After Hours

Chapter 24.

Grayson's POV.

   Several hours I have been hanging by these ropes staring at Jess' lifeless body. Several hours since Cameron told me he was the Shadow. I knew from the beginning that he was being suspicious, but Ember told me to calm down. I was just being paranoid. But I wasn't. It's really Cameron and he's gonna kill all of my friends. I keep hearing footsteps above my head of the people at the park and I call out to them, hoping and praying that one will hear me and save me. But I know they won't.

   My throat hurts it's so parched. I need water and food badly.

  "Just come out already Cameron!" I shout to the sky in frustration. "You're a coward!"

   I hear the door handle shaking and see it turn slowly. He comes in, as the Shadow, holding a writhing body with him. He lifts her face up and I gasp.

  "Eva," I say.

   She's has turned into one of Them. I can't tell which princess, though. It's kinda cheesy they turn into princess, but also very horrifying. I look at her black hair, pale face, red, blood stained lips and mentally snap my fingers.

   Snow White.

   That was Veronica's favorite Disney movie and it seems that Cameron somehow knew that for the look on his face is evil. Haunting me with my best friends favorite movie.

  "This room will fill up with more and more of your dead friends if you don't tell me where they are," Cameron turns back into his non-shadowy self and walks over to me.

   He looks older. There are bags under his eyes and he looks tired. And thin. He takes Eva, her spitting and growling, and ties chains around her wrists. He ties her to a pole inches away from me. He stands behind me and I see his reflection in the mirror.

  "Have fun, Grayson. I know exactly who will be in here next time, if you won't talk," he whispers into my neck.

   He walks to a corner of the cell and grabs a small bottle of water. He uncaps it and walks over to me and I sigh with relief.

  "Thank you," I say gratefully.

   He looks at me and raises his eyebrows. He leans his head close to mine and raises the water bottle to...his lips. He gulps down the water and lets some drip down his neck and onto his t-shirt. I feel my mouth opening involuntarily as I watch the water empty the bottle. He empties the cup and tosses the bottle over his shoulder.

  "That hit the spot," he says and leaves the room.

   My head is starting to throb from lack of food and water. Eva, inches away from me is not relenting to try and reach me. It's like Walking Dead. What? Favorite show. Didn't think I would actually be living it. She slobbers and spits and makes horrible grunting noises. Her eyes are pitch black. Her skin is pale and has scratches and bruises all around her eyes and mouth.

  "I would hate to see the 7 dwarfs like you, Eva. That would be scary," I say and in spite of my pain, chuckle a little.

   Eva keeps grunting and reaching for me, almost scratching my chest. I look away from her and into the mirror. I look terrible. Through my t-shirt and jacket my ribs poke through. I didn't know that I was this underfed. My lips are so chapped it's hard to talk. Licking them is impossible to even try. I can hardly work up enough saliva to swallow either.

   I feel my eyelids drooping, but I will never fall asleep in this position. I need to keep my head up to breath. My feet are so tired from standing on this box. My knees begin to buckle and I kick the box out from my feet by accident.

  "No, no, no," I say, my feet swinging. "No, please no."

   The box is a few inches away from me and I reach my legs out, trying to grab it. I miss time after time and I'm loosing breath. I reach forward again and my toe hits the side of the box pushing it farther from me.

  "Are you kidding me?" I say and hold my head up.

   My eyes are drooping heavier but I know if I fall asleep I will die in my sleep. Eva has finally stopped trying to get to me and has sat down on the floor gnawing on the bottle. I look down at her and feel my eyes close.

   I'm going to die in my sleep.

Sorry this chapter was so short.

Hope you liked it though!