Glass

Left Behind

The handles on the back side of the mirrors aren't sturdy. The first time we tried them, they broke and the mirror shattered on the floor. We had to go get a new one.

The plan is to use the mirrors to keep the crunchers from seeing us. Most of them aren't very smart, and if they're looking for us, all they'll see is another cruncher in the mirrors we're using as cover. That's what Lu says is most important; we have to distract them in order to look for the key, and we have to keep them from knowing where we are.

But we also need light to see, which means we'll have to make noise.

"In every cruncher, there is a light that reacts to the human voice. I don't know why, but it's what we've got so we'll use it to our advantage." Lu says, handing me a flashlight. "These are decoys. If a cruncher's getting too close, turn it on and throw it in the opposite direction. Hopefully, it'll think the light is you and it'll turn that way while you use the mirror to hide.

He's so smart... I think.

Lu smiles at me and turns around. He hands me the new-and-improved straps for the mirrors. I take them and start attaching them. "How long have you been doing this?" I ask.

Lu doesn't answer.

I turn to see he's stopped working. "Lu?"

"3 years."

I watch as he stands and reaches up to the ceiling. He lifts one of the ceiling tiles and sets it on the ground.

The back of it is covered in tally marks.

"I've tried so many times to get the last key..." He whispers. "But each time, somebody dies. That's why you're not coming with me."

"What?" I stop what I'm doing in surprise, staring at him incredulously.

"I'm going in, getting the key, and then when I come out we can both go home."

"But what if you die?"

"Then you can wait until someone else comes along, and pass on what I've told you about this place. And you can try again."

"You're crazy, Lu! There's no way!"

"Aw, come on bandages, I thought by now you'd have a little more faith in me than that!" Lu gives me a smile, but we both know it's fake. "I'll be fine. I don't know where the key is, but I've gone in there enough times that I know where it isn't. That should be enough to make this fast." He pushes past me and grabs both of the mirrors.

"You can't..."

Whoosh.

Click.

"It's okay, I've got this." He steps through the door and quickly starts down the hallway.

"Wait!" I rush after him, but the door has already closed behind him. I shove it open.

Whoosh.

Click.

I run through, desperate to stop him.

But as I look down the hallway, I realize he's already gone.

I run down to the door that says "Glass." All I have with me are some shoes we homemade, the healing tablet, and the flashlight he gave me before leaving.

I'm going in...

The door closes behind me, and I'm left in complete darkness. Glass crunches under my feet.

"Lu!" I scream.

Author's Note:

Thank you so much for reading! Please vote and comment! What do you think will happen to Lu?