Dramatic Drum Roll (By: Olivia Herbert)

I waited. For a sign, a smile. Something that would grant me the knowledge that he is still in there. That he was okay, but with each moment that passed I was constantly disappointed. Tyler sat unmoving, not making a single sound. We sat side by side on the cold concrete floor, which was surrounded by shelves upon shelves of empty jars. Leaving me uncomfortable, feeling like a cadged animal with no sign of escape. Yet there was an urge within the pit of my stomach. One that burned like the depths of the underworld itself. I knew what had to be done. It was time for the hunter to become the hunted. Mitchell has to pay for what he'd done.

"Tyler? Tyler? We need to come up with a plan." I whispered softly. His sea blue eyes, as deep as the Mariana Trench itself, flickered to me, but only for moment. "We can't just sit here and wait for him. If we don't do something, we're giving him the upper hand."

A long moment of silence followed after I spoke. "You know she's right Tyler."

My breath caught in my throat. Neither of us had made a sound. There was someone else in this cellar. I slowly looked to my left, dreading what I might find. A girl and a boy sat diagonally across from us. Hands intertwined, clothes caked in blood and dirt. I wondered how long they had been here.

"Who are you?" "I'm Bay and this is Emmett. And who might you be?" I was afraid to answer. The words I wanted so desperately to say, gathered in my mouth but lingered on my tongue. Maybe it was because of all the backstabbing and double-crossing. Maybe because I just couldn't trust them quite yet. All I could do was stay quiet.

"I'm Tyler. That's Natalie. May I ask what you're doing here?" I saw Tyler in the corner of my eye giving me a questioning but disapproving look. "Shh," the girl named Bay hushed.

"You mustn't speak too loudly, the others will hear us. Come closer and then we'll talk." Something didn't feel right, but Tyler didn't take a second to think it over. He stood up but remained low to the ground as he walked towards them, taking a seat next to Emmett. However I was hesitant. Why hadn't they asked us to move closer in the beginning? What kind of a trick was this? Nevertheless curiosity got the best of me when I followed afterward.

"Emmett and I had been on the road when it all started. For months we had planned for this day. It was the day that we were going to run away together," muttered Bay once I sat. Despite the circumstances, I felt a smile forming on the edge of my lips.

"Our parents never approved nor understood our relationship. We were the happiest we've ever been once being free of their rules and hatred. Although, that didn't end up lasting long because the suns rays that had beamed down on us so beautifully, disappeared. Then dark clouds suddenly loomed above us. It was like all the light and joy in the world had vanished."

As Bays words painted the scene, I felt like I'd already been there. Or that she had been in the car with us when we crashed.

"It was never ending. The rain came down so heavily I was in fear the windshield might cave in. I remember my heart pounding in my chest, so loud I could have sworn I heard it over the crackling thunder. The next thing I knew, the air bags had been deployed, my vision was blurred, and blood trickled down my dress from my side. The rain had made it nearly impossible to see where I was going, therefore causing me to drive off the road and send us tumbling down a hill."

I stared at her in disbelief as several questions clouded my judgement. How had the exact same events happened to the both of us?

"Emmett was badly injured, but even when I tried to drag him out of the wreck myself it was no use. I cried out for help, after what seemed like an eternity someone finally came. Emmett had already been unconscious for over fifteen minutes."

An image of Mitchell passed through my mind, making me shudder. To my surprise, I felt Tyler's arm drape over my shoulders in a comforting motion. My skin tingled where his hand laid. I looked up at him gratefully. Our faces so close, yet he seemed miles away.

"The man said he lived in the house nearby, but moments before hadn't seen one." Bays voice startled me, once I was brought back to earth and the situation. I tried to pay attention, though I bit my tongue attempting to ignore the desire my lips prickled with.

Without any other options I followed the man towards the rickety, uninviting house. I watched him nervously as he carried Emmett over his shoulder. I knew something wasn't right, a nervous knot had formed in my throat and my stomach twisted into several uncomfortable knots.

At that moment I could have sworn Bay and I were the same person. That we had experienced the same things, met the same people. At that moment our hearts seemed to beat as one, in perfect harmony. I sat impatiently to hear more of the story we somehow shared.

The door creaked eerily as we entered through it. Suddenly the awful combination of mold, decay and death assaulted my nostrils. Cringing slightly, I followed the helpful stranger into what I could assume to be the kitchen, where he set down Emmett's unconscious body. I felt slightly shy when I realized the man hadn't said anything the entire time, thus startling me when he asked me my name and my whereabouts. I told him my name was Sally and I was on the road with my boyfriend. But it was something in his eyes that told me he knew I was lying. His friendly sweet smile unexpectedly twisted into a vicious, foul smirk. At that instant I abruptly found myself caught between two options. Run and think only of myself. Or stay and do everything in my power to protect Emmett, whose body still laid limp on the kitchen table.

My heart began to sink in my chest, for I knew this wasn't going to end happily ever after. Since they were still here. Hiding, waiting for their killer to find them. I guess we had more things in common then I thought.

So of course I stayed with Emmett. Knowing there was no way I would be able to live without him. I swallowed my fear and held my chin up high as I watched the man twirl a knife in his hand. I stood in front of Emmett, standing my ground, even though my legs wobbled unsteadily.

Bays voice became faint as a series of sobs erupted from her. Almost like she's been holding it in the whole time. Even with Emmett brushing away every tear that fell from underneath her closed eyelids. She struggled to continue.

"The man told me his name was Alaric. Although I had about as much trust in him as he did in me. Alaric then told me how he hated when people lied to him. He said it reminded him of his wife who had died a while ago. I offered my condolences, which caused a rage unlike no other to emerge from him. Alaric's anger so powerful, I would be lying if I said the room wasn't heating up. I looked down at the knife he had been holding this whole time. His knuckles turning white from clutching its handle. Unexpectedly, Alaric grabbed me by the collar of my shirt and pushed me against the wall. His odd black eyes bored into mine like hot charcoal."

I remembered the look on Mitchell's face when I went to look back at them. His eyes had a similar dark essence to them. It was as if they were two dark vortexes that would pull you in if you got too close. Once these thoughts passed through my mind, two puzzle pieces seemed to snap together. Unexpectedly, I finally understood what was happening.

"Bay. Would it be possible that this Alaric guy and our killer Mitchell could be the same person?"

I fiddled with my thumbs anxiously while awaiting her answer, but she seemed lost in thought. When she finally answered I realized I had been holding my breath the entire time.

"No, that's definitely not possible," said Bay. A wave of relief washed over me. Although what I hadn't realized was, Bay hadn't finished.

"That's definitely not possible because we killed him..."