12:17
Lauren, Camila and Ally make their way through a long dark hallway. The warehouse reeks of a strong strange odor. Somewhere between rotting trash and rodent feces. A fowl smell with a lingering taste. The girls creep slowly, clinging on to each other, peering into each open door along the way. Each room is as dark as the next. It's Ally who suggest they try the next floor.
As the girls inch their way up the cement steps, they here shuffling noises from above. Lauren puts her arm out to stop the other girls in the stairwell, waiting for the noise to stop. Camila clings closer to her side, a white knuckle grip on her leather jacket.
"Let's just go back down." Ally whispers. "This was a dumb idea."
Camila turns to look down at the shorted girl on the step under her. "No. My friend is in here. I'm going to find her." she replies back, her voice low. Letting go of the green eye'd girl in front of her, she steps around her and finishes her way up the stairs. Lauren stays right on her heels. Her hand on the gun, ready.
A shadow moves from one room to another. No doubt one of the men who took the bus and Dinah. Camila moves forward with Lauren holding her by the arm. They stop and look into the first room, where the man just left from, and see metal table shining from the moon light seeping in through the boarded up windows. On top of the table are shoes. The girls walk into the room and realize that it's not just shoes but a person laying on the table. An unconscious person.
Camila gasp loudly. Lauren shoots her hand up to the girls mouth keeping her quiet. The smaller girl turns and falls into her shoulder. Small whimpers escaping, muffled in the leather jacket. Lauren pulls her in closer and moves them toward the door. Ally curiously walks over to the table. The body spills blood from an unseen wound under his shirt.
"It's not Dinah." she says flatly.
Camila peeks out from Lauren's hold. "It doesn't matter. That's still a person!" she hisses then turns back the the green eye'd girl. "We have to find her."
Lauren nods. She peaks out of the door way then quickly ducks back in behind the door, pulling Camila even closer. "Someone is in the hall." she says against her ear. She motions to the other girl to hide.
Ally runs over and hides behind the table. The sounds of foot steps come to a halt just outside the door. Everyone holds their breath. Then the footsteps move on down the hall. A low exhale is heard through out the small room.
"What do we do? Where do we look next?" Camila says softly to Lauren.
"You stay here with Ally. I'll go look."
"What? No!"
"Shh. Yes. I'll find Dinah then bring her back here. It's safer. Trust me."
Camila looks into the eye's in front of her. The moon shines through the cracks softly, enough to see small flecks of green. She nods. "You'll be okay?"
"Promise." Lauren replies. She leans forward and softly kisses Camila's lips. Brown eye's go wide in surprise then they slowly close. Falling into the small kiss. They pull apart and smile shyly to each other. Lauren tucks a lose strand of Camila's hair behind her hair. "I'll be back." The smaller girl nods, moving to hug the girl tightly.
12:38
Normani lurks through the dark warehouse looking for her friend. A noise upstairs had her moving quickly up the stairs in hopes of it being Lauren, but a taller, built figured moved through the hall. She quickly hide in the shadows the stairwell offered. Clutching the duffle bag closely to her side she crouches waiting for the stranger to walk off.
Once the footsteps are gone, she chances a glance down the hall. She see's Lauren peek out of a door way. Her heart leaps for joy. She waves a hand trying to get her friends attention.
Lauren notices and is startled at first, thinking it's someone else she draws her gun. Normani shoots her hands up and walks closer. Finally the green eye'd girl notices her and puts the gun down. "Fuck! You trying to get killed?" Lauren muttered.
"Come on let's go before whoever that was comes back!" Normani reaches out to grab her friends hand. But Lauren pulls back.
"No. I promised Camila I'd find Dinah."
"But Zayn, and his friends are out there."
"Wait! What?"
"They must of followed us. I ran over and hid in the bus until I saw them come in here." Normani looks up and down the halls.
Lauren looks at her friend in complete disbelief. Not only do they have these guys in the warehouse to worry about but now Zayn again. Her brain rattles with the new information. Now they have two groups to avoid while looking for Dinah.
"Why do you only have one bag?" the green eye'd girl notices the bag slung over the other girls shoulder.
