Chapter 25: Pills and Passageways Part 2

I follow Reid to the stairwell at the end of the tunnel and after ascending what feels like fifty steps, we come to a dead end wall with the same nearly invisible outline. Reid pushes the door in, the wall locking into place and automatically sliding to the right. We emerge through the gap and into the tower, a few floors up.

Reid jets down the darkened corridor and I trail behind, landing on the pads of my feet, right behind his. He slows, coming to a full stop at a crimson arch. I pause behind him but can only see the broad span of his shoulders. The door squeaks open and Reid and I slip in the tiny gap, closing it behind us.

There's a boy on the bed, hunched over and staring at the floor. He's big like a football player with blonde, shaggy hair and large, ferocious hands. A despairing numbness paints his hollow face, which, under other circumstances, could be quite handsome.

"Griffin," Reid pauses, "you alright, buddy? You sick?"