Darn Stupid Brother You Are by Mairee

Chapter 30

(Angel's POV)

I couldn't stop thinking about it.

The door. The warning. Dr. Nixon's face was pale, and she was shaking. Why did she suddenly change? Why was she willing to help us get out of the center now? Did something happen with Dr. Joe? Or was she just playing us? How did she even know we were in the lounge?

Everything spun in my head, and it felt like I was trapped in a nightmare I couldn't wake up from.

My body moved on autopilot, and I walked down the hall to my dorm room. The flickering lights cast shadows that felt too long and twisted. I didn't even realize where I was going until I stopped in front of our room.

I knocked once, then twice. My heart pounded.

I wonder why I was knocking but I was thinking of ten different things at the same time, so I didn't even know what my body was doing.

The door creaked open, and there she was. Cylan. Her face was blank, as always. But there was something in her eyes, something curious. "Why are you so up late?" she asked, and her voice was low, barely above a whisper.

I stepped inside quickly. The air in the room felt thick and heavy.

"I need to talk to you," I said, and I closed the door behind me. The other girls were asleep.

Cylan crossed her arms and leaned against the wall. "About?"

I took a deep breath and tried to keep my voice steady. "The noises in the West Wing."

Her eyes flickered for just a second, then she looked away like she didn't care. But I knew she did.

"I've heard them," she said, and her voice was flat.

I knew it.

"And?" I pushed and stepped closer. "What do you think they are?"

She shrugged, and her gaze still avoided mine. "Does it matter?"

"Yes," I said, more forceful than I meant to. "It matters."

Cylan finally looked at me, and there was something dark in her eyes, something haunted. "What are you trying to say, Angel?"

"I want to find out," I whispered, and the words tumbled out before I could stop them. "I want to know what's going on in this place."

She watched me, and her expression stayed unreadable. I couldn't tell if she was considering it or if she thought I was insane.

in her voice. Just a quiet acceptance, like she had

We might find some leads or answers there." Cylan stayed silent, and the tension between us grew thicker. Finally, she let out a slow breath

if we get caught, this

feeling both relief

We waited until midnight.

eerily quiet, and the only sounds were the occasional creak of the old building settling and the soft rustling of fabric as Cylan and I pulled on our

glanced at her,

set with grim

at the girls, all sleeping obliviously,

in around us. Every step felt heavier than the last, like the air

stood in front of the

the handle, and my fingers trembled. This wasn't my first time but

stood beside me, her face unreadable, but I saw the tension

maybe not...whatever. I

My heart leaped into my throat, and

But no one came.

was dark, and the shadows looked long and

there, that we were trespassing in a place where we didn't

nodded as my throat was too tight

in the heavy silence. Doors lined the walls and each one was closed and locked. But it wasn't the rooms that caught my attention.

hum came from somewhere ahead and my pulse

I whispered and stopped in my

her eyes narrowed.

didn't answer because

to a room at the end of the hall. The door was slightly open and a faint light spilled out into the hallway.

beeped softly and their screens showed numbers and graphs I couldn't understand. But that

piled high on

my fingers trembled as I reached for

My blood ran cold.

the hell?" I whispered and flipped it

My

I felt sick.

faintly. "They've

as her eyes scanned the room. "This place is a

a sound. A loud

My heart stopped.

need to go," Cylan hissed

didn't argue and we bolted for the door as our footsteps were loud in the silence. The hallway seemed longer now and darker. Every corner felt like a trap. We were almost to the exit when I heard it. The sound of heavy boots. A

I muttered and my heart