Chapter 3: New friends?

The door began to open and he could make out a soft orange glow. It was different than the dim white lights that had illuminated his way so far. As the opening grew larger he made out the shapes of a few figures standing around the light. With a click the door came to a rest and he stared at the group before him.

'People! Maybe they know what is happening' he thought excitedly.

But just before he rushed forward and bombard them with the questions that had been driving him crazy he noticed something. They all held weapons and they were pointed at him.

'Wait…they don't look very friendly. Maybe they are the ones who did this to me!' He panicked internally noticing the bones scattered about.

"Hello?…w-who are you?" He stuttered out nervously taking a step back.

His words seemed to have shocked the group and two of them hesitantly began to lower there weapons.

"Stop! Don't lower your guards! It's probably a trap." A young looking woman holding two daggers yelled out.

One of the two that had previously lowered there weapons quickly brought it back up pulling back on the bowstring. Though the other a tall muscular woman with short black hair kept her sword lowered but ready.

"He spoke…and from what we have seen they aren't capable of that. He might just be a boy." the woman said.

"Look at him he's naked and covered in blood. Does that thing look human to you?! How would a boy even get down here much less survive? We should just k.." the woman who first spoke shouted out again preparing to throw a dagger.

The other woman moved faster than he could see and the next moment she stood between them. She snatched the dagger out of her grasp. The young woman tried to throw a punch at her but she side stepped catching it by the elbow.

"Try that again and you will regret it" she said handing the knife back. They entered into what seemed to be a staring contest with one another. Clearly there were words both wanted to say but none were uttered.

'These people are crazy! I need to get out of here' he thought taking a few long steps back getting ready to run.

They were somewhat distracted by their internal conflict and he figured if they didn't notice for a few seconds he might actually be able to get around the first corner. The only problem was his body felt extremely weak. He was very hungry and tired.

Suddenly an arrow whistled by his head slicing his cheek. A single drop of blood rolled down his chin before dropping onto the ground. The sound of the arrow shattering as it smashed into the wall next to him alerted the others.

"Did you really think we wouldn't notice you backing away?" The man holding the bow asked smirking.

"I-I'm sorry! Why are you doing this to me? Please don't kill me!" He spouted out falling to his knees crying.

"Hargahahaha!!" The large bald man with the beard started laughing.

"The boys crying harahaha!! He's no monster much less a threat to me harahaha!!" He bellowed laughing some more.

The woman who had thankfully prevented him from being impaled with the dagger that other lady was about to throw. He screamed and tried to scramble back out of her reach fearing she was going to kill him herself.

With little effort she grabbed his shoulder holding him in place and stopping his desperate attempt to crawl away. Her grip was strong but didn't hurt.

"We won't harm you as long as you answer a few questions and don't try anything funny. So sit still for a second will you brat." She said trying to give a comforting smile.

She didn't seem as bad as he thought. Realizing he didn't have any chance of escaping either way he decided to comply. Most of them had lowered there weapons except for the other woman in the group she still glared at him daggers ready. He sat huddled up on the floor knees to his chest and the woman loosened her grip.

She felt him shiver looking at her with fear. His piercing light blue eyes drew her attention first. They were captivating and she lost herself in them for a few moments as they seemed to shimmer in the light before snapping back to reality.

Taking off her cloak she draped it over him covering up his naked body. The thick but rough wool almost immediately made him feel warmer. He looked at her strangely.

"Thank you" he whispered hugging it around him tighter.

She smiled back while adjusting her sword sheath.

"My name is Dorothy I am the leader of this expedition. The large muscle brain over there is named John and the young man over there with the bow is Tom." Dorothy stated pointing at a the large bald middle aged man and a skinny guy with spiky black hair.

Tom nodded his head at him while picking up the head of the arrow that had shattered. He stashed it in a bag at his hip with a sigh.

"The young woman with the daggers is Emily and I apologize for her reaction… well all of our reactions at that but you can't be too safe in a place like this." She continued.

Emily was still staring bitterly at him like she wanted to say something but held her tongue.

"And finally the old man over there in the hood is Veron" She pointed at the man who had stayed quiet the whole time. He had barely noticed the man who's face was hidden in shadow beneath his hood.

Dorothy finished and looked at him expectantly. A few seconds passed as he sat there quietly.

'What does she want from me?' He thought.