Normani frowns. "There was only one."
Lauren mirrors her friends expression. She moves forward toward the second set of stairs. "Help me find her?"
Normani looks down at the bag then back up. "Fine." she agrees and the duo head to the third floor.
12:58
"I can't wait. I'm going to look for her myself." Camila stands from her sitting position next to Ally.
"No wait. Lauren said to stay here." the short girl grabs her arm, standing too.
Camila yanks it free, walking to the door. "What if something happened to her too? You can come or wait here alone."
"I'm not waiting here alone." Ally shakes her head, walking behind the taller girl.
They look up and down hall and declare it clear. Walking down the long dark hall they again look into each room with an open or ajar door. Nothing but boxes or emptiness. Slowly creeping further they are halted by a sudden voice from behind.
"Hey!" it's low enough for just them to hear. They spin and stare down a young guy with a thin beard. "What are you doing in here?" he asked, his head tilting to one side.
Camila and Ally remain frozen.
"Hey, you're Troy's girlfriend?" he points at the shorter girl.
Ally slowly nods. She's only seen Zayn at parties and back yard bbq's. Her boyfriend only spoke highly of him. However after hearing how he stole the money from the other girls she's seeing him in a new light.
"Who's this." he now points to the long haired brunette.
"I... I don't know." Ally utters.
"What do yo--"
"Who's out there?!" a voice roars from a room up ahead.
Both girls dash into the closest room. Zayn limps in after them. They hide behind anything they can find. Footsteps get closer and closer.
1:13
"Let me go!" Dinah groans from the chair she's tied up to.
A man moves in front of her, holding a hunting knife. He uses the tip to delicately trace from her eyebrow down to her lip. She trembles under his touch trying to move away. He reaches his free hand out and snatches a fist full of her hair, bringing her head back toward him.
"Hey!" Lauren suddenly appears in the doorway, her gun aimed at the man. He swings around in time to see green eye'd staring him down.
BANG!
1:15
Camila, Dinah and Zayn hear the echo of the gun shot. The footsteps that had just entered the room rush out then fade completely. Cautiously the trio come out of their hiding spots. They look around at each other. Camila notices the bloody rag wrapped around his leg. Then it clicks. She knows who he is.
"You took the black car, didn't you?" his zeros in on the shorter girl.
Ally shakes her head. "No, what are you talking about?"
"Bullshit! Troy is in jail right now for grand theft auto. I bet you know how to hot wire a car." he stalks toward her. She again shakes her head and puts her hands up to defend herself. With little effort he grabs her out stretched arms and slams her against the wall. The air is knocked out of her small frame as she slides down the brick wall.
Camila rushes forward. "Leave her alone!" she shouts, trying to push him away.
Zayn turns and grabs Camila's swinging arms. "Who are you?" he says pushing her away.
"None of your business." she again yells, charging him.
He pushes her back with more force and she stumbles backwards losing her footing. As she falls back her head crashes into the wall. She's knocked out cold. Zayn, grabs his leg, turning back to Ally. "Where's the fucking money?"
"Just let me explain!" Ally quaked. She holds her hands up in surrender. "I'll tell you everything."
1:19
"Where's Camila?!" Dinah asked Lauren for what seemed like the hundredth time since she was freed. Normani and the green eye'd girl had heard her crying then ambushed the man holding her hostage.
Lauren stops quickly then turns to finally address the taller girl. "I told her I'd come get you! She's waiting with Ally down stairs! Now come on!" she pulls the girl forward.
Normani runs behind them, looking back periodically in case they're being followed. They run hard and take the flight of stairs two at a time. Lauren and Normani looked in every room until they came to the third floor only to realize they're on the complete opposite side of where they left the other girls.
"Where are they?" Dinah asked Lauren as they continue to run.
"In a room on the other side of the warehouse." Lauren replies.
"Lauren!" Normani yells out from behind. Two men grab her by the arms. Dinah and Lauren come to a halt spinning around. Two men with animal mask hold one gun to Normani and one toward Dinah and Lauren. The green eye'd girl grabs her gun then fires.
BANG BANG BANG BANG! Multiple shots go off.
