Death After Death (#2)

Chapter Twenty-Nine

"Are you sure about this?" Paulo asked one last time.

Max scowled ferociously, "Just get it done."

Paulo nodded before calling out to a nearby huddled group, "Vee! Get over here, please."

Vee jogged over, her eyes full of suspicion, "What's up boss?"

"These people are looking to track down Joey, I was wonderi-"

"Are you fucking mental?" Vee coughed. "We only just scraped it out of that hell-hole alive, now you want to go searching for a reunion with him?"

"It's complicated," Paulo explained. "But you know the terrain far better than anyone else here..."

Vee's eyes darted from Paulo, to Max, then back to Paulo again, reading every line and wrinkle on their faces. "Listen, I'll get you there," she finally accepted. "But after that, you're on your own. Whatever 'complicated' beef you have with him stays between you."

"Thank you," Max nodded.

"That settles it then. We rest up tonight and leave in the morning," Paulo announced.

***

The droplet of water hung surreptitiously from the very corner of the ceiling, sneakily skulking its way down the cracks and crevices in old stone wall. It darted left, the shot straight down, left, right, right, down again, never stopping for a moment. It spiralled down any gap it could find, using the wall to guide it down to the safety of the floor.

Plop.

Lizzie didn't even react as the cold droplet pinched the skin of her forehead. She had been sat in the exact same position for what felt like days, watching, waiting for her moment; the moment Doctor Saunders had promised would be so imminent.

"Oh god, oh god, oh god," Sky whimpered from the other side of the room. "He isn't coming, is he?"

"For the last time, he said he'd be here soon," Lizzie snapped.

"But what if he's been caught?" Sky proposed.

"He hasn't."

"How do you know?"

"He just...hasn't, okay?"

"Oh god, what if we're trapped in here forever," Sky sniffed.

"Look, if you keep going on like this, I'm going to fucking leave you behind anyway," Lizzie hissed.

"No, please don't do that!" Sky cried, crawling over to her friend on her knees.

"Sorry, I was joking. Just please try and stay positive, ay?" Lizzie said.

Sky calmed down once more, "Okay, sorry."

"Just wait a little longer, Sky. Just a little longer."

***

Doctor Saunders high-tailed it down the long, echoing corridor, constantly snapping his head 180 degrees to ensure that no-one was following. Just as he neared the final corner, one of the guards came into view.

"Hey, what are you doing down here?" the guard demanded.

"Special job for Joey himself," Saunders lied. "He wants you to patrol the third floor instead today."

"Did he say why?" the guard asked, clearly confused.

"I don't tend to question him, and I wouldn't if I were you," Saunders replied.

"Good point. Thanks for letting me know," the guard said, before taking the nearest staircase up to the third floor.

That was the fourth guard Saunders had sent on a wild goose chase, and he knew it was only a matter of time before it caught up with him. Usually this corridor was relatively quiet around lunch time, but today had been different. It was almost as if Joey knew something was off.

Saunders shook the worrying feeling and continued his mission, marching confidently towards the cells. He'd started now, the damage was done, either he got Lizzie out, or he faced certain death. A slow, painful death with that.

He reached into his pocket and unlocked the two cells either side of Lizzie, pulling the doors open as quietly as possible. The metal doors squeaked subtly, revealing four gawping faces, staring back at the Doctor.

"Get out of here!" Saunders whispered urgently. "Go on, go!"

The faces were still plastered with surprise and confusion, as if they were worried it was all some cruel trick, but as the first prisoner bolted from his cell, the rest soon followed.

Saunders briskly made his way to the remaining cell door, taking one deep breath before unlocking it and pulling it open.

***

Lizzie and Sky sat bolt upright as they heard the unmistakable clinking of keys, and the sound of metal sliding into locks.

The clinking was replaced by muffled whispers, then galloping footsteps, disappearing into the distance.

Just as the air fell silent again, and Lizzie started to worry that they had been left behind, the lock on their door clunked, and it swung open.

"Time to go," Saunders urged.