Quarantine

A hairs length

I opened the hallway, and glanced down towards the cafeteria, it was empty. Charles came forward, and slipped out, heading in the opposite direction. We passed the doorway, and I glanced back again, hoping luck would stay with us.

Charles seemed completely calm, and was taking steady strides. I, on the other hand, was almost a wreak. I couldn't handle the deaths of living people on my shoulders, but it was for living. I took shallow breaths as we continued down that hall, and then stopped at a door with no lock on it.

"This is the electrical room. I'll pull some cords, and you get the others." He seemed sure of his actions, and I nodded in agreement.

I watched him open the door, and he glanced back at me. "What are you standing there for? We need to leave as fast as we can. GO!" He said frustratingly.

I jumped to action, and hastily walked down the hallway to where Jackson, and Rose where at. I knocked on the door, and glanced down the hallway. It was clear, but I didn't want to be standing here in the open with a bag full of clothes. No noise came from inside, and I knocked once more.

Still nothing, and footsteps started to come from the hallway. I pulled out my keycard, and looked at the lock.

Please work.

I slid it into the reader, and waited for the light to blink red, or green. Finally, after a few seconds of worry, the light turned green, and I slid the door to the side. I turned around immediately, and closed it as soft as I could. I didn't know if they were Charles footsteps, but I would rather be safe than sorry.

Once the door closed completely I was enveloped by darkness, and a rank smell came from everywhere. It perforated my nostrils, and I brought my hand to my face. I gagged violently as I frantically felt for the light switch. The smell seemed to only get worse as I moved closer to the middle of the room.

The wall stopped, and I stopped moving as well. I felt the edge, and scooted back to find the door. The smooth metal surface greeted my hands, and I let out a small breath of relief that I quickly regretted. When I took a breath my body suddenly convulsed into a coughing fit, and I fell over something that went spinning off into the darkness. It smacked against something else, and I spread my arms out to feel my surroundings.

My fingertips found nothing, but when I reached above me I felt a sticky substance. I didn't know what it was, but was suddenly scared.

Don't be dead. Please don't be dead.

I held my breath as I stood up slowly, and reached back for the wall. I touched it, and felt the light switch underneath my fingers.

What luck...

The thought was dry in my head as I flipped it on. The overhead lights casted eerie glows as they slowly warmed up. Some of them sparked, and went out, completely useless. I saw that I was in the kitchen area, and acknowledged the  small waste basket laying next to the coach in the living room.

That's what I tripped over.

I glanced back at the floor, and found the floor covered with a red substance of some sort. I bent down, and touched it with my hand, it set off all sorts of alarms into head as I stood back up. I found Jackson in pajama bottoms standing overtop of me with the same trash can I had tripped over moments ago.

He lowered it when he saw it was me. "Ohh, Ethan. Why didn't you knock first?" He spoke slightly embarrassed.

"I did. Nice pajamas, but why the rainbows?" I said with amusement at his slight discomfort.