Alone?

Chapter 3

I start by rolling over a nearby gurney and climbing on top. Of course, being the idiot I am, I forget to lock the wheels and go flying once I try to stand up.

I land hard on my left shoulder and feel it pop from the joint. My scream echoes endlessly. My breathing is ragged and the sight of my limp arm makes me want to puke.

"Okay. You're okay." I tell myself, trying to bear the pain. But it's no use. Tears stream from my eyes though I don't remember beginning to cry. My mind is panicked and I search desperately for a way to ease the pain.

The only way I've been taught to fix a dislocated shoulder is to pop it back in. I try to breathe deeply to amp myself up, but even that movement sends a jolt of pain.

"How am I supposed to do this?" I groan. Really, I know how to do it, it's more building up the nerve. Dealing with this level of pain isn't normal for me. Most of the time I'm more careful.

Why am I such a freaking idiot? I ask myself internally. Alright, let's get this over with.

I start by taking off my belt so that I have something to bite on. I'm done with screaming for today. Then I sit with my knees to my chest and grab them with my hands as best I can. I slowly stretch out my back and pull my shoulders further and further away from my knees. I can feel my shoulder trying to align itself and grit my teeth in pain. I move a little bit more and my arm pops back into the joint.

I groan in agony and lay back with my cheek pressed against the cold floor. I breathe heavily and my eyes are shut tight. I try to block out the world for a moment to catch my breath.

After a moment passes, I sit back up again. I gingerly move my arm with minimal discomfort. I'm lucky that Logan has had to relocate his shoulder a couple times while we've been traveling. He has never been as careful as I am.

"Let's try that again." I say wiping away any remaining tears. I lock the wheels of the gurney this time and move slowly; I sure as hell never want to go through that again.

I manage to stand up and finally get a good look at the gap in the ceiling. It is about half an inch wide and obviously not supposed to be there. The edges of the gap are jagged; as if it was cut into the space between the panels. I look at the other panels and don't see any other gaps like this one.

But why would someone cut a hole into the ceiling? Specifically for the purpose of dropping bones on unsuspecting passerby?

Someone must have done this before the abandonment. There's no point in doing it after that. Not to mention there was no one to do it.

I take a knife from the inside of my coat and begin the hack away at the ceiling. I start by stabbing up a couple times but then realize that I have to try a different strategy. Taking time to look at it and slow down is beneficial.

I take my knife and wedge it into the gap. Then I make a lever and start to widen the gap. This works and eventually I can see the ceiling panels pulling apart. I get enough room to stick my hands in and pull one of the panels down. I take the piece in my hands and toss it to the floor. The crash echoes through the hallway.

The echo is somewhat eerie but I'm not sure why. At this point there's nothing to be afraid of, but ever since I found those bones I've had a bad feeling. Oh well there's nothing I can do.

I poke my head up into the hole I made and try to find the end of the fishing wire. I take the delicate wire in my hands and try to follow in to the end but it isn't just tied to a nail or something. It continues down the gap between the ceiling panels and the insulation.

What? I think to myself. This isn't making sense.

I take my flashlight and shine it down the passage. I can see now that about 50 feet away from where I stand it takes a turn to the left. Not letting go of the string, I quickly peek my head out and see that the hallway makes a left in about the same place.