CALAMITY (h.s)

ELEVEN.

ELEVEN. || KNUCKLES.

Emaline was woken by an intense glare coming from the loveseat in the corner of the large room.

She groaned as she stretched out her limbs and rubbed her eyes free of the sleep.

"Hello, Emaline," A deep hoarse voice sounded, causing Emaline to jump.

"Jesus Christ! Have you been watching me sleep?!"

Harry gave a small laugh, laced with attitude, "We have much to discuss, Emaline."

Emaline opened her mouth to speak before Harry cut her off, "And before you say anything, I think you could use a change in scenery."

Harry merely snapped his fingers, and all of the sudden there were two big hefty men going to grab Emaline. They gently held her by both elbows, guiding her to a staircase at the end of the hallway, which led to small elevator; where only her and Harry could fit.

"Can I at least have a glass of water first?" Emaline looked up at the men beside her.

Harry rolled his eyes and reversed back down the hallway and shortly returned with a glass and a straw.

"Here," Harry held the glass in front of Emaline's mouth, watching as she gulped large sips between her lips.

Harry then inserted a key in the door, causing the elevator doors to open. The elevator was slow and shaky. Emaline thought, this was it— this is how it ends.

She released a deep breath when the elevator doors reopened to a room similar to the one they first held her captive in. This one was just slightly bigger and better kept.

Once again, Harry reentered a key into the elevator door, before turning around and swiftly grabbing Emaline by the wrist.

"Now we can do this the easy way, or the hard way," Harry tentatively approached her small frame.

Emaline yelped as she felt a pair of hands grab her shoulders from behind.

When she turned to see a bouquet of roses tattooed on the hand, she knew it was Liam who grabbed her, now guiding her to lay down on a bench of some-sort.

"What's happening?" Emaline questioned.

"We just want to ask you some questions, Em," Jo chimed in.

Emaline's eyes widened, "Where the fuck are you all coming from?!"

She started to fidget, soon realizing she was tightly bound to the bench.

A projection soon appeared before Emaline's eyes.

It was a large version of the note she found in her jewelry box earlier that morning, projected on the ceiling.

"Tell us what you know about this, Emaline," Harry demanded.

Emaline kept staring at the word 'Amphibian'. She was drawn to it, but couldn't figure out why. She wasn't able to decipher the message that was right in front of her.

"I really don't know... 'Amphibian' seems familiar, but I can't figure out why," Emaline explained.

"Is it in Luca's handwriting?" Jo asked, pacing the room nervously.

Emaline stuttered, "I'm not exactly sure what his handwriting looks like... But I don't think so."

Emaline does her best to think back to the singular birthday card that Luca sent her the first year she moved out.

"Wait, go back. What does 'Amphibian' mean?" Harry doubled down, desperate to decipher this note.

What the group didn't know was Lucas location was staring them right in the face. But of course, they wouldn't come to that conclusion for weeks.