They Are Monsters (Deathless Trilogy, #2)

Chapter Twenty Six: Gunther's Lab

"You...? You saved me? But you're just a little girl."

"I'm 17, and I... I was strong."

A plan forms in my mind. I search the room for one of the flood vents that lead to the drain. I see one behind the bed beside mine, so I turn back to Hugh and plead, "Please. I need to leave."

He searches my face, and groans in exasperation. "Fine." He lifts himself again and leans over me to unstrap the restraints. "A life for a life."

As soon as I am free of the straps, I leap to my feet, and rush to slide the neighboring bed over, away from the vent. I loosen it from the wall.

"What on Earth are you doing?"

"What time is it?" I ask Hugh from over my shoulder.

"It's morning, not sure what time exactly. Why?"

Today is the 10th day. Today is the day we were supposed to get out. "No reason."

"Hey," he says, as I finally pull the grate from the wall. "I don't even know your name. Gunther didn't tell me."

"It's Isla. Isla Blume."

"Isla... is what you said about my brother true? He's going to hurt you?" I nod. "I don't believe you."

"See for yourself, Hugh."

I start to crawl into the wall when I hear Hugh call after me, "Hey." I turn back and see him in his grey pajamas, stumbling around the beds and clutching his chest. "You haven't met anyone named Declan Kunkle have you?"

I swallow air as if I'm drowning, and somehow manage to say, "He was one of the best people I have ever met. I loved him like a brother."

His face goes white. "Past tense."

"He was one of the rebels, like I was. Gunther and Cooper killed them."

I turn back into the drain to hide my tears, when Hugh leans into it. "Gunther wouldn't lie to me," he says, "and he wouldn't kill Declan. If I ask him, he'll tell me what's happening."

I frown. "I hope he does," I say.

He nods as if to thank me. "I'll close the vent behind you."

He places the grate back over the drain and stands. Through the metal lines, I watch him grab a walker that's been left for him before he leaves the room. Once the door closes, I crawl through the wall to find a tunnel down to the drain, toward where I can only guess the ballroom is.

There's a hole in the wall behind the grandfather clock, and I peer through its face onto the ballroom. Morning light leaks through the windows and shines over Hugh, who paces the blood-stained room with the assistance of his walker. I scan the room, and find a group of my friends, still scrubbing remnants of blood from the floor: Nina, Celia, Daniel, and Winston. No one speaks. Only the ticking of clock gears and the pulling of skin from sticky marble are audible.

Hugh limps over to them, his legs still weak from disuse. "Stop. Stop cleaning. Sit down, rest. Please," he tells them, and they all do exactly as he says, sitting against the far wall, resting their heads on one another and shutting their eyes.

Dong. Dong. Dong. The calling of a new hour drums in my ears. I step back from the hole, cupping my hands over my ears to stop the pounding, when I stumble against something behind me.

It's... a door? Light leaks through. I would have seen this when I walked here, especially with the light, so it must have just opened when the clock rang. Could the light be sun? I slip into the opening to investigate.