I stumbled down the hallway, slamming my shoulder hastily against every door I could, searching for the others. Ray glanced over at me.
"You shouldn't do that you know." He stated bluntly. I knew what he was talking about but I wanted to help as much as I could.
"Do what?" I replied as I tried to open the door first before crashing my shoulder against it causing myself to wince in pain. He sighed and rolled his eyes before turning back around to stare at the double doors in front of him.
"That." His voice was rough and frustrated.
"You got any hair pins or something? Need a lock pick." He was being annoying now. His monotonous voice began to grate on me and became displeasing to my ears. Removing two hair pins from my jean pocket, I shoved him aside and knelt down, picking the lock in seconds.
"Ladies first." I motioned for him to enter the room. He furrowed his eyebrows, collided his shoulder with mine and stormed into the room. Furious, I gripped my hand around his wrist before closing the door slowly.
"What the fuck is your problem?" I hissed.
"My problem? I haven't got any fucking problems." He held his hands out to his sides and strolled towards the several computers showing the CCTV of the building.
"Are you actually serious? Ever since we got here to this warehouse you've been acting emotionless! It's not like you!!" I spoke not quite loud enough to be a shout but not quiet enough to be speaking normally. His face contorted into anger.
"Emotionless...? You think I don't care about anything? That I don't feel guilty for what I just did to those people?" He stepped closer to me, his steps large and quick.
"Ray you're scaring me." I began to retreat.
"Well you're fucking wrong. I feel everything. But I just don't express it. I'm the weakest guy in the group, Lauren. I need to be stronger-" he stopped abruptly at realisation to what I was doing. I had cowered into a corner and was shaking furiously. This wasn't the first time this had happened to me. When I was in my late teens, just before I joined the army, I had an abusive boyfriend. He would come home every night, drunk, stoned or both and would treat me like his own personal punch bag. This situation I was in with Ray only made me remember.
"I..." He stuttered. He blinked frantically to try and hold back the flood ready to spill. I raised my head from my hands and choked back my sobs.
"I'm so sorry." He fell to his knees and gathered me in his arms, stroking my head and allowing tears to fall onto my head.

"I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry." He kept repeating until someone began trying to unlock the door. Both our heads shot in the doors direction in panic. We untangled ourselves from one another and I scrambled around in someone's coat pocket that was hung over the chair. My fingers searched the inside pocket and ran over something rough. A pistol. I aimed it towards the door whilst Ray stood directly next to the entrance. The door swung open and Ray lunged forward to attack only to be stopped immediately.
"Jesus Christ dude!" Geoff spat out, his voice cracking.
"Geoff." I sighed, relieved to know that at least one other was alive.
"You found the control room then. Good job." Geoff smirked and patted my back.
"I'm glad to see you too kid." He added. He'd had a clear blow to his lower jaw. The skin had darkened into a deep purple and his left eye was bloodshot from an obvious punch to the eye socket.
"My face is fucking painful as dicks man." His voice trailed off as his examined the mass of blood that had collected on my shirt.
"Shit..." He whispered to himself.
"We gotta get you outta here." He grabbed my hand and tried to lead me out but I resisted.
"No. Not without the others. This isn't as bad as it seems I promise." But that promise was empty. The pain was borderline unbearable and the blood loss was reaching a dangerous level. His eyes filled with sorrow and he had no choice but to allow me to continue.
"Let's check the cameras. Maybe then we can find the others." I suggested and we all rushed to the screens. Pointing out each person, we discovered that one person was missing. Burnie. The only family I had left.
"We have no choice but to split up. I'll go back for Ryan. Ray you go for Gavin, Michael and Dan and Geoff you go for Jack. Try finding Burnie on route." My balance faltered momentarily but I gained my composure before the others could notice. They nodded in agreement and the three of us walked out the doors and in different directions. I gave them both a swift kiss on the forehead. I was sure to be dead by the time we met up again. That's why I chose to go after Ryan. Then I have the chance to at least say goodbye and tell him how much I love him.

Turning a corner, I felt a strong figure hold me tight, one arm on my shoulder and another on my mouth to prevent my screaming.
"Burnie thank god you're okay." I breathed into his chest as I embraced him tightly.
"Yeah. Have you found any of the others yet? Holy SHIT what happened to your stomach?!" His surprise made him forget about his first question.
"One of the kidnappers sliced my stomach. It's fine it only needs a few good old stitches. I found Ray and Geoff. They've gone to get the others. I'm on my way back to Ryan." I responded.
"Alright. I'm coming with you. I'm not letting anything else happen to you." I simply nodded in response and gulped as I tried not to focus on the pain. The door leading to his room was slightly ajar allowing me to take a peak at his limp and lifeless body. My heart skipped a best at the thought of losing him. No matter if he cheated on me or not he will always be the love of my life and I intend to marry him one day. I stared down at my engagement ring and twisted it around my finger.
"You found him?" I heard a whisper behind me and turned my head quickly. It was only Burnie.
"Yeah in here." I pushed the door open and creeped into the room. I got so close to Ryan, his face still tear stained, but got stopped by the surging pain of a kick to the gut. My vision blurred almost into one and I watched as Burnie fought the guy. He was winning at least. I took a glance at Ryan.
"Ryan..." I wheezed out and with the last ounce of strength I had, shifted myself towards him and grabbed his hand. Then darkness surrounded me.

