To Kill Time

Chapter 6: Acquaintances

Blood. June closed her eyes quickly. She didn't dare open them.
Only, there was a quiet sound. Almost like someone was sighing.
"Thanks for that,"
She snapped her eyes open. In front of her, the woman, Derek, and Eric lay untouched. 
She looked down and her eyes widened with fear. Below her feet, the man rests on the ground, a pool of blood surrounding him. 
The woman walks over towards June. 
"Sorry about that." The woman says. "I couldn't stand him anymore. I am Maria by the way. You have a good eye for things like this. Long time no see, June."
Maria leans down and snatches something from the man's body. She throws it far out of sight. 
"What was that?" June asked.
"What was what?" Maria asked back.
"That thing you threw over there." June jerked her head towards the direction Maria threw the object. 
"Oh, sorry. I forgot you were still tied up.” Maria slowly unwinds the ropes around June. Only, she didn't touch them. A pink, hazy substance floats around the rope. She could feel the ropes loosening. 
"Are you hiding something?" June asked. "I know you threw something away. What was it? How are you untying the ropes? Why aren't you telling m–?"
"It's for your own good." 
June looked in her eyes. Maria had a firm gaze locked onto her.
“I’m doing this for you. Isn’t that enough?”
    A pang of shame hit her unexpectedly. Maria was right. She was doing a lot more for them than they were doing for her. But at the same time, she did threaten to kill Derek. That didn’t look like an act at all.
    Right now, she couldn't trust anyone but Derek. She was scared something might happen to her closest friend. Worst case, both of them end up dead in this horrid trap. June shook her head. She tried desperately to get the thought out of her head, but it kept returning. The image of Derek lying on the ground in a pool of blood frightened her. She didn't want him to end up like the man that lay at her feet, with two spiky thorns impaling his body. 
"You okay?" Maria asked. "You were staring off into space."
    June didn't even realize Maria had finished untying the ropes. As soon as she could move, June ran to Derek, being careful to step over the man. She wrapped him into a tight hug. She could feel his body stiffen for a moment but he relaxed and slowly hugged her back.
"I'm so glad you're alright," she said with tears streaming down her face. She pulled away, wiping away her tears and helped Derek up. 
"Ok, enough of that. We need to get moving before they find us," Maria said.
"Who's looking?" June asked.
"Long story, I'll explain along the way."
The three of them started walking but Derek was looking side-to-side.
"Hey guys, what happened to Eric?" Derek asked.
June and Maria simultaneously turned around and there stood Eric with a mischievous smile plastered on his face.
“Don’t you remember me, June?”