Survive, if you can // John Murphy

//18// Imprisoned (end of season 2)

WARNINGS: swearing.

When I wake up, I keep my eyes closed. I want to know where I am and who I'm with but maybe I can learn some things if I pretend to sleep. I'm in a laying position. The surface beneath me is soft and bends to my shape. There are two female voices. One is the woman from the desert who knocked me out.

"I just figured you'd like her. She was standing like a fighter and it sounded like you'd want that-"

"Emori, I'm afraid you should stop talking. This conversation is no longer private," the other voice says evenly. There's no change in tone on any word.

I sit up, finding the last thing I'd expected. I'm in a large hallway. The floor is covered in white marble and there's a gold chandelier hanging from the arched ceiling. A big, white door is to the right of me. I'm sitting on a small, red couch. I stand quickly, turning to find Emori (the woman who knocked me out) and another woman. This one has long, brown hair and a tight, red dress. She looks calm and collected.

"Where am I? Who are you?" I ask, stepping closer to them and noticing a hallway leading into a large living room just behind them. There's a piano. I used to play. My mother would steal sheet music for me.

"Camari, I'm glad you're awake," the woman says.

I frown. "Where am I? Who are you?"

"Persistent," the woman says, walking closer to me. "My name is Ally. You are in my home."

"Where's John?" I ask, stepping closer to her.

"John Murphy is safe. You don't need to worry about him," she says, nodding once.

"Where is he?" I press, moving closer until I'm maybe an inch from her.

"He is on his way," she says, tilting her head slowly. "Would you like to wait here for him?"

"No, I need to find him," I say quickly, turning around to the door.

"I'm afraid I can't let you do that."

I hear the clicks of maybe a hundred locks. I clench my jaw, feeling the weight of my sword on my belt. I turn around and walk closer to her, pulling out my sword and swinging it at her neck. Nothing happens. The blade goes right through her form.

"You're a hologram," I say, swiping my hand through her torso.

"Yes, Camari," Ally says.

"Maybe I'll just kill your assistant then, huh?" I say, looking past her at Emori.

"What would be the point of that? You would still be trapped here," she says, shaking her head.

I look back at her. "So it's not a choice? You're trapping me here and I'm just supposed to, what, wait until John shows up?"

"Yes," Ally says.

"You know what? Fuck you. I don't have to do anything you say," I say, turning again.

"At least stay for dinner. You can have a drink of water too. John will be here shortly but in the meantime, you should be comfortable."

I swallow hard. A meal would be nice. A drink too. If John really is on his way then what's the point of leaving? The only problem is that she could be lying. He could be dead already and I'd have no idea. Well, if he is dead, what's the point of chasing him through the desert?

I spin on my heel to face the pair of women. "I'll stay for dinner, have some water, take a shower, maybe stay the night. If John isn't here by then, I'm going. Clear?"