(Quick appreciation note for my kiwi boy Calum and his 20th birthday yesterday, I love you stop growing x)
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So here's the thing. A few years ago Dakota Lavall suffered from a seizure and was admitted to hospital only to be stuck where we are now. She was forced into calling her family and everyone saying everything was fine but had to get away for a fresh start. She stated that there was no weaponry room while she was there and the facilities were more easy to break through etc. After Riley had passed away she was back to square one, she lost her mind completely and went insane and didn't escape until four months later. The thing that made me grateful for her was that she actually told me who was the one to create these apps and codes for any future victims to easily collect information and try to escape. She said the man had to make it so Cole could not figure it out or else him and his family would be in danger. It's kind of complicated but, you get the picture.
Our only best chance of hope was in fact trying to break through from somewhere but everything was bolted up to the extreme that not even a fly could escape. And once we get out, where would we go? I know the van that brought us here was still outside but who knows what that guy has done to it.
I sighed brushing my fingers through my hair as I sat cross legged on one of the beds. Thankfully we had found a ward that had small rooms containing a rather large single bed. Ten of them to be precise. We agreed that we needed space and our own time, because with everything happening all at once, some of us are a bit screwed up about it.
I looked over at the single chair sitting in the corner of the room, it's ripped green leather showed the foam beneath it. As weird as it sounds, it's kind of like me. With skin as thick and strong as leather it's hard to pull apart, but somethings managed to do it to uncover what's beneath. Nothing but plain old foam, something so basic.
I listened to the rain smash down on the roof as a struck of lightning shot through the small window. Soon followed the roaring sound of thunder. I used to believe when I was younger that the thunder would be giants up in the sky playing marbles, as they clanged loudly together. My mind was so creative, but now I'm just like a blob with nothing. Useless.
"Hey," a soft voice spoke from the doorway. I looked over my shoulder to see Mia, her hands in a tight ball.
"Hey," I replied, shuffling over on the bed for her to sit on.
She hesitantly sat by me, her face saying it all.
"Don't be worried Mi, I know how you're probably feeling but— I don't know, you'll find your happiness!" I smiled attempting to lighten the mood.
"I'm just confused really." She shrugged swinging her legs of of the bed. She wasn't exactly my height, just a tad shorter.
"We all are, I promise." My god I'm horrible at comforting people, how do people do shit like this?!?! "We're working on it, anyway."
She nodded her head running a thumb over the busted knuckles. I furrowed my eyebrows at the damage looking carefully at all the colours mixed together. I stood up on my jelly like legs and made my way to a small vanity above a sink that held steel bowls and buckets along with other types of hospital stuff. This should all be familiar to me, because my mum is a nurse. I grabbed onto the tin bucket and a cloth, filing it up with hot water, making sure to add a little cold just so I won't burn.
"Don't baby me, oh please don't!" Mia laughed throwing her head into her palms.
"I'm not going to baby you," I laughed along closing the cupboard and walking over to her. "I'm going to help you! There's a difference stupid." I flicked my finger on her pale cheeks causing her to slap my hand away.
I dipped the cloth in the bucket hearing the water slosh around while I damped it out. She winced as I pressed the fabric to her knuckles cleaning it from top to bottom.
"Get used to this stuff, we haven't gone a week without a cut or bruise."
"Hmm—" she hummed, "pleasant."
"Indeed."
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"Good Morning!" Luke beamed quickly engulfing me in a tight hug.
I had to stop for a moment to process what was actually happening, but quickly decided on hugging back. His scent was minty and fresh, his body towering over mine making me feel protected. Can I stay here?
"Good sleep?" I mumbled into his soft breathing chest enjoying every moment.
"No, you weren't with me."
Oh, so it is true that hearts actually melt.
He pulled away to look at me, his ocean blue eyes just like a puppy.
"You couldn't last one night?" I laughed, his hand meeting my own.
"I dunno— it was more the worry then lonely, actually wait— no! I was worried and lonely." He wrapped our fingers in together and my heart began to race. "Like a lonely penguin, because they are cute and-"
"Where are you going with this?" I laughed.
All these small intimate moments was all I need to just kick start my body and start the day. "Can I uhm, can I stay with you tonight?"
Both of our hands wrapped in with each other's as he looked down at me. His lip ring tucked into his teeth, I could tell he was slightly nervous about the question.
"Yeah," I smiled, "of course."
It was new to me all this flirty, well not exactly flirty but whatever you'd call it, stuff.
In my pass relationship, language like this never existed between the both of us so it was oddly nice to actually talk to someone like it. And too have it said back to me was just the warmest feeling.
"Okay, so I studied over these maps last night," I said unfolding the two sheets that covered the layout of the hospital. "We've been everywhere and not once have we found out where Cole has his setup, so just thinking off the top of my head here— he's underground."
"Yeah but how do we get there?" Calum came through the open door with Ashton, Michael and Mia close together.
I scanned my finger over one of the prints, pointing to a few rooms. "We start by ripping things apart."
"Then we kill the cu-"
"Michael." Ashton's first flew into Mikey's stomach leaving him to gasp for air. "We aren't killing anyone. Not if we have to anyway."
Calum handed me a backpack, throwing the heavy item across my shoulders I folded up the maps handing them to Mia. She refuses to do any injuring or weaponry using, because of course, she just isn't like that.
