Permafrost [COMPLETED]

Carrie

I step into the cold basement and look around.

I notice the smell first, a damp, dark musty smell that only belongs in a basement.

I cover my nose and step farther in.

I notice the giant cupboard, second.

The name Mason Morris carved into the wood.

The cold cement floor against my bare feet suddenly gives me goosebumps and I rub my arms out of habit.

Besides the cupboard, a small coffee table and an old couch also occupy the small space.

Riley appears beside me and I look wearily at her.

Along with the old rickety fan blowing on one speed, theres a single light bulb hanging by a string.

I step onto the old rug and I hope that it's at least clean.

In the middle of the room stands Levi and Marcus, both smiling like idiots and motioning us in as if we've just stepped into a secret room.

I notice another blonde boy come out of the small conjoined bathroom and he smiles at me. Okay, us but he totally looked at me first.

Griffin comes down with his friend Luke, this girl Lori and another curly haired boy.

Lori rushes over to the blonde one and they whisper for a second, him reassuring her that he's okay.

My stomach twists into pretzels when he kisses her cheek.

I see Luke staring at them, his grip tightening on a paper bag.

He catches me staring and his gaze softens as he smiles.

Levi clears his throat and looks around at everyone.

"Wait." He says suddenly. "Where's Lena?"

My eyebrows furrow as the curly haired boy speaks up.

"She went to talk to her dad but he grabbed her and threw her in his truck." He wipes his hands on his pants and takes a deep breath.

"She has my sister." Luke's voice is shaky as he clenches and unclenches his jaw, his knuckles turning white against the bag he's holding.

"No, Katie does." The boy replies, his voice small and tiny against Luke's.

"Who?"

"My friend Katie. She's friends with Lena. We were waiting for her when we saw Bradley take her."

"Where are they now, Noah?" The blonde boy asks, Lori hanging onto his arm.

Noah takes a shaky breath.

"Katie went after her. She told me to come with you guys." 

Levi grabs his keys and looks at Marcus. Marcus nods and starts to follow him.

"You coming, Cade?" Levi asks and he nods, pulling out of Lori's grip.

"I'll come too." I'm surprised to hear my brothers voice but nonetheless, Griffin follows them up the dark cement stairs, disappearing into the blackness.

We stand around in silence for what seems like days until we hear footsteps coming back down into the basement.

Griffin, Marcus, and Cade come rushing down but not Levi.

A second later, A blonde girl with short hair stumbles in, followed by a small girl in a pretty dress.

"Kaitlyn!" Luke screams, grabbing a hold of the girl and lifting her into the air, his long arms wrapping around her torso, feet dangling off the ground.

They exchange whispered words while Noah hugs who I assume is Katie.

"Where's Levi?" Luke asks after he sets Kaitlyn down and Marcus breaks into a small closet.

"He stayed at Lena's house. She's locked in her room on the third story. We came back to get a ladder."

After about ten minutes, they get the ladder out and rest it on it's side, putting back all the other stuff they took out to get to it.

"You guys can't leave." Luke says suddenly and we all stare at him.

"Why not?" Marcus says coming up to the small window to peer out where Luke stands.

"The Reepers are back."

"Shit, they could have followed us here." Marcus says, stepping down and pulling the string on the lightbulb, plunging us all into darkness.

I realize it's already sundown, the town meeting going way into the afternoon.

I sit down on the squeaky couch and attempt to hide myself even more.

I didn't realize the Reepers were already looking for kids.

The thought makes me stomach twist back into knots.

This whole scenario making my throat tighten.

I don't wanna get put over that wall.

I sit on the couch, knees pulled to my chest for who knows how long.

"The time is 11:02pm." Luke speaks into the silent, dead darkness. "What's going on out there, Marcus?"

"The Reepers are still roaming. I wonder if they're going to take a break." Marcus informs us, adding his own thoughts along the way. After Marcus speaks, everyone falls quiet, most likely listening and waiting.

"Levi should be back by now." Kaitlyn speaks up, talking for the first time since the accident.

"He may never come back, Kat." Luke tells her, placing a hand on her knee. The only two siblings we have left other than Griffin and I.

"Don't think like that." Cade tells Luke, not quite angry but not quite scared, either. "He has to come back."

"Guys." Griffin whispers, peering out the small window. "They're gone."

Everyone lets out sighs of relief and Marcus falls back against the wall.

"For now." Luke says, straightening his legs out. "They'll be back."