Cynophobia

☠₂₁☠

I looked at the electronic clock on Vincent's intercom. It was 12:50 P.M, I would try to leave. The pill had worked like a charm, he was fast asleep. His arm was wrapped under mine and across my body. I gently removed it, setting his hand down on the pillow.

I stopped before I exited the room. I felt like one of the popular girls at my school who just played with guys to get more popularity. I knew it wasn't the same, I was doing this out of necessity, but I couldn't shake the feeling.

I carefully shut the door behind me. I grabbed my backpack, it was leaning against the couch. I exiting the cabin and made my way for the abandoned tunnel in the darkness. I looked up, I could see tiny white dots where the moonlight filtered in. I double checked to make sure I had my hiking pole.

I got the the tunnel. Ivy was waiting outside with a gun. I was surprised, I didn't think she would come here. "Hey Ivy, thanks for the help," I whispered.

"I don't know where you're going, but don't do anything stupid. You won't have the numbers of the Remnants to protect you anymore. I don't want to regret helping you escape, don't die," she whispered. "And if you don't find what you're looking for, come back to us."

"We will, maybe when this is all over I will settle down here," I promised.

Ivy slipped a flip phone into my hand. "It's turned off, only use it for emergencies. If you turn it on it will activate the tracker. Vincent won't hesitate to help you."

"Why are you helping us?" I asked.

"Because I want you to find your own way. I know you don't want to be here. I don't want you to betray us someday. Come back when you're fully loyal," she said. "Cairo is smart, I know he wouldn't try to leave without a reason."

Ivy turned to leave. She slipped around the corner and went back towards the security room to take Cairo's shift. 

Loki's yellow eyes illuminated the darkness. "Cynthia?" he whispered.

"Yeah, hey Loki, how's the tunnel?" I asked.

"It's complete, Cairo is already here. Rose went to go ask Ray if he wants to come. We couldn't ask him earlier in the case that he betrayed us," Loki explained.

Cairo walked out of the cave. I could barely make out his face though the dark. "I need to go tie up Ivy, I don't want her to get in trouble for assisting us. This way it will put the blame on me."

They left, leaving just me and Loki. I had a good feeling. If we were caught, this would be our last chance. Vincent would know I drugged him, he would crack down even harder on me.

We walked into the tunnel. Loki's eyes flickered on like flashlights, showing me the hole he made. "I couldn't make it too big or it would be obvious. We will have to crawl. Be careful at the end, its looser so I can trigger the cave-in."

"It's perfect, good work Loki," I said petting his head. I knew he couldn't really feel it, but he seemed to be enjoying the affection.

Cairo caught up to us. "Alright, I set the scene. Now we just have to wait for Rose and hopefully Ray."

"Ray seems a bit... different," I commented.

"I've noticed, hopefully getting away from the Remnants will revert him back to normal," Cairo whispered.

Eventually, two figures appeared down the tunnel. "Ray decided to come with us! Thank God, I don't think I had the heart to try and leave him a second time."