THEM

Chapter 22

"What the hell are you doing?!"

Marco's strained voice seemed to bounce off every wall of the otherwise empty mall. His question was only met with laughter though.

"Isn't it obvious? I'm testing your upper body strength!" Lumberjack seemed to think that his little joke was particularly hilarious as he guffawed. He even went as far as to bend over, clutching his knees as his laughter echoed around us.

"And what does that do? You already have our supplies." I heard Cory's voice, just as strained from supporting his own weight, from my right.

Lumberjack straightened his stance, the smile slowly vanishing from his face as he leaned over the railing and looked directly down at Cory.

"You don't get it do you? We don't need any newcomers. The more people there are the more mouths we have to feed and the more likely we are to let somebody in with that damn disease."

"Then just let us go! We'll leave and never come back." This time it was Arden's desperate voice that called out.

Lumberjack shook his head as if he were talking to a bunch of children.

"Can't risk it sweetheart. Some people tend to hold grudges."

"I'm slipping!" Danny's voice suddenly cried out from my left and I turned and watched in horror as his little hands began to lose their hold on the railing.

Lumberjack leaned back from the railing and looked down at where Danny was trying his best to hang on. A look of mock sympathy was on his face as he shook his head. "Looks like the kid will be the first to go."

"My money's on the Chinese girl." I heard another one of Lumberjack's friends snicker as they eyed Arden.

"I'm Korean you racist piece of shit." I heard Arden's irritated voice call out.

"Well you're not going to be much of anything in a few minutes." He shot back, a nasty smirk on his face.

"I can't hold on anymore!" Danny's panicked voice cried out again.

"Danny yes you can. You have too." I tried to console him, but the reality of it was grim.

We couldn't hang here forever. Eventually all of us would end up letting go and plummeting to our deaths.

"I can't! My hands are slipping!" Danny's voice was almost delirious now and I watched helplessly as he tried to adjust his hold but it was useless.

The moment he lifted his hand to try and get a better hold on the rail his other hand slipped and he lost hold of the railing completely.

I don't know how I did it and if anybody asked me I wouldn't have been able to tell them.

The moment Danny's hand left the railing my left hand left the railing and shot out and grabbed onto his right hand.

While Danny wasn't particularly heavy, given the fact that I was now supporting my own weight plus his was almost too much for me to bear.

The moment all of Danny's weight was being supported by my left arm I let out a cry of my own at the strain it put on my arm and shoulder.

To Danny's credit though, he didn't scream or squirm around as he now sat dangling in the air.

I think he realized just like I did that the
only thing keeping him from falling to his death now, was me.

"Holy shit, would you look at that!" Lumberjack yelled out clapping as he hurried over to Danny and I.

"You've got some serious strength in those arms sweetheart." He taunted, but I could barely pay attention to him.