1:28
"Camilaaa?" Ally softy shakes the unconscious girl trying to wake her. "Camila?"
Brown eye's flutter open. She tries to blink her way back into focus. "Wh...What happened?"
"You fell." Ally replies.
Camila struggles to sit up. Her hand going to the back of her head where a throbbing pain is. She winces at the pressure. "Where'd the guy go?"
"I don't know."
"What?" Camila tries to stand. She stumbles into the wall. Her free hand shooting out to stable herself. "What if he finds Lauren and Dinah. We have to go warn them."
"No. I don't think we'll be doing that." the short girl steps in front of the other.
Camila blinks, trying to focus on Ally. "What do you mean?"
1:30
"Shit. No. No. No. Dinah?" Lauren drops to her knees. The Polynesian lays out on the cold tiled floor. Her hand gripping her chest. A pool of blood rushing on to the fabric of her shirt. "Dinah?!"
Normani crawls over to the girls in front of her. "Was she hit?"
When Lauren shot the masked man in the knee he turned the gun toward them. Dinah pushed Lauren out of the way. The green eye'd girl composed herself enough to fire at the men again. Taking them both out. Normani ducked out of the way, dropping to the floor with her hands over her ears.
Lauren looks down at the now pale Dinah. She places a hand under her head and over her hip, picking up the girl, cradling her closer. "Dinah, you're going to be okay. Do you hear me? We have to get back to Camila."
Dinah blinks fast, staring up into green eye's. Her dry mouth tries to form words. "G-give..This...t-t-to...Mila." she barely croaks out. Her blood covered hand reaches out for Lauren's. The green eye'd girl takes her hand from her hip to the searing one immediately. Tears streaking her face. Dinah places the necklace into her palm. Lauren keeps her hand intertwined with the other. "No. Dinah, you're going to give it to her." Lauren sobbed.
The Polynesian shakes her head slowly. Her eye's closing tight, trying to fight back tears. Lauren pulls her up closer to her. Her own tears falling free on to the life less body in her arms. Normani comes up to cradle Lauren from behind. "Come on, Lo. We can't wait her. Someone else will come." her words are soft.
Lauren shakes her head. "We can't leave her!"
"We don't have a choice. Let's get Camila and the money then leave!" Normani reaches out to caress Dinah's hairline. She pulls away, wiping at tears.
Green eye's look down at the girl in her arms. She bows her head to gentle kiss her temple. "I'll get Mila out of her." she whispers into her ear. Lauren puts Dinah down and both girls walk off down the dark hallway.
1:39
"What's going on?" Camila begged Ally as she's once again shoved forward. Her head is throbbing and the rough treatment she's receiving isn't helping. The shorter girl has been ushering through the cold smelly halls. Zayn in tow. She tries to glance back at him but receives another nudge forward.
"We have to go toward the gun shots." Zayn hisses from behind the girls.
Ally rolls her eyes. "No. They'll want to get away from the shooters."
"What gun shots?" Camila questioned. She wonders if someone fired their gun while she was knocked out.
"Shut up." Ally shoves her again. "Keep walking."
1:41
Normani and Lauren turn the corner only to be face to face with Harry and Liam. Both groups stare at each other wide eyed. An awkward silence settles over them. No one makes a move for their weapons.
Lauren finally speaks first. "Where's Zayn?"
Liam shrugs. "Give us the money and we'll maybe let you go." he motions to the duffle bag over Normani's shoulder.
Lauren shoots her hand up protectively in front of her friend. "Screw you." she snapped, quickly drawing her gun. She aims it toward the pair of boys. "Don't even think about reaching for yours."
Liam moves his away from his waist band. "Okay. Okay. Take it easy. We just want the money."
"Well you're not getting it!" Lauren's voice boomed through the dark damp hall.
"Really?" a voice comes from behind her. Both girls turn and see Zayn holding Camila to his chest. His gun to her temple. Ally at their side, expressionless.
Green eye's go wide. Her already pale skin goes even paler. She keeps her gun on the other two boys in front of her.
"The money for the girl." Zayn barks.
