The Boy With The X Tattoo

Twelve

"Are you sure we won't die." I ask Colby, glancing at our bound wrists.

"We can do this. Plus, what could go wrong." He asks. I sigh. We were going to try to climb a smokestack to place a XPLR sticker somewhere on it.

"Colby, if we die, I swear..." I mutter, climbing up, one hand hoisting myself up, the other hanging loose, trying not to hurt myself or Colby.

"Don't you dare laugh Samuel." I say, looking up at Sam. He made it up successfully, not being burdened with a Colby attached to his arm.

"Wasn't planning on it." He snickers. I flick him off. I climb up another step, in shock that this is somehow working.

"How you doing Colby?" I ask, climbing up another. We're about 10 ft from Sam.

"Great." He grunts. I feel a sharp pain in my wrist and notice he slipped on a bar.

"Colby!" I squeak, praying that my arm won't get ripped off.

"Sorry. I slipped. You okay?" He asks, climbing back up, relieving the pressure.

"Yeah. You?"

"Yeah. Let's keep going." I say. We meet up with Sam, who's peeling the sticker back off.

"Alright." I say, heading back down when Colby stops me.

"Sam could you get a picture of us? Really quick?" Colby asks. Sam pauses the video, taking Colby's phone from Colby and opening the camera.

"Do you trust me?" Colby asks. I nod warily, unsure of what he's about to do. Then it hits me, literally. He takes our handcuffed hands and holds it onto the pole. He wraps his free arm around my waist, holding me from falling to my death. The edge of my toes barely on the small ledge. I feel his lips connect mine, a kiss like none other. It's full of passion and affection. My heart is racing. I see a flash of light. Then it's over. Colby pulls me back onto the ledge, his breath shaky.

"I wouldn't let you fall." He whispers, pulling me close. I wrap my arms around him, adrenaline coursing through my body.

"He's lucky." Sam says, handing Colby his phone back and heading on down.

"Shall we?" I ask, heading down, praying Colby doesn't decide to do something risky again. I shimmy my way down, Colby above me. We make it down, still in one piece. Sam holds the camera, filming as we head inside.

"So where are we going to hide?" I ask, looking around for places to hide the three of us.

"Janitors closet?" Colby asks, pointing to the small closet.

"Better than nothing." I mutter, checking to see if anyone is watching. Sam opens the door and slips in, me and Colby following a few seconds later.

"What the-" I start, staring at the handprints on the wall. Sam points the camera towards them, showing a few more around the small room.

"That can't be normal." I whisper, unsure if it's okay to talk in a normal voice.

"Well...it is the Queen Mary." Colby says. I frown. Not a good reason but I guess it works.

"So since it's only midnight we are going to camp out here until 3 am for the card game." Sam tells the camera. I take a sharp breath, careful to make sure that neither of the boys heard it.

"So what now?" Colby asks.

"Explore?" I suggest.

"If we get caught...." Sam starts

"We can take a nap?" I say in more of a question.

"Might work." Colby says. He pulls out his phone and sets an alarm to go off at 2:45 am.

"We have an alarm set. We don't have anything comfortable to lay on. I mean Rose has like...4 jackets-"

"Do not!" I protest, wacking Sam's arm. "More like 2" I mutter. He chuckles.

"Same difference."

"Shut up." I groan, burying myself into my jackets.

"Well I guess we'll wake up then. And no funny business." Sam says, glancing at Colby.

"What could go wrong Sammy?"