Long Way Home

14. Theo

"I'm not too sure." Jade frowned and looked at me for a second before staring down at her hands, cracking her knuckles every now and again. "I don't get it though, the letter told us to come and find people. We found people, but they tried to kill us! And why the hell are we trapped in this room!?" She shouted and glared up at the ceiling as if looking for answers.

Nicole brought her knees up to her body and hugged them close to her, her tearstained eyes watching Ollie miserably before she wiped the tears away and took a calming breath. When she spoke, her voice was calm and confident, "I'm going to kill them." She threatened and narrowed her eyes, standing up and pacing her corner, walking in circles ten times before banging her fists on the barrier. "I hate this! I hate this stupid force field and I hate being separated from everyone. And I hate just having to sit here and watch him!" Nicole rested her palms against the force field which separated her from Ollie, resting her forehead against it as well.

"Nicole, don't worry about him, I'm sure he'll be fine." I don't know why they wrote 'SAFE' over Nicole's side of the room. I certainly wouldn't want to get on the wrong side of her in fear of her biting my head off or something. "He's just still asleep, that's all."

Looking over at Ollie I frowned as I realised how painful that position must be. The chains looked tight and rough as though moving even the slightest amount would open up a gash on his wrists.

His index finger twitched suddenly, and then his whole hand clenched into a fist, his arm shuddering. Ollie kicked out strongly with his left leg but hit nothing but thin air. As his eyes snapped open we all saw the flame-red colour that filled his whole eye until he blinked and it disappeared, the piercing green shining through them again.

Nicole was on her knees now, trying to get to him, her hands pressed against the force field. Her eyes fixed on Ollie's and watched as he raised his head up, realising for the first time that he was chained. His arms pulled fiercely and he stood up, falling to the ground again, still being affected by the drug from the dart.

"No! Don't try and fight against them!" Jade shouted at him, banging on the barrier over and over again. "You'll only hurt yourself!" She shouted again.

Ollie looked at Jade, his eyes desperate, his mouth hanging open slightly, his chest rising and falling rapidly in nervousness. He looked like a caged animal that would rather be anywhere else but here. "Well what do I do instead?" He asked her and yanked on the chains once more, yelping in frustration and pain. Narrow streams of deep red blood trickled down from his wrists as he fought against it.

He glanced up at the wall and read the word above his head. "Lethal!?" He said in disbelief. "I'm not lethal!" He pulled again, trying to snap the chains. Dancing flames appeared on his fingertips and slowly started to spread down his fingers towards his knuckles. From there they engulfed his hands and ran over the chains that were keeping him there. His Adam's apple bobbed up and down as he kept swallowing in fear, his hands trembling.

We'd all seen it before. The pale, clammy look that his skin was currently showing, the beads of sweat that were growing on his forehead. Ollie hated being confined. Not just hated it, he feared it. Just like when we were in the cave when we first met Jade. This guy was claustrophobic as hell. Being stuck in the small corner was probably bad enough for him, but being chained only brought it to a whole new level.

The flames evaporated again and he started to tug once again at the chains, pushing his feet against the wall to add extra force. "Get me out of here..." He muttered and slumped to the ground again, his eyes fixed on Nicole. "I need to get out of here..." His voice was low, desperate and miserable. A croak hung around in his voice-box and found its way out every time he spoke. His hands clenched to fists, knuckles white as a sheet. Veins popped out on his arms and the tendons of his neck were protruding from beneath his skin.