After Hours

Chapter. 28

Ember's POV.

   I'm so lonely here without my good friend Ethan. The Shadow came and took him a few hours ago. I don't think he's gonna hurt him, though. I think the Shadow is secretly Grayson and he's planning our escape. 

   What am I talking about? I'm literally going crazy. Everyone now and then I feel normal again, but then I feel hazy and go crazy.

   Hey! That rhymed! My beautiful art in my vomit sits in the corner. I like to look at it every now and then and it reminds me of home. I miss my mom, but I'm sure she's fine. I mean, I'm coming home anyway!

   See what I mean? I'm going crazy.

   I look down at my stomach and poke my ribs. They feel and look so weird sticking out of my chest like this. I'm terribly hungry; Ethan ate all the other stuff. Nasty or not, I need to eat. I crawl to the corner of the cell and stick my arms through the polls.

  "Grayson! I'm glad you're planning our escape, but could ya please let me out of here so I can get Wendy's or something? I'm hungry," I call into the darkness in front of my cell. 

   I hear nothing and sigh. I sink down on my heels and trace a pattern in the dirt. I feel a breeze on my neck and turn around. The ShadowMan is here! Or should I say Grayson.

  "Grayson!" I say, jumping to my feet. "Please let me out."

   The ShadowMan grabs my neck through the bars and I know at once it's not Grayson. Fear courses through me as he squeezes my neck tighter. He finally lets me go and I scuttle to the other side of the cell.

  "Please don't hurt me," I say, feeling normal again. Maybe I'm not crazy anymore!

   He opens the cell and grabs me by my hair. I wince in pain as he forces me to my feet. He makes me turn around and ties a rough, wet blindfold to my face. He ties my hands around my back and I feel him lean down to whisper in my ear.

  "Keep this on. It's for your own good."

   What does he mean? Keep this on? Why? He roughly takes my arm, then holds on a bit more gently. Why is he being kinda nice to me?

  "Where are you taking me?" I ask behind the blindfold.

   He doesn't answer and I'm walking blindly through the room. I hear a door unlock and he pushes me inside. I hear a gasp, but a harsh "shh" from ShadowMan hushes it. 

  "Where am I?" I ask. "I can't exactly see."

   The cold feeling of the ShadowMan leaves me, and I think he's gone. I feel a hand on my arm and I pull back.

  "Who are you? Where is the ShadowMan?" I ask waving my hands around blindly.

   He/she unties my arms only to chain me up. I feel someone close to me and try to scoot myself as far from the body as I can. All of the sudden a horrible, blood curdling scream of a girl sounds next to me. Unable to cover my ears, I grit my teeth.

  "Stop, please!" I beg, ears hurting.

   As if she didn't even hear me, she keeps on going. Wait, it sounds like Vanessa. Trust, I have heard her scream enough. 

  "Vanessa?" I yell over her screaming.

  "EMBER! EMBER PLEASE HELP ME! MAKE IT STOP!!" she screams so loud it echos off the walls of the room.

  "Vanessa, where are we?" I ask.

   She all the sudden stops screaming. I feel the hand on my arm again and he takes the chains off my arms.

  "Sorry I put these on. Just, don't take off your blindfold, ok?" a familiar voice says.

  "Ok, sure. But where am I?" I ask, then hear the door slam shut.

  "Hello?" I ask. "Anyone in here besides Vanessa?" I ask to nothing.

  "Ember," I hear a croaky voice say, but I know who it is at once.

  "Grayson!" I say, raising my arms to untie my blindfold.

  "Emebr don't! Please keep it on, keep it on for me," Grayson begs and I let my hands drop to my sides.

  "Why? Are you ok?" I ask.

  "I'm fine. Just listen to me and keep it on please," he begs and lets out a hoarse cough.

  "Grayson, who else is in here?' I ask, sitting down.

   He pauses before answering. "Just me, you, and Vanessa."

  "I know you're lying," I say, crossing my arms.

  "That's it," he lies. 

   I don't push him to tell me. But having this wet, smelly, and rough blindfold on is making annoyed. 

  "Grayson, what or who is the ShadowMan?" I ask.

  "You don't want to know," Grayson says, a hint of hate in his voice.

  "Please?" I beg.

   I hear him breath heavy. "It's Cameron," he says.

   I feel like someone punched me in my stomach. "What? Cameron? No, that's impossible. He helped us track down his lair!" I protest.

  "Ember, it's him, ok? It was always him. And.." he pauses. "Nevermind."

  "What? Finish what you were saying?" I say.

  "Vanessa and a boy named Ethan were helping him."

   Another punch in the stomach. I feel my mouth get dry. I refuse to believe this. "Vanessa was trying to help Eva and herself get home! And, Ethan has only been here one night. Me and Cameron discovered him when we went to find Jess," I say.

  "They are brothers," Grayson says from across the room.

   I can't believe this. No, I  refuse to believe this. "If Cameron is the ShadowMan, why was he acting all nice to me? Besides almost choking me, that is," I add.

   Grayson doesn't answer. I fiddle with my hair and tug at the blindfold, annoyed. 

  "Where is Eva, Jess, and Ethan then?" I ask. "And if Vanessa was helping Cameron, why is she tied up in here?" I ask.

  "He tricked her. He tricked Ethan too, his own brother," he says the last part quietly.

  "Grayson, please let me take the blindfold off," I plead. "I want to see you."

  "Please don't, Ember, don't," I hear pleading in his voice and that's what stops me from untying the blindfold.

  "Ok," I whisper.

   My stomach rumbles and I pat it uncomfortably. "Gosh, I'm starving. Are you?" I ask, still annoyed I can't see anything.

  "Yes," he responds.

   I can't help feeling sad all the sudden. "Grayson, please let me see you, hug you, hold you. Please. I miss you so much," I say.

  "Didn't seem like you missed me," he says suddenly.

  "What do you mean?" I ask, confused.

  "You had been flirting with Cameron for a while before you went off to find Jess. And then when he went with you, I knew he had won you over," he says. "And now, what you think that you can act like you like me now that Cameron is the Shadow?" he says.

   I'm hurt. I suddenly remember the kiss I shared with Cameron and feel guilty at once. "Grayson, I have had a special place in my heart for you when I first met you. There is nothing between me and Cameron, never was, and certainly never will."

   He doesn't say anything. I lick my lips and realize how thirsty I am. "I'm sorry if I made you feel that way."

   He still doesn't respond and I curl up into a ball, feeling Vanessa's breath on my bare feet. I feel sleep hitting me and eventually it finds me.

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