Rabbit Hole

Changes And Arrivals

TW: This chapter (and the rest of the story) contains themes of grief and a toxic relationship.

I'll admit, they showed up way earlier than we expected, and it was an amazing reunion.

I'd been awake for about five hours, even though it was 10:00 AM. The broken rib was more of a pain than usual, and even the breathing wasn't helping. Luckily, the other 3 weren't far behind. Kat and Pat were keeping to themselves, still trying to process what happened, so I only really talked to Liv. The food in the cabin was surprisingly good, conisering it was about fifteen miles away from any signs of civilisation, and for some people, this was their first experience of real freedom in weeks or months.

The first thing Liv did was switch out her outfit from a red dress to a black top and green skirt and jacket. She was done with the Alice in Wonderland stuff at that point, so she seperated herself from it as much as possible. I stuck with the blue dress, since I didn't really mind it. Kat switched to a more neutral look and Pat got rid of the brighter colours.

As we were talking about some strategies to try and defeat Wonderland, we started to hear the crunch of leaves outside.

"Shit, they found us!" Liv yells.
"We don't know it's that." Jules responds, trying to calm her down.
"Yeah, well I'm not risking it. I'll go get something from the kitchen to defend myself. If it's not them, it's fine. If it is, I'll be ready." She fires back, before heading to the kitchen. We can hear her searching through the drawers before a knock on the door. She quickly grabs a knife before heading to the rest of us. Jules goes to the door, and goes to open it...

It's not Wonderland. It's a few strangers, but the others recognise them, and eventually I see some faces I know.

"Nick! Jade! That was quick!"
"You think we'd just wait around after hearing news like that? Also, some other guy called us about the same thing which made it much easier to organise." Jade replies.
"Yeah, I'll admit though, I was a bit concerned." Nick adds.
"He's just panicking a little considering what they were gonna do to you."
"Well, thanks for joining us with this."
"Pleasure's ours. We aren't letting somewhere like this contine what they're doing."
"We're still on for Sunday, right?" Nick adds.
"Hopefully." I reply.

As I look to the others, I see Pat heading towards a tall guy who seems happy to see him.

"Pat, mate! Jesus christ what'd the government do to you?"
"It wasn't the government, Ace."
"Bullshit. Who else'd fund something like that?"
"I dunno, a few sick fucks who know shit about science?"
"Possibly, but I don't know a single person who'd be able to get the resources for what's been going on there."
"Millionaire maybe?"
"Mate, you know rich people. Those bastards would advertise like crazy. Charge people for the service and all. A lot more people would know if it was some millionaire's fucked up fantasy."
"Look, maybe you're right, we just don't know that yet."
"Right. Outside that, you good mate?"
"Kinda? Just watched one of the other patients get stabbed to death yesterday, so kinda dealing with that."
"Shit, mate. Tell me if that bothers you too much. Don't ignore stuff like that."
"Thanks, Ace. Oh by the way you got-"
"Sorry, wasn't allowed to bring any. Guy who helped's a real dick about that stuff."
"Fuck's sake."
"I know, pissed off too."

I turn to Kat, who does a running hug to another girl who arrived.

"Harriet! You made it!"
"Like I wasn't? You were KIDNAPPED, I'm not just gonna let that go under the radar."
"So, how you been since I was gone?"
"You're asking me? Well, I've been worried non-stop, not your fault, and also, you remember that one guy who outed that girl at our school?"
"Yeah?"
"Apparently he went on a kill spree."
"Really?"
"Yeah, at that new rebuilt house from the 1800s or something of that psycho writer. He killed some of his own circle, one of the other guys he bullied, two of the workers, and even the fucking MP."
"Jesus Christ."
"I know. So we got a plan?"
"We'll cover that later."
"Ok. I'm just glad you're alive."
"I'm glad you're here."

After that, I see two more people entering. One, a girl about a year older than me, looking concerned, and the other, a boy my age with pure anger in his eyes. Both head to Jules.

"Hi, it's Nyla."
"Bill's girlfriend?"
"Yes. Where is he?"
"You know they have him."
"Where do they have him?"
"I don't know. I'm checking the CCTV every hour, I've seen no trace of him."
"You think he's still alive?"
"I'm sure of it. I'd have seen his body by now if they killed him."
"Ok then. Whenare we going in?"
"Three days."
"That might be too late."
"It's the best we can do. I'm sorry."
"I guess I understand. We rush it and we all die."
"Exactly."
"This whole situation sucks."
"I know, but we can make sure we're the last ones."

"Who killed him?"
"Elliott?"
"Yes. Who killed my brother?"
"We're not sure. Some are saying it was Clyde, others say it was a suicide-"
"Fuck that."
"It's what eye witnesses-"
"I know my brother better than anyone else here. He wouldn't kill himself, no matter what situation he was in."
"They do things in there you could never imagine-"
"And he'd take it. His main goal his entire life was survival, and I've been there to protect him."
"...I'm sorry."
"How did it happen."
"Huh?"
"How did he die?"
"He fell or was pushed into a pool as the cover closed. Drowned to death."
"What?"
"I'm so sorry-"
"What kind of sick FUCKS would do that?"
"We can stop this."
"And you fucking bet we are. I won't rest until this Clyde fucker has felt thousands more pain than he put my brother through."
"Keep that energy for the rescue mission."
"Who are we rescuing?"
"Bill. One of them survived, but got captured. He's alive."
"Let's make sure he stays alive."
"We'll try."
"I just want this over, and I want to make sure those monsters can never hurt anybody the way they hurt my brother ever again, or anyone else they killed."
"So do I."

With those two, that left one boy in the doorway. I turn to Liv, and I can't read her face. It seems like a mix of shock, sadness, anger, relief, and horror. Eventaully she spits out something.

"I didn't call you. I never wanted to see you again."
"I came to save you."
"Now you care? You left me for dead, Andrew. For all you knew they were gonna kill me. You could have fought them off, I know you could. I've seen you beat worse odds. But you left me for dead. You would have fucking let me die to save yourself."
"Look, Liv. I regret that day more than anything I've ever done. Believe me, it hurt me much more than it hurt you-"
"Are you kidding me? Are you fucking KIDDING ME? Oh, go ahead! Tell me how running away to safety while I getting kidnapped and tied up in the back of a fucking van was traumatising for YOU. Tell me how the one person who helped me through the worst leaving me for dead hurt you."
"It was a cowardly thing to do. I admit that. And maybe I worded that badly. What I meant was that every day since then has eaten away at my confidence. So when I started to find the others, I called them up and arranged them to come here. I helped them. I wanted to save you. I love you. You know that."
"And I get that, but I'm still not ready to forgive you yet."
"Look, Andrew. Maybe you've regretted what you did, but I'm not ready to go back to how it was after that."
"But I came to save you-"
"And I'm grateful for that. Believe me, I am. But I can't be your girlfriend after that. Maybe I'd go back to you, eventually. But you have to rebuild that trust. So for now, it's over. But I'll let you help us."
"But- Yeah, I guess I deserve that. I will make this up to you, I swear."
"I hope you can."

I could tell through her voice, though, that somewhere inside her, she was hoping that she'd never seen him again, and that he would have left after she broke up with him.

"Ok, now we've got through that, I'll explain the plan. In three days, we break in through multiple different entrances. We'll sort groups later. Once we're in, we search for Bill. After that, we fight. Together. Then we burn the building to the ground, and leave. Any questions?"
We all go silent.
"Good."