New to STRIKE

Ch10

You hear a man screaming in the distance, he's yelling for everyone to get down. You're not sure what's going on but there's debris everywhere, and everything sounds wrong, like it's underwater. You blink rapidly and shake your head, not sure why your senses are dulled. Looking around you notice several bodies sprawled out on the floor, some under debris, some shot, some still burning...

We must have gotten hit by a bomb. Why don't I remember anything?

You shake your head and stumble to your feet, your legs feel numb. You make your way down the hall where you vaguely hear alarms sounding, but everything still sounds wrong. You cough from the smoke, and when you pull your hand away you notice that you coughed up blood. Great...You force yourself to push on, searching for someone. Who am I looking for? You narrow your eyes and try to remember, but all you know is that there's someone that needs your help down this hallway. I can hear them, they're calling for me.

"Where are you?!" You shout, the pain in your throat excruciating.

You blink your eyes quickly, they're starting to burn and water. You cough again, trying to catch your breath in all the smoke.

You hear a distant shout again, and make your way further down the hall. Everything seems so familiar, but you don't know where you are.

You put your ear to one of the doors, thinking you hear something inside. When you open it there's a sudden flash and all you hear is screaming. It's not muffled anymore, it's crystal clear. All you hear is people screaming.

You jerk up in your bed, your body covered in a cold sweat, your heart racing and head aching. You run your hands back through your hair and try to catch your breath. You realize that your throat is sore and your mouth dry. I must have been screaming again...fan-fucking-tastic. It's a wonder no one heard me, or did they? You frown and sigh as your feet hit the cold floor, padding into the kitchen for a drink. You could use something with a little more bite, but all you have in the fridge is water or milk. Water it is...

You drink the whole glass before finally taking a breath, mostly because you were parched, but also because the cool liquid soothes your throat. You're thankful that not many of the spaces on this floor are actually occupied, less chance of someone listening in on your little episodes.

Rumlow's POV:

I wake to hear screaming, jerking up in my bed I instinctively grab my gun off the nightstand. I listen quietly for a moment before I hear it again, I quickly throw on a pair of sweat pants and open the door. Leaning my head out into the hallway, I again listen carefully. The screaming is coming from one of the rooms. There's only 3 other agents living on this floor. I think to myself, my brow furrowing, then I start to panic as I realize... Only one of them is a woman...

I rush to her door and listen carefully, holding my gun ready just in case.

I hear light steps across the floor, I assume moving into the kitchen. "Fuck..." I hear her mutter, her breathing uneven and ridden with fear. I relax as I hear her open the fridge.

Must have been a bad dream. I sigh, relieved. Must have been pretty bad...I know what that's like. I frown to myself and move to knock at the door, but hesitate and bite my cheek.

I shake my head and drop my hand back to my side, quietly I make my way back to my own apartment. I curse myself as I realize I left my door wide open in my rush to see if she was alright. Smart Brock...Real smart.

I stand in my kitchen for a few moments, leaning against the counter, internally debating with myself what I should do. I think back to what happened with Rollins, how I wasn't there for her. The bruises on her neck had long gone, but she wouldn't have gotten hurt in the first place if I had just stayed with her.

"Fuck it." I finally say, grabbing a bottle of whiskey from the counter I make my way back to her door, and this time.. I knock.