Running (PG-13)

I looked over my shoulder and swore many things in all the languages I knew. "Yeah." I looked around, my green eyes not missing a single thing. My gaze swept over an old building. Large, tall and abandoned. I did a double take. "Over here!" I grabbed Ace's hand and pulled him into the room, shutting and locking the door before climbing up the stairs into an old attic. Breathing heavily, I stayed as silent as I could. I looked around for Ace, still trying to breathe slowly and silently.

Ace quickly followed her up the stairs, the stairs creaking ever so slightly. Ace breathed heavily then calmed down a bit. "Nice place you found." he commented as he looked around. It was obviously old with the dust covered floors, and the bordered up windows. Ace was really hoping that no one saw them go in here.

I breathed a small giggle, then fell silent. I could hear the men outside now. They were talking loudly. Drunk. They swore like I had before. Would they go? I hoped with my heart they would. I didn't move. A daren't breath. I could feel Ace close next to me. They seemed to be moving off, although their footsteps weren't as loud. There were less moving. I closed my eyes, my nails digging into my palms as I tried my hardest not to brak down. My heart was pounding in my chest. Would we ever be free?

The voices spoke in some language unknown to Ace. It sounded like a "Romance" language, but Ace wasn't quite sure. (I don't mean like hug hug kiss kiss romance btw. I mean languages like Spanish or Italian.) There was a moment where all went silent so no footsteps or talking. Ace held his breath, hoping to God that they would just leave, leave them in peace. Ace then heard one of them speak and they went off again away from them. Ace saw a little opening in one of the plywood bordered up windows, the opening wasn't too big probably about an inch to an inch and a 1/2 in diameter.

He decided to go take a peak, he carefully walked over, luckily not much of an squeak, leaned up against a nearby wall and angled him himself so he wasn't right in front of it but he could still out of it. He saw the men walking from them, heading the opposite direction, Ace let a sigh of relief. Ace knew that they would still be looking for them for a while but at least for now they were safe.

He looked at Rose with a smile and whispered "You okay?". She looked frightened, to relieve her of some stress Ace let her know that the guards are gone for now, and complemented her on her finding safe places skillz.

Holding my breath as Ace tip-toed over to the crack, I nearly ran from the room. I closed my eyes, trying to listen harder. They did seem to be walking away. I bury my face into my knees, wrapping my arms around them. Were they going? I couldn't tell. I just had to stay silent until Ace said it was okay. But what happened if they saw him? We were dead. As simple as that. I shudder at the thought, then as I heard the voices and footsteps disappear, I looked up to see Ace beaming at me and I relaxed slightly. "I'm fine. How about you?" I said after he had finished talking. I unsteadily rose to my feet, and leant against an old desk, wiping my tired eyes with the back of my hand.

"I'm alright, defiantly seen better days." This day made his whole life seem like a piece of cake. So they got out of there, next thing to do is find out where they and try to find a way home. Ace tried to think of where they could be but he drew a blank. He looked to Rose "Have any idea where we are?" He guess that she probably didn't but it never hurts to ask, right?

I sighed, leaning my head back against the wall. "They took my phone and smashed it on the spot. It says the location where you are, but, it didn't come up with anything for a first. I am guessing, and it's not a real guess, that we are in the middle of a room." I opened my eyes to wink at him, then lent my head back against the wall again.

Ace gave Rose an 'ha-ha you're funny' expression, he was lucky to be with someone that had a little humor in them. "We'll you don't say. Thank you for informing me Sherlock." he replied with an smart aliec tone, and then gave a bit of an laugh. Afterwords he thought about what Rose said about her phone and it didn't tell her where she was at at first. What does mean? Ace's facial expression changed to quite a thought one.

I rolled my eyes under my lids, but the corner of my lips turned upwards. I sighed, walking to the window and peeking out. "It could also mean that we are in the middle of nowhere." I laughed once without humour and turned back to Ace, my eyebrows raised. "But that's impossible... Isn't it?"

"It could be your in a spot where you have no service but it is very possible that we are out in the middle of nowhere. I suggest we start to look for clues here shortly because if we don't even know where are then how does one suppose he goes home?" Ace started to think of place where there was no phone service what so ever. Perhaps there were in Russia or Africa or something. He stood up and started to pace back and forth.

I raised one of my eyebrows, watching as Ace paced back and forth impatiently. As he passed me, I grabbed his arm and swung him around. "Okay. Sit. Stay." I said as I looked around. "How about we find somewhere to sleep and something to eat." Just to prove my point my stomach growled. "Stupid peoples." I mutter as I rub my stomach. "Any ideas?"

