I laid in bed, staring up at my ceiling. Penny had been gone for hours. He had taken Jordan with him and my guilt was killing me. I should have never brought Jordan home. If it wasn't for me, Penny would've never put him to sleep and taken him who knows where.
"Omg" I gasped as I realized I had remembered something. I remembered penny's lair. The tall mountain of stuff. The floating children. That's where he had taken Jordan!
I shot out of bed, almost falling in the process. I stumbled to put my shoes and coat on. It was dark out and this time I remembered to grab a flashlight before leaving.
I ran down the street, letting the cold air hit my face. My raincoat making sound against the silence of the night. I breathed heavily as I felt my lungs burn and scream for a break, but there was no time.
I found myself in front of the tunnel. The same tunnel I had seen that girl, the same tunnel Penny took me in.
I bit my lip in hesitance before stepping in. I was afraid. I took cautious steps. I stumbled in the dark, holding onto the walls of the tunnel as my rain boots splashed against the murky water. The smell was unbearable but that was the least of my worries now.
I felt a rush of relief when I remembered I had brought a flashlight with me. I took it out of my deep pocket on my yellow coat and turned it on. I stood in silence, with the occasional sound of dripping pipes, as I flashed the light around, trying to locate where I was.
I continued to walk deeper into the darkness of the tunnel, praying I remembered all the turns and corners we took that night in order to get to penny's lair. I gasped as I heard some type of shuffling sound behind me. I turned around quickly, flashing my light at the sound. I laughed to myself as I realized it was just a rat. On any other occasion I would have freaked out, but the circumstances I was in was way scarier than a random rodent.
I continued to walk into the tunnel and found myself smiling as I came face to face with the lair opening. I ran inside, splashing around. I dropped myself onto the lair from the tunnel opening. I miscalculated and proceeded to stumble and fall onto my knees.
I looked up and saw the pile of treasures and the floating bodies. I squinted my eyes trying to see if I could locate Jordan but I couldn't see anything from this distance. I slowly got up, flashing my light around the open space.
"Penny?" I called out. I smiled to myself as I didn't hear a response. He wasn't there which meant I could take Jordan with me, if I was able to find him.
I quickly made my way towards the collection of bodies as fast as I could, having no time to waste. I knew Penny would end me and Jordan in a fit of jealousy and betrayal if he found out I was trying to save Jordan, but I wasn't going to let another innocent life be taken.
Once in front of the mountain of stuff, I flashed my light up, looking at all the bodies. I held myself back from crying at such sadness. Penny was a monster.
Panic began to fill in me as I couldn't locate Jordan. Penny could be back at any moment.
"Fuck" I whispered as I continued to look up, squinting my eyes. I stepped back in defeat, turning my flashlight off, leaving me in complete darkness. My back rested against an old furniture of some type. I closed my eyes and sighed heavily.
"I'm not giving up" I said to myself as I straighten my composure and turned my flashlight on once again. I began to walk around the lair, calling out Jordan's name numerous times.
I was about to leave, when I realized an old wooden box. It looked almost like a casket. I made my way slowly to it, scared to open it and reveal what was inside.
My fingertips brushed against the cold wood, the texture giving me a weird sensation. I held my breath as I pulled the top layer of wood up.
"Omg!" I screamed as I stumbled backwards. Jordan was laying neatly in the box, still asleep. He looked dead but his chest rising and falling, indicated he wasn't.
I ran towards the box once again and tried shaking him awake.
"Wake up, wake up wake up!" I whisper shouted as I shook Jordan by his shoulders. I wanted to start crying at my failed attempts.
I stood over him in silence, feeling defeated. I took his hand from off his chest and placed it in mine.
"I'm so sorry" I said as tears brimmed my eyes.
I placed his hand on my chest as tears silently fell from my face.
I felt my chest begin to grow warm. The sensation was familiar. I looked down and realized it had began to glow once again. I looked up and around in panic as I realized my chest must have been glowing because Penny was near.