Lauren stares blankly at the big brown eye'd girl in his arms. Camila subtly shakes her head back and forth. She tries to understand what the girl is saying. She's not about to lose her too. First her friend Zayn then the money and Dinah. Not Camila too.
"I don't know who she is." Lauren responded. Her lips remaining in a tight line.
This time Ally's eyes go wide. She quickly turns to Zayn. He looks down at her. His brows furrow together. "You said!" he hisses.
"I... She's lying!" Ally muttered.
Camila shakes her head more rapidly. "I don't know who she is either. I promise. I'm just looking for my friend Dinah!"
"Quiet!" Zayn jerks Camila tighter into his grip. Her finger nails dig deeper into his forearm. "Someone is lying here!" he yells angrily.
The short girl grits her teeth together, taking the knife out. "This is for my boyfriend!" she shouts as she brings the knife up to petites girls waist next to her.
Camila gasp. A sudden electrifying pain shoots through her body. Her throbbing head cease and is replaced by a pressure from her abdomen. She looks down. Ally holds Dinah's knife into her stomach.
Zayn let's the brunette go, shoving her away from him. Ally pulls the knife out. Camila grabs her fresh wound. "Your asshole dad threw my boyfriend in jail!" The shorter girl grins.
BANG!
Lauren exhales fast as she moves her finger away from the trigger. Ally falls back landing against cold hard tile. The green eye'd girl lowers her arm, her eye's never leaving the small brunette doubled over holding herself. "Camila?" she uttered. Her throat dry. Her limbs heavy as lead.
"We'll give you the money. Give us her!" Normani cries out. She flings the duffle bag toward Zayn. It lands just to the side of Camila. Before anyone can act. Another gun shot bounces of the cement walls.
BANG!
The shot rings throughout the warehouse. Everyone flinches. They're eye's flickering open a second later. Looking around they see Liam on the floor. A pool of blood forming around him. Looking behind Harry, there stands more animal masked men. They watch the group silently.
Lauren shoots forward, grabbing Normani's arm. She drags her over to Camila where they both pick her up and run down the hall.
BANG BANG!
More gunshots are heard. The girls run as fast as they can with Camila draped over their shoulders. They try to keep her up right as they descend down the stairwell.
Foot steps follow them.
They take the steps two at a time now. Trying to find any exit they can.
BANG!
Normani Stumbles forward. Lauren stops, shifting Camila in her arms to keep her up right. "Normani come on get up!"
"Just go, Lo." the dark skinned girl says softly.
"What? No. Get up!" Lauren reaches her hand up. Her friend reaches her hand up not to take her hand but to show her the blood. "Mani, No."
"Go, Lo." Normani pleads for her friend. "You can't carry both of us."
"Mani," Lauren's voice falters. Tears sting at her eye's. "Get up. You can limp. Come on."
"They're coming. GO!" Normani commanded. "Normani?!" Lauren pleads.
"The money is Camila's bag on the bus." the dark haired girl groans. "U-under the second s-seat." she grabs her leg tighter. "GO! NOW!" Lauren looks up and sure enough down the hall comes shadowed figures. Zayn and Harry or the other men? She can't tell. Glancing back down at her friend she tries to plead one more time. "Mani?"
BANG!
Normani slumps over. Lauren turns and runs down the last set of stairs. Almost stumbling she grabs the railing in time. Her eye's sting with tears and her vision is blurry. Camila begins to feel heavy in her arms.
2:01
Bursting through the exit door Lauren runs toward the bus. She climbs on in time to see the same door she just came through burst open again. Quickly she lays Camila down under the seat in the back row. Shifting herself under the seats, she pushes up against Camila behind her.
"Where's Dinah?" the smaller girl mumbles, breathless.
Lauren shifts to face her. She slides out of her jacket then ties it tightly around Camila's waist. Hoping it will help. "You're going to be okay." the green eye'd girl says softly. She pulls back all of the lose hair from the smaller girls face.
"D-Dinah?" she tries again. Her eye's becoming heavy.
Instead of saying anything. Lauren takes the necklace out of her pocket. She places it in the other girls weak hand. Camila's small hand fist the necklace tightly. Her eye's shut tightly yet tears still seep through. Her breathing deepens.
