My brother continues laughing until he tells her, “Yeah, it was. And you’re not supposed to look down, remember. Only forward.” He points across the path and steps onto the board. It doesn’t move as he does a few test bounces then starts across. “Don’t think about it. Besides, you should have good balance from all that cheerleading shit.”
“Shut up. Because I can’t concentrate with your mouth running constantly.”
We watch as they make it safely across and disappear through the window frame into the darkness.
“Who’s next?” Remy asks. I know he’s scared of heights, so this might get him out. It won’t defeat us.
Ivy is already walking closer to the side. When she gets next to the ledge, she looks down. We have to be at least twenty stories up.
“Don’t look down,” I remind her.
Her eyes stay focused towards the ground before they meet mine. She looks exhausted or frustrated, but I don’t see fear. There’s no hesitation as she steps onto the board. Not only that but she almost seems nonchalant. Like she’s not afraid to plummet to her death. Her arms extend out as she continues across. Once she’s through the window, I follow behind her. The wind is strong enough to let you know it’s there but not impossible to manage. The board is plenty wide enough to easily tread across. The more challenging thing will be whatever is waiting on the other side of the window. Because I don’t put it past Mercy to have horrors waiting to test us. Or my own brother to try something. I won’t. It would take away the gratification of seeing his face when he realizes he lost, and I won the entire damn game.
As soon as I enter the hospital window, Ivy is there. Her arms are folded across her chest. “It’s going to be a long fucking night.”
“Not like you’d be doing anything else.” I glance around but can barely make out which way is clear. “Let’s find somewhere to stay since we’ll be here a while.”
“Yay.” She waits on me to lead the way. It’s already odd. They didn’t say we had to stay together, but I’m not going to remind her of that.
Grabbing my phone, I turn on the flashlight and maneuver around the debris and trash. The hallway is lined with beds and chairs. There’s graffiti covering almost all the peeling paint.
Once we make it down two levels, I head down a corridor. Finding a waiting area with a few windows and more importantly, two entrances, so we’re not trapped if one of the doorways gets blocked. I know Micah won’t do anything to me. He’d use her against me, and that makes me even more edgy.
And speaking of edgy, she’s not at all. Like not freaked out or paranoid about anything. She takes a seat at the window, her head resting against the glass as she stares out. Completely ignoring me and everything around her.
“Someone could easily take you out.”
She doesn’t respond.
“Distracted is dangerous.”
“Okay,” she responds. No anger. No aggravation.
I move to the opposite side of the window. “What’s going on with you? You’re back to your silent, numb self.”
“Just tired.” She doesn’t look at me.
I have a feeling it’s useless, but I try anyway. “We’re a team. And we’ll be here a while. You can talk to me.”
“I’d rather jump out the window,” she mutters.
Something is off. She’s drained and detached, though she’d started waking up a little. She seems even more disconnected now. “You could push me out the window if it’d make you feel better.”
There’s no hesitation when she says, “It’s a thought.”
Better than nothing but still doesn’t settle me. “We can go look around. Maybe find something to smash up and vent our frustrations on.”
“No.” She keeps her face on the glass as her eyes shut. “Just wake me up when it’s time to go.”
“You really think it’s time for a nap?”
“Yeah,” she utters.
“Okay. I’ll keep watch.” I prop against the wall beside her.
“I feel so safe.” Her voice is dripping with sarcasm. And I want to tell her I’d never leave her side if it meant keeping her safe. I just don’t know how to.
A scream echoes through the corridor as Ivy flinches. “Oh my God.”
