The Dead and the Restless (Completed with undergoing editing)

Chapter Thirty-Four

My eyes flashed open as I felt fingers grab onto my arm and tug harshly, shaking me awake. I pulled away and my hand flew to my knife under my pillow. Grasping the base of it, I turned and held it up to my awakener's throat.

In the darkness, I could barely see who it was. But it didn't matter, because all it took was a smile to see her white teeth to know exactly who it was.

And once I knew, I didn't pull back the knife.

"Abbey," I breathed, straining my eyes to see her face. "What do you want?"

Abbey was silent for a few seconds, but then she spoke. It was so soft I couldn't even hear it. I had to readjust myself to move closer to her.

"They're gonna get her," she breathed, the cool whisper of her breath scratching my cheek. Her words sent an eerie chill down my spine. I still held the knife to her throat, but now I backed up.

"Who?" I asked. "Who's going to get who? Who are they?"

Abbey just kept whispering the same thing over and over again, and that's when I realized that trying to get answers from her would be a lost cause. I pulled my knife back and got up, my muscles burning. Getting up in the middle of the last night before I'd have to go back out into the outside world is probably not the best idea, but I knew that it would be best to check out what Abbey was saying.

Abbey got up as my eyes flickered to Craig's restless body. I felt bad for leaving him, but I wasn't about to wake him up to go on a wild goose chase especially with Abbey's antics. Craig just wasn't stable enough right now, and with all the days he missed, he at least deserved as good of a night's sleep that he could get.

I wrapped my hand around the sheath that held my machete and wrapped it around my hips, securing it. As soon as I was done, Abbey grabbed my hand and led me blindly. Usually we all had flashlights or some sort of light to guide us, but all of that stuff was packed away. The only light that we had out for use was at whoever was standing guard at the doors, which was Darlene.

As soon as I thought of her, the same pit that grew in my stomach as her and I spoke earlier formed once again. As the pieces began to fit together, I stopped, my hand tugging Abbey backward.

"Are they trying to get Darlene?" I asked her in a hushed whisper.

Abbey paused, and then I saw her yellowish teeth glow as they curved into a smile.

"Its part of the game," she said in a sing-song voice, pulling my hand forward. "Come along. Or else you'll be too late."

My grasp tightened around the hilt of my hunting knife that I had trained to Abbey's throat earlier as I strained to see where she was taking me. It was odd, for I could have sworn she was taking me toward the doors that led to the hallway which ultimately led to outside.

After a few seconds and nearly tripping several times, I found that I was right. Except there was one issue; Darlene was gone.

"Where is she?" I asked Abbey, gripping onto her wrist. She let out a cold cackle.

"I told you," she said. "Too late now."

My grasp tightened even harder, my knuckles probably white from the pressure. She yelped out in pain, but I didn't care. I pulled her toward me and shoved her against the door, training the knife

"Okay," I said through clenched teeth. "I'm done with your cryptic bullshit. Where is Darlene? And who was after her?"

She didn't do anything, she just smiled. I slammed her on the wall again, and that's when I heard a familiar voice tickle the back of my neck.