After a couple minutes of silence, I realized Penny wasn't here. I looked back down at Jordan and almost screamed as he looked back at me.
He looked weak and groggy.
"What happened?" He asked in a tired and shaky voice.
"There's no time! We need to go" I said trying to pull him up by his arm. He stumbled out of the wooden box and had a difficult time regaining his balance once his feet touched the floor.
"We need to go now Jordan please!" I said dragging him by his arm. He had trouble catching up to me as his feet tripped over themselves. It's as if he had forgotten how to walk.
He seemed dazed and confused but I had no time to comfort him. I had an uneasy feeling in my stomach, and I knew Penny would be here any moment. If my chest glowed, so did his and vice versa. He would be here any second, once he didn't find my in my apartment where he had left me last. He would come searching for me, wondering why my chest began to glow without him there.
I pulled Jordan behind me, trying to get out of there as fast as we could. We stumbled into the dark tunnel, flashlight in hand. The sound of dripping water gave an all too eerie atmosphere.
I turned to look at Jordan, who seemed to be more awake now. He held my hand tightly, not trying to separate from each other. We continued to walk further into the pitch black.
"I know you have so many questions and I can't answer them but please, we need to hurry" I said not looking back at him. We needed to move faster, if we wanted to live.
We heard water splash, as if someone was walking towards us, on the opposite end of the tunnel. We stopped dead in our tracks, hearts stammering against our chest. I felt Jordan pull me back slightly, standing in front of me, as protection. He stood tall and stiff with his back facing me. His grip on my hand tightened. I appreciated his attempt to protect me, but even I knew he was no match against Penny.
We heard a deep growl emerge from within the darkness. I knew exactly who it had came from.
"Just run!" I said as I ran past Jordan into the opposite direction. I heard Jordans footsteps behind me. The growls got louder and I heard slamming against the tunnel walls, as if Penny was running and crawling on them.
We didn't look back, just continued to run until our lungs felt on fire. I almost cried in relief as I saw the tunnel opening. I grabbed Jordan's hand as we both made it out alive.
We continued to run through the town, not stopping to breathe. I had to get Jordan out of here.
We found ourselves in front of the train station.
"Go! You need to go!" I said as I pushed Jordan onto the train. The train station was empty, it seemed like we were the only souls there.
"Go back to New York, you're not safe here. Don't ever come back" I said stammering against my words. Jordan held tightly onto my arms as I continued to push him onto the train.
"Lola" he said softly. He looked hurt and sad.
"I'm so sorry" I said as I looked at him with pity.
"But you need to go.. please" I said as my voice cracked. I wanted to cry. I was so scared and I knew Penny was not happy.
Jordan cupped my face in his hands before slamming his lips onto mine, kissing me passionately. It was a farewell kiss. My eyes were wide when we pulled apart.
"Come with me" he said as he tightly onto my face.
"Lets run away together" he said.
"Lets be safe together" he whispered.
"I can't" I said as I shook my head softly.
"You won't ever be safe if you're with me" I whispered trying not to cry.
The train blew its whistle, indicating it was ready to leave.
"Go!" I said as I pushed him onto the train. The door closed in front of him, separating the both of us. I looked at him with teary eyes as he placed his hand onto the door window. He looked behind me and I saw his face go pale. His face looked terrified as he continued to look at whoever was behind me. He began to slam against the door, trying to open it.
"No! NO!" He screamed as he slammed his body against the door, trying to break free. Tears fell from my face as I saw him struggling to get to me.
"Lola" I saw his mouth say as the train began to move. He looked at me, tears in his eyes, fear on his face. I saw him get farther and farther until I could no longer see him.
I heard a deep and evil growl come from behind me. I swallowed hard as tears continued to slip from my eyes. My body tensed in fear as the voice spoke.
"Penny" I said quietly
"Why" he growled.