where am I?

Day 2: Meeting

This was getting so difficult. I hadn't slept again. My eyes burnt every time I blinked. I wondered whether it was from the lack of sleep or because of how focused I had been on getting a response from mom. Elizabeth walked into my room without knocking and asked," Why?"

"Why what?" I said, my voice was so raspy. I needed sleep, I was too worried about finding my way back home.

" Why do you just sit there? Have you even eaten today?" She sounded concerned. I wondered how. we had only met yesterday... Was it even tomorrow? What if this all was just one elongated day? I needed to find the answer soon. Maybe Mom would write a date in the journal. Maybe even a time. I got up too quick. My legs felt numb and my head throbbed.

" I sit here because i'm waiting for my mom to respond. No i haven't eaten, I don't feel hungry."

" Can you at least keep me company then? I'm going to go crazy if i don't talk to somebody."

I didn't want to be alone either, but I wasn't going to say anything. "Sure, wanna come over here and sit with me?"

"Thanks. So what happens when we find a way out of here?"

" I don't know. Nightmare said that this doesn't even have to be our own reality." I thought about the journal. Maybe if I closed it then opened it, there would be something new. So I closed it and laid in my bed. Elizabeth got up and sat on the edge of my bed.
" Do you want something to eat?" she was getting more and more worried. I really did want anything. But if it would put her mind at ease...
"Sure, are you making it?" She didn't reply, she just walked out of my room and left the door open a crack. She wasn't even gone twenty seconds before she ran back into my room. She looked scared and confused. I couldn't really tell what had happened. She looked at me with wide eyes and slide to the floor.
"what happened?"
"There were, I saw... " she trailed off. It was the same reaction I had when I found her. Were there more people? I needed to know.
"Elizabeth, did you see more people? Are they okay? Where are they?"
" Two of the doors opened." she whispered. I helped her stand up and we walked out of my room together. There were indeed more people, there were four.
" But you said only two doors opened."
" Only two, I promise."
They all looked frightened. Was that how I looked?
"A-are you okay?" I stuttered. They all turned around simitaniously.
" Yes, but who are you." She looked older than Elizabeth but younger than me, but if I've learned anything, it's that looks can be very, very deceiving.
"I am Noah, and this is Elizabeth. If it's not too much to ask of you, which room did you wake up in?" She hastily pointed to the room at the very end of the hall. I walked in and there were two beds and a closet. I didn't dare look in it. " Okay, well, now you know who we are, who are you guys?" She introduced herself as Judith and the little boy as Max. The other two said absolutely nothing. They looked like they were only six or seven, so Elizabeth kneeled down and asked what their names were.
" Their names are Billie and Piper. They are sisters." Well, it's very nice to meet you, but there's one that you haven't met, I'm pretty sure he'll come out soon enough, but when he does don't be scared, he's a really good friend once you get used to him." I was surprisingly calm, it was probably because I'm so tired. "Elizabeth was just making a meal, I'm sure there should be enough for all of us." I walked back into my room and laid down on my bed again. Elizabeth walked in again and sat on the edge of the bed once again.
" They said they didn't want to eat, they all went back into their rooms, I don't want to be alone." She laid down next to me and I felt safe, I felt like I was protecting her. She hugged me and I hugged her back. When I sat up she was asleep, so I laid back down. She must have been exaughsted, she was constantly moving and trying to keep herself busy. I felt guilty that I had ignored her for so long.
"Hey." she whispered.
"Hey." I replied.
" I'm sorry."
" For what? You didn't do anything wrong."
"I fell asleep."
"You don't have to feel sorry." We were silent for what felt like decades.
She said, "Do you like me?"
"Of course I do."
" you're missing the point." she got up,"I'll make something for us to eat."
" No, come back, please?" I sounded so weird. Why did I say it like that? But it worked. She stopped in mid stride. She looked back with tears in her eyes, I didn't know why, and I didn't want to ask. She came back and sat next to me.
" I know we have only known each other for four days, but I feel like its been so much longer." Her face got red and I smiled. I wondered how feelings worked like this, it was so strange. I haven't even had a meaningful conversation with her and I feel the same way. She looked me in the eyes and I stared back. I probably shouldn't have, but I did. How was this even possible. I told her I had to use the rest room and I walked down stairs where Nightmare waited for me.
" Hey kid, what's up?"
" Nothing really."
" Elizabeth is nothing?"
" I didn't even want that to happen."
" oh come on kid, it was just a quick kiss."
" That wasn't supposed to happen, I'm not supposed to do that, I need to go home."
" If I've told you once, I've told you a million times, this is your home now."
" But there's gotta be another way, I think it's time to call and official meeting with all of us."
" All of us? There's only three of us." I looked at him with my eyebrows raised, and that's when I knew he knew.