Road to Hell
Shauna
Even on my hands and knees, scrabbling to look for the key to our escape, I couldn't help but think about Murphy. I didn't trust or like him and I certainly didn't like the way he was hovering over my sister, making sure she was okay. Looking after her was my job.
My thoughts were yanked back to the present as a loud screech of metal on metal filled the room. I turned to the door that we had barricaded and flinched as the tip of some sort of sword or other weapon pierced through. I froze in fear, unable to think about anything except the growing possibility of death coming to us soon.
"Shauna!" Murphy grabbed me by the shoulders, crouching down in front of me so I couldn't see the door- just his face. "Shauna, don't freak out. Your sister needs you, she needs us to keep it together. We have to get out of here."
I looked at him, focusing on the harsh stubble on his face. He seemed like he really did want to help protect Sherry, so I nodded, still not trusting myself to speak yet. Murphy helped me to my feet and we continued ripping apart the room trying to find the key. The creature on the other side of the door kept stabbing the metal, piercing several holes that were growing at an alarming rate. Soon he'd be able to fit through.
Choking back my panic I yanked a drawer open, shifting through the paperwork until I felt something heavy between the sheets. I pulled the drawer out completely and tipped it upside down, losing my patience. Papers and folders fluttered around my feet and a small brass key landed in between it all. Murphy snatched it up before I could move and ran toward the door, Sherry and I following close behind. Thankfully the key was the right one and we flung ourselves through the door, slamming it behind us and running.
"Wait, where are we?" I stumbled to a stop, looking around in confusion. When I looked back, the door and the building were gone and all I could see was trees. "How... We were in there a minute ago, now we're in a forest? That doesn't make sense!"
I screamed the last words, shocking myself with how loud they were, directing my anger at Murphy as if it was his fault. Maybe it was. He seemed to know what was going on, so maybe he had something to do with it.
"Tell us what's going on!" I grabbed him by the collar, shoving him against a tree. He offered no resistance, though Sherry cried out to stop me. I ignored her, glaring at Murphy instead. "You know exactly what's happening and you're gonna tell us or so help me god I'll rip your balls off and shove them down your throat. So start talking asshole."
He blinked at me, as if shocked. I didn't totally blame him. People expected me to be this soft little thing that only cared about being pretty. But I'd spent too long putting up with misogynistic assholes and I knew how to deal with him. I glared at Murphy, my gaze not wavering and he dropped his eyes, sighing in defeat.
"Fine. I'll tell you all I know," he looked back up at me and his eyes seemed dull and dead. "But it's not going to help."
My thoughts were yanked back to the present as a loud screech of metal on metal filled the room. I turned to the door that we had barricaded and flinched as the tip of some sort of sword or other weapon pierced through. I froze in fear, unable to think about anything except the growing possibility of death coming to us soon.
"Shauna!" Murphy grabbed me by the shoulders, crouching down in front of me so I couldn't see the door- just his face. "Shauna, don't freak out. Your sister needs you, she needs us to keep it together. We have to get out of here."
I looked at him, focusing on the harsh stubble on his face. He seemed like he really did want to help protect Sherry, so I nodded, still not trusting myself to speak yet. Murphy helped me to my feet and we continued ripping apart the room trying to find the key. The creature on the other side of the door kept stabbing the metal, piercing several holes that were growing at an alarming rate. Soon he'd be able to fit through.
Choking back my panic I yanked a drawer open, shifting through the paperwork until I felt something heavy between the sheets. I pulled the drawer out completely and tipped it upside down, losing my patience. Papers and folders fluttered around my feet and a small brass key landed in between it all. Murphy snatched it up before I could move and ran toward the door, Sherry and I following close behind. Thankfully the key was the right one and we flung ourselves through the door, slamming it behind us and running.
"Wait, where are we?" I stumbled to a stop, looking around in confusion. When I looked back, the door and the building were gone and all I could see was trees. "How... We were in there a minute ago, now we're in a forest? That doesn't make sense!"
I screamed the last words, shocking myself with how loud they were, directing my anger at Murphy as if it was his fault. Maybe it was. He seemed to know what was going on, so maybe he had something to do with it.
"Tell us what's going on!" I grabbed him by the collar, shoving him against a tree. He offered no resistance, though Sherry cried out to stop me. I ignored her, glaring at Murphy instead. "You know exactly what's happening and you're gonna tell us or so help me god I'll rip your balls off and shove them down your throat. So start talking asshole."
He blinked at me, as if shocked. I didn't totally blame him. People expected me to be this soft little thing that only cared about being pretty. But I'd spent too long putting up with misogynistic assholes and I knew how to deal with him. I glared at Murphy, my gaze not wavering and he dropped his eyes, sighing in defeat.
"Fine. I'll tell you all I know," he looked back up at me and his eyes seemed dull and dead. "But it's not going to help."