22 Episode 4: The Nether (5)

"Hey..." I heard faintly.

"Hey..." I heard again, my face was stinging a little.

"Wake up!"

"Ugh..." I slowly blinked but I couldn't see anything; it was blurry.

"Hey!"

*Slap*

My head turned sideways and the stinging sensation started to sink in.

*Slap*

My head turned the other way. "Ouch..." I quietly said. Slowly, I lift my arm placing my hand on my cheek. My eyes widened as I grasped the current situation. Forcefully, I sprang up on to my feet while my head hit Sam's nose.

"Ouuuuch!" He screamed as he began to step backwards wobbling a little.

I stumbled a little and dropped down on to one knee. "Ugh," I said while shaking my head helplessly.

Sam continued to walk backwards and on to the grassy field. He lost his balance and fell sitting on the floor. "That hurts! What are you doing!?" His nose turned red as a stream of blood dripped down from his nose towards his mouth. Forcefully, he wiped it off with his sleeves staining them.

I hastily opened my eyes and scanned the area. She still wasn't there. I got up and gradually limped my way on to the grass passing Sam, who was lying on the floor.

"Rose... Rose! Where are you!?"

Sam opened one of his eyes and stared at me. "Hey... dude."

"Rose!!!" I frantically moved my head looking into the distance. My heart was beating as fast as an engine as I felt a slight numbness in my arm.

"Hey! Are you listening!? Your arm!"

"Huh?" I looked down towards my shoulder. My clothes were stained in dark red blood as it dripped down my arm. The wound was reopened. I quickly applied pressure to the wound as I continued looking for Rose. "Rose!"

"Hey!!! You idot!!! Stop the bleeding first!"

I ignored Sam and hurriedly dragged myself across the grassy field as blood fell on to the grass forming a trail.

Sam got up and followed me while he kept his hand on his nose stopping the bleeding. "Not so fast man! You're bleeding, ugh!" He wiped his nose again and ran towards me. Grabbing hold of my hand, he said, "I know you wanna find her but at least listen to me! Stop the bleeding first!"

"No... she's missing... in danger! Why should we waste time on something like this!?" I shouted. "Rose! Where are you?!"

The sound echoed across the place as I looked left and right but Sam yanked my arm and I fell on the grass.

"Rose..." My eyes began to water as little droplets fell down my cheeks.

Looking at the ground, I saw her bag lying there in the distance. I began to crawl my way towards her bag and grabbed hold of it with my hand.

"This was where she was admiring the flowers a moment ago..." I muttered. "Where are you..." I cried.

Sam turned his head around vigorously and then stared straight at the mansion. "Let's go!"

I looked up at him. "No... we need to find her..."

"You should stop the bleeding first! or else you will die! If you die, how will you find her!?"

"Ugh..."

Sam held on to my other arm and began to drag me away, back to the mansion. We headed up the stairs and towards the front entrance - it was still locked.

He let go of my hand and I fell down sitting on the side of the walls, under the balcony, and next to the front entrance.

"Give me that," Sam said sternly.

"Why..." I muttered. My head began to spin as I lied it against the wall looking up at the balcony. "Where did you go?"

Sam grabbed hold of Rose's bag and pulled it away from me.

"Hey... what are you doing?" I began to question slowly.

"Throwing it."

"Wait... give that back..." I said. "Why are you going to throw her bag away?!"

"I have no choice." He stepped back away from me and began to stand in a throwing position facing towards me.

"What are you-" I began to say but he threw it.

The bag flew towards me closing the gap in between. I watched as the bag slowly spun around; it was as if time has slowed down for me.

The bag flew pass me and hit the window behind. I heard a low pitch sound echoing in my ears as the bag slid down the window on to the ground.

"Tch." Sam said irritatedly. "Her bag is not heavy enough."

I turned my head and looked at the window. "You're aiming for the window? but... why?"

"There might be first aid supplies inside. Now give me your bag." He ran towards me and took my bag away. "Time to try again..."

Slowly, he lifted it and tried to throw it but I noticed he was struggling a bit.

"Give it to me," I said.

"..."

I took the bag away from him and lobbed it at the window. As the bag collided with it, a beautiful, white web was spun on to the smooth surface. Nanoseconds later, the shattered fragments exploded in and out of the mansion - my bag dropped inside.

"Old designs cannot keep up with physics," Sam muttered. "Let's go."

Sam examined the windows and carefully hopped in through it. A moment later, I heard the front entrance click and the door slowly opened inwards. The darkness within seeped out and I was staring into the abyss. Sam's eyes reflected the light from the outside; he looked like a demon.

"Now come in," he said.

"Yes..." I replied.

"Let's quickly get you wrapped up and then let's find Rose."

I applied pressure on to my wound and grabbed it tightly. I looked up into the sky.

A brief moment later, I tremblingly said, "Rose... please be safe until we find you."