The Seven Floors

The Search

"AH! That hurts!" I screamed as I felt the pain of the hydrogen peroxide rub against my knife injury. I was squeezing Emily's hand as she was cleaning up my wound and while I was writhing in pain Jackson and Christian were too busy out in the hotel looking for the cards. After I was all fixed up I walked out to find Jackson sitting next to the door with his knees to his chest, staring blankly at the floor.

Not wanting to startle his already frightened composure I slowly knelt down to his level, "Hey...Are you ok? Where's Christian?" Still dazed, he slowly looked up and when he realized it was me, his eyes widened, in a matter of seconds he lurched forward and grabbed my waist, squeezing as hard as his heart could allow.

I hugged him back, knowing that he would never show his weakness without a reason. He was shaking so much, I didn't know what to do when he behind me. I only saw a split second of horror in his eyes before it went to a look I couldn't comprehend.

I turned around but before I could see who he was looking at Jackson pulled me behind him. "I don't know what's wrong with you, but you have to stay away from her until you get out of the trance you are in."

I saw an opening so I looked to see who he was talking to, and I saw; "Christian?" He looked at me and I saw his eyes turn black, he shoved Jackson out of the way, grabbed me by the waist and started running. I tried to wriggle out of his arms in fright before feeling a jolt of pain in my side. Right as I turned the corner I saw Jackson running after with a mix of worry and anger in his eyes. I looked down to see my injury bleeding out again before I felt incredibly nauseous and slipped out of consciousness.

I awoke to a freezing cold dark room, I tried moving but found that my wrist and ankles were tied up by a rope wrapping tightly around them. After a while my eyes started to adjust to the dark to see Christian staring at me. I looked back down to see that the gash in my side had opened up from earlier and the already big puddle of blood was growing bigger with each breath I took. I looked up, hoping to understand what was going on "Christian? What's wrong with you? Why are you acting like this?" I wasn't answered with words but instead a stinging pain to my cheek.

"What are we going to do?!" the Jackson yelled, flailing his arms about trying to grab onto anything his could throw at the wall. Emily was trying to calm him down and at the same time trying to calm her own worried self.

"Jackson we have to calm down in order to go look for her thoroughly. I am angry and worried too, HECK I am so angry right now I could go to that Pyron guy and shove a card up his arse! We just have to keep reminding ourselves that Jessica is a strong person."

"Yeah I know but can't I at least beat Christian up after all of this?"

"All of this?"

"Yeah all of these floors and what not. Oh! and speaking of which, when we get home I am going to eat all of the pizza in the world! Care to join me?"

Emily chuckled, "Sure, I would like that."

"Good I wouldn't want to be alone eating all of that." Jackson said before shoving his hands in his pockets. His amused expression quickly turned to confusion as he pulled his hand back out to reveal a card, one with a posted note attached. The posted note read, To the one who causes the frightful encounters...

Emily read it over Jackson's shoulder, "Wait what? How did you get a card and what does it mean by that?"

Jackson stood still as if thinking things over before turning to Emily, "I need to tell you something that you might not like."

I couldn't move my body for being in too much pain to even breathe without feeling an excruciating pain fill my lungs. I hesitantly turned to the monster behind me, and I was met with an expression that shocked me. For a split second I could see his eyes turn to the beautiful green color that I knew so well, his face showed worry and a feeling of being frightened. All of the emotion that showed through though, quickly became shielded by the stone cold look. I felt hope grow inside of me and I forgot the pain in my body as I sat up. I started yelling Christian's name out, hoping that the real him would break through that terrifying stone cold expression. He didn't flinch or move but I could see in the eyes that he was fighting it. After yelling his name and not seeing any change in his demeanor, my eyes grew blurry, I felt warmth seep out of my eyes down my cheeks crying out in frustration that he wasn't listening to me. Before the first tear could fall I felt a familiar warmth spread throughout my body as Christian enveloped me in a hug. All I could hear was a faint shaking whisper in my ear.

"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry I kept screaming out your name as you were doing the same." I just sat still trying to ignore the pain coming back at a high level of agony. He pulled away and I saw a look of hurt and sorrow in the eyes that were once filled with nothing. I felt joy soar in my heart as I wrapped my arms around his chest and squeezed, he froze before returning the hug. I looked over his shoulder to see something that I did not want to lay my eyes on ever again.