Locked Away [10k Z Nation]

28

We were approaching the building when I realized two things.

One- that this was indeed the right building.

Two- I was unarmed, and one glance at Murphy told me he was too.

I grabbed a small plank of wood from a pile by the door, fire wood by the looks of it.

"Are you ready?" I asked Murphy as I pressed a hand to the front door. He nodded his head, seemingly more annoyed than nervous.

I took in a shaky breath, and twisted the knob. It remained stubbornly shut. Crap, someone had replaced the door since 10k and I had been here.

"Oh, move over." Murphy shoved me aside and reached in his pockets, searching for what I hoped was a loose bobby pin or paperclip.

He pulled out a small cotton swab, and began to unravel the end. I looked on in amazement, but by the time he was done, it was just a plain white stick.

"You own me one ear cleaner." he said as he knelt down to pic the lock

Why was he so interested in keeping his ears clean but not, you know- the rest of his body?

While he was picking the lock I stood by idly and watched for any people that might stumble across us. I swung the wooden plank around, trying to gauge the best way this could be used as a weapon. I didn't think they're would be any zombies in here, but thats not what I was worried about right now.

"Got it." Murphy stood up, and I felt my heart skip a beat. It was now or never. I gipped my plank tighter in my hand and stepped inside.

It was exactly how I remembered it, dingy and unkept. Te only difference was that a tired Stephen stood in the hallway, blocking Murphy and I from the door that led to the underground bedroom. I didn't even have time to be surprised, or scared frankly. I just needed to get to my friends.

"We have to stop meeting like this." He smiled

"How cliche of you." I rolled my eyes in hatred, "Get away from the door." I told him, although I already suspected what his answer would be.

"I'm afraid I can't do that, not even for you." I smiled again, but his voice held a mock sadness.

"Too bad." I sighed, then lunged towards the door. My desperation had made me not only brave, but apparently very stupid. Stephen grabbed me off of the door handle and swung me into the side of the wall, knocking over a small, faded painting that was hanging. It cracked as it hit the floor, and my back appeared to have made an indention in the hastily structured wall. So much for a stealthy entrance.

"What are you doing here?" I accused, holding my bruised arm.

"That's for me to know, and you never to find out." His hands moved to my neck, pinning me to the wall. My legs shot out, searching for his crotch, anything that could hurt him, to help me get away. My hands swung around, trying to hit him, but he was standing too far away for either of those things to do very much.

"Murphy- help..." I gasped, the world was slipping away. I was never going to save my friends... or 10k. For all I knew they could already be dead, and I'll have died for nothing. The pain was ebbing away, my brain was too tired, or didn't have enough air... My head lolled to the side, and then the hands were gone.

I fell to the ground, gasping in greedy mouthfuls of the stale air. My head pounded and I looked up. Stephen was still standing upright, nobody was fighting. But the tension in the room had disappeared.

"Murphy?" I chocked

Grimy hands pulled me to my feet, but my legs wobbled, they couldn't hold me. The hands caught me again, and held me up.