Hearing it at the last second, spinning as I raise my gun, pulling the trigger as the shot sounds. But the searing pain starts in my shoulder.
Everything’s muted.
My throat’s straining, but I can’t hear any noise.
I’m not used to the pain.
I scream, trying to make my way to the door, but hands are on me, pushing me against the wall.
Shaking my head as the comms is snatched from my ear, and can hear the audible crunch next to us, and my gun is ripped out of my hands, clattering as it falls to the ground.
I’m spun around and come face to face with none other than Matthews.
“Of course it’s you.” I laugh. “They’re coming.”
“Still counting on it. But we won’t be here.”
Pulling me off the wall, he forces me out into the hall, down a few doors before he shoves me through one. My feet keep slipping as he pushes me quickly along. Flinging open the closet door, shoving me inside.
“Really, you’re gonna put me in a closet?” I ask him, rolling my eyes. “How cliché.”
“Shut up.” He’s exasperated with me, before pushing me up against the wall and forcing my mouth open, and shoving a piece of cloth in before I bite him.
“Pussy.” I shout at him through the cloth, which just makes it come out more like grunts, as he pulls out the tape and placing it on my face.
Swinging at him until he shoves his finger into my bullet wound and a muffled scream echoes in the closet with me. I’m woozy as the clicks from the zip tie start and I’m shoved against the wall.
* * *
I’m not really sure how long I’m in the closet, as my reality comes back, my shoulder throbs as I let myself lower to the ground.
The only thing I can do is push myself around until my feet are at the door.
And I kick. I kick so fucking hard that if anyone passes, there’s no way they could miss it.
“Drew!”Z shouts as he flings open the door.“Eli!”he calls back as he leans in, pulling the tape off my mouth, and I spit the cloth out, gagging immediately.
“He’s not out here!” Zeke’s voice calls into the room.
“What?” I shout as I push myself off the wall, turning around. “Cut them.”
“Drew.”
“Goddamnit! Cut them!”I scream at my brothers, causing both of their eyes to widen.
“Too many rooms.” Zeke says. “He sent us down this way to start.”
Looking at the rooms where we are, I pause. There’s a reason.
“There’s too many.” Z reiterates.
“No, there’s not.” I mumble as I move back towards the room I was hiding in earlier.
Stopping just short and looking at the door.
“This one.”
“How’d you know?”
