The Beginning of the End (Peterick)

Chapter 10

-Patrick-

Darkness is all I see when I wake up. I lay in my place until my eyes can adjust, and can see the outline of the room. I'm in a small room alone, and I have no idea where I am. Where's Pete and Bronx? I sit and await whatever fate has in store for me until I hear a screaming coming from the room next to me. Something along the lines of "No. Please! Don't do this." them the screamed faded away. With fear running through me, and desperation to get out, I walk up to the door and even though I already know it's locked, I try anyways.

"Hey!! Let me out!" I yell as I bang on the door. I slammed my fist into the cold metal door for several minutes until somebody started jiggling the door handle, and turned it. I take a step back from the door, not knowing what to expect, but mentally preparing myself for death.

Light floods the room, causing me to wince at the sight of it until my eyes adjust again. When I can see who came in, I can't help but notice... He's only a kid, and is thin as a rail. He only looks to be 16 or 17, but no older than 18.

"What is it?" He asked in a soft voice.

"I want to know where I'm at." I asked him.

"In a warehouse down the road from the house we found you in..." He answered shyly.

"What do you want from me?" I asked again.

"I'm really not allowed to say. I'm not even supposed to be talking to you. I just came in here to see if I could get you to stop banging on the door."

"Well that's not going to happen. What's your name kid?"

"Sam..." He said.

"Okay Sam, I don't care why I'm here, I just want to get out of here. I don't know what you're doing here, and I don't really care about that either. I just want to get out of here!"

"I'm not allowed to let you go. I don't know why they wanted me to do this. They know I'm not good at confrontation..." Sam said.

"But... I have to go meet my wife and kids..." I lied.

"What wife and kids. There wasn't a wife when we took you." He said. Fuck me.

"That was my brother and nephew, and I don't really care about them. But my family is traveling to Dallas, and I told them I would meet them there and I can't leave them alone." I say as I muster fake tears. "Please. I just... They need me. They won't survive without me."

"I don't know... I could get in trouble for letting you out..." Sam said with a conflicted look on his face.

"Please! Without anyone to take care of them, they won't make it. That blood will be on your hands. You may only be killing me here, but there are always unseen casualties, and in killing me, another three people die."

Silence...

"What's more important? The lives of people, or your staying out of trouble? At the end of the day, what matters most?"

"I guess you're right... I really hate what we do here..."

"What do yo- never mind. I don't want to know. I just have to get to my family." I begged.

"Alright... Go... Hurry.." Sam said as he stepped out of the door way.

"Thank you! And if I were you, I'd leave if you hate it so much." I told him as I walked away.

I walked through the maze of boxes and crates for what felt like forever, but was probably only like 30 minutes. I walked. And walked. And walked. And as I was walking, I heard gunshots and I took off running. I didn't realize how close I was to the exit. I ran out and all the way to the house, and went inside to were we left our belongings. I grabbed all the blankets, sleeping bags, pillows, and food and put it in the trunk of the car before getting in. I turned the key and the car hummed to life and heat blew from the vents, relieving my cold body and warming the air around me. I took my foot off the brake and accelerated down the high way, getting as far away from... Whatever the fuck that was back there.

The silence of the ride was getting to me, so I turned the CD player on to relax me, only to be reminded of Pete and Bronx, but I can't let myself worry about them. I'm sure they are dead by now, and even if they aren't, by the time I get back there, they will be, so I kept driving.