No Way Out ➵ John Murphy

08 //

EIGHT.
❝i'm feeling pretty dirty, baby, forgive my sins. i got the feeling you can save me, honey.❞

Layla didn't believe him but she still shot out of bed to see if it were true. She climbed the winding steps to the bunkers door and as she neared the top, she saw light streaming down the dark steps. She quickened her pace immediately and climbed to the top of the stairs.

The metal door was wide open. It was daylight outside and she could hear the waves crashing on the rocks. She stood up in the doorway and inhaled the fresh air.

Murphy was stood a few steps behind her, she glanced back and gave him an excited look. "It's open, Murphy. We're going to be okay."

Murphy scratched the back of his neck. He sort of looked as if he didn't believe what was happening. Layla could relate to that, the whole thing felt surreal.  "I told you we would, didn't I?"

"We should pack up and get out of here," Layla told him, taking one last look at outdoors before here before heading back into the bunker. "You know, take some things that can help us out. More than one pair of underwear."

Murphy chuckled and nodded. Soon they were tossing anything they deemed worthy into backpacks. Murphy had probably packed more booze than necessary but Layla wasn't too far behind in that aspect.

"We're free." She mused. "Though, I will miss this bed and that shower."

"I just can't wait to get something to eat," Murphy grunted. "I would eat a fucking leaf right now just to say I ate something."

Layla threw on a jacket and hiked her backpack over her shoulders. She stood back and admired the bunker, that now looked ransacked. Murphy was already outside, probably scrounging up some weird berries or plants to eat in his desperation. Layla took in her surroundings before saying goodbye. She didn't enjoy being locked up like a prisoner but she had enjoyed the homeliness of the bunker. She had to now go say goodbye to that safety and venture back outside where the elements and Grounders wanted her dead.

But at least she was free.

Murphy was sat down on the rocks, the tip of his boots being hit by the oceans foam. Layla stood next to him and her eyes flickered from one side of the horizon to the other, taking in how big and open the outdoors was. She could walk for miles and it would not end. That thought comforted her.

"You ready to go?" She asked, glancing down at Murphy and ruffling his hair. He swatted her hand away and stood up, glaring in her direction but she just stared back innocently.

"Yeah, I'm ready to go," he replied. "But don't touch my hair."

"No hair touching. Got it."

Murphy pushed ahead, trudging through the rocks and uphill. Layla trailed behind, she didn't know where they were going and she didn't feel all that impatient to get there.

Murphy halted abruptly, nearly leading Layla to smack into his back. Her lips parted to question him but he spoke first.

"You hear that?" He said. She hadn't heard anything but she took a pause to listen, hearing a small buzz once she concentrated.

"What is it?" She asked. "You think it's another drone?"

Murphy pointed just ahead of them. A small machine was hovering above. "I think that's exactly what it is."

Murphy didn't give Layla the time to process before he took off after the drone which was now moving further and further away from them. He called for it to wait and Layla felt like saying the same thing to Murphy. She hadn't walked more than ten feet at a time when she was shoved inside that bunker. Her limbs were weak; running felt foreign to her body now and swerving through the heavily populated forest at the same time almost felt impossible. She had done it before, without almost any hesitation, but now her body had gotten used to being lazy.