𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 : Robin Arellano

FIFTEEN

Neither knew how long had passed, she had been so petrified of moving she had just lost track. Was it day? Night?

It seemed like an eternity before the grabber had left her room, still leaving her frozen in fear for a while. All she could think about was Robin and how this whole time they had been separated by only a staircase.

But, once she had gathered herself, felt the slam of the front door below her room, she knew she could see him again. With the same technique as the last time, she was right back at the basement door again.

Of course it was locked. She didn't know her heart could be crushed so quickly. Or that she could run up the stairs so quick, scavenging for a key. And, luck must have been on her side, finding it laid out carelessly on the kitchen counter. She unlocked the door quickly, finding Robin sat on his mattress, looking scared as she stepped inside.

"Oh my god, Cam." He breathed out, rushing up and wrapping his arms around her.
"I was so scared he had found out. I was so scared he'd hurt you." He softly sighed into her shoulder, not daring to let go.
"It's okay. I'm okay." She muttered back, her eyes closed as she revelled in his touch. It was miraculous how safe she felt in his arms.

They broke apart soon after, their hands still intertwined, as she explored the room with him trailing behind. 
"There's nothing you can use?" She asked gently after examining everything.
"No. I've looked in every corner and side of this room." That was when she spotted the window.
"You thinking what I'm thinking?"
"I hope so."

~

After plenty of struggle, she was finally in his shoulders as he tired to balance them both, walking to the barred window. Once her hands reached the bars he braced himself, using all her strength to pull and pull, one hand pushing on the wall as the other pulled the bars away.
And finally they gave up, there was no way it was going to budge.

That was when it happened, almost perfect timing as they gave up. The phone rang.

Carmen's head immediately turned to look at it, confused.
"Do you hear that?"
"Hear what?" He replied, moving to help her down to the mattress.
"The phone. It's ringing."
"Carmen, the phones not ringing." She furrowed her brows. It was ringing, very loudly in fact.
"How don't you hear it? It's so loud."
"It's not ringing. Are you drugged?"
"No. Let me answer it." Once she was on her own two feet she leaped to the phone, picking it up to listen.

And she listened, and listened. But there was nothing to hear, so hesitantly she placed it back on the wall. She couldn't have been going crazy. It was real. It had to be.

Robin watched with a concerned gaze, he was worried. Expectantly. But this had forged the mine deeper.
"Carmen." He said softly, standing up beside her.
She still had her hand on the phone, her eyes not leaving it with confusion.
So he placed his hand over hers, taking it away from the phone and down to her side.
"It rang Robin. It did." She muttered, it was all wrong. She wasn't going crazy.

And just as he had gotten her back to the mattress it rang again. And she broke from his grasp to pick it up.

"Hello?" She asked desperately.
"Don't hang up." Was the first voice she heard.
"Who is this?"
"I don't remember my name." This caused her to grow confused again.
"Why not?"
"It's the first thing you lose."
"First thing you lose when what? Where are you?"
"When you...you know..."

She froze, she could feel Robins eyes glaring at her, almost hear the questions in his head.

"I know you." The voice spoke.
"What?"
"I've been watching you. You're brave, like your boyfriend." She could almost smile at that.
"I used to play baseball." He continued.
"Baseball?"
"Yeah, I was the best on my team. Could've gone pro."
Baseball...baseball...
"Bruce?".... She stopped, she knew his name, he was all over the papers with the other boys.
"Yeah...I'm Bruce?.." He said, as though he was trying to believe it.
"You played against my school before you went missing...against my friend Finney."
"Right. I did."
"How am I talking to you? Am I going crazy?"
"No."
"Did you hear the phone?"
"No. It rang, but only you heard it. The Grabber hears it too, but he doesn't wanna believe it."
She stopped again, waiting.
"You're stronger than you know."
She let herself smile slightly.
"There's a dirt section under the floor in the hallway where the tiles loose. Dig down underneath the foundation. I tried but there wasn't enough time for me to down and up the other side."

"Will I have time?" The line went dead. And she hesitantly placed the phone back on the wall again, turning to Robin.
He had only heard her side of the conversation, so he just watched her.
"Bruce? As in Bruce Yamada?"
"I think so."
"You think you heard him?"
"Only one way to find out."

~

She had been able to pull up the tile with her hands, smiling when she saw the dirt beneath it. Robin was uncertain whether to believe what she had told him. But once he saw the dirt revealed to him, he couldn't help but believe it.

They had been digging, throwing the dirt into the toilet to flush, both hands dirty but they didn't care. Until Carmen noticed the sky beginning to change through the barred window. So now they were saying goodbye again, tears were bound to fall.
"We'll get through this. I'll be back as soon as I can." She said with a sad smile.
"I know, mi amor. Stay safe." He smiled, stroking her cheek softly with his thumb.
She leant up on her toes, tilting her head and kissing him gently. It wasn't mind-blowing, nor hungry. Just all they needed, full of tenderness.

Leaving, locking the door, and back to her room again.

Guys don't be mad please i didn't realise i hadn't posted this 😓
genuinely thought i had so sorry.
um i need ideas as well pls 🙏

this summer is so shocking that i need to get back in my groove of writing.
thanks to everyone who's voting and commenting and thanks to everyone who sticks around to read on.

lots of love,
emilia xx