Survival of the Fittest

Chapter Eighteen

 I screamed and fell backwards hitting into Amanda. She was shaking and screaming too. Liam grabbed the doorknob as fast as he could and slammed the door shut. We heard banging on the other side and scratching as the figure tried to escape. “Let’s go! Move!” Liam shouted as everyone turned around and ran down the hallway. I bolted to the other side of that hall, when I hit the end I turned and started forcing everyone forward and down the staircase. I was trembling and scared, but I continued to round everyone up and make sure they were all in front of me before descending.

“WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT?” Rachel screamed as tears formed in her eyes from fear. Niall held her and stroked her hair as they both tried to calm down from the encounter. “I don’t know but I want to leave” I said trying not to cry. “I think we should take the path downstairs now, that’s enough exploring.” Liam said as he wrapped his arm around a trembling Amanda. “Exactly like I’ve been saying.” Ivy said totally unfazed by what just happened. Louis gave her a look but she ignored it and began to descend the staircase to the main floor. That girl was rock solid, I have not yet seen her get scared.

The image of the figure wouldn’t leave my mind. I just kept thinking that’s what took Harry, I know that’s what took Harry. As I hit the main floor I began to pinch myself. This had to be a bad dream, I was going to pinch myself and wake up in my bed at home and log into tumblr like always. My pinching didn’t work and all it left me with was broken skin that began to bleed. I wiped it away and followed everyone as they headed down the stairs to the basement hallway. “Joanna, calm down, everything is fine.” Ivy said as she patted my back. I hadn’t noticed that I was fiddling with my hands so I immediately stopped and said “I’m fine, just rattled.”

We walked and walked, our pace began to slow down as we continued down the hallway. I wanted to keep going as quick as possible because I wanted to find Harry as soon as I could, but my mind was more awake than my body was. “I’m really tired.” Kate said as she yawned and leaned on Zayn for support. “So am I.” Amanda chimed in as she smiled up at Liam. “I want to keep walking.” I blurted without thinking. “Joanna look at yourself, you are dead tired, you’re practically falling over.” Rachel said as she sat down. “Yeah come on and sit down with us.” Niall added as he helped me over to where Rachel was sitting. “Thanks.” I said as I slowly drifted off to sleep.

I was running, all alone, down the hallway in front of me leaving everyone behind. The torches along the walls began to go out one by one behind me so I began to run faster, afraid of being left in the dark. I heard scratching behind me and banging as I picked up my pace and bolted as fast as I could trying not to think of the figures. I saw a light at the end of the hallway and jumped into it. I was now in another room and across from me I could see a boy locked up against the wall. “HARRY!” I screamed as I tried to run over to him. I couldn’t move, something was holding me back. I turned in a fit of panic and saw the shadowed figure holding my legs. “HELP! HARRY! SOMEONE HELP!” I screamed. The figure began to shake me and say my name as I tried to get away.

“Joanna! Joanna wake up!” Rachel shouted as she shook me back and forth. My eyes darted open and I could feel the sweat dripping from my forehead. I looked up at Rachel who was peering down at me very worried. “Joanna are you okay?” She asked concerned. I wiped the sweat from my face and replied, “Yeah, I’m fine, I just had a nightmare.” I looked around only to notice everyone staring at me seeming kind of frightened. “I’m all right, really guys, its fine.” I said as I got up and shook away the dream. “You were yelling for Harry and screaming for help.” Amanda said her voice a little shaky. I wiped away more sweat from my head and leaned up against a wall, “It was just a nightmare, I saw Harry and the figures, it’s nothing to worry about.” I said trying to calm everyone down. I could see it wasn’t working but I don’t know what else they wanted me to say. I then saw Niall was fiddling with a slip of paper.

“Niall, what’s that?” I asked pointing to his hands and walking over to him. He looked up at me from where he was sitting and his eyes were full of disappointment. He raised the paper up and placed it into my open hand. I didn’t want to read it, I wanted to rip it up right then and there, but I had to know what it said.

Dear Joanna,

There is no time to waste my dear, if you want Harry to live you better find him within the next 48 hours. He’s waiting for you.

Tears began to form in my eyes as I began to sniffle. I ripped the paper to pieces and kicked the wall next to me. “Where did you find it?” I asked hoping it was all a joke. “It fell onto your head while you were asleep” Liam said trying not to anger me. I turned to Louis who was staring at the ground twiddling his thumbs. He was clearly feeling guilty. “I already know.” I said as I began to walk past him down the hall. Louis grabbed my sleeve, “Joanna I wanted to tell you!” he cried. “Well you should have Louis! I shouldn’t have had to overhear your conversation; Harry let himself get taken away because of me! You just should have told me!” I yelled trying to pull away from his grip. Liam’s face went from confused to shocked, I guess he finally clicked and knew that I heard them talking that one morning. Ivy looked concerned as did Rachel and Kate.

“What is going on?” Zayn asked. I guess Louis hadn’t told Zayn or Niall because they looked just as shaken up as me. I ripped my arm away from Louis’ grip and threw myself to the ground. I was angry and scared, Harry could be being tortured and we are all sitting here doing nothing, incapable of doing anything. Why did he have to go?

Louis sighed and explained, “Harry told me a few days before he disappeared that he got a note. It was labeled to him and said that if he wanted to protect Joanna he had to do as they said. The note didn’t say what he had to do, but he had already agreed he was going to do whatever it was. There was no way he was going to tell Joanna and he made me swear on my life not to tell her. I don’t think he knew to what extent this could go to, all he wanted was to protect her.” He paused and looked around the room until he set his eyes on me, “He said that you’re the love of his life.” I looked up at Louis and began to cry, I crawled over to him and pushed my face into his welcoming arms. I cried into his chest as he said he was sorry over and over again.

I knew it wasn’t his fault and I didn’t want to hold what happened against him. I just felt like he was the one I should be hugging right now and it felt good to finally know the total truth. I looked up and said “No more secrets okay?” I wiped my tears for the millionth time in this game and said again between breathes, “We have to go now, we have 48 hours to find him.”

We grabbed our bags and began to walk down the hall. “Oh! And Joanna” Niall said as he ran up next to me. “Yeah?” I asked. “This was attached to the note.” He said handing me a tiny digital clock showing the date and time. I nodded and said thanks as he went back to join Rachel with an ‘I’m sorry’ look on his face. I was relieved to finally know the date and time because I hated not knowing, but I knew that the watch was not for my benefit. It was to know how long I had before Harry would be killed.