MisPrints

•Chapter 14•

-3.45pm-

The lift shut behind us, leaving us in total darkness.

As my eyes grew accustomed to the lack of light, I began to make things out in the shadows. It looked like we were in a tunnel, or corridor of some kind. There were pipes running down the passage along the ceiling and walls and the floor was apparently made of metal because it clinked when Zak took a step forward.

 When I didn’t move, Zak squeezed my hand again, urging me to come forward.

 “Come on.” He whispered, let’s go.”

 “But….it’s so dark...” I said quietly, trying not to show him how truly terrified I am inside.

 “It’s ok to be scared, you know.” I heard Zak say in the darkness, “I’m here… you’re not alone.”

 “I…I know. I just….can’t see...”

 “There must be a light panel somewhere...” Zak muttered, fumbling along the walls.

“Nope….nothing...” he said a few seconds later. “But…don’t worry, there’s nothing down here that can hurt us.” He says it with confidence, but we both know there could be anything down here.

 I clamp down on my imagination to stop myself imagining lots of monsters that could be hiding down here in the shadows. Watching us…waiting…

 No. Stop. It’s just me and Zak here… it’s just me and Zak…nothing else.

 We start to walk along the corridor slowly, feeling our way along the walls to guide us. Sometimes, the wall would just disappear, where there was a turning in the tunnel but we didn’t go down any of them.

 “We don’t want to get lost…just keep going straight… she’s got to be here somewhere.”

 I keep telling myself this to assure myself but in the back of my mind I can’t help thinking… but what else is here…

 No. Focus. We have to find Kat. Just find Kat and then…

I realised that I had no idea what came after that.

“Zak…what do we do when we find her….” I ask slowly.

 “We….we get her out…” He replies, uncertainly.

 “But how…. And where do we take her… there’s no where to take her Zak we can’t just, take her back up with us. That is if we ever CAN get back up.” I started to panic; the darkness was getting to me. “Zak what was I thinking. I can’t rescue her. I’m just as stuck her as she is… we can’t hide her, they’ll just take her again Zak. What if they find us down here, they’d never let us off Zak, they’ll just kill us..!” I let out a sob, realising the hopelessness of the whole situation.

“They’re just going to kill us Zak; like they killed Lea…they’re just gunna…”

 “Hope...”

 I stop, my chest still rising and falling quickly. “W-what did you say?”

 “Hope… hope is the only thing that’s stronger than fear...” Zak said quietly.

I laugh at him despite the awfulness of the situation. Perhaps I’m just going crazy. We’ll just stay down here and go crazy together.

 “What on earth are you…?”

 “I read it in a book once… I don’t know...” he admittedly. “But Ely…we can’t just give up…right? We’ll think about what to do when we get there. We’ll take it one step at a time ok? Just… keep hoping, and it’ll all turn out ok in the end. Never loose hope no matter what happens to you.”