Variant

Chapter 5

QOTC: Sage discovers that Raven has a gift in this chapter. What do you think Swift's is? Sage's?

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"What?" the woman asked, seeming freightened, "Who are you?"

"We'll tell you," Swift replied, "Just don't let them in!"

"Who in?" the woman asked.

Then there was knocking at the door, "Let us in, or we'll burst the door down!"

"Are you 3 criminals?" the woman asked with a freightened voice.

We all shook our heads, and I replied, "Those are bad people. We beg you, please don't turn us into them!"

They knocked again, "We know you're in there! You can't hide from us!"

The woman just looked from us to the door then said, "I have an idea. Follow me, be as quiet as possible."

We got up and followed her.She opened a door that was on the floor, and there was a small room under it.

"Go into there," she said, "Be quiet, and don't turn on the light."

I didn't like the idea of going underground, but what other choice did we have? Raven, Swift, and I almost jumped down the stairs, lightened up with the light of the door. But, to our surprised, she closed the door behind us.

Darkness filled the room. I didn't know it but I started to shake. The walls seemed to be closing in. I started to breathe heavily, and swear soaked my forehead. I could see the dog crate cage walls form around me and getting smaller.

"What's going on?" Raven asked, out if breath himself, "Why is the room getting smaller?"

"Is this a trap?" Swift asked, her voice shaking.

I usually don't like to say that I felt uncomfortable and scared. But this time, they have the same problem.

"I don't know," I said, "it might only be our minds playing with us. We were stuck in cages for all our lives."

"But, the walls," Swift asked.

Raven shushed us, "Remember, she said to be quiet."

I nod, even though I know they can't see it. The silence is disturbing. It didn't feel right. It almost felt like they weren't there as I felt like I was in a glass box. I knew it was my imagination, but right now it felt so real.

It wasn't until Raven nudged me with his foot I felt a little better. Knowing he was still there somehow made the fears falter, and happiness rushed through me. Maybe it was knowing his presence was still there and Swift was right next to him.

Plus the fact they were screaming in terror, for any reason at all. Whether it was getting hurt or being captured, I'm just glad they're ok.

I didn't know what was to happen next. I can hear the jingling if chains and multiple people thudding on the floor above us. They were searching her house, with armed weapons.

I feel behind me as I try to step awake from the door. I felt a thin piece of I don't know what it was on my back. I gasp in surprise and I follow the thin piece until I felt something round high above my head. This was the light we weren't supposed to turn on. I had felt a piece of string on my back. I drop the sting, hoping the movement wouldn't turn the light on.

SNAP!!!

I gasped and stare in the direction of the sound. I heard a muffled scream come from someone, it was Swift.

"What was that?" I could make out, although her hand still covered her mouth.

"I don't know," Raven said.

Then there were voices coming from the cracks of the door of this underground room.

"That was just the mousetraps," I heard the woman say, "I'm pretty sure it wasn't who you're looking for."

"Well," one of the guards chasing us said, "Let us exterminate those pests for you."

The handle of the door started to squeak. I gasped, not knowing what to do. Then I felt something push me and force me to crouch down.

"Raven!" I ask, putting my hands out in front of me. I felt something hard.

"We need to hide!" he whispered, "Trust me!"

I let myself crouch down, trusting Raven. Whatever it was in front of me, it was big and large and cold.

I heard shuffling, then the door opened. I held my breath and stopped moving.

"See," the woman said, a little panicky in her voice, "there's nothing."

I heard jingling and heard the light flicker on, "Then you won't mind if I search the place."

I saw what I was behind. It was a large fridge. Why did she have a working fridge down here?

I heard more jingling come down the stairs. I could hear him searching as well.

"Does one of them have night vision?" the first guard asked, he was really close to where I was. I did not bare trying to peak to see his face or how close.

"I believe Experiment 5226 does," the other guard replied. The other guard wasn't what I had expected. It sounded like a girl. I'm not saying a girl couldn't be a guard, but the lab sure did think so.

And Experiment 5226? There were that many experiments, including Swift and Allen, before Raven? I assumed if he knew where to hide us he could see in the dark, or so called night vision.

Then guards looked around some more. I really hope wherever Swift and Raven was, they were hidden as well as I was.

I heard one of them continue up the stairs. I wasn't sure which one it was.

It was silent. I hated it. I wanted to be sure it was safe to get out. But I only heard one guard.

Then I figured it out. The guard was being purposely quiet. To make us think they're gone, and come out.

"4010, 5226, and 7890," I heard her voice come out, "I know you're here."

7890? That was my experiment number? I can't believe they were able to get that many! And there was even more after me.

I heard some shuffling and my lungs started to burn. Oh right. I had forgotten I was holding my breathe. I slowly let it out and held it again.

I heard the remaining guard heading up the stairs, chains jingling. The woman still stayed here.

"Don't worry guys," she whispered, "you're safe with me."

The light flicked off with a snapping noise. Darkness filled the room once again as the doors closed shut.