𝘳𝘢𝘣𝘣𝘪𝘵𝘴 ~ (ᴍɪᴋᴇ ᴡʜᴇᴇʟᴇʀ)

.3.

Five's blue eyes sprang to life as a twig snapped around her. The panicked child scoured the woods but came up with nothing except the shivering girl next to her. Eleven and Five had settled down not long after they left the tunnel and spent their first night away from that prison on the dampened floor of a forest.

Frowning, Five shook Eleven awake and told her that they needed to go. Reluctantly they both left the surprisingly comfortable ground and continued through the land. The two barely spoke - perhaps not being accustomed to conversation or that they were both in shock that they actually left. They were free - but it didn't feel as good as they thought. At the lab, they had shelter, food but no one cared for them out here. They had each other that's all and Five was starting to appreciate that more.

"There," Eleven pointed to a small building, which as they grew closer bustled with noise, laughter even - definitely nothing like the lab, she thought. Five took lead and unlocked the back door to the establishment with her mind and as soon as the girls locked eyes with a steaming plate of fries they rushed over. It was a sad image, really, - two girls, starved, in stained hospital gowns, one girl's head shaven, the other's a short, uneven length.

"Hey!" a hardy voice bellowed - both girls' heads snapped up.

"Go," Five said gripping her wrist and leading her to the back door but before they could escape Eleven was snatched from her.

"You think you can steal from me, boy?!" He screamed into Eleven's face before stepping back and looking to Five, "What the hell?"

No less than 30 minutes later the two had been changed into a new shirt and a warm, greasy burger was placed in front of them. The man, who they had since learned his name was Benny, attempted to converse with the two - even taking their food for a brief period. To this Eleven showed him her wrist, where just like Five's a number was etched into the skin.

"Safe here?" Five asked Eleven after the stranger excused himself. Eleven shrugged and frowned, wanting to be able to comfort her friend. "They won't come, right?" She worried but stopped speaking when Eleven stopped the rusted fan.

"You okay, girls?" Benny said as he returned. They both just stared causing him to sigh. "Alright, let's try this again, do you girls want some ice cream?" Five nodded immediately, while Eleven just pouted - not knowing what that was. "C'mon then," Benny brought them into the kitchen.

Perched on the countertop, they both stuffed down the tub until Benny finally said, "So if she's Eleven what does that make you? Twelve?"

Five stopped and gave him a puzzled look. "Okay, so not Twelve... Ten?" Again, she glared at him. "I tell you what," He mumbled, "Let's take a look, huh?" Slowly he stepped towards her, apologizing when she flinched away from his touch.

"Five," She said finally.

"Right, alright. Great," He clapped his hands together making them both jump, "Sorry... no clapping, got it."

Minutes later a knock sounded at the door, Eleven and Five both looked towards the noise, while Benny assured them it was nothing. The conversation merely lasted 2 minutes before the thud of a body grabbed their attention. Then a burst of people emerged from the door, looking for the two girls who just started running for the back. They were just about to escape when two men in suits grabbed a hold of them.

Eleven threw the man off of her before doing the same for Five. Then in suit, they fled the diner and into the pouring rain. The two didn't stop running until a light caught them. They thought they had been caught up to but when it was lowered and the faces of prepubescent boys unveiled they breathed a breath of relief.

They were being saved.