could swim dot around on the uneven ground and from where we stand, I can see...

"I think I'm going to be sick," Sophie whispers next to me I know she can see it too.

"They're not..." but Tom trails off, "that isn't..."

"A dead body," Damon murmurs from behind and I gulp down the rising feeling of sickness.

"There's probably more," Evan echoes, his voice sounds restraint, choked.

"We need to move," Tom walks past us and slaps his brother on the shoulder. Damon stumbles forward slightly. "Now."

He's right. A small hurricane has formed in the distance and I know it's only a matter of time before it will reach us. I can feel myself start to panic, the apprehension claws at me and I try to calm myself down by thinking of the goal.