Chapter 13-Jay

Jay and Gail has been in the room for as long as the could, until Gail pointed out they should keep going, find a way out. After Jay confirmed the creature had left, they'd both left, heading back down the hallway. Jay still had the sword he'd found, holding it with one hand. Luckily they hadn't run into anything else-yet.

Gail and him had been able to eat another one of her granola bars, splitting it in half. He wondered where Zoey was, what happened to her. Her couldn't do anything but wonder, but think he shouldn't have left her. What if she was dead? Taken? What if she got lost, or hurt?

It's my fault we lost Alexa, and Zoey, if she's dead. He thought.

"Ahem," Gail said, clearing her throat. Jay shook his head out, looking at her.

"Sorry, what?"

She frowned. "I said, I think something's here. Watching us." He froze, looking around, seing nothing. Wait, was that something moving in the shadows? He turned towards Gail.

"Where?" He said. She looked at him. "I keep seeing something move- I could be wrong, I don't know." Jay knew better. She wasn't wrong, if she said something was here, something was here. He slowly held up his sword, looking around. The lights weren't flashing- bad. They were, very slowly, almost unnoticeable.

"Gail. Where did you see it?" He said quietly, trying to keep her behind him. She must have known or seen something more, because her voice was quiet as well. "There." She pointed in the direction they'd come. Jay took a small step closer, but was frozen in place with fear. He couldn't move. He felt the butterflies in his stomach, his entire body trembling. Then something stepped out. A… a cat? He blinked, confused. He was sure he saw something there- a long leg, something huge moving.

The cat looked at him, and meowed. It's white fur seemed… wrong. It seemed clean, and perfect.

"Gail… what is it?" He asked. She didn't respond. The cat looked normal, it just.. Seemed wrong. He slowly lowered his sword, staring at the cat's blue eyes. Gail grabbed his shoulder. "Jay. Don't."

He understood what she ment- don't go near it. How could something survive in a place like this, much less something that would be so simple for these creatures to catch.

"It's a trap, it has to be, right?" He said. The cat stared at him a moment longer, and at the word 'trap', the cat frowned. He backed away, keeping one arm in front of Gail, moving her away with him. The cat shifted, moving, changing. It's eyes vanished, turning into pure black eyes. It's fur slipped away, falling clean off, as something new stood before them. Another one of the creatures rose up from the cat's place. It looked rotten, like a human who was missing half their skin. You could see the bones sticking out in places, the missing eye, and the horrible smell of death it carried.

"Holy shit," Jay cursed under his breath. The thing was bigger than most humans, standing on two long legs, looming over them.

"Run." Gail said quietly. Jay felt a rush of air, where she'd gone, but he couldn't move. Fear swamped him, paralyzing him, unable to move. The thing took one huge step, right over him. It's long claws touched his wrist, jolting him into action. He screamed, finding his feet and bolting after Gail, who was already ahead of him. The thing behind them clearly gave chase.

He shouted as he tripped, falling to the ground. He tried to stand, shaking so hard, he fell back to the ground. THe creature was right there- nearly on top of him. He backed away, pushing himself with his legs, trying to stumble back to his feet.

The thing never made a sound, not a screech, not even a breath. He closed his eyes, knowing he was going to die. There was no escaping this now- he was going to die. He put his arms over his head, feeling the things freezing breath.

Then it stopped. He risked peeking one eyes open. The thing in front of him was lurching backwards, it's long arms scrambling at it's back, it;s mouth open like a scream, but nothing came out. It twisted, it's body shaking, twitching. It slowly crumpled to the floor, still moving, but slower and slower, trying to move. As it's back was up, Jay could see something. Arrows. Three of them, shot into the things back.

He found his feet, still trembling, and stepped closer, touching the smooth arrows. For a moment, he couldn't think anything, then registered the fact someone must have shot these. He turned to look at Gail, who's mouth was open in shock behind him.

He looked towards the staircase, where the thing came from, and his heart caught in his throat. From the shadows, Alexa stepped out into the light, a bow in her hands, her face grinning as she looked at Jay. She leaned onto the wall, waving her fingers at him.

"Hey Jay," She said sarcastically. He froze for a moment, before running towards her, wrapping his arms around her, giving her a hug.

"Alright, alright," She said, giving him a very quick hug, before grabbing his wrists and staring into his eyes. "Aww, you thought I was dead, didn't you? Gail, throw me something to eat!"

He blinnked his tears away, "Alexa, I missed you! How did you escape, I thought you died!" He Said, wiping his tears that wouldn't stop. She looked stronger, like she'd been fighting these things forever.

