(Continued on different account) Survive (teen insert in Bird Box)

5

"Hey hey hey." Tom whispered, crouching down and making you look at him. "Nobody's going to die, okay? We will figure something out." He stared at you, "Okay?" You nod a little after a few seconds.

"Maybe there is a way." Greg said, you all look at him, "Maybe we can see better than we thought." Tom stood up and placed a hand on your back as all of you walked closer to Greg. You followed curiously, fear slowly leaving your body.

Malorie hands the gun back to Douglas, "What do you mean?" "Come here." Greg called, walking over to a small touch screen box that had a bunch of buttons on it. You stood next to Malorie as Greg spoke. "We have cameras all around the house transmitting a live feed." He quickly walks away, "Come upstairs. Come on."

Tom looked back at you before heading after Greg, you followed up after Malorie, giving her a confused look. She put her hand up as a signal to wait.

You all followed Greg into what seemed as an office. "Its a digitized signal. It just shows the color temperatures of the objects. Its neutered information. Just colors on a flat screen." Greg tried to reason with Malorie and Lucy.

But Malorie cut him off, "Yeah, but an image can still have power we have no idea how these things can operate." You stood there stiffly, squeezing your hands, looking around the office from your spot by the wall. "But these images are not direct." You furrow your eyebrows, this guy can't be seriously thinking of doing that.

"Listen, we can't look at whatever it is with the naked eye, but maybe we can with a translator." He pleaded, "just pixels and heat." "Maybe it won't show up." Lucy adds, "well, we're not gonna find out until one of us....takes a look."

Almost everyone sighs, You clench your jaw, fear. "Maybe isn't enough." You add, staring at Greg. He looks at you and sadly smiles at you. "(Y/n), we won't know till we try. It will stay maybe until we know." You close your eyes and shake your head, walking over to Cheryl for comfort. Resting your head on her shoulder while she gives you a side hug, rubbing your back.

Greg turns back to everyone, "Sooner or later we're going to have to do something. We don't even know how long we're going to have electricity. You've gotta trust me on this, I really think this is going to work."

"Okay," Tom starts, you raise your head quickly, "Okay." Your face changes to slight horror. "Maybe if it does we could use the technology for supply runs or—" "Exactly!" "Tom.."

__________

"That's not too tight eh?" "I hope you know what you're doing." Douglas says walking forward. You watch the older man from your spot by the window behind Greg. "Listen.....you and your husband...you're good people. You know it wasn't...it wasn't that." You smile a little at his words. "Thank you, Douglas." Greg says in a slightly cheery voice.

"...You don't have to do this." Malorie says, arms crossed over her chest. Greg smiles up at her, "I know. Don't worry." "....Greg?" You said softly, his head turned to you. You looked at your feet, "I just wanted to say...." you wiped tears away and looked up at him. "Just...thank you. You saved my life and..." he smiled up at you, "No need to thank me, (y/n). You are a wonderful girl and I know you will survive all of this."

You let out a sob before hugging him. Before letting go you squeezed him and kissed his head. Your feet while walking away felt heavy, not wanting to leave the room. But Malorie led you out as you dried your tears.

You wiped the last of your tears as you walked off the last step. You looked back up the stairs before walking down the hall.

The house was quiet, very quiet. Everyone on edge. You kept glancing at the stairs, as if Greg was going to be waking down them with a smile. Cheryl rubbed your arm, "It'll be okay sweetie." You look at her with a scared look, "How are you so sure?" You ask in a quiet voice.

She comes closer to you and puts an arm around your shoulders, "Well, Greg is a smart man. He would know if it was a bad idea." You smile sadly at her and rest you head on the woman's shoulder as she rubbed your arm.

You stayed there in silence till you heard the thumping. You knew you weren't crazy since everyone else also looked up. Then there was another set of thumping. You started jogging to the stairs, you head raised at the sounds.

More thudding, almost as if they were urgent. Tom raced passed you along with Malorie and Douglas. You ran up with them. "Greg?!" You yelled while running. "Greg! Greg can we come in?" Malorie yelled, "what's going on!" "Greg!" "Greg are you okay!"

Malorie opened the door just as the table crashed to the ground. Everything going everywhere, including the computer. "Look away!" Tom shielded you with his body as you turned away. Squeezing your eyes shut and covering them with your hands.

"Cover your eyes!" You could hear people bounding in, "Cover your eyes! Find the monitor." You kept your back turned and you felt Toms presence leave.

"Greg." Malorie called, next Tom, "Greg." "Greg are you okay?" You asked from your place crouched down by the wall, back facing everything. Lucy then called, her voice cracking, "I've got it here!"

Then with a few sounds of a foot stomping on the monitor, Tom yelled, "Okay! Okay! Okay! You can open your eyes. You can see." You slowly uncovered your eyes. Everyone was silent, you could hear Malorie's sobs. You slowly uncovered your eyes, silently waiting for Toms go ahead. Tom called. "(Y/n)? (Y/n)! Cover your eyes! Close them!"

You immediately covered your eyes with your hands again, still facing the wall in a crouched position. You felt your blood run cold and your breath leave you. You vaguely hear Tom say, "Get her out of here!" You felt someone grip you under your armpits and hoisted you up. They guided you out of the room, you not even daring to uncover your eyes. You tried to get a handle of your slowly increasing hyperventilating.

Nobody had to tell you what happened.

You knew

"I fucking told him that it was a mistake."