Survival: Part 2

Cavern

I stayed in the gym after the last work out of the day. It didn’t feel tired, so I made up a work-out of my own. Hitting the bag, I kept thinking about Alexander or Alex as he wanted me to call him. He was really nice and his body was gorgeous. I could tell he worked out, maybe even for a career. Trying to get out of my head, I hit the bag harder.

                “Wow. What did that bag to do you?” I hear a voice laugh from the doorway. I brush my hair out of my eyes as I look up; it was Alex. He was wearing a white tank top with black work-out shorts and was carrying a black sweatshirt. The tank top accentuated his bulging muscles. I stood up straight and pulled up my glove up; it slipped down a little while I was working out. I laughed and smiled at him; he really was cute.

                “Do you mind if I join you?” he asked walking towards me.

                “Sure. Why not? I’d like the company,” I said getting back into my stance. I punched the bag a few more times and felt him watching me. I looked up, not getting out of position.

                “I can teach you something that will really give you a good work-out,” he says smirking, “Are you up for it?” I smile back.

                “Of course I am. I don’t know if it’ll be that hard though,” I say laughing a little. He motioned for me to sit on the ground. I sat Indian style, waiting for his instructions.  A clap of thunder and a flash of lightning light up the dimly lit gym.

                “We’ll have to stretch you out first,” He said getting on the mat with me. I smile; I think I might know where he’s going with this.

                “Are you flirting with me?” I say lying back on the mat.

                “Me?! Why would I do that?” Alex says sarcastically. I laugh as he kneels in front of me.

                “Lift your leg up,” he says grabbing hold of my ankle. He pushes on my leg, stretching out my upper thigh. We end up inches away from each other. I smile into his calm face. He smiles back at me with a look in his eyes that I couldn’t quite figure out. He gets closer, and I figured out that he was going to kiss me. I lean up a little to meet his lips. A blood-curdling scream tears us apart. I jumped up, almost kicking him in the face.

                “What was that?” I muttered. I grab my sweatshirt and run out the door. Looking out into the dark night, I noticed a figure run into the brush.

                “Hey,” I yell after it, but my words get engulfed by the thunder. Alex passes me and heads towards the girls’ dorms. I sprint after him. Just then, another yell comes out of the night. I stop in my tracks, but Alex keeps running. I start to follow him, at a steady jog. Lightning flashes lighting up the common area. I see Alex fling open the door. I start to run a little bit faster, a little worried about him. I finally get to the door and see something that I hoped never to see again. Alex was comforting another guy who was crying. Next to them, however, was something I was unfortunately used to seeing. It was a young girl, probably in her early twenties, lying in a pool of her own blood. I instantly flashed back to my parents’ death. I was about ten or eleven and was just coming home from school. I don’t remember much else -- maybe because my brain didn’t want me to remember. The only images that come up are my parents, dead, on the floor, a sinister voice, and the cellar door slamming shut. I’m shot back into reality when the door flies open again. I look, and it’s the paramedics from Long Island. I move out of the way as they come barging in.

                “Alex?” I say putting my hand on his shoulder. He looks up at me with a recognition that I unfortunately knew.

                “Let’s get Jerry out of here,” he says. Jerry must be the one Alex was comforting. Walking out of the dorms, I hear a sinister laugh. I whirl around, shocked and frightened at the familiar sound.

                “Are you okay?” Alex asks putting his free arm around my shoulders.

                “I’m fine. Let’s worry about Jerry,” I say leaning into his chest. Jerry looks up at me and smiles.

                “Thanks,” he says looking downright awful. I smile back.

                “You’re going to be okay,” I say grabbing a hold of his hand. I hope we will be.

Scorpion

She was an easy target. That red-head should be just as easy. Maybe I should befriend her first – make it more fun.

Roxy

                “I love walking in the rain,” I say to myself. It’s one of my favorite pastimes. I start walking back towards the dorms when I see flashing lights and sirens. I pull my earbuds out and watch the chaos. An ambulance starts up its sirens and drives off. A group of people start to walk towards me. I start to move out of the way then I notice Cavern. I run up to her shoving my earbuds in my pocket.

                “What happened?” I ask her glancing over at the other two with her: it was the boy she was talking to before we got on the bus and his friend.

                “Jerry found his girlfriend dead in the dorms,” she says solemnly.

                “We should really get him dried off,” Cavern’s friend says to her. She nods and looks back at me.

                “Can I help?” I ask. She smiles and nods. We start walking again towards the main building. Just then, the other boy faints. Cavern’s friend catches him before he falls and hefts him over his shoulder, fireman’s style. We end up in the mess hall and lay him down on the floor. Cavern’s friend gets behind his head and lifts it onto his thighs, keeping it elevated.

                “Is he gonna be ok?” Cavern asks.

                “He’ll be fine. He’s just in shock,” he says back. Just then, realizing that someone else was in the room, he turned to me.

                “Ruby right?” he says to me. I nod, shocked that someone knew me.

                “Alex,” he says pulling his sweatshirt off and laying it on the other boy. All three of us fall silent, watching the boy, making sure that he’ll be okay. He had a calm face with jet black hair. It was cut short, with a much older hair style for his age. For some reason, I wanted to reach out to him. He reminded me of someone, but whom?