"Your name. What is your name?" She asked realizing he didn't understand.

"I…I don't know" he responded on the verge of crying once more. Everything that had happened to him since he woke up had been rough on his mental state. He didn't even know who he was or what was going on. The only thing he remembered was the most basic knowledge and words.

"What do you mean you don't know your own name? Are you an idiot hargahaaha? This kid is hilarious!" the man named John laughed out again.

"Shut it John. Your the only idiot here." Dorothy responded.

"That's very true." Tom laughed at John who now looked irritated and glared at Tom.

"So do you care to explain why you don't know your own name and how your even down here in the first place?" She asked a bit more seriously.

"…I thought you would know. I can't remember anything after I woke up here" He said pulling on a loose string from the cloak and wrapping it around his finger.

"Were there any others?! Where did you wake up?! Tell me now." Emily asked with a new interest the last part was said in a more threatening way.

"N-No, I was alone. I woke up in a pool of this red stuff back down there." He responded quickly while pointing down the path he had come from.

The last thing he wanted was to make her angry with him. Though he could tell she wasn't happy with his answer.

Dorothy looked at him confused trying to see if he was telling the truth. The story he told them thus far didn't make much sense.

"So what should we call you then for now? You need a name. Hhmmm… oh how about Aaron?" She asked after a few seconds of thought.

"…" he didn't respond.

"Do you not like it? Sigh* I always loved that name. I can think of another if y…" Dorothy spoke but was cut off.

"No… I like it. Aaron. My name is Aaron." He said with a small smile and Dorothy smiled back.

'I might not know who I am but at least I have a name now. It might not be real but it will be who I am until I get answers.' he thought feeling better about having an identity.

"Does no one else find him suspicious? Why are you being so friendly to him Dorothy? His story sounds like a load of bullshit to me." Emily said waving a dagger at him and knocking Aaron out of his thoughts.

Dorothy looked annoyed with her but she had to admit Emily had a point. Normally Dorothy would be more cautious and less trusting but there was something about this boy.

"I hate to say it but I agree with Emily we should play it safe and just ditch him" John said.

Aarons head was hurting and he closed his eyes, tired from what he had gone through. In the background he could here the group continue arguing with one another about what to do now.

'They are going to abandoned me here aren't they. I don't think I'm going to make it if they leave me here alone.' He thought on the verge of passing out.

"So it's agreed we will follow him back to where he came from and check out his story. For now he is a part of this group so I expect you to play nice Emily." Dorothy said.

"I did not agr.." Emily tried to reject but was cut off by Tom.

"Quiet…" he whispered seriously while drawing his bow.

Everyone shut their mouths noticing the look on Tom's face. They also withdrew there weapons. Aaron strained to open his eyes.

'Why!?' He thought trying to hear whatever had alarmed the group.

A soft sound was coming from the direction he had come from. The weird thing was that the sound was growing louder.

Then he saw it around the corner came an army of bodies. Some looked human some disfigured and others monstrous. They crashed into the walls but remained unaffected and ran with surprising speed in their direction.

More and more came around the corner and soon he lost count. They were still about 300 feet away but the sounds they were making could still be heard and it was terrifying.

"Skreeeiii!! Arhhhhh!!!" Echoed down the corridor.

"Fucking runnn!!" John yelled

Aaron tried to get to his feet but his legs wouldn't move. He didn't have the strength to get up much less run.

'Am I really going to die before I find out what happened to me?' He thought.

His vision became blurry and he could feel his consciousness slipping. A hand grabbed him by the waist lifting him up.

"Dorothy…" he whispered as she tossed him over her shoulder and began to run.

The creatures were almost on them now only a few feet behind. He could see them much closer now with very pale skin and lifeless eyes.

They snapped their jaws filled with sharp teeth and some moved on all fours. It would be no trouble for any one of them to end his short life.

Dorothy was at the back of the group as she had Aaron on her shoulder slowing her down yet she was still gaining on them.

Just as she passed the doorway that Aaron opened earlier it shut slicing through one of the creatures arms. It fell to the floor thick blood pooling around it.

The group stopped after the door shut and Dorothy looked back astonished. They were back in the large room with 3 doors.

"It's him. The door opened for him and now it closed just as he passed it. It can't be a coincidence. He is the key!" Was the last thing he heard the old man shout before he gave in and lost consciousness.