seven || finney blake

8. would've , could've , should've

chapter 8.
would've , could've , should've
"and now that i'm grown, i'm scared of ghosts"

finney and avery had fallen asleep in eachothers arms. but when they awoke, they're distorted minds heard the creaking of the black phone. to their hazy eyes, it looked as though it was moving.

"stop it." finney said, not expecting an answer.

"stop what?" the two kids shot their heads towards the voice.

the grabber.

shit.

they flung themselves towards the wall, trying to keep as much distance between them and the grabber as possible.

"we're hungry." finney told the man, who only wore half of his mask this time, "we need food."

"how are your eyes?" the grabber ignored the comment finney made on their hunger.

"they hurt." avery spoke, clutching onto finney's arm.

"well, i can't bring you anything to eat." the gtabber stood from the floor, "you'll have to wait."

"is there someone upstairs who will see you bring us food?" avery asked their abductor, who walked slowly towards the metal door.

"don't you worry about that." he dismissed her question.

"if you aren't gonna feed me, why'd you even come down here?" finney spat, angrily, at the man.

"just to look at you." the grabber turned to face them. hearing this made avery feel even more uncomfortable and unsafe, "i just wanted to look at you. i'll go."

the grabber pulled the heavy door behind him as he ascended the basement stairs, turning the lights off as he left.

finney sat, his back against the wall, his whole body shaking and his breaths short and irregular. avery took note of this and realised it was her turn to comfort her friend. she crawled on the mattress to where finney sat and wrapped her arms around his shoulder. the boy, exhausted and defeated, dropped his head, letting it fall on her chest.

she softly stroked his curly hair until his breaths became slower in pace and his body went limo as sleep took over him.

avery sighed, as she slowly lowered herself to lie down, careful not to disturb finney, who still lay on her chest. soon enough, the heaviness of her eyes took over, and she too, was fast asleep.

again, they awoke to the ring of the telephone. finney gasped and sat up, staring at the phone in disbelief. he waited for a minute but when the second ring sounded, he knew he had to answer.

he stood and grabbed the handset and brought it to his ear, "hello?" he received the mere noise of the phone's static, "hello? is somebody there? i need help. hello?"

"finney." an ominous whisper could be heard from the other line

avery watched as the boy slammed the phone back down on the cradle and his breaths quickened in pace. he backed away from the telephone in fear. when it rang again, finney picked it up only to put it back down, ending the call.

ring.

finney stared at the ringing phone and avery sighed. she inched towards it and held it to her ear.

"don't hang up." a voice said to her on the other line.

"i won't." her voice was shaky, "who is this?"

"i don't remember my name." the voice told her.

"why not?"

"it's the first thing you lose."

"first thing you lose when?"

"you know when."

suddenly, finney grabbed the phone from the girls hand and brought it so he could speak to the mysterious person too.

"how do you know my name?" finney asked the boy.

"we met once." the voice answered, "your arm is mint. you almost had me."

"bruce?" finney asked, "bruce yamada?"

"yeah." he said hesitantly, the name coming back to him, "bruce. uh, i'm bruce. your arm is mint. you almost had me."

"did the phone ring for you?" finney asked bruce.

"it rang, but none of us heard it. just you two." avery and finney looked to each other, confused, but they kept listening to bruce, "the grabber hears the phone too, but he doesn't want to believe it."

"why are you calling us?" finney asked whilst avery pressed her back against the wall and dropped her head into her hands, too many thoughts consuming her brain all at once.

"your arm is mint. you almost had me." bruce repeated, "i'm glad its you."

finney didn't answer for a minute, making bruce grow concerned, thinking he left.

"finney?"

"yeah?" finney's voice broke out just above a whisper.

"there's a dirt section on the floor in the hallway where the tile is loose."

"okay."

"dig down underneath the foundation." bruce informs the boy he's talking too, "i tried, but there wasn't time for me to dig up and out the other side."

"will we have enough time?" finney glanced, worriedly towards his friend.

the phone line clicked, signalling the end of the call. bruce had hung up.

"hello?" finney said, "bruce? bruce?"

with no hope, finney hung the phone back on the cradle. he cautiously went back to the mattress, sitting down and dropping his head into his hand with a sigh.

avery snaked a comforting arm around his shoulders, sitting beside him.

he peered up at her from his hands and weakly smiled at her whilst she dropped her head, burying it his neck.

finney felt a warm flush rise to his cheeks, but he ignored the feelings.

it wasn't the right time.

but still, he thought, if they don't make it he wants her to know of his love. he wants to confess everything to her just in case they don't make it out alive.

a/n

hey guys! sorry for the slightly late update, i've been busy recently lol.
enjoy!