The story continues.
“I didn’t say anything,” Jared responded from the emptiness below. Eric shrugged as he dropped another ten feet. Once again, as his feet came to rest against the wall of the shaft he heard a faint whisper. It was as if someone were standing right behind him, whispering in his ear, yet the words remained unintelligible, and his mind nibbled at them as he tried to decipher what was said. He had even felt a chilled breath against the sweaty flesh of his neck as ghostly fingers skipped along his spine.
“Are you fucking with me?” Eric said, He was certain Jared was somehow messing with him, though it made little sense how he was doing it. After all Eric was still nearly thirty feet above the floor where Jared waited. He’d find out in time though, when the little prick realized what was about to happen and would do anything in his power to stop the inevitable.
He dropped another ten feet and this time the voice in his ear was as clear as a bell, chilled breath washing over his earlobe as the whispered words filled him with dread.
Beware of friends who tell half-truths.
He shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts as a cold sweat broke across his arms. He glanced back at Jared, still waiting at the bottom of the shaft. It had to be him. Eric kicked out and dropped the remaining twelve feet to where Jared waited.
“That was so cool,” Jared said, slapping Eric on the back.
Eric turned on Jared with a voice that promised violence. “Why are you fucking with me bro?”
“What are you talking about? I haven’t done anything,” Jared said as he backed away with his hands up to defend himself.
“I know what you’re doing, throwing your voice like that, messing with me while I was coming down.” Even as then words left his mouth, he realized how crazy they sounded. He struggled to calm himself down, aware that if he did anything stupid to upset Jared he might leave, then what would he do?
They’d take him for sure. There was no loyalty in death, the normal constraints of living were stripped away when one stepped across that narrow divide. Certainly promises had been made, and he had so far kept up his end of the bargain, but it was there all loyalty ended. The moment he faltered and failed to do as he promised, they would come for him, and he shuddered at the thought.
“I’m sorry, man, I don’t know what got into me,’ Eric said as he crossed to Jared with a smile on his face, his hand extended.
Jared shook his hand, with relief flooding his features. “You scared me there for a minute, I thought for sure you were going to leave me down here.”
“I wouldn’t do that to you bro, I’ve just been under a lot of stress lately, you know with Jessica talking about getting more serious, and with us leaving for college in the fall. It’s just been a lot to take in. I thought coming here today would help me put it all behind me for a bit.”
“Wow, man, I didn’t know you and Jess were getting that serious, that’s gotta be a big step.”
Eric nodded, a slight smile playing at the corners of his lips, while relief filled him with a small measure of peace. It would be over soon, and he could go back to being just a stupid jock, until the next time they called.
To be continued!
If you’d like to go back to the beginning to see the whole story go here: Hell Hole.
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Four boys become trapped in their apartment building in the opening days of the zombie apocalypse. Together with a small group of survivors they struggle to survive. It’s not long before they learn their real enemy is in the building with them.
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