We all filed out of the room and down to one of the bottom floored rooms where we all stood in front of an old bookcase. Books about health, nutrition and dieting files, littered the shelves collecting nothing but dust and rotten dead bugs.
"Oh cool look at this one!" Michael beamed his fingers clasping the wings of a insect from a book.
"Stop it!" Calum slapped his arm making the bug fly to his feet. "Stop it now!"
I looked to Mia who had her eyes rolling around making me smile.
Ignoring the discussion between the boys I pushed my hands on the edge of the wood, forcing my body forward to attempt to shift it. I felt it move on the floor and everyone fell silent, listening as the sound of wood on wood scratch across the cold floor.
Ashton pulled over to my side helping me heave it over. By the time the shelve was half way across the floor, visible lines were opened in the floor.
"Oh my god. It actually worked." Calum smiled a toothy grin, kneeling down.
His fingers pressed down on it, and a creak sounded through out the dense room. The floor slowly fell apart, and a few floor boards smashed to the ground.
"You might as well bring a damn marching band in here, you're so bloody loud!" Luke stood in shock.
"Fuck up." Calum bluntly replied making Mia snort. "Lake, you got that rope?"
I pulled the pack from my back and opened it up, pulling out the thick ball and handing it to Cal.
"Alright," he handed one end to Ashton. "I'll go down first, and lead me down."
The boy nodded and began to unravel the rope. Someone would have to stay up here, maybe even a couple just for reassurance. Calum wriggled over the small open dark hole in the floor and dropped his legs down. He looked up at all of us, then nodded and slowly made his way down.
"I'm not so sure of this," Mia chewed on her finger nails and moved closer towards the hole. "I'm staying here."
"Me too," Michael quickly jumped in.
We heard Calum call out from underneath, it sounded kinda of close, but it echoed.
I decided on going down next, gripping on for dear life as I attempted to not get rope burn. I felt a pair of soft hands on my waist as I neared the bottom.
"I got you," Cal whispered, pulling me up and safely on the ground.
My feet made a splash as I hit the ground. Water?
"Where are you?" I quietly laughed reaching my hands out searching for his face, eventually landing on his nose.
"That's not my nose Blake...."
"OHMYGO-"
"I'm kidding."
I slapped his shoulder softly and Luke made his way down, with Ashton soon following.
I swayed my foot in the water, as we stood around adjusting our eyes to the darkness. I reached into my pocket and retrieving my phone switching on the light. I shone it down at our feet, the liquid up to out ankles. But this wasn't water, the rainbow colour effect in it made me squirm.
"Petrol?" Luke stood gobsmacked.
"We don't want any flames anytime soon," Ash laughed, wiping his face.
"What was that?" We heard Michael call from the top. "You want some matches?"
We all looked at each other instantly calling out to Michael to stop and just leave it, but as we heard his footsteps rush around above us, it was too late. We heard the plop noise as he'd thrown down a packet. This boy, I swear. But also glad he wasn't stupid enough to light them.
I heard Calum groan before taking a torch and leading our way deeper and deeper in to the ground.
I felt a nudge at my shoulder, and by the time his fingers had already looped with mine, I knew from the frantic beats of his heart that it was Luke. He gave a squeeze to my hand and I gave one back for reassurance.
Weirdly enough, we came to a piece of wood that was about knee high which stopped the oil passing from one room to another, was this meant to be some trap of his? We all cautiously stepped over it, our ankles no longer being submerged. I'm guessing what had touched the oil, we'd have to throw out. Even if we washed them ten times I still wouldn't want the risk of it, I don't plan to be blown up in bits anytime soon.
I squinted my eyes as Ashton pulled a chord that switched on a single light that dangled from a broken down ceiling— or floor I should say. The light beamed out through the small area, the walls covered in cobblestone and wooden beams held the wood above our heads. I tugged on Luke's hand, pulling him over to a small table pressed against the wall, footprints of oil tracing behind us. There were two trays under the table, so of course I pulled open the first one. What I saw in front of my eyes was not expected, keys?
Luke pushed his free hand into the bundle and mixed them around, his fingers settling on one.
"This," he dangled it from one of his slender long fingers. "This was the key for our van."
"How do you remember you were half passed out?" Calum groaned snatching the keys.
He examined them closely before nodding, "oh— they are."
I thought it through in my head, visioning the van, the oil, the keys, and all the previous victims before it finally clicked.
"Oh my god, it all makes sense now!" I let go of Luke's hand and took the keys from Calum and walked over to the oil.
"This is his like— his signature thing! Once we're in here, he takes the keys from what ever vehicle was brought, then removes the petrol from it—
"So no one can leave with out running." Ashton clicked finishing off my words. "Blake, don't touch the keys anymore they have fingerprints, put them here." He pulled the pack from his back and opened up a small pocket, so I dropped them in.
"Evidence."
I turned my neck back to Luke and Calum who had a smirk pulled at there lips, smiling back.
"For when we escape tonight."
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AN
It's been like 10 years whoops so much has been happening!!!!!!!
I'm kinda growing old of this story tbh I'm not enjoying writing it but I'll keep trying!
⭕️⭕️Please please please comment your thoughts I really would like to know, it makes me smile and feel good about this story❤️⭕️⭕️
Thank you!
(Sorry for any typos I haven't gone over it lol)
-Emma