I Could Just Eat You Up {A "The Crafting Dead" Fanfiction}

Chapter Eleven; Now 3

Cory's P.O.V.

     We've been here two days longer than expected, and I'm sure our team has noticed by now, but they haven't made that clear. We haven't seen Hayden either... but we've heard her. She has nightmares; screaming her head off through the night as her mind takes over and forms the inevitable reality. We're going to die in here. We're going to die.

     Nick is in and out of consciousness. He'll be wide awake with a plan to escape one minute, and then next knocked out with the ability to sleep through a tornado ransacking the building. Despite all the movement and various voices I hear throughout the building, I feel so alone. I've marked 13 tallies, and if it's been this long and no one has tried to come for us, they've forgotten and moved on.

     I turned my head at the sound of sniffles and creaks of the cot Nick had been laying in. Anytime either of us moved, the noise woke me up and made my brain whine.

"Did she come back?" Nick cried softly.

"Not yet," I sighed into my knees, pulling them to my chest.

     I turned away again, trying to make out anything beyond the small circular light beam that hovered over our cell. I didn't sound like anyone else was down here. I searched for boundaries like walls or stacked barrels, but I couldn't see anything. It's all black. It's all empty. We're stuck down here until they get hungry.

     We used to be so strong. We didn't have fear living inside of us. We were the ones others feared. We had hundreds. And then it shrunk to 50's. Then 20's. Now 3. What are 3 people going to do against this world, against this army of cannibals, against this iron cell? One of us is missing, another half awake. Here I am. I evaluate and hope every door slam isn't a guard coming to carry me off to be slaughtered.

"We have to do something," Nick spoke up, nearly frightening me.

"Like what?" I scoffed.

"Like get out of here and save Hayden,"

"Yeah? How are we suppised to manage that?" I asked, and my eyebrows twisted and let out a half laugh as I stared at him.

"What's so funny? I'm trying to do something! Something to get us back to where we were! You're moping! That's all you've done since we got here! Whine and cry!" He shouted, causing us to both stand up.

     I huffed heavily as I stood in front of him. I didn't want to say something I was going to regret, but the vulgar words were hauling up my throat and punching my teeth. I sucked in a cold breath, suppressing them down into my stomach. Arguing is going to get us absolutely nowhere. I stared him straight, and through the space between I felt the goosebumps creeping up and down his arms.

"Tell me your plan, then," I breathed through clenched teeth. "Tell me how were going to get out of here without getting caught. WITH Hayden, too," I said, and took a few steps back to allow for his pacing as he tried to come up with a plan.

     Nick shuffled around the tiny cell, letting clouds of dust weave around our shoes. I, myself, tried to think of something. I figured he hasn't gotten far into the thought process before now, and despite his efforts, I couldn't wait much longer for my freedom. We had to leave now.

     My lips slipped a sigh out as we both sat on our cots. I'd been hours ans nothing had been said. We were just thinking. Thinking up plans and negotiations and conversations that only worked in our favour, but we're far from reality.

And then we heard her.

Don't kill me. Let me explain. Or there must be something else I can do. I can't die yet. Not yet. I'm not done on this Earth. I haven't provided enough. Dying now, killing me, wouldn't make a difference at this point. So, why kill me? I could help you! Help you! You need help and I could provide it!

     Her voice was close, and so was whoever she was begging to. Her words twisted around in my mind. Why would she want to help them? Have you forgotten us, Hayden? It is all about your safety? Just you?

"Oh, my god," I whispered, load enough got Nick to hear,"

"What is it?" He asked, shuffling closer to me on his cot.

"She's trying to become one of them," I said. "That's what we all did. Begged for another way, and he made us one of them," I said, trying to figure out a way to use that to our advantage.

Maybe we can use you for something

Thank you!

     There was a loud bang and a whine, but then total silence once more. Nick got up and screamed into fhe darkness. I didn't pull him back or scold him. He was one step ahead of me, in fact. Within seconds, two guards' armour could be heard clanking their way towards us. It sounded like a long hallway. The more we knew about where we were, the more advantages we had.

"What's with the yelling?" The first sneered.

"We would like to offer our help," Nick said, backing away from the cell bars.

"Your help?" He laughed. "Do you hear this, Tommy? They want to help!" He continued to cackle in our faces as the other guard stepped into light.

"Crazy," He muttered, avoiding my eyes.

"What the hell, Tommy!" I yelled, leaving everyone wondering.

"You know him?" Tommy was asked, and we were all curious as to what he'd say.

"I did," He sneered, throwing away his shyness. "I don't know who's standing in front of me, now. He's betrayed us!"

"Betrayed us?"

"He used to be one of us. But then he ran after a girl and it's landed him on the opposite side of where he should be!"

"A girl?" The other smirked. "You don't mean..."

"Don't do anything to her!" Cory screamed as Tommy and the other guard stormed back down the hall.

"What have I done? I haven't helped, I've made it all worse. I put our lives on the line!" I screamed at myself while staring into the blackness.

Hayden. I'm sorry I've killed you. It was stupid to run after something I was confused on. It felt right. But, sitting hear and listening to you scream doesn't feel right.

Nick, I know you've always hated me. You have the right to hate me for all eternity. I wanted to prove myself to you, but I've gotten lost in my ego and killed you. I've killed you and Hayden, and tortured myself. I'm sorry.

     There was a loud bang against the cell bars, and then a soft groan. Nick and I swept ourselves towards the sound. I immediately recognized it as Hayden, and once the doors screamed shut, I reached my hand through and lifted her face.

"What've they done to you?" I asked her, practically whimpering.

     My right hand held her head up towards the light while my left pushed her straw-like hair away from her face. It was stiff from dried blood, making me sick to my stomach. I've done this. It's all my fault.

"They've let us go," She cried. "We're free"

"What?"

**A/N: OHMYGOD I'M FINALLY UPDATING!! It's only taken me 3 months 😂😂 I've stopped watching the Crafting Dead so trying to create my own events is hard, so I apologize. But I really REALLY hope you enjoyed this chapter, be sure to vote!! Also, check out my story Discharm because I really love that one. Have a nice day!!**