The Apocalypse is now (AH/Ryan Haywood fanfic) *DISCONTINUED*

Purgatory

I stumbled down the hallway, slamming my shoulder hastily against every door I could, searching for the others. Ray glanced over at me.
"You shouldn't do that you know." He stated bluntly. I knew what he was talking about but I wanted to help as much as I could.
"Do what?" I replied as I tried to open the door first before crashing my shoulder against it causing myself to wince in pain. He sighed and rolled his eyes before turning back around to stare at the double doors in front of him.
"That." His voice was rough and frustrated.
"You got any hair pins or something? Need a lock pick." He was being annoying now. His monotonous voice began to grate on me and became displeasing to my ears. Removing two hair pins from my jean pocket, I shoved him aside and knelt down, picking the lock in seconds.
"Ladies first." I motioned for him to enter the room. He furrowed his eyebrows, collided his shoulder with mine and stormed into the room. Furious, I gripped my hand around his wrist before closing the door slowly.
"What the fuck is your problem?" I hissed.
"My problem? I haven't got any fucking problems." He held his hands out to his sides and strolled towards the several computers showing the CCTV of the building.
"Are you actually serious? Ever since we got here to this warehouse you've been acting emotionless! It's not like you!!" I spoke not quite loud enough to be a shout but not quiet enough to be speaking normally. His face contorted into anger.
"Emotionless...? You think I don't care about anything? That I don't feel guilty for what I just did to those people?" He stepped closer to me, his steps large and quick.
"Ray you're scaring me." I began to retreat.
"Well you're fucking wrong. I feel everything. But I just don't express it. I'm the weakest guy in the group, Lauren. I need to be stronger-" he stopped abruptly at realisation to what I was doing. I had cowered into a corner and was shaking furiously. This wasn't the first time this had happened to me. When I was in my late teens, just before I joined the army, I had an abusive boyfriend. He would come home every night, drunk, stoned or both and would treat me like his own personal punch bag. This situation I was in with Ray only made me remember.
"I..." He stuttered. He blinked frantically to try and hold back the flood ready to spill. I raised my head from my hands and choked back my sobs.
"I'm so sorry." He fell to his knees and gathered me in his arms, stroking my head and allowing tears to fall onto my head.

"I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry." He kept repeating until someone began trying to unlock the door. Both our heads shot in the doors direction in panic. We untangled ourselves from one another and I scrambled around in someone's coat pocket that was hung over the chair. My fingers searched the inside pocket and ran over something rough. A pistol. I aimed it towards the door whilst Ray stood directly next to the entrance. The door swung open and Ray lunged forward to attack only to be stopped immediately.
"Jesus Christ dude!" Geoff spat out, his voice cracking.
"Geoff." I sighed, relieved to know that at least one other was alive.
"You found the control room then. Good job." Geoff smirked and patted my back.
"I'm glad to see you too kid." He added. He'd had a clear blow to his lower jaw. The skin had darkened into a deep purple and his left eye was bloodshot from an obvious punch to the eye socket.
"My face is fucking painful as dicks man." His voice trailed off as his examined the mass of blood that had collected on my shirt.
"Shit..." He whispered to himself.
"We gotta get you outta here." He grabbed my hand and tried to lead me out but I resisted.
"No. Not without the others. This isn't as bad as it seems I promise." But that promise was empty. The pain was borderline unbearable and the blood loss was reaching a dangerous level. His eyes filled with sorrow and he had no choice but to allow me to continue.
"Let's check the cameras. Maybe then we can find the others." I suggested and we all rushed to the screens. Pointing out each person, we discovered that one person was missing. Burnie. The only family I had left.
"We have no choice but to split up. I'll go back for Ryan. Ray you go for Gavin, Michael and Dan and Geoff you go for Jack. Try finding Burnie on route." My balance faltered momentarily but I gained my composure before the others could notice. They nodded in agreement and the three of us walked out the doors and in different directions. I gave them both a swift kiss on the forehead. I was sure to be dead by the time we met up again. That's why I chose to go after Ryan. Then I have the chance to at least say goodbye and tell him how much I love him.