Everything has Changed

Chapter 21

Taylor's POV:
"Where am I?" I mutter groggily. I lift my head up from the cement ground. Now, it all hits me. The kidnapping. How Liz vowed to make me miserable. And never let me return to the life I knew.
I don't know how I didn't see it all happening. While my eyes were affected by the pepper spray, Liz was adjusting her wig. If she didn't wear that wig... We would've recognized her.
Right?
I don't know where Ed is, but I hope he's okay. Was he kidnapped too? Did he figure everything out before the midst of being taken?
I get on my feet and set out to see why I'm here, and where I am.
The whole ground is paved in cement. The walls also appear to be... well, cement. Why cement? Why not brick, or something? Maybe a place with some windows? That would be helpful. Really, really helpful.
I hear some muffled voices coming from one of the walls. "You think they're awake yet?" inquires a voice I don't recognize. "Maybe. Liz, you knocked 'em out at least a day ago. They've been snoozin' for a while now," another voice counters.
Them?
I'm not the only one here?
I have to find Ed. He must be here. Maybe Nicole's here too, and although I'm not very happy to see her, she may offer some helpful advice... Okay, she's an airhead, but...
I walk down a narrow hallway. It leads to a room similar to the one I was in. Nobody there. I seem to walk down a million hallways, but no luck.
"Taylor? Is that you?!" A very familiar voice shouts.
I turn around and upon seeing Ed let out a sigh of relief.
Ed's POV:
Nicole and I walk down a few... or maybe 20 hallways (this building has TONS), but retreat to where we started. On the way I see a flash of blonde hair turn a corner and run after. Nicole gives me a puzzled look. "Just trust me," I talk-run. "Just trust me."
Taylor is searching the room we started in. "Taylor? Is that you?!" I ask. She turns around. "Ed! Oh, Ed! I thought I might not ever see you again!" She throws her arms around me. I sense Nicole glaring at her. Taylor doesn't care. She kisses me, and for a moment I remember the first time we ever kissed. That's beside the point now. Everything has changed.
"Where are we?" I ask. "Any ideas?"
"Huh, I dunno. This place has NO windows." She shakes her head. She starts walking again. "C'mon, let's go search this place. It's enormous, really."
"I wouldn't say there's no windows." I wink at her. Nicole joins in. "Yeah, you guys, I just totally saw one back there. Taylor, be more observant."
I roll my eyes. I wonder if Nicole will ever get over her vendetta for Taylor.
Taylor sprints back to where we saw the window and peers through it. "Hmm. Mostly prairie fields. But I think I can make out a skyline way in the back. There's the Empire State Building, but barely. It's faint. We're not too far from the city. Now, all we have to do is find an exit out of this place... And a phone." She pats her pocket, and realizes it's not there. "Rats, she took our phones too? She's good," laughs Taylor. "But boy, do I hate her!"
"I say we get a lay of the land of this whole place," suggests Nicole.
"Well, c'mon. We have some exploring to do," I demand jokingly.
The circumstances of everything have changed, but so have I. I'm not the same guy I used to be. Arm punching used to be frequent. Guess not anymore. I used to laugh more. Guess not now. I was happy back then.
Guess not anymore.
I look over at Taylor the same way I have for the past three years. Of course I want to get out of this place, but I want Taylor to get out of it more. I'll do whatever I can...