"Shh. You have to stay calm." Lauren cups the other girls face. "Just until the coast is clear okay? I'll take you to get help. My mom used to be a nurse. She'll help. Okay?"
Camila cries softly. "We...were supposed t-to watch net-netflix tonight."
"Camila, shhh." Lauren pulls her closer against her. The smaller girl trembles in her arms.
3:33
"Camila?" Lauren says softly, nuzzling her nose against her temple. "Camila, say something?"
"Hmm." Camila groaned.
"I think everyone is gone now. We're going to make for the car now. Okay?"
"Mmm." she nods softly.
"Stay here." Lauren whispers. She kisses the girls temple before army crawling to the dufflebag up front.
She leans on her elbow unzipping the bag. Just as Normani had said, there sits all the money. All of Camila's belongs lay littered under the seat next to it. Lauren stuffs the clothes into Dinah's bag. She zips everything up and moves the bag to the aisle. Crawling back to Camila she peaks up over the seats, looking for a sign of anyone.
"Come on, Camila." Lauren spoke softly.
"The money?" Camila asked, her voice low and dry.
"It's all there. Come." The taller girl slides the girl out from under the seat. She lifts the girl up and safely tucks her under her arm. Camila groans softly at the new positions. They make their way to the front of the bus. Lauren leans down and grabs both bags.
"Here." Camila reaches for a bag.
"No. You're to weak." Lauren protest but Camila tightly grasp the strap of the bag. She helps her place the bag over her shoulder. "Okay, nice and steady."
Camila nods and they exit the bus. The pair walk slowly toward the cars. Both cars are still in the street. The black car has visible damage to the bumper like someone rammed it. Lauren steers them toward the red car.
3:49
"You still with me?" Lauren looks over at her passenger.
A weak smile plays on Camila's lips. "I'm here." she breathes out.
The green eye'd girl reaches over and takes her hand in hers. They drive down the lonely highway. Most Purgers already retreating back indoors. Only debris from fires, destruction and any chaos that The Purge may of caused lay littered everywhere. The night has eerily calmed. However the potential threat remains. She doesn't if Zayn or Harry made it alive. Or if they took out the masked men. She'll have to keep her eye's open, even after tonight.
4:10
Lauren peaks back over to Camila once she turns onto her street. The small brunette lay with her eye's closed. The once slight grip on her hand gone.
"Camila?" she says, rubbing the back of her hand with her thumb.
No response.
"Camila?" Lauren's voice quakes. "Camila?!" she shakes the girls hand.
Nothing.
She slams on the gas pedal, hauling ass down the road to her apartment building. Pulling up she rushes to the other side scooping Camila up bridal style. The small girls head tosses back limply.
She dashes down the hall and knocks on the door three times then once. A code her and her mother have. She then shoves the key into the door unlocking the locks. Swinging it open she calls out.
"Mom!" she yells. "Mom, help me!"
Laying Camila softly on the kitchen table she goes to look for her mother only to almost collide into her turning the corner.
"Lauren?!" her mother, Clara gasped. Taking in her daughter appearance she raises her hands to her dropped jaw. "What happened?"
"I'm fine, mom. Help her!" she points to the kitchen table.
Clara looks over and immediately rushes to the girls side. "Go get my stuff." she tells Lauren, as she ties her robe tightly around her. She does a quick sweep over the girl laid on on the table. Camila looks no better than her. Clara's pale skin, her patchy hair and bruised arms from an umpteen amount from IV's. The nurse in her pushes her illness to the side to care for the girl on the table.
Lauren rushes back with medical supplies. "Here!" she says quickly. "I'll be right back."
"What?" Clara snaps her head up. "Lauren? Where are you going?" But she's already out of the door.
4:20
Lauren ditches the fancy red car in the alley two blocks down. Anything to make sure if Zayn survived, he won't come and find her. She grabs the bags, flinging them over her shoulder, running like mad back toward her apartment. Not caring if anyone is out on a last minute Purge.
4:28
Clara stitches Camila back up just as Lauren burst through the door. She turns and locks it with all four dead bolts.
"How is she?" she asked, tossing the bags on to the couch.
