Midnight Cry

Hide and seek

"H--Hi. I am Rease and this is Rick." They are shaking. Maybe because of trauma? "How come you're trapped here?"

"I was just buying something from a department store then suddenly, I heard screams. That's when I saw those monsters. I took Rachel and Calvin with me when I saw them begging for help. Then, we ran as fast as we can and the next thing we knew, we’re trapped here” Kean, he’s good at explaining.

"You're relatives?" asked Rick. Kean looked at Rachel and Calvin.

"No. When someone needs help, we should at least care even though they’re not family. Is she your girlfriend?" Kean pointed at me.

Rick looked at me. "No. She's an acquaintance who doesn't remember me anymore." He smirked while looking at me. They all laughed except me.

"I thought that she is your girlfriend. Sorry for listening to your conversation a while ago." I looked at Rick and he looked at me too then looked away.

"It's like we're watching a Korean drama" A girl also, in a laboratory gown said. " I'm Rachel, Calvin and I we're siblings and he is a year older than me." She looked at Kean. "I was wondering if what you said is true Ms. Rease."

"What is it?" I asked.

"Is it true that Sir Rick is a gang leader?" Rachel bravely asked.

I looked at Rick. I don’t know what to say. Rick started talking.

"She doesn't know me well so, don't ask her." They looked at each other. " I am part of the Marine Corps. Our troop became famous in town. We're not a gang, we’re a team and we don’t do odd jobs."

"That's why you had a gun?" asked Kean.

Rick nodded.

“Why are you wearing a suit?” asked Rachel

“I was also a part time businessman and I just bought a house here after my Parents died. I thought that my neighbor will still remember me but I guess she didn’t.” Rick put his hand to his heart looking at me, teasingly.

I was heartbroken all of a sudden. I know that gossiping is bad without even confirming the truth. I feel like my stomach is turning. I cannot say anything. I feel I would like to vomit inside this warehouse. I am wrong all along. I should've judged easily. I… I can't look at him and couldn’t tell I was sorry.  I've hurt this man before because of my careless words. I think, I did it again. I looked at the quiet guy sitting beside Rachel. He’s wearing a suit too and a rubber shoe. The guy didn’t say a word. I think he saw me looking at him.

"Can you save us?" He stood up, looking at Rick. "The names Josh. My Parents are the richest in the world. This warehouse is ours. This is where I thought the best hiding place that's when I saw these three. By observing, you still know how to fight because you're a part of the marine corps. I could give you all the riches if you saved us. Please."

All of us looked at Josh.

"You didn't tell us that you own this place. You're quiet all this time?!" Kean looked so done for. " I can't believe."

We are all astounded.

"Josh... Right?" asked Rick. "Josh, I am not killing for money. I kill to protect. I don't need those riches."

"You won't save us then?!" Josh put his hand across.

"I will try" Rick put his hand on his chin. "But all of you should cooperate. Is that understood?"

All of us smiled as we looked at each other.

"I have a plan." Rick smiled as he told us.

It's getting hotter inside the warehouse and we’re all starving. It's lunch hour. We're trying to prepare for tomorrow.

Rick asked who knows the floor plan of this warehouse. It seems like Josh knew. He even told us that they had car at the basement. We track down the best route to escape.

First, we have to make sure that the warehouse is locked and there's no zombie inside.

"I'm hungry" Rachel swept of her shoes back and forth.

"You're not the only one… I want to pee." Calvin squeezing on his laboratory gown.

"I know there's a locker where some of our employees put their belongings. There is also a small pantry but I don't know if it's safe there." Josh said as he is playing on his phone on silent mode.

"We only have a baseball bat. How can we possibly survive? We don't have a gun. You ran out of bullet, Rick." Kean said.

"Do you know how to make a bullet? I think there’s a room where you can find what you need to make them." Josh said.

"Is there a primer and powder?" asked Rick.

"Yeah." Josh's short reply.

"How can you possibly create a bullet?" Calvin asked.

Rick put his bag on the floor. He kneeled down to open it. When he opens it, we saw a lot of empty bullets and a hand priming tool.

"Can I excuse myself for a moment? I really need to pee." Calvin is running in place.

