“What were you afraid that the mood was actually something different then, Teach,” he offers a soft chuckle again.
There he is.
“Well then can I admit something to you?” he asks in return. I let out a sigh and nodded my head. “I think you showed me after all these years that we are survivors of our own pasts and can keep standing up for ourselves. Just like I’m going to, it just might take some time.”
He’s right, when we’ve lost our way for so long and have been in fight mode, tendencies change when we come out of it.
I extend out my hand to pull ourselves up. With some groans and grunts, we straighten up and he wraps his arms around me, enveloped into a strong warm hug.
The strong, funny, resilient man he’s grown into is very much still alive.
We jump apart at a metal door slamming down the hall. We both look at each other, waiting for a call out, silently hoping it’s Topaz or one of the guys. We’re in a weak spot. I’m not sure if Cedric is carrying much less a gun, and the only weapon is now shattered into millions of red pieces. We can’t help but to crouch down and hope that the sensor lights go off in time so that we’re clear of any danger.
Cedric giving me a heart attack is one thing, but having to keep guessing who's around the corner that’s going to kill us is another agonizing bundle of nerves that I wish to live without. We try to hide in a half full tall cubby, trying to blend in with the The items that are already stashed in here.
Not so much footsteps but even the slightest breathing could be heard. I watch as Cedric’s eyes bulge out of his head with anticipation. I tried to make myself if you're smaller hoping that the rule of if you don't see them they can't see you, an idea of pops in my head. I scramble around for my phone unfortunately turning up with no luck. I grit my teeth in frustration, knowing that is probably on my desk right now.
Then the sudden realization of one missing fact comes to me.
Where is Topaz?
Topaz would have announced herself or come straight looking for me and she would have noticed something and had taken action towards it. My heart races hoping that nothing has come to her, that she's not the first in a long line of potential people that I love and adore gone before me, as Cedric and I are in total darkness, eyes adjust not even the light from the soon to be sunrise gives us any illumination, any support.
My only hope is that this is a false alarm or it's a wandering resident that shouldn't be where they know they're not supposed to be. The only thing in the hallway that sheds any light is the emergency exit signs Illuminating its dark red glow.
The breathing crescendo as the footsteps became louder and noticeable. But unfortunately I think there's more than one.
Emotion for Cedric to sink back further into the cubby as much as he could. He has a little bit more muscle on him than me so I hope that he doesn't stick out. I start to get anxious thinking that my own breathing is louder and anything else. My hands cup my face to prevent any more noise from coming out.
“Come out wherever you are. We promise not to hurt you. Well, not by accident at least,” a snickering voice that goes down the hall getting closer to the classroom that we're in. I silently beg Cedric not to move, not to become the hero of the story. I rather him freeze than fight. I pray silently that whoever is upstairs watches over us.
“Shit, I don't think they're in here,” another voice says.
“We both saw them come through here. Did your dumbass see them come back out?” the first voice says.
“You're lucky you're my cousin or I’d smack the shit out of you,” the second voice snarls.
All the thoughts raised to my head knowing more people are in trouble, knowing that people upstairs could get harmed. I know I told Cedric not to be the hero but part of me is itching to just move and do whatever they say. My heart races with the pain of not being able to do what needs to be done, risking the safety of others for mine. This is not who I am, this was not who I was telling Finn to be.
I think Cedric sees my nerves and my thoughts racing. As he gently shakes his head, his eyes pleading to focus on him. My chest heaves with extra weight being pushed off my chest.
The shadows come closer and closer. We can either stay silent here or we can go quietly somewhere else.
The bodies start to get closer as the red light illuminates the outline of their bodies. I can't see their faces but as they get closer the heavy stench of smoke fills my lungs. It doesn't take a genius to know that this is not random and that they're here for us. They've been lurking and watching, they knew what they were doing when they stepped foot into the foundation.
“You're sure that this is the classroom that you saw the light turn off on?” one of the voices asks. I see the other one shove the one that asked the question. “Come on Garth, just checking here so we can go home. It's enough that Tavers wanted a meeting with the pussies, but the man has lost a few screws.”
“And yet, he’ll pummel your ass into the ground.”
“Let’s find them and get the fuck out of here. I’m enough on parole that if I screw up now, then Tavers is going to have my ass again.”
They keep bickering at each other but inch closer to the door. If that light turns on we are screwed. There’s no window we escape out of, no hidden door.
With one foot stepping into the classroom, they trigger the sensors, shedding light into the classroom. As the lights blind us, we hear, “Looky at who we have here,” We both freeze.
Every emotion leaves my body except for hopelessness and sadness.
I’m sorry Keola.
