Trapped

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^*Harper’s POV*^
I watched as Parker walked out of the bathroom, and as she opened the door, Jimmy, Johnny, Brian and Zack all fell down, and I just stood there. She isn’t mad at me, but she’s still upset about what I said. That’s understandable I guess, I’ve never been able to control what I say when I get pissed, it’s like my brain just doesn’t want to cooperate. Our relationship is strained, that’s something I never wanted to happen. I didn’t notice as Zack kept asking if I was okay, I was in my own world. She doesn’t blame me, obviously, and it doesn’t sound like she blames herself really, either for what happened between us and the guys. I was nearly scared to death as Zack’s hands suddenly grabbed my shoulders.

“Harp! Are you okay?” I looked up at him with widened eyes.

“Do you realize you’re in the girls’ bathroom?” I asked, and he sighed.

“I’ve been yelling at you for five minutes, and you didn’t say anything, I thought you had gone into some kind of coma or something.” I shook my head and he let his hands fall.

“Sorry, I was in my own world.” I said, and he looked concerningly at me.

“Are you alright?” He asked, and I shook my head, and walked past him.

“I just need some time alone.” I said, and walked out. I found a staircase that lead up to the roof while Parker and I were searching the store when we first got here. I didn’t tell her about it, because I didn’t think we would want to be outside any; hell that’s exactly what we were trying to distance ourselves from at the time; the outside. Now I’m happy I didn’t tell her about it, because I just need to be left alone for a while, and that’s the perfect place. It’s my place. I jogged up the tall staircase, and opened the door, smiling slightly as the cold air hit my face. I walked over and sat on the ledge, not noticing I wasn’t alone.

“The fuck are you doing here?” I jumped at the voice, accidentally sliding backwards. I grabbed a hold of the ledge, trying not to fall into the crowd of zombies below. “Shit!” I heard the same voice, and the gravel crunching under heavy footsteps and then a second later I was nearly at the point of tears as my hands started to slip. Just as I thought I was about to fall, Matt appeared above me, and pulled me up. I sat back on the ledge, panting slightly, and then I realized who had just saved me, and I looked up at Matt. I knew he wanted to ask if I was okay, but he just bit his lip, trying to look angry.

“What are you doing up here?” I asked shakily as I stood up, and he glared.

“This is my place, I found it, I think I should be asking what you are doing up here.” He spat, his tone sounding not quite as snappy as he would have probably liked.

“No, I found this place, and I came up here to get away from everyone.” I said, and he scoffed.

“I think you’ve lost it. I found it first.” Matt said sternly, and I narrowed my eyes and stepped up to him.

“I haven’t lost shit except my respect for you.” I seethed.

“You know what, I never had any respect for you.” He took a step towards me, forcing me to step back.

“Then why did you save me just then?” I asked, and he gritted his teeth, and took another step towards me to where my calves were pressed up against the ledge of the building.

“Because,” He suddenly pushed me down, pressing my back into the concrete as his fists gripped the collar of my shirt. “When you die, I don’t want it to be because I scared you, I want it to be because I killed you with my bare fucking hands.” He growled, and scooted my body back to where I was hanging off the edge by at least a foot.

“Then go ahead and kill me now.” I whispered. What do I have left? I turned my own sister against me, and now I’m asking a guy that used to be my best fucking friend to kill me.

“You don’t know how tempting that is.” He whispered, and I turned my head to the side, seeing how far up we were. “I want to shove you off this roof so bad.” He breathed, and I turned back to him.

“Then just let me go, Matt. If you want me dead so badly, just let me go. I’ll fall, and bring you with me. The guys already think you’ve changed; they know you’ve changed, they don’t like this new Matt, killing their best friend will just be the icing on the cake.” I glared at him, and he pressed my back farther against the rugged concrete, and I felt it scrape against my skin.

“You’ve made me this way, Harper, you and that sister of yours has driven me to the edge.” He muttered, and I grabbed his shirt, pulling him against me abruptly as I let my lips linger near his ear.

“We’re in the same boat, Matthew. My sister hates me, your brothers hate you.” I pushed him back just enough to see his face, just centimeters away from mine. “We’re more alike than we ever thought. So go ahead, push me, and I’ll do everyone a favor, and take you down too. Do it Matt.” I threatened, tightening my grip on his shirt, my knuckles going white against the black fabric. His face softened lightly. “Man up Matt, you know you want to do it.” I said, our eyes locked together. He slowly stood up straight, pulling me with him, his hands still hanging onto my shirt, and mine still on his, we were both still pressed up against each other, as close as we’ll ever be. “Can’t kill me Matt?” I asked, and without another word he let go of my shirt, and I let go of his. He just blankly stared at me for a second before finally breaking our eye contact as he turned and walked off, opening the door to the building and slamming it closed so hard I thought it might fall off the hinges. I hit something in him, I could see it. That’s exactly what the jackass deserves, a stake driven into his soul. There it was again. Anger not allowing me to operate my mind.

