Project XZ3

Chapter 6

So now there are 2 more people to find. I look down the corridor. There are so many rooms; I am assuming that all the others are dead and unable to move very far. We arrive at room number 65. I grab the wheel and lock it off. I step back and look in the room. On the floor is... another person without any legs. A young male with only one arm, he looks like he's in his early teens and has short black hair. He coughs and looks up at us. That innocent look in his eyes penetrates into my brain.

"Hello" Beth says.

"Hello" he says very quietly. Beth walks into the room and kneels down to him, he flinches.

"There's nothing to be afraid of. There are others like you that are the same" he looks behind Beth and at the others who are smiling at him. He smiles back. He shuffles forward and out of the room. After they leave the room, I shut the door. I start to walk ahead, then Beth stops and grabs my hand, I turn back to look at her.

"What is it?" I ask.

"We are now the only survivors, we need to get out of here now"

"Where is the exit?"

"Up... I see a sky... and lots of trees around us. The only way to get out, is by going up"

"Right" I turn back and look at the others. "Are you all ready?"

"Yes" they all say and smile.

"Good" time to escape this prison we have been living in.

We finally reach the end of the corridor. I look left, nothing but white walls and white ceilings, and more corridors. I look right, again more corridors. I take Beth hand and she turns to me.

"Beth.... how many more people are here?" she takes my hand and holds it to my heart.

"A lot more. There all dead. You really don't want to see what they are look like" tears swell up in my eyes. Why are we the only survivors? All of this is just so wrong.

"I'm sorry" and wipe the tears away with the back of my hand.

"It's okay... there are stairs all the way down there" Beth points to the right. I can see them. "That is the way up and the way out". Positivity. That is what we need. I turn back and look at the others.

"Are you ready?" I ask.

"Yes" they all say and smile at me. We set off for the stairs. The exit to this place. Hopefully.

For what seems like hours later we finally reach the stairs. I look back at the others who are all breathless. Well, all apart from Emily who looks like she could crawl for another 500 metres without being out of breath. I then remember the young man we met in room 65 does not have a name. I kneel down to him.

"What's your name?" I ask.

"I don't have a name" he says shaking his head.

"Tom. You look like a Tom"

"Tom?"

"Yes. Tom. Do you like it?"

"Yes"

"Good... now... do you all think you can manage it up the stairs?"

"Yes" they all say.

"I'll carry Ben" Beth says and picks him off Polly's back.

"Thank you" he says and smiles at Beth, who smiles back. I need to keep strong. I let all the others in front of me, and we climb the stairs. I look back as I walk up, and think how glad I am to be leaving this place.