Survive

Chapter 7

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Is X a boy, a girl, non-binary, gender fluid... human?

Clover looked at us all like we had an answer. Clover's expression showed unsureness, like she just wanted to agree with whoever spoke up first.

It was a tough decision. Do we move on? Or do we look around to see if we can find anything?

"I suggest we take the food and water then move on."

Stan with the thinking... except we have nothing to put them inside, making running and crawling a lot harder.

"One problem, Einstein," Doris spoke up "We can't just carry them as we have enough things to worry about without having to use our hands."

Stan knew she had a point. He sighed deeply before asking Clover and Doris to look around for anything we can use to make carrying things easier.

I added to stay together so no one is attacked or possibly killed.

They nodded at us and walked into the darkness; the other side of the kitchen. It was hard to see from here.

Stan and I take the opportunity to walk back and forth whilst supporting Tracy so we can help her walk. She'll struggle to survive otherwise.

I remember Tracy being a quick learner, especially how she used to learn all my traits, favourite foods and desserts, especially desserts. So maybe she'll be able to learn quickly now.

Whilst Clover and Doris continue to search, me and Stan continue to walk back and forth to help Tracy. Soon enough, she starts to walk with her own feet. With our help of course. It looked like she was stomping around but it's just baby steps to get her back on track. Once Stan realised she was somewhat walking, he decided we'd let go of her but stay beside her in case she falls.

"3! 2! 1!"

We let go of her and she started to stomp around. She's not losing balance at least. We stay beside her in case she suddenly does.

She started to lose balance as she tried changing how she walked. We grabbed her hands tightly and let her learn how to walk more appropriately.

After walking back and forth multiple times, we let go of her once more after Stan's countdown.

"3! 2! 1!"

And there she was, walking on her own. Perfect? No, not at all. But she's been improving massively in the span of thirty minutes or so. Even Stan seemed proud of her. I've never seen that look on his face. His eyes changing colour; his dark brown eyes have lightened and the gold in his eyes almost shines from his eyes. How his roaring ocean waves in his pupils have calmed to smaller waves. And not just his eyes, a smile on his face for the first time. I didn't think he could smile.

Tracy was also proud of herself when she turned to face us. Tracy has a tiny head, like a baby's but with adult features. She's a red-haired 5'5 girl who looks under-grown but it's just her family genes. She has freckles along her cheeks and the tip of her nose where her freckles from each cheek connect. Her stunning hazel eyes would have you in a spiral if you look at them for too long. I just love this girl and I don't understand why.

She continued to walk on her own for what felt like forever but nonetheless I was still proud of her.

Soon Clover and Doris returned. They found a black rucksack in a box Clover didn't get chance to check earlier; apparently she missed two boxes and thought she went through them. The other boxes were empty except that one. Coincidental?

We stuck around in the kitchen as a group to make sure Tracy was more than ready for the road ahead of her. She started to jog, then run, then jump, crawl, and much more and it only took an hour and a half. Quick considering her circumstances.

Once we all believed Tracy was ready for the journey ahead of her, to hopefully escape with us, we packed canned food and bottled water in the rucksack. Stan carried the rucksack on his shoulders as he led us to the bathroom.

The bathroom was tiny and could barely fit two people so to fit three, with the two standing outside the doorway was a squish. I was one of the three in the bathroom.

The entrance to the tunnel was covered by an off-white coloured clay material of some sorts. The bathroom wall is dusty but white so it was easy to find.

Stan kicked and destroyed it like we were crushing an autumn leaf up. Stan crawled through first, following Tracy, myself, Doris and Clover last.

We reached the end to where we were greeted with an eerie surrounding. Where are we now?

"I know this place." Tracy speaks up, her left hand tightly holding onto her right arm like it was loose from her body. Her head was down to the floor, looking at the floor as her head was shaking slightly. There's something we're missing.

We all stared at her waiting for an answer. With no response, I embraced her and told her to take her time. She grabbed hold of me like there was no tomorrow. She was weak minutes ago. Where did this grip come from.

I shushed her lightly as she started to cry. This room must mess with her a lot.

After a cry, she pulled away from me, rubbing her nose with her sleeve then covering her below with her hands.

"This is the torture chamber. Though a room you happen to walk into. The routes were different for me so I'm seeing this for the second time," she claimed "All my 'team' died in here. They were all tortured and killed. But I was left alive. They prisoned me in that wall you found me in. I don't know how it was sealed as I was unconscious but," she closes her eyes and rubs her arms, tears streaming down her face "I'm just glad I'm finally free." she sniffled as she looked at all of us.

We all had the expression; jaw dropped to the floor in shock. Everyone sympathised with her. But given what she's told us... we could all die in here, except one.

We asked her what rooms she saw before she visited the torture chamber. That was the only room she saw. So she had no idea she was stuck in the living room and never visited the library. Her whole team died one room in.

I held her in my arms as she cried on my shoulder. We gave her sometime to come around again. As everyone was watching me comfort her, a note fell onto the top of my head. I grabbed it with my free hand and passed it to Stan, who was the closest to me. I wrapped that free arm around Tracy as I nodded towards Stan to read the note.

He cleared his throat "It seems this room is a little too much for Tracy. We all find that room. This room is the deadliest of them all and requires a lot more communication to break through locks, keypads, a safe and biometric locked doors. This is Tracy's known room so you better listen to her. If you don't get the code to the locked door in time, you will be tortured and killed. Except Tracy who will go back to the wall once again. X"

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