"Lauren? Lauren!" I groaned at the sound of my name.
"Lauren come on wake up!" I groaned again but peeled open an eye. Ryan was crouched beside me, his face perfect and unscathed.
"What..." I whispered. I looked down at my stomach and lifted my top. Nothing. My eyes widened. Where were we?
"I know. I've been here for a little longer than you." His gaze lowered to the ground.
"You know I was beaten up pretty bad back there...to the verge of death..." His voice trailed of as if he thought I understood what he was saying.
"I don't understand. Why are you saying back there? We're still in the warehouse aren't we?" I gazed at my surroundings. I was right. We were still in the warehouse.
"That's not what I meant. Lauren, I think we're in purgatory." My eyes widened and my body went numb. Purgatory? No I couldn't leave now. Not until I knew everyone was safe.
"No no I can't die now. Not until we've got everyone else." I stumbled over my words.
"Lauren this is purgatory. This is where we get judged." Ryan tried reassuring me but I wasn't having any of it.
"I don't care. I'm looking for a way out with or without you." I lifted myself up and took long strides towards a door.
"I've looked around the whole building it's exactly the same one that we were in. We just can't get out." He shouted and ran after me. Gripping the door handle tight, I yanked the door open. But what was in the next room was not what you'd expect. I opened a door into mine and Ryan's office at RT. And Lindsay was there.
"Linds!" My voice squeaked. I ran over to her to hug her but as I did I just went straight through her. She lowered her head.
"Lauren." She turned her head towards me and forced a smile to me.
"We can't make physical contact yet." A familiar high pitched voice drifted into my ear. Meg appeared in the room. Ryan stood there, shocked as I tried my hardest not to break down in tears.
"Is Michael ok?" Lindsay questioned.
"And my baby Gavin?" Meg added. I composed myself before answering.
"They're okay. They're just about holding together. But right now we're all being attacked in a warehouse and we have to go back to help them. Please you guys you have to help us get back." I begged, shaking. They looked at one another, their faces filled with sympathy.
"We're not the one you need to ask that to." Meg stated.
"Who then?" Ryan asked eagerly.
"Lauren."
"Ryan." Two people said simultaneously. The room had suddenly turned into a beautiful meadow and both our parents were positioned under an old oak tree.
"Mum..." I managed to choke out before crying. I tried to walk forwards but a barrier seemed to be blocking both me and Ryan.
"Mum?" Ryan questioned. His eyes were brimming with tears. When we'd travelled to PAX we'd called his parents to see how they were. And they were fine. I'm surprised he's not broken by the fact that he's just found out they're dead.
"It's time." His dad spoke softly.
"Time for what?" We both said in time.
"Time to choose. You can stay here with us and live forever in heaven." Ryan's mum started.
"Or you can go back and stay with your friends to live a life in the apocalypse." My mum finished.
"It's your choice sweet pea." My dad added on, using the nickname he'd always used for me. I'd cried until there were no tears left. I knew what I had to do. But why did it have to be so difficult?!
"I'm sorry mummy. I miss you so much but you know I have to stay with the others. My friends mean everything to me. I love you daddy. I love you mummy." I choked out between sobs. I squeezed my eyes shut as new tears burnt them. I felt an embrace around me.
"It's okay sweet pea. We love you all the same and look forward to a time when you and Burnie may join us so we can all be a family together." Dad spoke to me, crying himself. I thought that was it. I thought that would be the last thing if hear from them before I returned to earth. But a whisper in my ear broke that thought.
"You're the key to the nightmare on earth. Be careful." My mum whispered.

My eyes shot open and the pain in my abdomen was back. But it wasn't as bad. I looked to my right to see Ryan on a hospital bed. Something began stirring in my stomach. As I began to gag someone beside me held out a sick bowl and rubbed my back as I lurched forward, spewing up my lunch.
"That's it. Get it all out." Burnie cooed in my ear. I moaned at the awful taste in my mouth and put my head in my mouth.
"You know I thought you were a goner back there." Burnie whispered sadly.
"But my little sis is a fighter." He grinned at me.
"You know I almost was a goner. But someone helped me out." I smiled to myself, remembering mum and dad.
"Oh yeah? Who?" Burnie asked. I hesitated for a minute. Would he think I was crazy if I told him?
"Mum and dad." I stared at my hands and remembered the embrace. I heard Burnie gasp slightly beside me and grin. His eyes glassy with tears.
"Wow...did you get to speak to them?" My body stiffened when I remembered mums words.
"You're the key to the nightmare on earth."