Title Goes Here

Chapter eighteen

I stare blankly at where the shadow figure was to see River not there. I rub my eyes because I thought i was seeing things, but I wasn't. I looked over to see Luke frozen with a strange look on his face. My mind started arguing with itself over whether or not River just died or if they were taken to some place much as like I was brought to that dark endless void. I was really doubting that he was still alive, but i wanted to be hopeful for Luke, so I said, "all he did was disappear. He might not be dead yet. Theres still a chance we can save him."

Luke just looked at me. There was no empathy in his eyes, just what looked like emptiness inside of him. He eventually looked down with silence still filled in the air, and I went to hug him. Rylie joined in the hug as well. It only took a couple seconds before i let go and stumbled backwards. A major headache has struck me like lightning in a pulse kind of way. I put my hands on my head and gently closed my eyes as I fell back.
"Are you alright?" Quinn asked, to which I replied with, "What does it look like bozo?" Suddenly that same horrible feeling came as flashes of images flooded my mind. This time everything was faster than it's ever been before and it only lasted for a couple seconds. My headache grew incredibly strong and once the flashes stopped, i couldn't even move to blink without an unbearable pain.

A few seconds went by and I passed out. I was only out for a few seconds, but when i woke up my headache was gone and everyone was surrounding me. Luke and Rylie were in tears, and Naomi and Quinn just seemed to be in shock. Quinn helped me up, and everyone looked at me in a strange way. "Whats wrong?" I say, to which Naomi responds by saying, "your nose is bleeding. Like, a lot."

Shit i thought. I touched above my lip to find the feel the blood all over, as the blood started dripping on the ground. Shit i thought again. The headache came again pulsing as it was the last time. The flashes came back. They were slower than last time, but lasted for a shorter amount of time. It was hard to process what happened, but what i knew is that 1, i saw books, 2, i saw a lightbulb, and 3, a door. A red door. A red door with a blue light shining out of it. Could that be a hint? Could that be the way to save River? Last time they had to save someone behind a closed door, it ended horribly. I don't want that to happen again. I'll do anything to prevent that from happening again.

"I saw something," i said. "I think we can save River."
Luke looked up at me in a way that seems like he still has hope. He was still silent, but i could tell he was able to believe me a little bit, or at least was hopeful in what i was saying.
     "Let's go in that building and save River." I say.
     "Alright," Quinn says, "lets save River."

     We all go into the building and see shelves and shelves of books. Just like I saw. The one thing I remembered was the order of the pile of the books went red, green, blue, green, red, white, yellow, blue, than black. I hadn't realized i had said that thought outloud until Rylie said, "okay everyone, lets look for that pattern."
     "I would say split up," Quinn said, "but its too risky knowing everything thats already happened."
     "We could split up into a group of 2 and a group of 3 so we can get more coverage but still not risk anything." Naomi suggested.
     "Thats a good idea. If anyone finds the pattern before you touch anything call the other people over." I say.
     "Got it." Quinn said.
  
     Quinn and Naomi went to the left while me, Rylie, and Luke went to the right. We didnt realize how long it would take to find it. We were almost done with our half when the lights started flickering. Not just any light. The same lightbulb i saw in my vision. It was above a shelf of books on the opposite side. We started slowly making our way towards it when we heard Quinn say, "You guys have probably already seen the lights flicker but the books are here."

     We started walking there at a normal speed and got there pretty quickly. "Stand back." I said. I didnt know what was going to happen but if it killed me it killed me. I gently let my fingers slide across the spine of each of the books in the pattern and the bookshelf moved suddenly. I took a step back, but what was revealed was a door. A red door. I took a deep breath in and opened it. I stepped through the pitch black room with everyone following close behind. We all held hands so we didn't get seperated as we continued to walk forward. There was another red door and I opened that. The cycle repeated itself until finally after what seemed like forever of never ending door opening was the red door with blue lights coming out of it.

     I carefully approached it and slowly opened it to reveal River, still alive and breathing, but in tears. I quickly realized they were  in an electric chair, on just enough to where tiny shocks ran through their body repeatedly. Rivers mouth was duct taped closed, and only muffled screams came out. There connected to the machine were 5 wires. One red, one yellow, one blue, one black, and one white.

     River tried to speak but no words came out. What i could tell was that whatever they were trying to say was 2 syllables. I assumed it was yellow. I asked, "is it the yellow one?" and River did a quick nod. I tried looking for something to cut the wire with but there was nothing. Suddenly, River screamed in agony. The chair was cranked up andb only a little more before death. I decided to say, "does anyone have anything they can use?" Everyone was silent for a second and all i could hear were Rivers screams, until Quinn said, "i found this sharp peice of wood. It might not work but i can try."
     "Okay. It could work, could not. We don't have time to procrastinate. Try it."
     The electric chair was getting more powerful as Quinn was more and more frantically scratching the wire with the wood. In the corner of my eye, i saw Luke looking away from the sight. The electric chair was starting to calm down a little bit, and I looked at Quinn to see that he was able to cut through. About 30 seconds later, Quinn cut through the last of it and the chair stopped with River breathing heavily, a Luke looked at River to see that he was still alive. The chair released River at once and they ripped the tape off their mouth.
    
     "Im okay guys," they said, "it hurt but it was mostly just rapid shock."
     "I was so fucking scared for you." Luke said. They smiled at each other for a couple seconds before Quinn shouted, "fuck." We all looked over and saw his hands vibrating rapidly while holding the wire. "Its not letting me let go."

     I wanted to help him, but a couple seconds later a giant electric spark came from the wire and exploded the electric chair and the wires, and left Quinn dead on the floor. I was frozen in fear, and even started tearing up a little. Hes not even someone I'm close with, but it still hurts knowing he died just so we could save River.