Crimson

-Chapter 16-

3 months and 2 days ago....

Sherri Pov

"Nick, let go of me! We can't leave them behind!" I yelled while scratching and trying to get my arm free. I was currently being dragged out of the facility but Ozz and Lucia were both being pummeled by guards. I saw Ozz last before I was forced out.

"We need to take care of ourselves! We'll come back for them later!" Nick let go of my hand, flinging it to the side. I wiped the blood out from under my nose and pushed my hair behind my ears.

"At least let me find out where we are." I continued to walk farther into the trees.

"Do as you please." Nick snapped at me. Nick and I didn't get along very well, but we cooperated for survival. Lucia doesn't know that of course. I began to pick up rocks and look into logs poking around.

"What are you doing?" Nick asked.

"Looking for animals, you could at least be helpful, you know." I retorted.

Nick sighed and began to move bigger trees out of the way that had fallen down. His malfunction was definitely helpful.

I looked over my shoulder and saw that he was distracted. Should I go back? Can I leave him here alone? What if Zoro finds him? What if an animal kills him? I argued with myself until I had a solid plan. There was no way in hell that I was going to leave my friends in that place while I was free. I sprinted back toward the facility. I knew for a fact it was still nearby. The leaves were loud, but the trees that Nick was moving were louder. I flung open the door, my ears roaring. The hallway was covered in blood, and the corpses of the guards, Iago and Mika were still on the floor. I choked back a sob and continued down the hallway following the trail of blood I believed to be from Lucia's hands.

I heard thrashing and screaming down the hallway, It sounded like Ozz. I ran towards the sound, tears flowing from my eyes. The blood trail ended at a large metal door. Ozz was screaming and pounding on it. I could hear him. I looked around trying to find something I could use to get the door open, or something to let him know I was here.

"She's over there." Nick's voice rang through the hallway. I jumped and turned around to see... Nick? Except he was standing beside a man with a large feather boa and gold rimmed sunglasses. 3 guards stood behind them.

"Nick! Behind you! Look out!" I yelled and launched towards the guards, only to be caught by a vine yanking my ankle back. I yelped as my skull crashed against the wall. Nick walked over to me with a sick smile on his face. The guards followed close behind him.

"Well aren't you just a sight!" The man with the boa crouched beside me. Holding up my chin with his gloved hand. I yanked back.

"My my! You're feisty! Just like the red-head" The man in the boa cooed at me. Nick's vines slowly wrapped around my body, restraining me in place. I looked up in a fury.

"I-I can't believe you would do this!" I thrashed and attempted to claw my way free from the vines like I had always used too before, except these were stronger. I watched as Nick laughed and sat down beside me.

"It's a long story~ but I'll tell you! If you behave.." Nick's voice was sickly sweet, the kind of tone that made me want to throw up. I clenched my teeth and nodded, stopping my pointless thrashing. Nick then waved his hand in my general direction and the vines pulled me down the hallway into a carpeted room. The walls had pale yellow wallpaper, and the carpet was a greasy color of grey. I pushed myself into a corner and tried to find any cracks in the wall or trying to find a bug.

"Oh yeah, I wouldn't waste my time on that. You see, the best part of living with you for a couple years is that I know all of your escape tricks! Now of course Lucien isn't happy that I helped you guys build a camera but I had to stay undercover." Nick walked in and shut the door behind him.