"..let me think!"
"Don't think you idiot just get me outta here!"
You stood as far as you could, trying not to tip the collapsing radio tower as Matt tried to reach for Emily. But with his girlfriend pressuring him didn't help the fact that the tower's creaks were growing louder.
"Emily.." Matt began, kneeling down on the ledge. "You're upset..you need to calm down. You're gonna be fine-"
"Ugh! Stop talking, I can't take it!" She shouted back.
"Stop yelling at me and let me work this out, okay?!" He put his hands to his head in frustration, trying to figure out how to safely get her up. As much as you wanted to help the arguing couple, you weren't sure what to do at all. You could only pray that your weight was enough to make the tower balanced..though you doubted that it would remain that way.
"NO! You stop it!" Emily snapped, on the verge of tears. "Why do you always have to question every little thing I say?! I'm goddamn sick of it!!"
"Em, you're not helping!!" You called out. "He can't make any hasty decisions or else we all fall off this damn tower!!"
"[Y/n] is right," Matt said, looking back at you. 'At least I'm useful for backing him up...'
"Whatever! Just get me off this goddamn tower, please, please, PLEASE, guys!!" Emily pleaded. "Just do something!! I don't care who!!"
"[Y/n], come over here." You looked at Matt, surprised. "It's fine..just walk slowly."
Nodding, you took baby steps towards your friends, wincing every time the tower groaned. You crouched down beside him, looking down at the seemingly bottomless pit that Emily was about to fall into.
"We're coming.." As you and Matt reached down for her, the tower began falling apart. Emily screamed and grabbed onto a steel railing, clinging to it like a lifeline, but that, too, won't hang on for long. "MATT!!" She sobbed, not wanting to die like this.
"Woah, " he said, trying to steady himself. "I don't wanna tip it."
Glancing up, you saw a cliff. You could easily jump that, but it would mean Emily and Matt would fall to their deaths. Matt saw the ledge, too but jumping it would mean that you and Emily would fall.
'Screw jumping to safety,' he finally decided, opting to save his girlfriend again. Matt laid down on the ledge and reached down for her once more. "I got you.." But just before their fingers could touch, the tower collapsed and Emily lost her grip.
"EMILY!!" He watched in horror as she plunged into the abyss, screaming. Matt rose to his feet, turning around to you as you both fell with the tower. "Oh shit.."
"Matt!" You screamed. "[Y/n]!" He wrapped his arms around you tightly to protect you from the rubble as you both jumped off and down into the mines
....
"Matt? Matt! Get up! Come on!"
"W..What..?" You sighed with relief as Matt opened his light-brown eyes, seeing your face, covered in dirt and scrapes. He sat up, coughing..
Immediately, panic began to settle in him as he stood up, looking around the mines. "Emily!! Emily!..Emily?!"
"Matt, she's gone."
A tight feeling in his chest grew as you said those words, becoming almost unbearable. "Oh no...Em...Emily...oh god...Em..." When he looked at you, all you could see was pure grief in his eyes.
"Matty, c'mon..stay with me," you set your hands on his shoulders, trying to bring him back to reality.
"Sh-She's gone [y/n]..i-it's all my fault.." He put his head on your shoulder as a new wave of grief hits him hard. "I should have listen to her....damn it! I-I could've done something sooner."
"Matt, you did what you could." You embraced his shaking form, feeling tears come to your eyes. "It's not your fault." Even if Emily had been a jerk to you, you never wanted to see her die like that. Not her. Not any of your friends.
"Listen, w-we gotta-" You tensed up as you heard a faint, inhuman screech and saw a shadow drop down behind Matt. Unfortunately, he didn't acknowledge it.
"Holy shi-" Suddenly, Matt was yanked out of your embrace, being dragged away by an invisible force through the mines. "MATT!!" You sprinted after him. He screamed for whatever was taking him away from you to let go, thrashing about and trying to reach for the back of his letterman jacket. The creature was too damn fast, you'll never catch up to it in time.
Then you remembered when Emily gave you the flare gun from the tower.
"Hey ugly!!"
Two white dots turned at you from the darkness, sending a chill up your spine. Pulling the flare gun out of your jeans pocket, and praying it was loaded, you aimed it at the monster.
"Eat this!!"
*BAM* You shot it between the eyes. The creature screamed loudly as the flare exploded, blinding it, before it released Matt and retreated into the darkness of the mines. "Fuck! Are you alright, Matt?!" You asked, helping him up when you knew for sure the beast was gone.
He only nodded in response, which was understandable. You would have speechless too if you were saved from being dragged away to your demise. "I see w-where that thing was trying to take you..." You muttered, looking around you to see all kinds of sharp tools, more notably hooks. It looked like a butcher's shop.
"I'm glad Emily gave you the flare gun," Matt spoke, smiling, even though it did not match his eyes as the thoughts of his girlfriend returned.
"..I am, too," you agreed, helping him stand up. "If she hadn't, God knows what that monster could have done."
"You don't think it was human?" You looked at him with a blank expression. "Matt, no person can run that fast and drag a living body at the same time, especially one that is struggling."
"Y-Yeah..you're right," he muttered, rubbing the back of his head. "I'm just playing dumb...like I always do.." Even as he looked away, you could see the depression clouding in his eyes once more.
"C'mon bud. We gotta get out of here," You set your hand on his bruised cheek, turning his head to face you. "Emily wouldn't want us in here. The exit can't be too far."
Nodding, Matt began to follow you, only to stumble slightly. Remembering how he did take most of the impact of the fall, you put his arm around your shoulder, allowing him to lean some of his weight onto you.
It seemed odd how Matt, a football player who was big and strong, was confiding in you, a girl that liked [hobby] who was small and kind. Not that it bothered you, though.
As you both proceeded further into the mines, keeping a lookout for the creature that may strike again, you reassured the broken boy that everything will be fine and that you and him will see dawn.
He only hopes you are right.
