The light || Lucas Sinclair

vanished

Eleven was running down the hallway, alarms blaring all around her. She looked left to right trying to decide which hallway to go down.

Turning left she quickly made her way down the hallway, but before she could make it to the end a girl stepped out of a room.

"Wait, what's going on?" The girl asked.

"Come with me." Eleven said.

And without another explanation the one girl running away became two girls running away.

Busting through the front doors the girls felt the cool night air for the first time. But this was no time to reminisce, they had to keep moving.

Quickly and not so quietly they stumbled through the forest.

"The monster, it escaped didn't it." The girl asked.

Eleven nodded. The girl let out a sigh now understanding the terrified look in Elevens eyes.

—

It was now daylight and the girls were walking instead of running. Eleven stuck out her arm causing the other girl to stop.

There was a man with a beard who was putting a black bag in a silver bin before going back inside the building.

"Bad man?" Eleven questioned.

"I don't think so." The girl responded.

The two decided to make their way through the back door. Upon entering the building Eleven immediately went for a basket of fries while the other girl decided to look around instead.

"Hey!" Both girls heads snapped up as they stared at the man shouting at them. They both bolted towards the door but the man was quicker. Grabbing them both by the arm and turning them around.

"You think you can steal from me?" The man shouted angrily, but when he saw their faces his anger turned into confusion. "What the hell?"

The girls were now sitting at a booth, in clean shirts the man had given them. Eleven continued to shovel down fries and a hamburger while the other girl played with a straw.

She slowly sipped on the lemonade as the man sat down across from them.

"Geez." The guy whispered watching them. "Your parents forget to feed you?"

Neither girl responded.

Eleven continued to eat her burger while the other girl watched the man intently.

"Is that why you two ran away? They uh... They hurt you? You two went to the hospital, you got scared, you ran off, you wound up here, is that it?" He was beginning to question the two girls, trying his best to get any reply. Seeing as they didn't answer, he thought up another way to make them talk.

"Alright." He sighed, as he took Elevens basket of food away and the other girls lemonade. The girl didn't even attempt to get her drink back, instead staring sadly at the glass. "I'll give you these back, alright? And you can have as much as you want." Eleven perked up at the mans words, "But you gotta answer a few of my questions first, alright?"

Eleven slumped down in her seat, the other girl simply crossed her arms waiting for what the man had to say.

"We got a deal?" He asks the two girls, only getting stares in reply, "Alright, let's start with the easy stuff," He holds out his big hands in the girls directions, "Alright, my name is Benny Hammond." His lips curl in a wide smile, trying to make the girls comfortable. Eleven just stared at the man's hand while the other girl gently placed her small hand in his and shook it. "Alright that's a start." He said smiling.

Noticing the tattoos he decided that should be his next question. "Twelve what does that mean and what's that an Eleven?"

"No." Eleven said sternly.

"Well I'll be damned. She speaks." He says trying to crack a joke. Eleven stared blankly back at him while Twelve tilted her head. "No? No what?"

The two didn't reply, Eleven going back to eating her food.

"Alright I guess no more food then." Benny sighs, and he picks up Elevens basket of food and starts to walk away.

"E-Eleven." The girl says shakily, and Benny sits back down listening intently.

"Yeah. What's it mean?" He asks.

Eleven points to herself. "Eleven." She then points at the girl next to her. "Twelve."

"Alright then here you go." Benny passed the basket back to Eleven, and watched her gulp down fry after fry. "Take it easy, take it easy."

Benny walks away, leaving Eleven and Twelve alone. As Twelve sipped on her lemonade she noticed Eleven with a pointed glare on her face, looking at the running fan. A few seconds later, the fan stopped, making the cool breeze go away.

—

It was later that night and the two girls were sharing a tub of ice cream. Eleven noticed that Twelve was enjoying the ice cream and hadn't eaten earlier so she handed the tub over to her. Twelve gave the girl a smile, "Thank you." She said quietly.

"You like that ice cream huh?" Benny asks. Twelve looked up at him and gave him her second smile of the night.

"Smile looks good on you." Her smile widened. "Thank you." She said and looked over at Eleven who had a confused look on her face. Benny noticed too. "You know, smile?" He started smiling like a goofball, making Eleven smile in return.

Suddenly a knock sounded at the door. Panic filled both the girls hearts as they quickly looked around deciding whether to run or not.

"Alright you two sit tight. Whoever it is I'll tell 'em to go away real quick alright?" He says walking towards the door.

Twelves' hands started to shake as she looked back and forth from Eleven to the door.

Suddenly a gun shot rang out, the next sound was Benny's body hitting the floor.

Eleven grabbed Twelves hand and then started toward the door. Suddenly two lab scientists appeared with guns in their hands, the two girls skidded to a stop.

Tilting her head down, Eleven threw the scientists to the floor, leaving them dead. The two grabbed each other's hands and ran as fast as they could out the door.

Martin Brenner stood where the two girls had been, staring at them in shock.

—

It was pouring rain out in the forest. The girls were completely drenched from head to toe. Eleven led the way, while Twelve tried to stop shaking. But they continued to run, pushing forward trying to find somewhere safe.

The two dodged trees and rocks. While hoping over fallen branches.

Sticks below their feet started to snap. The girls froze from a combination of shock and terror.

Suddenly lights were flashing at with girls. Twelve held up her hand not liking the brightness.

Three boys with their bikes stood there looking at the girls in absolute confusion.

Twelve turned to run but stopped after making eye contact with one of the boys, something inside of her told her to stay.