I had to assume it was early in the next morning. I had no way of telling time, or even a date for that matter. I was going on instinct and instinct told me it was early in the morning, at hours where it was still dark out.

John and Clayton sat in the corner with a metal band binding their wrists and ankles together. None of us had spoken since then, Zee keeping the silence up.

She had tried to stay awake to “protect” me from the guys, but had failed a while ago. I tried to sleep, but found that something was nagging at the back of my mind. I laid awake thinking about what life was like back in the days before.

I hear a noise, turning my head to look over at the boys.

Clayton motioned with his eyes to the ground in front of him. I knew that they couldn’t move their limbs from the bands tied around them. He didn’t dare make a noise, unsure of how heavy of a sleeper Zee would be.

Carefully, I crawled away from Zee, moving much quicker when I was further away.

I sat down in front of the guys, giving them apologetic looks. John refused to look at me; his eyes gaze off to the other side. Clayton locked his eyes with my own.

“Ellie?” He whispered quietly. I ran my tongue over my lips, nodding my head. “Do you know her?”

I shook my head.

“We have to escape”

“How?” I whispered

Clayton sighed “I don’t know yet.”

My eyes flickered over to John, noticing him staring at his feet. He glanced up at me.

Clayton let out a very quiet growl, watching the exchange between me and John. He moved his eyes off to the edge, refusing to look at either of us.

I nudged Clayton’s knee. “You ok?”

“Fantasic”

“Are you PMS-ing or something?”

“PM- what?” He looked at me flabbergasted for a moment before turning away “I’m just angry”

“With what?” I asked, fearing the answer.

“You” Clayton said almost inaudible.

John held back a laugh, glancing at me. I bit my lip, knowing why. Clayton had seen the kiss between John and I. Even in this time, I couldn’t imagine what

he thought. He was jealous and clearly upset that I would kiss John.

I didn’t realize that he would still feel it. I thought, though, that now he wouldn’t care as much. They weren’t supposed to like girls to begin with, right?

“Clayton…” I started, my voice choking up. I took a moment to try and calm myself down “What happened between me and John was… just… experimental.

Like with you and me”

Clayton’s eyes hardened “So I was just an experiment?”

“No—”

“That’s what it sounds like you’re saying, Ellie.”

“Shut the hell up, Clay, before she wakes up!” John hissed, finally making an appearance. Clayton rolled his eyes.

“Girl, listen to me” John said. I sighed as he still refused to use my name “You have to get rid of the other girl. We can get you to safety but she’ll compromise

us”

“How do you expect to get out of this cave?” Clayton snapped pessimistically.

“We’ll send her body floating down the river. I doubt they’ll be able to tell the two girls apart. They look similar” John explained “They’ll think the girl’s dead

and stop searching for us. Then we’ll leave the cave”

Clayton was silent, thinking this over.

“You want me to… kill her?” I hissed in shock. John nodded, a blank look on his face.

“We can’t seeing as we’re bound together” John said.

“Can’t I free you or something?” I cried. As much as I wanted to get to safety, I didn’t want this girl dead.

“That won’t work. Look, there are a ton of rocks around here. Just pick up a heavy one and bash her in the head with it. Hit her hard enough to get her down,

and then hit her again. Just keep hitting ‘til you hear a crack or something”

I gaped at Clayton, surprised by his comment. I never took him to be a violent type. I closed my eyes, taking in a deep breath. He was a boy, after all, and they

were known to be violent.

“Alright.”

“Do it now and it’ll be cleaner” John muttered quietly.

My eyes widened “You aren’t serious…”

“Do it now.” He repeated with more authority.

“What if I mess up?”

“How can you mess up? You’re just hitting her with a rock!” Clayton hissed at me.

“I’m killing a human being!” I hissed back.

“Look” John sighed “You have two choices. If you let her live, she’ll kill me and Clayton. If you kill her now, we can all escape”

I sighed, looking back at the sleeping stranger next to me. “I can’t do this.”

John groaned, leaning his head back.

“Look, the only way to get these bands off us is if her blood goes on the DNA screen. That’ll match up and they’ll unlock”

“Alright, alright” I said, trying to think of a plan “So I just need to get a sample on you guys. No problem.”

I crawled over to the girl, whispering to myself “Easy enough”

I scanned her body looking for any scabs I could already work with. I didn’t want to actually hurt her for fear she’d wake up and catch me. I knew though, as

soon as their hands were unbound, I would be safe.

I picked up a small stone, studying it.

The edge looked sharp enough if I pressed hard. I didn’t know how to go about this, though. What if she awoke?

There was a great chance she’d wake up.

What would happen if she did?

“Psst!”

