Don't Talk To Strangers | BOOK 1

fourty three

Elle McBriar
August 5th, 5 months and 25 days since the last zombie report

And we were falling.

I remember feeling the numbness as I told myself I gave up.
I sat on the floor of the elevator, awaiting my death as every few minutes the cable wire tugged a little bit more and became unraveled.

I remember hearing my screams mixed with Alex's as the elevator flew down, a loud deafening crash surrounding us both until I didn't hear anything.

I didn't hear Alex, I didn't hear the elevator, I didn't hear me. 

But I woke up, buried under piles and piles of ruble. My back, legs and arms felt broken as I shifted them under the fire hazard parts of the elevator. I felt my skin tear along with the shallow breathing in my chest as I carefully tried to move myself.

My screams and cries is all I heard as I pulled the ruble off Alex. He was breathing, I knew that. His eyes suddenly opened as he sat up, bloodied arms and scars littered his skin, as did mine.

"No one should survive what we just survived Elle and now we have to get out of here!" Alex said as we helped each other stand up. There was dust layered on our clothes as pieces of tile was in our hair. I felt... numb.

The sharp stabbing pain in my chest didn't bother me, neither did the fact that we were trapped at the bottom of an elevator shaft with no way out. Our only way was up and that chance just collapsed on us.

My whole entire body ached. My toes, my nose, my stomach. We had been crushed by a stone and metal elevator. The glass shards from the mirror cutting my skin and clothes.

I opened the only door that I could see, well, I tried. It was locked, "Son of a goddamn fucking bitch! Open you cu-" I kicked the door, and stopped myself mid sentence as it surprisingly opened. The door clanged and hit the wall behind it, but opened nonetheless.

"What is this place?" I asked Alex as we looked around, "It looks like an office." Alex stated.

It wasn't a big room, maybe the size of high school classroom. 

We were leaving droplets of blood as it seeped from random parts of the body. That didn't bother me. I simply don't care anymore.

A wooden desk sat right in the middle, scattered with open books, torn paper and pens. The walls were covered in maps, science experiments and mathematical equations. "Was this guy a scientist of a philosopher." Alex joked, poking a globe. 

"He was both." 
"How was he both?"
"Because he studied the law of science. And studied the world to find out where to plant zombies, i-it's genius." I whispered, "I know we just fell 50 feet in an elevator shaft, but please don't tell me you're complimenting this guy, Elle." Alex scoffed.

"I'm not Alex I'm just- his work is brilliant. We knew after that first attack and kidnapping that this wasn't the end. And we all had a hunch that this was man made and we were right." 

I was speechless, "Props to him for making it happen." I scoffed, "Are you okay Elle?" Alex said.

"No Alex, I'm not! In case you haven't noticed, we're stuck down here. We just feel 50 fucking in a broken elevator that then crushed us! You're right, we should've died. And I am so sick of going through all this pain without actually... dying."

It felt good to admit it.

"What are you talking about?" He asked, "Nothing. I just don't know how we're not dead yet, that's all." I chuckled dryly, kicking my feet on the ground.

My converse scuffed the ground as I kept looking around this office, "I mean the guys will know we're missing soon enough right? I-I mean they'll come looking for us, right?" Alex said hopefully, "We can only hope, Alex."

Suddenly, the most ear-screeching alarm went of, causing me to throw my hands against my ears, "WHAT IS THAT?" I screamed, Alex mouthed 'I don't know.'

"Fire in the main break room. Please follow the lighted exit to your nearest fire escape."
"Fire in the main break room. Please follow the lighted exit to your nearest fire escape."

The robot lady voice repeated this a dozen times before the lights went off. I was freaked out as I reached for Alex. He grabbed me, pulling me to his side, "We need to find a goddamn fire escape, Alex." I panicked, a faint dotted line pointing towards a door had me confused, "This door? Isn't it just a storage room?"

It had a storage label on it. Automatically, the door opened and I stepped back, seeing the darkest of black I'd ever seen. No light, no sun, no cracks, nothing.

"Alex, we're on the first floor. And we need to get to the 18th floor." 
"You're saying we need to climb 18 of those scary looking stairs in the dark to, not die?" He screamed, "I'd rather take my chances down here."

I grabbed his arm and yanked him through the door, it closed behind us sending a chill down my back, it was officially dark. But the scary thing was, there was no sound either. As we got further and further away, climbing each step carefully, the sound of the alarm got quieter until we could no longer hear it.

The only sound being our shoes against the linoleum stairs.

"If we make it out of here..." Alex started, "What are we supposed to do?" I stayed quiet, "I mean, we packed up our home in New York. We'll have to find a whole new place to live a-and settle in I mean, it seems a little extreme." 

I laughed a little, "Well Alex. When, we make it out of here, we'll make sure to find the nicest and most stylish home in Los Angeles. Preferably with a pool and spa? Oh, maybe a celebrities house." I giggled, "And I can install the solar panels again so we can hook this up." I could hear the enjoyment in his voice, "I like the sound of that."

We talked to pass the time, although it seemed like we were never going to reach the top.

But we did reach the top. A lot quicker than I thought. I pushed on the door, surprised to find that it was unlocked. I shove it open, screaming at the sight of a fire. So this is the main break room. Makes sense.

Everything was on fire. The tubes, the walls, the roof. Everything. We were standing on fire as we ran. Sweat multiplied on my forehead as it began to get hotter and hotter.

Alex and I ran through it, covering our mouths and noses with our sleeves. I coughed, inhaling the smoke accidentally as the fire burned my eyes. Alex held my hand, pulling me behind him as we made a bee-line for the door we came in from.

We were met with the hallway we broke into. 

I fell to the ground along with Alex as we coughed, feeling a cold wet substance dripping on me. As I looked up, I realised it was the sprinklers. It cleared out my red eyes as I rubbed them harshly, wheezing as the smoke disappeared from my system. 

It began to pour down, buckets and buckets of water drained through the system, putting most of the fire out. The smoke seeped under the crack in the door filling up the tiny hallway. I raised to my feet.

"We need to leave. Get to the cars, n-now." I stuttered, feeling my throat close up.

* * * 

heyy

this chapter was so intense to write you have no idea.

i tried to go as much in depth as i possibly could so i hope its enough. 
happy reading :)