It Happened One Night [COMPLETED]

Chapter 7 - "Do you think it will work?"

The climb of the next thirty floors passed in a blessed daze. Before, Liv's legs had protested every step, her muscles weary. But after their run-in with the man, her legs ceased to feel anything at all.

Some part of her brain had taken over telling her legs to keep putting one foot in front of the other and they obeyed. All the pained messages her legs had been sending to her brain had been muted, and at times she wasn't even sure her legs were still connected to her body.

When they finally made it to the roof, they were greeted by a strong, chill wind. It stung Liv's cheeks and made her eyes water. It pulled at her clothes, waking her up. She breathed the fresh air in deeply and the world rushed into clear focus.

The soot-covered walls, the metal vents and odd pipes running grids along the floor. There were solar lights that shone brightly in the four corners of the roof and it was the most light they had seen in hours.

Ezra led the way to a squat metal box and sat. Liv followed, stepping carefully. The ground was concrete and rough against her bare feet. When she sat, they pulled out their phones and looked at each other.

Liv could see Ezra hesitated like her. Until they tried, they could hold on to a sliver of hope that their phones would work. That their call would be answered and help would be sent. Hope that they would see the night brought to an end. But if they didn't work... That was a bridge Liv didn't want to deal with.

They held each other's gaze. Ezra's eyes were darker than the night and sharp with intelligence. Liv stared at them, pulling courage from their steadiness until she had enough to look at her phone. Together, they followed the quick steps it took to place a call and held their breaths.

Nothing happened. Ezra spat a frustrated curse. Liv couldn't take her eyes from the blank screen. She had reached that bridge she had been dreading. It was time to cross it, but she didn't have the slightest clue how.

"The next logical step. The next logical step." She had used that phrase like it was a life-vest that could save her. But all it had given her was sore legs and empty hope. She threw her hands up in despair. "That's it." When you reached the roof, there were no more "next steps". Ezra looked at her in surprise, momentarily distracted from cursing his phone.

"Liv..." he started. His voice was gentle and she knew what type of consoling talk he was about to give her.

"No!" she snapped. "My idea was stupid. Of course, the people who are smart enough to break into the building are smart enough to have a cell-jammer that reaches the roof. What was I thinking? I wasn't, clearly. But what else were we supposed to do? They have Tommy. Oh my, Tommy. What he must be thinking?"

She imagined he was thinking he was going to die, but she couldn't bring herself to say the words.

"We climbed all the way up here for nothing. And we can't stay here. What if they plan on leaving by the roof. But where do we..."

Ezra clamped his hand over her mouth, forcing her to stop. She tried to pull away but he held the back of her head with his other hand.

She looked at him, fire in her eyes. But he was like a pool of cool water. His calm dark eyes were on her as he took a deep breath in and slowly released it. Liv's thoughts were still running wild as he took the next breath but she forced herself to follow his lead.

After she took five more calm breaths, he dropped his hands from her mouth and head. "This isn't it," he finally said.

"We can figure something out." She didn't believe him and the look she gave him told him so. "Stop," he said. He gave her a pointed look and shook his finger at her. "I mean it."