23 A Mistake In The Map

Cassidy groaned in her sleep; she shot her eyes open.

She was alive?!

" Oh heavens," she praised.

Her nose burned in the frigid air.

She was currently lying on a giant sized bed, and she glared silently at the room.

A smile tore across her face when she looked at her left hand.

" ... thank God you're still here," she muttered under her warm breath.

Previously, when they were in that laboratory, she had pulled out a paper from one of the tables.

She sat upright on the bed and opened the rumpled paper.

Exactly what she had been looking for!

She knew that there was surely a thing like this around.

And now that she had it, she would plan her escape without attention.

According to the map, there were many hallways which led to different parts of the lair.

She took a deep breath through her nose and let it out slowly; she glanced tediously at the map in her hands.

She pulled her hand through her hair and gritted her teeth.

She finally saw what she had been searching for when she looked down calmly.

There it was!

The exit!

It was just after the door in the basement!

Cassidy yanked the blankets off her body.

She sauntered towards the door and peered about before she walked out of the room.

Cautiously, she treaded down the first hallway.

She ran through the stairs impatiently while she carried her footwear in her hand.

She stopped midway.

There were two routes in front of her, and she didn't know which way to go. The dim light paved way for her to run through the left route.

Cassidy felt her body become impossibly still.

Someone was there!

Her breath hitched.

She covered her mouth quickly after she let out a horrified screech.

She just bumped into something - something solid.

She let out a rapid sigh because she hadn't noticed it in her hurry.

" It's only a statue," she uttered softly to herself and tried to calm her racing heartbeat.

Her eyes brimmed with nothing but determination.

Echoes of Brandon's voice jolted her from her stealthy movements.

The echo seemed to draw nearer.

They must have noticed that she was no longer in the room they had kept her.

There wasn't any way out of this other than running.

She hurriedly ran down the stairs in the dim light.

She ran down another stairs before she came to the basement.

" Finally," she cheered inwardly.

This was when she felt her chaotic heartbeat return to normal.

She unceremoniously squeezed the paper and trashed it behind her.

She hastily pulled the knob of the old door.

She chuckled softly and pulled the knob harder until it broke.

The door fell heavily on the other side.

Cassidy held her breath unconsciously; she flinched ( uncertain whether to breathe or scream) and inched backwards when she saw some creatures emerge from the space where the door fell.

She scrupulously studied her steps.

" Help!" she screeched breathlessly and scampered away for safety.

She ran speedily on the stairs.

" Help."

She choked on her breath as tears welled up in her eyes.

Terror welled up in her belly as she continued to wail her balls out.

She couldn't bear the thought of being affected by these creatures.

They ran after her from behind.

" Help!"

Her scream reverberated.

" Help!"

" Somebody, please help me!"

Hot tears ran down her face.

She tripped on the second batch of stairs as the tears in her eyes had made her sight blurry.

Her last scream for help was brought to a halt when she raised her head and saw Lucas, Brandon and Sebastien ( two men stood behind.)

The trio had been informed about the release of the zombies when they heard the first reverberated scream.

Lucas pulled Cassidy's unconscious body away before the first zombie ran onto the stairs.

He gazed at the tons of creatures running towards them.

" Run!" he thundered and placed her body violently on his; they scampered away to the laboratory.

Brandon helped Sebastien shut the door after they entered.

" We're surrounded," Brandon announced breathlessly; he panted endlessly.

" We can't face them... there are tons of them still coming our way," Lucas affirmed and placed Cassidy's unconscious body on a table after one of the guards pushed the apparatus away violently.

Lucas paced around the room in unease.

They were trapped in the lair; they were likely not going to survive the lethal raid.

A heavy silence reigned.

They could hear the zombies drawing near.

Lucas suddenly pulled away from them and went towards the cupboard in the laboratory.

He pushed the conical flasks away violently - the crashing noise attracted the attention of the others.

Confusion shook them to the core.

Lucas hastily pulled the cupboard away and let it fall.

" What are you doing?" Brandon questioned.

Lucas smiled broadly.

" I found it."

" What did you find?"

Brandon pulled some tables towards the door to support the lock.

" The secret door."

" Lucas, they are drawing near. We're likely not going to survive it even if we take the door," Sebastien explained and peered through an opening on the door that had been supported with some tables.

" Use the electrocution once we get down. Sebastien, the door has something extended outside...we can use it to get down to the ground while the zombies are destroyed."

" The lair will get destroyed."

" It doesn't matter. We only need to get out safe."

Tension built over the time.

" There are no open wirings at our reach," Brandon announced; he sighed in desperation.

" Let's incinerate the lair," Sebastien announced.

" We won't survive it!" Lucas exclaimed.

Their discussion was interrupted by violent running outside the door.

Violent feet stomps disturbed outside the door.

" Lucas, we don't have so much time. They are coming."

" But..."

" Just go. We'll come down before the incineration is complete. It's the only way we can kill these zombies."

Lucas stared at them one more time. God forbid it to be his last stare at them or their last meeting.

He jagged Cassidy's unconscious body and pulled the door open.

He stopped.

He didn't want to go without them.

" Lucas! Go! We'll come down immediately," Brandon thundered.

He pulled the petrol and poured it all over, especially at the door.

Lucas hurriedly held the steel on the outside of the door ( he held Cassidy tightly.)

Brandon turned the lighter on when the zombies pulled the door open in a violent manner.

They were ready to devour.

Whoo!!!

The fire spread out to the secret door and Lucas loosened his grip on the steel, but while holding Cassidy, he fell with his eyes closed.