Ace was shoved down onto a crate of some sort. He listened to Rose's words and started to think, where oh where could they go? Ace didn't know the town....but perhaps they could walk about the streets but that could be very risky. "Perhaps we should search this place first, maybe it has bedding and food of some sort or another....and maybe some clean woman clothes." he said while noticing how dirty Rose's clothes were.

I raised an eyebrow. "I'd like a shower more than anything.." I muttered, before rubbing my temples. "It would be better if we had disguises though... Or, just make ourselves more dirtier, so we sort of blend in with the landscape." I shrugged, laughing at my idiotic response. I watch way too many movies... "Well, we may as well start here." I mutter as I turn to the large crates.

Make themselves dirtier?! The thought at first was sort of revolting but then Ace realized that it wasn't an half bad idea. He would have to think on it more later though, right now he needed to find something, anything. He picked up a medium sized crate and shook it lightly to see if anything was inside but then again if there was something in there he would need a crow bar of some sort.

He listened carefully, it was either packaged well or there was nothing inside, Ace was going to guess it was choice B though. He put it down, slightly disappointed and decided that looking in the crates right now wasn't too wise. Instead he waltzed on over to an dusty wooden dresser with an cracked mirror attached to the top. Ace look at what he could see of himself, he didn't look too bad but he has differently seen batter days.

He started to open the drawers, first drawer nothing. Second drawer nothing as well, third drawer a piece of paper. Ace shouted a yay that he found something. He opened it up, a frown spread across his face. It was only a simple letter, no map. He sighed heavily.

I jumped at least half a metre in the air as Ace yelled out, and swore loudly.
"Shh!!" I hissed, but walked over and looked over his shoulder. A letter. Dang. I sighed and read it though, my eyes narrowing.
"It... It's from a diary!" I murmur. My eyebrows were pulled right over my bright eyes, and I looked up to look at Ace in the mirror. Ugh. I really did need a shower. My hair stuck up in different directions, dirty, oily and messy. I tried to comb my fingers through it, but I gave up after the first stroke. I sighed and went on to study my face. It was dirty too, a few bruises on my neck and faint shadows on my cheeks. There were dark circles under my eyes, and they were bloodshot, the white nearly red. I sighed heavily again and looked away.
What wouldn't I give to have be at home right now?

Ace read it more carefully and surely Rose was right, it was page from a diary. While reading he occasionally looked out of the corner of his eye to Rose looking at herself, it kind of funny in a way to watch. The page read (the bold is Ace's thoughts):

Dear Diary, That's not over used at all

Today I was about to runaway with the love of my life, Randolph, Randolph? Boy do I feel sorry for him for being given that name but tragedy struck and he was taken away from me this morning. With what you ask, my Diary? [i]An heart attack had taken my sweetheart away, I am angry but yet I am glad because I know where he is now. He is in a place where there is no suffering, in heaven, God bless him. I miss him so much.

My plan to escape was to give him a map of where we meeting at midnight and I would give him this map and directions when I went to the post office. Then later that night run away to a new place, a new town. Oh how exciting that would be but....now I don't know what to do with myself. I got all my suit cases packed, drew all of my money from the bank, and these directions and a map. A map that would be awesome right now!

I guess I'll just have to figure it tomorrow, good night!

-Shartel Marie Odinmeyer

It was long shot but Ace thought perhaps this map of Shartel's still laid about here somewhere. He refolded the diary letter and started to scope the room. At first all he saw were boarded up windows and a lot of crates but then he saw another door. Ace started to walk over to there to check it out.

I saw Ace glance out of the corner of his eye at me, and I got a good glimpse of his expression. I stuck my tongue out at him, then read over his shoulder, quietly whispering the words under my breath. As I finished, I could feel the tears threatening to spill over. Poor Shartel, whoever she was.
I turned to watch Ace walk over to the door carefully, and I followed silently behind. I paused as he hesitated slightly, then stepped swiftly around him and laid my hand on the rusty door knob. My heart beat faster, and my palms were sweaty as I counted to three in my head, then opened the door.
There was a staircase, leading down. The shadows engulfed it after the first couple of steps, and I had a sudden urge to run away and never come back. I looked over my shoulder, and gazed into Ace's deep eyes, and my heart stuttered slightly. I could feel the warm flush creep up my neck, and turned back towards the staircase. "Should we?" I whispered, my eyes squinting into the unknown darkness.