Something flew by his head, and Alexa caught it, unwrapping another granola bar and nearly inhaling the entire thing.

She punched him lightly in the shoulder. "Of course you missed me, im amazing, and of course I didn't die, idiot! You thought I'd die to some weird creature thing?" She said with a laugh.

He had no idea how she could be so fearless, so carefree. He gave her another quick hug. "Nice Bow,"

She held it out for a moment, staring at it. "Found it in a room. It's weird, it came the moment I needed it." She reached her hand back, pulling out a arrow from the pouch she had tied behind her back, handing it to him. "These are weird too, each has some sort of symbol on them."

He held it up, looking at it curiously. She was right, a small letter looked etched into the wood carefully. Gail cleared her throat from infront of them. "We should go. That thing might attract more, if It knows a human killed it."

Alexa laughed, "What? It's just going to summon more?" Jay put his hand on her shoulder. He coldn't stop his mind from whirling around the same thoughts, Alexa's alive! She's okay! I didnt fail her, shes's ALIVE!

"Wait," Alexa said as Gail began walking the other way. "Where's Zoey? And Mason?"

Jay felt his heart drop, and his vision blurry around the edges. His entire body went numb, and his hands began shaking. He opened his mouth to say something, but Gail beat him to it.

"The idiot wanted to stay at the base of the stairs and look for you," She said, pushing up her glasses. "MAson's dead."

"D- Didn't you see her? When you came up here to find us? She said she was going to look for you, we-we couldn't stop her!"

Alexa froze. She didn't move. Her icy blue eyes were staring blankly behind her, back in the direction of the staircase she'd come from. Her hands clenched into fists, and he knew what was coming.

Jay backed away, until his hands were touching the wall. Alexa whirled on him, small pools of tears brimming in her eyes.

He'd never, ever, not once seen Alexa cry, besides about her brother. She'd always said she was to tough for it, she never cried as far as Jay knew. She was invincible- and yet, seeing her like this..

"You let her go!" She shouted, jabbing her finger into his chest. He didn't stop her, he knew she'd tire out eventually, and calm herself down. Right? "You let Zoey ALONE here! FULL OF.. OF.. of.. KILLING MACHINES!" Her voice was shrill and loud, filled with more anger than he'd ever seen. Gail walked to stand beside him.

"According to my calculations-" She began, but Alexa raised her hand and slapped Gail across the face, making her flinch back, holding her jaw.

"WHATS WRONG WITH YOU!" Gail shouted, well, said loudly. Alexa laughed, darkly. Her voice echoed around the hallway they were in, and Jay felt himself growing numb again.

This was the darkest he'd seen her. She was digging her nails into her palms, "What's wrong with me, glasses? What's wrong with you! BOTH of you!" She snapped, "You let her alone! By HERSELF! No weapons, NO way of defending herself! What were you thinking?"

Jay tried to say something, but no words would come out. She was right. He didn't give Zoey anything. He should have. He should have given her the dagger they'd found. He should have made her come, he should have stayed with her.

But I didn't. He thought, I left her there. Alexa's right, it's my fault.

"I'm going to find my girlfriend," Alexa said. She didn't even ask for them to come, she turned around, walking away.

"Wait!" Jay shouted. She didn't turn around. She didn't shout back. She didn't stop. Jay glanced at Gail, before racing after Alexa. He stopped behind her, and he could hear Gail's breathing and quiet footsteps behind him. Neither of them made a sound.

It's your fault. Your fault. Your fault, Jay. All of this, it YOUR FAULT! What if she was dead? Or hurt? Or something got her? Was she alright, suffering? Where did she go!?

"Alexa, I'm really sor-" He tried again, but she held her hand up, stopping. He could hear something. Faintly. Like a soft voice whispering. Alexa slowly drew her bow over her head, fixing an arrow into it, and pulling the string back, towards the hallway.

"Who's there!" She shouted, not much of a question. No answer. Jay heard it then- footsteps, running towards them. The dark shadows in front of them seemed endless, as the footsteps got closer. And closer. And closer.

But then.. The person who stepped out in front of them wasn't a stranger. It was Zoey. But she looked… different. She looked… scared.

"Run, Lexi. Please, run." Her Emerald eyes, falling shades darker, frozen in fear, Jay didn't run, he couldn't move. He looked around at the others, they didn't make any movements to run, This is our Zoey.. Right? His mind racing, he opened his mouth to say something, but Zoey was faster than that, she began running at them.