Radioactive

"Yeah, I was looking out my window when I heard this sound. Look up into the sky, saw the moon turn to blood."

---

The hotel door creaked open. Taniss bravely peered in, making sure the lobby was empty. "Come on, guys," He said, glancing at the girls over his shoulder. "Stop being such babies, it's not so bad."

Amaryllis' gaze hardened, and she shoved passed him, knocking a few cobwebs out of the doorway. "I'm not scared."

The lobby was almost pitch black, but her gaze soon adjusted. The others followed her as she took quick steps towards the hallway that she was sure would lead to a stairwell.

"You have to be a little bit scared," Taniss said from behind her, making her jump at his close proximity. His warm breath fanned across the back of her neck.

"I'm not. I'm--" Something darted swiftly from behind the main counter, and she let out a scream, tripping backwards into Taniss. His arms wound around her waist to keep her from falling as she clung to him. "WHAT THE--" She broke off, feeling his body shaking with laughter against her. "What?"

"It was a roach!" Taniss croaked, earning a harsh look from her. "Afraid of a little bug?"

Their faces were only inches apart now as his laughter slowed, and he only just seemed to realize this. His laughter slowly faded, his gaze flickering across her face. They could both feel the eyes of Harper and Matt on them, and that was brought Amaryllis to her senses. She cleared her throat, pushing away from him, "Yeah, um," She awkwardly flattened down the front of her sweater, "let's go find somewhere to sleep before Harper cries."

"HEY!"

Taniss watched them shuffle passed, the warmth of her body against his having left, leaving him with an unusual feeling of loss. Matt gave him a brisk pat on the shoulder.

The door to the stairwell was stuck, and Taniss had to rip it open, his gun held at the ready as he lead the girls--and Matt, who lazily took up the rear--up the stairs. The door to the first floor opened up easily. "Okay, you girls can choose a room, and we'll choose one. Stay close, though."

Harper gripped onto Taniss' arm, "um, can't we stay in the same room?"

"No, you're annoying."

"Aren't you afraid we'll run away in the middle of the night? I mean, you did kidnap us."

Taniss rolled his eyes, "I have the car key, you won't get far." He tried to walk into the nearest room, but Harper grabbed his arm.

"PLEASE?!"

"NO!"

Amaryllis stared at Harper in amusement as she stomped her feet like a toddler. "Taniss please."

"Leave me alone."

Harper lunged forward as he tried to open the room door, wrapping her arms around him. "NO! I'M SCARED!" He attempted to shake her off, so she slid down to the floor, wrapping herself around his legs. "I'm not letting go until you promise not to leave us."

Taniss wildly shook his leg, "get off me, fatty!"

"TANISS PLEASE."

"FINE, JUST GET OFF. I CAN'T FEEL MY TOES."

Harper jumped to her feet, hugging him with excitement. He only shoved her off, threw open the door, and walked angrily inside.

Taniss turned to Matt before he could walk in, "here," he fished the keys out of his pocket, "go get food and stuff from the car."

"I'm not a donkey."

"Really? Because you sure do look like an--"

"HEY MATT," Harper yelled from the bathroom, unaware of their argueing. "YOU SHOULD GO GET SOME FOOD FROM THE CAR."

Matt shot a glare at Taniss before yelling back, "YOU DON'T HAVE TO YELL, I'M RIGHT HERE."

"WELL YOU SHOULD BE AT THE CAR GETTING FOOD."

Matt clenched his fists, turned on his heel, and slammed the door behind him.

Harper came scrambling out of the bathroom, "On second thought, Matt--where's Matt?"

"Car." Taniss answered boredly, slumping into the chair beside the bed, since Amaryllis was already spread across it.

"What if a zombie gets him?"

"You told him to go."

"Yeah, but what if--"

"Are you bipolar?"

She folded her arms across her chest, "go help him!"

"He's fine!"

"Tan--"

"He's a big boy, he can take care of himself."

"Taniss--"

"Harper--"

Amaryllis rolled over, propping herself up on one elbow so that she was almost face to face with Taniss. "Go help him so she'll shut up or so help me--"

"FINE." Taniss pushed himself to his feet with a groan resembelling an old man, and stomped from the room, grumbling to himself about how annoying girls to be, which both girls chose to ignore.

As soon as the door shut behind him, Harper climbed up onto the bed, laid down beside Amaryllis, and wiggled her eyebrows at her.

Amaryllis turned over to lay back down, only to come face to face with her best friend. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Harpers gaze flickered towards the door, and then back at her friend.

Understanding dawned on Amaryllis' face, "Don't even. They kidnapped us, Harp! WE HAVE BEEN KIDNAPPED."

"Yeah, but Taniss is totes cute."

"Don't say totes."

"But he's totes--"

"Harper."

"He's cute."

Amaryllis sighed, pulling a pillow over her head. "Too much is going on to worry about boys."

Harper scoffed, "there's always time for boys."

"Not boys that kidnap us. I mean, we don't know them! And as cute as they may be--"

"You admit they're cute?" Harper squealed, grinning.

Before Amaryllis could respond, the door opened, and the boys ambled inside, their arms laden with food.

"That's what i'm talking about!" Harper cried, throwing her arms up into the air as she slid off of the bed.

Matt grabbed her shoulders, giving her a mock sympathetic look. "Listen, Harper, sometimes you get too enthusiastic over things."

She kicked him in the shins, "you don't know me."

Before Matt could retaliate, Amaryllis picked up a bottle of wine. "Really?"

Taniss grinned at her, "thought we could have a litle fun."

"I don't think that's really wise."

"I find it quite wise." Harper said, sliding out of Matts grip, and snatching the bottle from her. They all watched her chug down more than was probably wise before passing it back to Amaryllis. "Come on, loosen up." She told her friend with a grin.

Amaryllis looked worriedly around at all their faces, before sighing. "Someone has to be okay to drive in the morning, though." And with that, she took a few careful sips, much to Harpers delight.

As she passed it on to Taniss, she couldn't help but wonder just what she had gotten herself into. Just a little of a day ago she was sitting at home, and now she was in an empty hotel with two guys she hardly knew. She'd definitely hit rock bottom.