PANIC ROOM

Four

 Johnny grabs his knife and faces the Fallen, as more begin to crawl onto the glass, a swarm of disfigured bodies writhing in the white lights.

"Help me!"

James searches the glass walls frantically, as the glass breaks. More join, including the lanky figure of 004 Charlie, banging their fists against the glass in desperation. James finds the handle of a door, concealed beneath a glass panel, and pushes it open.

Johnny is struggling to hold off the swarm, despite his size. Mark and a younger boy with "012 Tommy" emblazoned on his bony back, join Johnny. Tommy's arms tremble, as he drives his knife into a yellow hairless skull, black blood flecking onto the cracked glass wall.

James grabs my arm and ushers me through the door with the others stumbling behind. 004 Charlie slams the door behind us, without James or the other three. Mark is yelling, but his words are absorbed by the thick titanium door.

"What the hell, Charlie? They're still out there!" Lucas snaps, pushing towards the door. 002 Will and 013 Jack hold him back between them, evidently struggling.

Survival of the fittest is key, candidates.

Charlie laughs coldly.

"You seriously think they'll survive that shit? C'mon," He thrusts his thumb behind him at the door. "it's impossible."

"It's not about them. Johnny's the only person with supplies. Without them, we'll starve. Not to mention we're also fucked if something else comes out in this tunnel." Murmurs of agreement as 019 Nick speaks, with a distinct angry cockney London accent.

Banging on the other side of the door.

"020 can open it." Charlie challenges me, as the thumping gets more desperate. I can't tell whether it's James and the others, or The Fallen.

If I'm wrong, we could all die.

Then it's game over.

The voice articulates my thoughts as if it were its own. As if it could predict my reaction. Like how it tricked us with the bags. I grip my knife tightly.

"Step aside, Charlie." My automated deep voice hides the tremor within. The others clear the path, as I move towards the door.

Charlie stays still, blocking the door. He cocks his head to one side, daring me to go further.

"Go ahead, 020." He spits my number, trying to provoke me. It's working. 003 Finn tries to intervene, but it's too late.

My leg hits the side of his neck brutally, resulting in a feeble crunch as his head hits the stone wall.

Charlie stumbles aside, stunned. I grip the wheel like handle, pulling it open. Light spills in, as hunched figures swarm towards the door.