Still Alive

em with his arms outstretched. There was a low click. The metallic door finally got unlocked. Melissa yanked i

relocked the do

as so close,"

s, trying to catch their breath. Melissa reached into the bag a

ed brick walls. Old bicycles, some planks, cartons of old books and newspapers, some luggage, coolers, and a worn-out Chr

py in here," E

awful!" sh

d to open into a hidden passageway that would lead them somewhere. Melissa w

are you?" she whispere

ll bulge in the wall. She put pressure on it and there was a creaki

her back. Emily followed quietly. They got through the narrow opening and found themselves in an

or about fifteen minutes till they arrived at a vent. Melissa

darkness. The girls crawled out of the tunnel. They were in the woods, amidst the tallest and densest trees they had ever seen. The moon shone brilliantly making the surroundings visible. Grasses, weeds, twigs, and fallen l

eautiful," Em

n enchanting sight to take in," Melissa responded dryly, as she

ssa smiled to herself as she pondered on Emily's ramblings. Emily was quite the artist. She had been in several competitions

ver there," Emily cut

s in the direction of E

y came to a tarred road. They walked steadily on the concrete sidewalk. Mel

What if we're the only ones

sible?" Melissa retur

that looked like a cottage. It was a dilapidated building. The woods had been eaten by termites and were already falling off. Part of the roof had been blown away. The front

r flashlights around the cot

? Should we go in?

ts on, I doubt if anyone li

ied to per

eet hurt. I'm sure you

eement, Emily's

ily was, if not more. But she had taken too many classes in their school's socio-emotional club to not know how to conceal her fear. Fear, they had been taught, is

n as they trod lightl

sword fight. As they walked through the hallways, they saw more broken windows, and pieces of glass on the floor. On the left was a large space that must have once been the living room. Everything in there looked old and had thick layers of dust that could take the entire manpower and machine of a large cleaning company

rdly had they got to the middle of the room then they noticed a figure bent over on the floor in fr

at the realisation that they

APTER

r enc