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^*Matt’s POV*^
The doorknob rattled as I slammed the door closed. I hesitated for a second, wanting to go back and push her off the roof, but I didn’t. I walked on down the staircase, and out the door. I walked past Johnny, ignoring his words as I walked towards my room. Something wasn’t right in Harper’s head; gears weren’t turning the right way, or something. She hit something in my heart. I wasn’t sure what the annoying little bitch hit, but she hit something, and I don’t like it. I’m not about to let her, or anyone know it though. I don’t give a fuck about her or her rotten sister. They betrayed me, and I’m not about to forgive them. I can’t; I won’t. I should have shoved her off the roof when I had the chance. She’s right though, Parker isn’t on her side right now, and Johnny, Brian, Zacky and Jimmy aren’t on mine. In a way, she’s right, we are floating in the same boat, down the same shitty creek without paddles, away from the ones we love, and care about. I hate thinking that; but it’s true. I unlocked the wheels on another isle as I arrived at my room. I slid it in front of the entrance, and locked the wheels back, just before I broke off the little lever, locking myself in. I don’t want to see any of the guys, Parker, or her annoying bitchy little sister ever again. I don’t want to see the world, I just wish it would all go away and everything would return to normal. I wish this was all just a fucking nightmare that I would wake up from any minute. I crawled under my bed, back into the dark corner and curled up. Maybe, just maybe if I’m fucking lucky enough, I’ll start to rot, and decompose into oblivion.

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^*Harper’s POV*^
I sat up on the roof for the rest of the day, until night fell. I knew the other’s weren’t worrying about me, Parker’s probably happy she hasn’t seen me all day. I got up from the concrete ledge, and walked over to the door. I twisted the knob, but the door wouldn’t open. I gave it a good shove, but it still didn’t budge. I kept furiously pushing on the door, and trying to get it to open, but it wouldn’t. I banged my fist on the door.

“Ma-” I stopped suddenly as I realized who I was about to scream for. “Hello!? Can anyone hear me?!” I yelled, hoping my voice would seep down the long staircase and to someone’s ears. “HEY! I’M STUCK ON THE FUCKING ROOF! PARKER?! ZACK!?” I realized that I was locked onto the roof. “ANYONE?!” I yelled, and continued banging on the old wooden door until I felt splinters start shoving into my hands, but I didn’t stop, my fists left droplets of blood with each hit. I screamed until my voice went hoarse, and I couldn’t yell any more. I slid down to my knees, and leaned back against the door, my throat sore. I heard the groans down below, and a scary thought crossed my mind. Can those things scale buildings?

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^*Zack’s POV*^
I woke up the next morning, and once I was up and out of my room, I walked down to Harper’s room to see if she was alright. She seemed really upset yesterday. I looked into her room, but she wasn’t there. I immediately got worried. I started searching, I looked through all of the isles, ignoring everyone around me as I tried to find her.

“Hey Brian, have you seen Harper?” I stopped Brian as he walked past me in the frozen food section.

“No man, I’ve been trying to get Johnny to stop bugging me about that damn roach for the past hour. Why?” Brian asked, and I got a little more worried.

“I haven’t seen her since the meeting. I’m kind of starting to get worried. I checked everywhere, all the isles, all departments, most of the bathrooms.” I said, and Brian smiled.

“Wait, did you go in the girls’ bathroom again? Zack, is there something you need to say? Because I can get everyone back in the conference room, and you can pour out your feelings. I know I’m fucking hard to resist.” Brian said, but I didn’t laugh, and then he got serious. “You’ve checked everywhere?” He asked, and I nodded.

“I can’t find her, and you heard what Parker said to her in the bathroom yesterday, and when I went in there she was fucked. You don’t think she did something stupid, do you?” I asked, and he shook his head.

“The doors are boarded up, there’s absolutely no way out of the building, she couldn’t have gone farther than the rooms.” He said, and I nodded.

“You go see if Parker’s seen her, I’ll go make sure Matt hasn’t killed her.” I said, and Brian’s face suddenly got worried too, and he darted off, and I walked back towards the rooms, and when I got to where Matt’s was, I found an isle had been dragged in front of the entrance. I tried to move it, but the wheels were locked. I bent down to unlock them, and I realized the little lever had been broken off. “Uh, M-Matt?” I asked loudly, hoping he would hear me. I didn’t get an answer. I tried to move the isle out of the way again, and got it moved a foot, enough for me to look into his room, but I didn’t see him in there. Something wasn’t right. I could feel it. Something bad has happened.

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^*Matt’s POV*^
I heard Zack calling for me, but I didn’t move from under my bed. I wasn’t sure what was wrong with me, but I didn’t want to see anyone, or do anything, I felt kind of shitty. Maybe that’s why I haven’t moved an inch in hours.

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^*Harper’s POV*^
I layed at the foot of the door in the gravel on the roof, subconsciously banging my bleeding fist against the door, in the weakest attempt to get someone to notice that I was fucking frying in the sun. The air was cool, but laying directly under the sun was harsh. I eventually gave up on the door, and moved around the back of the rectangle doorway sticking up out of the roof in a desperate attempt to get in the shade. I’d rather freeze than fry. Someone had to be worried by now, right? No, probably not. They’re moving on with their lives the best they can, and I’m going to fucking die up here on the roof. I never thought I’d think this, but I’d even be happy to see Matt’s face right now. Now that I think of it…Matt was kind of upset yesterday when he walked out. I wonder what I did to him... Oh, wait, I taunted him to kill me, and then told him that if he pushed me off the roof, I bring him down with me. Yea, that’s exactly what I did. Wait…shit, what is this? Was I…was I feeling bad about hurting that fuck wad? I don’t think I’ve seen his face like that before. His eyes gave away the fact that he was slightly humbled. No, the fuck was I thinking, Matt humbled? Not in this lifetime. For a second, he seemed like the Matthew Sanders I knew in high school. The old Matt. But when I think back to all he’s done to me these past few days, I can’t help but hate him. He’s hit me, and beat me up, but I can’t say that I haven’t done the same to him. I’ve hit him and beat him too. We really are floating in the same boat, down shit creek, without a paddle, and I can already hear the rushing water of a waterfall.