"She lost a lot of blood. I don't know how long this," Clara points to the drip bag she has hooked to Camila. "will work. Her pulse is there, it's just very weak."
Lauren runs her hands through her hair. "But she'll be okay? Right?"
"Lauren, I don't kn---"
"No! She has to live!" the green eye'd girl cries out. She drops to her knees and her mom is there in an instant.
"Shh, mija." Clara rocks her daughter back and forth. Lauren sobs into her moms shoulder.
6:13
Camila's eye's open then quickly close. The sun brightly shines into the room she's in. She tries to shift but a pain shoots through her stopping her dead in her tracks. She groans loudly.
Lauren wakes with a start. She props herself on her elbows looking over at the smaller girl. "Camila?" She's laying next to her on the bed. Her mother said to move from the table so she can be comfortable. Lauren drifted off after watching the other girl sleep soundly. Worried it can slip away at any minute.
"Where are we?" she asked, rubbing at her eye's.
"My house. My mom stitched up your wound. She has a drip bag going into you. Once the purge is over we have to get you to a hospital."
Camila looks at her wrist then the drip bag. Her brain tries to recall all the recent events. It's purge night. She met Lauren outside a bank. She was on a bus. She was with Dinah. Dinah.
"Dinah?!" Camila squawks out, trying to rise from the bed.
"No. Camila stop. Lay down." Lauren tries to settle the girl. Camila gives up easily, the pain to much to bear. "Relax." she again pulls lose hair away from her face.
"But Dinah?" Camila whimpered.
"We tried to get her out. She was with us. We had her. I was bringing her back to you. Those masked men shot her. I shot them back."
Camila doesn't say anything. She reaches up to wipe at her tears. This whole night was fucked up. She was supposed to be watching netflix with her best friend. Eating spaghetti and laughing at Dinah's family. She shakes her head. She's never hated The Annual Purge more.
"Camila, I'm sorry." Lauren scoots closer to the crying girl. "I'm so sorry."
Camila turns as best she can, burying her face in the crook of her neck. "I'm sorry too." she says softly into her shoulder. Normani is gone too. she knows Lauren feels just like her, she's just holding it together better.
7:00
A siren goes off in the distance confirming the end of The Annual Purge.
Lauren sighs. She's never heard such a beautiful sound. Camila had cried herself back to sleep just shortly ago. she leans over to give the sleeping girl a soft kiss. The smaller girl stirs from the touch. "Hey." she kisses her cheek again.
Camila smiles softly. "Is it over?" she asked. Her eye's remaining closed.
"Yes." Lauren responded. "Until next year." she quickly adds, her voice sharpens.
Camila peaks out from barely open eyelids. "Until next year?"
-----
July 18, 2015 06:55
Lauren sits on the edge of her bed, lacing up her boots. After she checks the clip of her gun. Everything was in order. another years worth of planning was all falling into place. She tucks her gun behind her back while standing. Looking into the mirror, the image looks familiar. Dressed in all black with a ski mask resting a top her head.
A year ago she lost her best friends to The Purge. Zayn turned on her and Normani was shot. All over money. The money turned out to be from all three bags shoved into one. She was able to pay off her mother's hospital bills and pay for Dinah and Normani's memorial services. Imagine everyone's shock when Zayn showed up to offer condolences. Lauren vowed to have his head.
Looking at the time, Lauren walks down the hall. She pokes her head into the bathroom. "Ready, babe?" she asked with a sly smile.
Camila, also in all black, turns and mirrors her smirk. "Ready when you are, love."
After Camila was released from the hospital she returned to find Lauren, already coming up with a master plan. Without hesitation, she agreed to help. She found out who the owner of the warehouse is, where a certain Ogletree lives. She also found out where the old bus driver lived. Her girlfriend has a list too. The two put their heads together to plan.
07:00
Analarm wails for a few seconds than a formal female voice begins to speak.
"This is not a test. This is your emergency broadcast system announcing the commencement of the Annual Purge sanctioned by the U.S. Government."
Tonight's Purge is all about... revenge.
a/n sorry this is so raw and blah but tonight the movie premiers and I thought hey i should finish this!! haha hope you enjoyed <3 xoxo