Computerized

Chapter Thirty Three: Brothers and Sisters

The door didn't budge. Not even an inch. I took a step back.

"It's locked."

Hannah smiled slightly, pulling a bobby pin from her hair, which had been gathered in a bun at the top of her head. She took a couple seconds to bend the pin and then slid it into the lock. After a couple expert movements from Hannah, the door handle twisted.

Hannah let me go ahead of her. I shoved the door, listening to the loud creak of its hinges. The room was pitch black. I pulled my phone from my pocket and used the screen to light up the room. Bert and Whitney turned on their flashlights too.

"Matthew, its me. It's Rebecca," I whispered.

After waiting a few seconds, I heard a muffled groan. The light coming from my phone scampered across the room, but failed to find Matthew.

"Guys! Help me move this book case," Kyran said. I looked over at him and realized he was standing in front of a tall bookcase that reached the ceiling. It was about five feet wide too, definitely big enough to cover an entryway or door. Ty and Hannah grabbed the bookcase, pulling it out of the way. It scraped across the floor, making me cringe.

"What's back there?" My voice came out so soft I didn't think anyone could hear it, but Ty replied.

"Kyran was right. There is a hallway back here."

I nodded. Of course there was another terrifying hallway and of course there had to be more suspense before I could see my brother. Internally groaning, I followed the rest into the hallway. It was a straight hallway that dead ended fifteen feet in. There was another locked door, which Hannah skillfully unlocked in a couple seconds.

"Do you want to go in first?" Ty asked me. I nodded after thinking about it. To say I was terrified would be the understatement of the century. I had no idea what I was going to see. But, if my brother was in there, I wanted my face to be the first thing he saw.

My cold clammy fingers wrapped around the copper colored doorknob. Weakly, I turned the knob and shoved the door open. It took a little force, but the door gave way and instantly someone's loud mumbling caught my attention.

"Matthew! Matthew!" My gaze focused on a person in the back corner of the room. A flash of light from one of the phones lit up the persons face. My heart stopped. I couldn't breath. I forgot how to move. I forgot how to think.

All I could see was Matthews bruised, thin face. All I could see was the deep purple bags underneath his eyes. The only thing I could register was his sunken in stomach and protruding ribs, which could be seen because he was only in a pair of shorts.

The only think I could think was that this was all my fault.

Someone placed there hand at the small of my back, gently shoving me forward. I snapped out of my trance and realized Matthew was hanging by his wrists from the ceiling. I rushed over to him and pulled the gag away from his mouth, while Hannah tried to figure out the chains that restrained him.

"Rebecca," Matthew breathed out. His eyes were glazed over with unshed tears. But they began falling down his face when I looked him in the eye. I wiped away my own tears and knelt down to the ground, unraveling the rope that was tightly wound around his ankles, securing his feet.

"Do you know where the key for these handcuffs are?" Ty questioned Matthew. It wasn't much of a greeting, but how do you greet someone in this situation. Matthew shook his head.

"N-no I-I nev-n—"

"Save your breath Matthew. We will find them and get you down from there," Whitney said. Matthew didn't seem to acknowledge what was said, or the fact that Whitney was a complete stranger to him. He just stared in my eyes, silently pleading to get away from all of this.