The Lipstick Stain (Cindy Berman x oc)

☀︎︎ Chapter Sixteen ☀︎︎

"Help! Help! We're down here! Help!"

It had been a few minutes of calling for help, without getting a response, when suddenly the toilet lid opened.

Ziggy's face appeared making us all sigh in relief.

"Cindy? Izzy?" She questioned, completely confused.

"Ziggy? Oh my God!" Cindy smiled.

"What are you doing down there?"

Cindy looked to me and Alice, then back to her sister. "Its...It's kind of a long story. Are you okay?"

"Yeah, hold on a second."

Then Ziggy's face disappeared, the toilet lid shutting.

"Ziggy, are you okay?" Cindy carried on shouting. I grabbed her hand, squeezing it.

"Hey, I'm sure she's okay. She's probably getting some help."

She cleared her throat and nodded.

A few seconds later, the toilet lid opened again, this time a bucket was descending down from a rope.

"Get on! We're pulling you up!" Ziggy called.

We all smiled to each other, happy we were finally getting out.

"Yes!" Alice shouted, completely ecstatic. "Dude, oh my God."

"Okay," I grabbed the bucket. "Alice you first, then Cindy."

Alice grabbed the bucket, sitting on it immediately. Cindy pulled me away.

"Are you sure?" She asked, concerned. "I don't want you to be stuck down here if something bad happens."

I shook my head smiling, holding her face in my hands. "I appreciate the concern, I do, but I'll be fine. I just want you safe, okay?"

Cindy looked up at me smiling, bringing her face closer, almost like we were about to kiss. Then she moved her face to my ear, whispering, "You've still got my lipstick on your cheek."

I chuckled, turning red. She smiled, stroking my cheek. Then she quickly kissed it again and walked back to help Alice. I now got why Tommy talked about her all the time. She was perfect.

I walked back over, sharing joyous looks with Cindy as Alice was pulled by Ziggy and what sounded like Gary.

We could hear grunting and the rope creaking, Cindy happily reaching for my hand, jumping up and down. I smiled because we were about to get out, but also because the Berman beside me was the cutest human being on earth.

"Keep pulling!" Ziggy ordered.

They did, Alice climbing higher and higher until we heard Gary.

"Tommy! Tommy, what are you doi..."

Cindy gasped beside me and my eyes widened at my brother's name.

We heard a slash and Ziggy screamed. The rope was let go of and Alice came tumbling down with the bucket.

I rushed over to catch the girl, or at least to soften her fall. Which I did. I grabbed her before she hit the floor, but we both fell over. I laid the opposite way to Alice, the wind knocked out of me.

Cindy rushed over to both of us, then something came crashing down into the cave. It was a dead body. Gary's dead body.

Alice screamed as it landed on top of her, making Cindy scream as well.

I jumped up, screaming towards the outhouse. "Tommy! Stop! Ziggy!"

Cindy joined me, screaming her sister's name.

"Get him off!" Alice yelled at us.

We both reached over, grabbing his torso and pulling him off the injured girl's leg.

As soon as Cindy and I did this, though, we both shouted up towards the ceiling.

"Ziggy!" "Tommy!"

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Cindy had still been half-heartidly screaming her sister's name, a few minutes after I had given up. I grabbed her hand, slowly shaking my head, making her stop, tears forming in her eyes.

We both just slumped against the stone's covered in red moss, watching Alice shone her torch towards the hole in the ceiling.

"We have to find another way out," she finally said, looking to the two of us who were trying to catch our breath.

"What if there's not?" Cindy sighed.

"No, no. There has to be," I denied, getting up to grab the book and the other flashlight. "We are at the outhouse. Right under it. We are under camp."

I brought the book back over, showing it to the others, shining my torch on it.

"Right," Alice began, planning it out in her head. "These...these tunnels. The witch, she made them, right?"

"Yeah?" Cindy questioned.

"And, 'She emerged by the Meeting House, one hand severed lost forever,'" I began catching on, pointing at the page, Alice nodding at me. "The Meeting House, which is now..."

"The Mess Hall," Cindy breathed out, hopeful.

"There's gotta be another way out," Alice agreed.

Cindy tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, smiling, "Oh God! Come on!"

Alice shook her head, "I'm just gonna slow you down."

"Alice!" Cindy called, eyebrows furrowed.

"No, it's fine. I'll catch up. You gotta save your sister and Izzy needs to stop you from doing anything stupid."

"No..." Cindy shook her head, I grabbed her hand, helping her up.

"Go!" Alice told us.

Cindy got up and took my torch, heading into the caves. I began walking after her, but Alice called me back.

"Look after her. I know you love her...just, keep her safe."

I watched her and her eyes were completely serious. I smiled and nodded. Then began rushing after Cindy, following the light of her torch.