"Oh, I nearly forgot about you. Turn left, then there's a comfort room inside." said Josh. His hand movements changed as he is losing the game. "Arrgg. Oh, darn it! I lost." He looked at Calvin. "Fine I want to pee too."

"Thanks a lot." Calvin exasperate in a pissed off manner.

They get the baseball bat and head towards the comfort room.

The door screeched as they open it up. Josh turned the lights on. Calvin rushed inside and locked the door. Calvin unbuttoned his pants. They heard a scratching sound inside one of the cubicles. They both looked at each other curious of what it is. Calvin finished and closed his zipper. They were about to open the door of the first cubicle. Josh raised his bat ready to kill what's inside it. Then Calvin opened the door.

"Aaahhhhh" They both screamed.

A small thing jumped right in front of Josh. It wagged its tail and gnashed it's teeth.

It tries to scratch the both of them but failed and it ran away.

It's just a cat.

"Hahaha, I thought it was a zombie." said Josh

"Me too." Calvin pointed at Josh while laughing. "You just chickened out there, didn't you?"

All of us ran to where they were.

"Hey, you two, what happened?" asked Kean.

"Nothing. We thought that there's a zombie here in the toilet but it's just a cat. Josh's way too loud. Blame him." Calvin explained.

"Don't scream, don't shout. As much as possible so that the zombies won't notice that we're here. Understand?!" Rick said.

The two nodded.

I was too quiet but no one notice. Until Rachel sat beside me.

"Ms. Rease, Are you alright? You seem so quiet. Are you hurt?" Rachel touched my hand.

"I'm just...

Hungry." I spoke at last. Everyone heard. They were looking at me. I feel embarrassed. I know this was shameful.  

Rick sat beside me on the other side and he touched my arms.

"You're shaking." said Rick.

"It seems like she hasn’t eaten since breakfast." said Rachel.

How come this girl knew? Her thinking is way advanced. Rachel's in a whole new level.

"Let's go to the pantry then." said Josh.

"Without preparing the gun? Then we're dead!" said Kean.

"There's a room where we can see all the CCTV footage. It's on that room." Josh pointed at the room nearby.

All of us just looked so disappointed because if he told us earlier, we should have been there on that room hours ago. Then we shouldn’t have skipped lunch and we've already finished preparing bullets by now.

"Josh, you should have told us earlier." I told him calmly. " Give me your phone. That’s the reason why you're distracted this whole time."

Josh just didn't listen he is still playing on his phone. I feel so disrespected now. I walked forward to grab his phone but then Rachel grabbed my arm.

"Ms. Rease, let me handle him." She sat beside Josh. " He isn't playing all this time." She looked at us and looked back at Josh. "You didn't know the passcode of the room am I right?"

"Alright. I give up. I should tell you guys the truth." He looked at Rachel. "I don't know the passcode of the room but the ID of the personnel will serve as a passcode." He looked at us. "The thing is, there's no personnel in here. They left the town, or worse, they become one of them." Oh, no, worse they became one of those zombies. He showed us his phone. "Here are 3 passcodes. I saw it in my inbox because my father once emailed me the code. Monthly, they change the passcode but I am not sure if it's the latest. It took long enough to find it. She's right. I am pretending I am just playing but the truth is I am trying my best to help you guys." He looked at me. "Sorry Ms. Rease. I didn't want to disrespect you. It's just that when you asked me, I saw the latest email with regards to the passcode change that's why I couldn’'t surrender my phone."

"I understand now." I patted his head.

We are in front of the room now where the CCTV footages were.

"Does anyone of you know how to operate this thing?" Kean asked.

"Okay I'll try." Rachel step forward. She opened the covering of the passcode machine. That's when we saw the numbers. "What are the passcodes?"

"621354, 879463 and 356792" said Josh.

"Hey, slowly…She can't get all that numbers at once." I said.

"Don't worry Ms. Rease. Rachel's good at memorization." said Calvin.

The door clicked. It's open now.

"The first one worked?" asked Kean.

"No, the 3rd one." Rachel opened the door. "It's easy to memorize 621354, 879463 and 356792."

We just stand there amazed except Calvin who knew Rachel's capability.

We entered the room but the monitor is off. We cannot see the main power switch. We wonder if we turn this on, then all the CCTV will work properly.

We’re doomed.