Ace stood there like a frozen as he watch as the door opened before him to reveal a dark wooden staircase. He looked at Rose, her expression showed that she was scared. He didn't want to go down there but he knew he probably had to. Taking a step forward, towards the black hole of an staircase, he gulped and clear his throat. "Yeah...," he let out a deep sigh, "let's go."

Ace walked over to the door and tapped his foot around just make sure that the step he was about to go on was solid and not about to break on him. Okay, first step clear! He then put all his weight on the step and started to grope the walls for some type of light switch but no luck. He decided to take his chances and go on to the next step. He cranked his head to Rose's. "Coming?"

I looked at Ace, my forget-me-not blue eyes wide with fear.
"Yep. Let's go." I said hoarsely as I placed my small figure on the first step. The footsteps echoed, sounding far too loud in the dark stair well. I kept my left hand on the wall to my left, and one in front of me so I knew where Ace was. I tried to keep my breathing quiet, but sometimes my control would slip, and my breathing would come as gasps, until I stopped to relax... Well, as much as I could anyway.
After a bit of climbing, I paused to calm myself again, and get my breath back.
"How much... longer do... you think?" I whispered in between gasps. It was more fear that made my lungs ache, but I knew my fitness was coming down rapidly. If we ever got out of here, the first two things I would do would be to have a shower, and go the the gym. I chuckled once without humour under my breath at this thought, then looked back down from space to look at the back of Ace's head.
It felt like a horror movie.

(Wait the back of Ace's head is like an horror movie? lolz jking!)

Ace continued forward, stepping careful to make sure the board weren't going to break on him. He felt the warm touch of what he hoped was Rose's hand and not some creepy man or anything like that.

He was ensured when she asked her question. Ace wasn't quite sure how much longer it was, how he wished he had a ball or something. "I have...no idea." he said, a bit tired himself. It felt as though they had been going down these steps forever. "Shall we keep on going down then?"

Unknowneth to them was man of some very old age in the cellar below them, waiting for them.

"I... I don't know." I whispered back, the fear now strong in my voice. I was trembling, shaking all over. My teeth chattered and I bit down hard on my lip to stop them. I tasted blood.
"We should go back, but we need to know what is down here." I finally said. My legs ached like hell and I couldn't be sure over the noise of our footsteps and breathing, but I could, would, swear on my life right now that I heard a scuffle and a quiet breath. I grabbed a handful of Ace's stiff, dirty shirt and pulled him to a rough stop.
"Shh..." I warned. I stepped down to the next step and stood next to Ace. I was shaking more now, if that was possible, but I managed to breath quietly, evenly, straining my ears to try and see if I could hear it again.
I was petrified, and I thought we were going to die.
I couldn't get it out of my head.
We may die here.

(*Sarcastically* Yep. Sure is. Lolz.)

As Ace continued down the steps He thought he heard something below him but he decided that it was nothing. He tried to stay calm as much as possible though his imagination was running wild with images of zombies coming after him or those guys from earlier being down there. He took deep, calming breathes, now was not the time to be freaking out. I must be strong, brave, and calm. No matter what I must not fre- He felt a strong tug on his back, something had capture him! He gave a loud EEEEEPPP! but then he realized that it was just Rose pulling him to a halt.

"Hm?" he asked quietly. He then tried to get what she listening to. Something was down there, Ace didn't know what though. Did he dare go any further?

"I..." I took a deep breath, clearing my throat quietly.
"I think we should go back." I said quietly. Call me a wuss, call me a scaredy-cat, but Ihad a feeling about this place, and I knew it wasn't good. I wanted to be out of here. I wanted to go bury my head in someone's shoulder and cry my eyes out, or until I had the last few weeks out of my head. I wanted out of here.
Then, I froze. It was a footfall, closer and slightly louder. Another. I creak of a stair.
"Please! Let's get out of here!" I whispered, more frantically as I let my hand slide down Ace's arm and latch onto his hand. No matter what, I didn't think I would be able to let go.

Ace listen closely and then decided that it was high time they get going. "I agree, I don't really care to see what is down here any more." he then felt something sliding against his hand, at first it freaked him even than he already was but then he realized that it was just Rose clinging onto him. He felt the fear of Rose flow into him, he also felt the blood circulation being cut off by from his hand due from Rose squeezing it so hard. "Alright let's go." he said trying to have a steady voice. He started to turn to go back up but then.....

"Hello?.....Someone there?" came a voice from behind him. Ace could feel the hair that covered his skin raise. It sound like some old man that had really bad cold.