Dark Running

Chapter 10

Third Person P.O.V.

Beca stares at the door. In her mind, she's trying to figure out what to say to calm everyone down. Come on, Bec, think! Everyone's freaking out! Think! Beca opens and closes her mouth a couple of times, unable to come up with a coherent thought.

Stacie seems to sense Beca's struggle, and pipes up with the questions everyone is wondering. "Is that scratching or shuffling?"

Okay, maybe not the exact question everyone is wondering, but it's the closest version of 'Do they know we are in here?' anyone will ever ask.

It takes Beca a couple of minutes to realize who was speaking, because someone, predictably Lilly, turned the lantern off at the first sound of whatever it is that is at the door.

"I dunno, Stace." Beca mutters back.

Seriously, Bec? That's the best you can do? Grow some balls! The Bellas sit there for what feels like hours before Beca makes the decision to find out more about what's going on outside of the door. She feels around the ground for something small and her hand taps the edge of the water bottle she had been sipping out of the night before while she had her heart-to heart conversation with Stacie. She smiles fondly at the memory as she picks up the water bottle. After weighing it in her hand, she determines that there is about a quarter of water left in the bottle.

"Babe, hold this for a sec." Beca asks Chloe as she unscrews the cap, and hands the bottle to Chloe.

"What are you doing?" Chloe whispers to her girlfriend.

God, even her whisper is angelic. Wait, no! Focus, Beca! Beca composed her thoughts before she replies, "I have to check something. Everyone stay seated, I don't want to run into any of you."

Beca whispers just loud enough for everyone to hear her. She assumes everyone had heard her and is still sitting, until she feels a hand blindly taps her back then shoulder. She twists her body around and grabs the stranger's hand, instantly feeling the well manicured nails.

"Stace?"

Stacie bends down to whisper into Beca's ear. "You're not doing whatever it is you're doing alone." Stacie continues to hold Beca's hand, as she waits for her response.

Beca smiles, even though Stacie can't see it, and tightens her grip on Stacie's hand as she allows herself to be pulled up. "Okay but I need a small source of light."

"I have a lighter." Someone whispers from the left of the room. Judging from the volume of m the whisper, Beca and Stacie assume that it's Lilly.

"Why do you... Never mind, I don't wanna know." Stacie whispers more to herself than anyone else in the room.

Lilly throws the lighter at the two girls, and Beca feels a small thump on her bicep, and then she hears a small clatter on the ground. She bends down, and feels around for the lighter until her fingertips brush the lighter and she picks it up. Beca flicks the lighter on, making sure it still worked, and almost the whole storage freezer lights up. Beca looks towards the door, and then back and Stacie, rocking her head as if to say 'follow me' before turning the lighter back off.

Beca reached out for Stacie, and grips her hand as the two Bellas make their way towards the door, Beca keeps her hand out until it runs into the wall next to the door. Beca brings Stacie up along side of her, and puts the light in her hand. Beca taps Stacie's fingers and then the lighter, indicating that she wants it on. Stacie flicks the switch and the room is illuminated again.

The small brunette bends down to get a look at the bottom of the door so she can check for a crack. She cant seem to find on because of the shadows due to the lighter, so she takes the cap to the water bottle and nudges the cap under the door, since there is no way she's going to stick her finger under there. She keeps nudging the cap under the door until it disappears. Beca stands up abruptly and pulls Stacie back towards the Bellas so fast that the flame goes out and the two stumble over each other.