After Hours

Chapter 18.

Ember's POV.

  "We have to go back!" Cameron shouts and runs off in the opposite direction.

   I have no option but to follow so I run off after him. I feel like no one is following me, so I turn around and see Ethan in the same spot as I left him.

  "Um, where are we going?" Ethan asks.

  "It's ok. You can trust us," I say. "Come on."

   He looks at me suspiciously, but starts to run in step with me. We catch up with Cameron and I look over at him.

  "We don't know where they are, though," I say, panting hard.

  "We will find them. We have to," I see the look of worry on Cameron's face as he talks.

   He really must care about Vanessa and Eva, I guess. I wonder how they are doing, without us I mean. And how is Vanessa going to react about Ethan? She already blew up when we let Jess come alone, wherever she is. We run for a few minutes because we didn't walk too far away from the Castle.

  "Come on," Cameron says, opening the door and pulling out his gun.

  "Woah, woah," Ethan says, backing away. "No one said anything about killing anyone."

   I smile. "It's fine, we're not. It's for Them."

  "Them?" Ethan asks.

  "Basically zombie-Disney characters," Cameron says. "Lets go, we don't have much time."

  "That makes me feel so much better," Ethan says sarcastically.

   I smile and follow Cameron into the Castle. It's still dark in here so I take out my phone and turn on the flashlight. We walk deeper into the Castle, each step bringing a new fear into my bones.

  "I really have a bad feeling about this," I say after a while.

   Cameron turns to me. He walks next to me and I feel him slip his hand into mine. A shiver runs up my back and I smile up at him. "Thank you." I whisper.

   This isn't right, though. How would Grayson feel? And I do like him, don't I? He's been acting pretty annoying lately and he didn't come with us on this trip to find Jess. Maybe the small crush was just on my side. Maybe I was wrong about Grayson this whole time. And, Cameron is really nice and sweet. But Grayson...

  "I think I found it!" Cameron shouts, knocking me out my thoughts.

   He lets go of my hand and I miss the warmth of his hand at once.

  "Found what, exactly?" Ethan asks from the back of the group.

  "The underground tunnels. They must be in here," Cameron says, opening the door.

   I look out of the door and see several steps plunging into a dark void beneath us. I take Cameron hand in fear and shake my head.

  "No way am I going down there," I say, shining my flashlight into the darkness, but it's so dark the flashlight doesn't add light at all. "That suicide. Not to mention all of Them down there."

   Cameron turns to look at me and lifts my chin up from the steps. He looks into my eyes and I feel myself blushing.

  "I've got you. Trust me, I won't let anything happen to you," he says.

   Then, as if Ethan isn't even there to witness it, he leans down and presses his lips against mine. I'm surprise at firs, then kiss back. He lets go and I smile.

  "I've got you," he whispers.

  "Ok, can we not?" Ethan says. "I'll go back to the dumpster, if you want."

   I laugh. "You're fine. Lets go."

   Cameron slips his hand into mine again and we walk down the steps. I feel the temperature rise several degrees and I fan myself with my free hand. "Gosh, it's hot." I say.

   Cameron looks down at me and frowns. I see him breath out air is hot puffs. "What? It's freezing, Ember."

   I frown and notice Ethan shivering too. "What's going on?" I ask.

   Cameron looks at my forehead and I wipe away the sweat dripping into my eyes. "It's like 100 degrees in here, Cameron."

   Cameron looks around at the darkness around us and frowns. "Somethings not right about this."

   I take off my jacket and hand it to Ethan. "It's a little small, but it should warm you up a little bit," I hand it to him and he gratefully takes it.

   Cameron wraps his jacket around his shoulders and we continue on. I tie my hair up in a ponytail and pant in the heat. I honestly don't know whats going on. Why are they freezing but I'm burning up?

   All the sudden, Cameron drops to the ground, holding his head. I kneel down next to him and place my hands on his shoulders.

  "Cameron!" I scream. "Are you ok?"

   He shivers hard on the ground, hands over his head.

  "What's wrong with him?" Ethan asks. "Is he-"

   He cuts himself off my dropping to the ground, same as Cameron.

  "Ethan!" I say and roll him from his stomach to his back.

   The sight before me startles me. His face is turning blue and his hands are as cold as ice. Deep scratches are starting to cover his face and neck. His eyes are wide open and black. He starts to twitch and I back away from him.

   I look at Cameron and his features look the same as Ethan. "Whats going on?" I whisper to myself.

   I shine my phone down both ways of the tunnel, seeing no signs of Vanessa, Eva, and Grayson. I look at my phone and check the time. 5:00. We will be going back soon and we haven't found Vanessa and Eva! I look back up at Cameron and Ethan and notice they are...floating?

  "Guys?" I ask, rising from my spot on my knees.

   They seem to be being held up by someone, but I see no one. Their heads get jerked back and I see it. A dark, shadowy figure holding them up and taking them down the left side of the tunnel.

  "Hey!" I scream, my fear for them taking over my fear of whatever it is. "Bring them back!"

   The figure stops and turns to me. It's literally just a shadow. I feel hands close around my neck and I try to claw at them, but my hands go right through them. It closes tighter and tighter around my neck, cutting off my air. Dark spots swim on front of my eyes and I know I'm about to die. Right before I black out, it lets me go and I fall hard to the ground, gasping in the sweet, fresh air. I shine my light back at him and notice him, Cameron, and Ethan are gone.

   I'm alone in the tunnel, without my weapons. I left them in my jacket that Ethan has. I'm going to die, might as well accept that now. I pick myself up and feel my neck.

  "Ow," I moan when I hands touch my neck.

   It's sore and my throat is killing me. I wipe my sweat off my forehead and walk down the opposite side of the tunnel. I know I should go after them, but whats the point? I can't go alone and it's better to find Vanessa, Eva, and Grayson so they can help me. But, wait. Which way did they go? I sigh in frustration, but keep going down the opposite side that Cameron and Ethan were taken.

   I walk, feeling all the liquid in my body just drain away. If I don't die from Them, I'm going to die of a heat stroke. I keep going down the tunnel when I hear it.

   Agonizing scream of Grayson.

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