I looked over to see John motioning with his head for me to come back over. I frowned, crawling back over.

“Straddle her, making sure you have control over all her lips. Press the sharpest edge of your stone into her wrist. She will wake up. Get enough blood on the

stone and slide it over to us. Just make sure you live long enough for us to get free” He instructed.

I nodded “Ok”

I crawled over to the unconscious girl, carefully straddling her. I made sure not to touch her as I got into position. I sat down on her stomach slowly, pressing

my feet against her thighs lightly. I made sure not to apply too much pressure to her.

Her innocent face twitched as she dreamt; reminding me she was still a living person. I closed my eyes, wrapping my fingers around her forearm. I pulled

them together, using one had to press them down. I balanced myself on that hand, leaning forward with the sharp rock in the other.

I bit my lip, pressing the rock into her skin.

Her eyes opened, a gasp escaping from her mouth as the first drop drew. I dragged the rock quickly down her wrist as Zee gained memory of her

surroundings.

Her eyes narrowed at me, thrashing her limbs about. I struggled to keep them stilled while getting enough blood out. Soon there was a fair amount of blood

on the rock; enough to collect DNA from.

“What the hell? What are you doing! Get off!” Zee shouted. With a final shove, she managed to push me off. I fell to my side, tossing the rock towards Clayton.

I closed my eyes. She shoved me onto my back, a foot upon my chest. “Ellie, darling, what the fuck do you think you’re doing?”

I kept my eyes closed, struggling to breath as she pressed her foot harder on my chest. I grabbed at her ankle, trying to push it off.

Zee moved her foot. I sucked in as much air as I could before her foot met the side of my face. I screamed out in pain, not caring if anyone heard. I raised my

hands, trying to protect myself from her again.

“You don’t mess with me, got that?” She growled, stepping on my fingers. “I don’t know what you’re trying t—”

I heard the sound of flesh hitting flesh, her foot leaving my fingers. I crawled up, backing away from the fight. I glanced up to see John slam his fist into the

side of Zee’s head, knocking her down.

She hit the ground, her palms out to stop the fall. John pressed his foot against her back, grabbing the heaviest rock he could find.

I crawled over to Clayton, burying my head into his shoulder.

Zee screamed out as John brought the rock down to her. Her scream was cut short as soon as she lost consciousness.

I didn’t want to know what she looked like; didn’t want to be in the same room.

I could hear John grunt, hear the rock hitting the bone as he pounded it into her head. I tried not to think about what was happening just a few feet away from

me. Every time I heard the noise, I gripped at Clayton.

It grew eerily silent then. I didn’t dare look up from Clayton’s shoulder. He didn’t hold me, sitting there as stiff as a board. I heard something sliding across

the floor. A few grunts from John gave me a clue as to what—or who—it was.

There was a splash.

I gave a small squeal as the realization hit me that he’d just killed the only other girl I’d met. I pulled back from Clayton as I heard John’s footsteps coming

closer to us.

“Alright,” John said, standing in front of us. “She’s gone”

I moved away to lean my back against the cold wall of the cave. I pulled my knees to my chest, pulling the jacket around me tighter. I shivered, but not from

the cold.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Clayton stand up. The cave was still dark, their silhouettes only being reflected by the moonlight on the water.

I watched as he slowly walked towards John. John cocked his head curiously.

“Dude wha—” John started before Clayton’s fist met his cheek. John stumbled back slightly, surprised.

“Get away from me” Clayton growled, storming to the other side of the cave. I watched him

“Clayton” I whispered. He didn’t move his head, ignoring me.

John sighed, taking a seat next to me. I widened my eyes, surprised by his action. What happened that made him so comfortable around me?

I didn’t move as John leaned down, his lips right next to me ear. My heart sped up in surprise. This was couldn’t be the same John that hated me only hours

ago right?

“Just ignore him” He whispered into my ear.

I nodded, letting out the breath I had been holding. John pulled away, leaning his head back against the wall.

I shivered again, closing my eyes. I felt exhaustion sink over me. I had barely done anything compared to John, yet I felt like I would fall asleep any minute.

I decided to let sleep control me.

I leaned my head against my knees, closing my eyes. In my tight ball, I managed to find enough warmth to fall asleep to.

And I managed, surprisingly enough.

And it felt nice.

Surprisingly.

Who knew sleeping on the cold floor of a cave with two boys who wanted to kill you could be as comfortable as it was?

It’s like they say, you learn something new every day.

*** Author's Note: I will be honest guys, this was a spur of the moment idea. I needed to get something out and literally, thirty minutes ago I thought of this. And, well, what the hell, I didn't intend for this to happen, but now it has. Thanks for reading =)*****