I Need a Hero

- Brenda’s P.O. V. -

It was the next day. Rumor has it Nick hasn’t come back all night. Mr. Knight is ‘freaking out’ because he is ‘afraid’ his nephew had gotten attacked in town. Of course no one believes that is the real reason he’s worried, but no one will say anything different. Already being seven at night there was not much assurance Nick will be back anytime soon. I let out a sigh, leaning my head on Johnny’s shoulder.

“Whatcya thinking Brenda?” Johnny asked me. Everyone else was off in their own conversations. Don’t ask me what about, I couldn’t concentrate long enough to tell you.

“Maybe Nick backed out on us,” I said with a shrug. I can tell you everyone was thinking it, no one just wanted to admit it. Johnny stiffened up, his arm wrapping around my shoulders tighter.

“No, he wouldn’t do that,” Johnny laughed, trying to keep the fear from his tone.

“I know,” I spoke, trying to reassure myself more. I want to hope Nick would back out but he has a life here, as much as he hates it. It’s a life he might not truly be worth giving up.

“Well come on Brenda, it’s time to go inside.” I nodded, letting Johnny help me up from the ground. My fingers enlaced his and we walked into the hospital together. We all climbed onto the elevator, Ron having to be our escort. He took me and Jessica to our room first, me giving Johnny a kiss on the cheek. Ron grunted, slamming the door and locking it behind me.

“He is such a dick,” I muttered, laying on my bed.

“He’s Ron,” Jessica remarked with a shrug. Man was I sleepy. Another therapy session to ‘throw my blood attraction’ again. I closed my eyes willing sleep to take over myself.

- Time Lapse -

“Brenda!” I heard someone hiss and felt someone shaking me awake. I groaned, rubbing the sleep away from my eyes. I opened them to see it was still dark. Probably about two in the morning. The moonlight showed someone next to me. I opened my mouth to scream, but a hand covered my mouth. “It’s me Brenda!”

My eyes adjusted to the dark to see…Jared? I ripped his hand away from my mouth shouting, “Jared?!”

“Shhhh!” Jared hissed, covering my mouth again. He removed it and whispered, “You have to get ready.”

“Ready for what?” I demanded quietly. I saw Jessica behind him, scrambling to pack her backpack. I turned back to Jared with a confused face. “What’s going on here Jared?”

“We’re busting you out of here.”

“You’re what?!” Jared covered my mouth again.

“Would you stop that?” Jared huffed.

“How are we going to do that?” I demanded.

“Get ready and you’ll find out, yeah?” I huffed but followed his orders. Since I was still dressed in my jeans, hoodie, and boots I shaved off two minutes. I shoved as much clothes as I could into one of my duffle bags before standing to my full height again, the balls of my feet hurting from kneeling for so long.

“Let’s go guys.” I turned shocked to see Nick dressed in all black. He motioned for us to follow which we quickly did. We ducked into the stairs to see Will, Jimmy, Johnny, Zacky, Matt, and Brian also in there - all with a backpack each. Nick hurried down the stairs making as little noise as possible.

“Where are we going?” Brian demanded.

“We have to get to the storage room on the first floor. Now shush, all of you,” Nick snapped. He opened the first floor door, looking both ways. He ran off down the hall, the whole group of us following. He knocked on the storage. After a moment it opened and everyone was ushered in.

“Val?” Matt asked. I looked over to see him hugging a woman who was stationed behind the door we just entered. They shared a kiss causing Nick to cough loudly.

“This is a great reunion and all, but we have to go! Matt, Brian, help me out.” Nick stood over a metal door in the floor. They all took a hold of the metal and pulled. The moved it over to show a black hole. Nick took out his flashlight, shining it down. There were steps leading to a dark tunnel. Val, Will, and Jared also produced their own lights.

“Where does this go?” Zacky asked, leaning into the hole.

“Our escape. Now go,” Nick hissed. Val went first with Matt. Following quickly was Zacky, Brian, Jared, Jimmy, Jessica, and Johnny. Just as I was about to head in with Nick, the P.A. system of the hospital kicked in.

“Code red, code red! Seven patients missing! All personal start looking!” We shared a wide eyed look as a buzzing sound began to echo throughout the hospital.

“Go! I’ll try to hold them off,” Nick commanded, pushing me towards the stairs.

“But Nick, you -”

“I’m not important, get out of here!” He then forced me down the stairs, coming back up to shove the metal door back. Johnny grabbed my hand, forcing me to run after the beams of light. After running for two minutes straight we were all breathing heard, hunched over at the end of the tunnel.

“Where do we go from here?” Jimmy asked, banging on the wall we faced. Nothing to move.

“Push up! There’s a trapdoor here,” Val exclaimed, pointing her flashlight upwards. She was right, there was a wooden trapdoor above our heads. Jimmy pushed it open to reveal a wooden roof about five feet above our heads.

“Okay, me and Matt will help everyone up. Let’s go,” Jimmy commanded. First up was Val, then Zacky, Johnny, me, Jessica, Will, Jared, and Brian. Together Brian and Zacky pulled up Matt then Jimmy. Looking around I gasped.

“We’re at that bridge!” As if proving my point, I jutted a finger in the distance where you could see the hospital. It’s outside lights, that I hadn’t known existed, were ablaze. Suddenly a man turned in our general direction, shouting something.

“Fuck! Let’s go!” Jared shouted, running into the forest. We followed as quickly as we could. We ended up at a clearing, a road branching off from it. In the clearing was Jared’s truck, a Bug, and a Buick. Val climbed into the Bug, I’m assuming it was her’s.

“I can fit Matt in here and probably Jessica in back. Jared and Will can fit someone up front, more than likely Brenda, while the rest of you ride in the bed. Lay down and keep quiet. We’re going to go to make it to Carson City, Nevada. They won’t think to look there and I have a sister there. We’ll see you guys there.” We all nodded, climbing into our designated vehicles. Jimmy, Johnny, Zacky, and Brian laid in the bed as I shoved in between Jared and Will.

“Are you sure we’re going to make it?” I asked as Jared floored it out of the forest after Vals’ Bug.

“I know we’re going to make it,” Will said sternly as we got to a highway. Jared visibly let up on the gas, rubbing his eye with the back of his hand.

“Do you want me to drive?” I asked Jared. I wasn’t sure how long they’d been up, but I’d have to guess a long time since it was three in the morning.

“No, I’m fine. Plus if we get pulled over and they don’t realize you’re an escaped patient then they’ll arrest you for not having a license,” Jared chuckled. I nodded, leaning my head back against the seat. I could hear the snoring coming from the four guys in the bed. Next to me I could even fell Will dozing off.

“Hey Jared?”

“Yeah?”

“Thank-you, for all of this.” Jared’s eyes looked at me for a moment before looking back towards the road.

“Well I couldn’t just leave you back there. That place is a hell on Earth.”

“But you didn’t have to do all this. You could go to jail if we get caught.”

“Well we won’t. Beside,” he draped an arm across my shoulders, hugging me tightly. “You’re like my sister, there is no way I could even think of not taking this risk to save you.”

“Thanks.” I kissed his cheek, relaxing onto Will’s slumped body.

“Now sleep. I know you’re tired. I’ll wake you all when we get to St. George.”

“Okay.” I closed my eyes, willing myself into sleep. How could I sleep at a time like this? Well however I managed, I just did ‘cause I was out like a light in moments.