𝓐𝓲𝓭𝓮𝓷 𝔁 𝓡𝓮𝓪𝓭𝓮𝓻 (but you're Ashlyn) 𝕊𝔹𝔾

Episode 77

>>>><Into the Dark><<<<

It was another night of us staying in the room trying to figure out our next move.

"Finally!" Logan exclaim as he finally got a signal to the card Alex gave us
"..How did Alex get such a high level car?" Tyler asked as Ben wrapped him in new bandages
"He said his friend had been the one to find the owner of the card in a coma, he said he asked them to sneak it for him in the note."

I stood holding the note in my hand, meanwhile Taylor and Aiden was in the middle of braiding my hair (I didn't mind it for some reason, it was casual at this point.)

Alex asked he wanted to help but... I didn't think he would actually be able to snag a card.
Let alone a high level one.

"Maybe we'll make bracelets for him too, as a thanks!" Taylor's face brightened

"So where all does it have access to?"
"Well, it seems he was pretty high up so there aren't many places it doesn't have access to."
More importantly, we can get to the generators and to where our parents are."
"Now that we can move more freely, we can start memorizing the layout and all routes of escape."

Taylor perks up and exclaims, "We should have races! You know, yo help memorize the routes and find which ones are faster" 
"Oh~ I like that idea!" Aiden grins

I cross my arms, though the idea makes the sides of my mouth curve, "Lights first."
"Actually, the armory is closer then the generator so maybe we can head there first."
"They have an armory?" Tyler scoffs
"Alright... Armory, lights, and then memorizing layouts." I look up at everyone "Let's get started"

We're walking down the halls. Tyler and Aiden in wheelchairs.

"I can walk ya know." Aiden leans on his hand
"You stood up too fast, a night ago, and passed out. We aren't taking any chances"

He groans, throwing his hands to his face.

A few more minutes of silence passed, the clacks of our feet being the only sound in the halls.

Aiden breaks that silence once again.
"....Did anyone feel a bit refreshed yesterday after we woke up yesterday?"
Taylor spoke up "I did!"
"I did too"
"...Yeah, I guess"
Ben nods

"It was weird seeing my eyebags a bit less dark" Taylor adds on.

We figured out we don't actually have to eat or sleep here, so we decided not to, but the uncertainty still lingered.

"We should try to eat and sleep here to see if there's any correlation," I suggest, my curiosity getting the better of me despite the eerie silence around us.

Suddenly, a sharp ringing fills my ears. My heart skips a beat as I raise my leg, preparing to strike one of the looming phantoms right in the jaw. Just as I tense up, a wrench swings by my head, barely missing me.

"GAH!" I yelp, shaking from the close call. "Jeez, Ben... Warn me or something..." I say, my voice shaky but edged with frustration.Ben makes a quick circle motion on his chest, signaling his apology.

"Maybe let's get him a whistle or something?" Taylor suggests, shifting the blade of an axe through another phantom with practiced ease.
"It's getting crowded; we should probably be a bit faster," Tyler adds, scanning for more threats.
"You're the one in a wheelchair," Logan retorts sharply, Tyler's gaze stiffening as he stares at Logan.

I would have laughed if I wasn't busy tracking shadowy figures. Unlike Aiden, who couldn't hold back and burst out laughing.

"Stop laughing, you're in one too, idiot. Sit back down," Tyler snaps.

After a few more tense turns, we finally make it to the armory room.

"Yeah... this is much better than what we had," Taylor smiles, feeling a small relief wash over me."Probably because what he had was bought off Amazon," Tyler jokes dryly, and a brief smile flickers through the tension.

Suddenly, a blood-curdling scream echoes from outside the door.

"Was that a person??" someone gasps.Without hesitation, I rush out the door, ignoring the shouts behind me. That had to be a person—no one else here but us and the phantoms.

I turn the corner, heart pounding. I think it came from this way—

Suddenly, a pair of arms grab me, shoving me to the ground. I manage to pull my pocket knife, pressing it against whoever's neck, but the figure mirrors my move.

My eyes widen, focusing on the face in front of me. Tears prick my eyes as I speak, voice trembling.

"Dad...?"

726 word count