The gunshots were all that he could remember, the gunshots and the screams.
"Help us! Stephen, come back!"
The crackle of fire, the boom of guns, it was all gone now. He was alone. Silence pervaded the space and kept him from thinking, he just wasn't use to this kind of quiet. Not one bird sang, nor any bugs chirped. It was just silence.
He felt for the gun at his side for the tenth time in the last two minutes, making sure it was still there. He was trying not to panic again.
"Come back here you fucking coward!"
"No, the door is locked! Come back!" The voices were desperate.
He grabbed his head and shook it to clear his mind. Can't think about it. He looked back up at the door in front of him. It was boarded up, allowing only a few rays of light to shine through.
It won't hold.
Yes it will.
No it won't.
He sucked in a large breath and made sure any other openings in his space were boarded. The only way out besides going through a wall was that door.
They are going to find you.
He knocked himself in the head to stop the voice. It only served to give him a headache.
They are going to get through.
It's strong enough.
None of these voices were his.
You can't hide here. It's so obvious!
Just keep quiet. Keep out of sight.
Out of sight? You have no other way out other than that door! When they find you, you'll be just like them.
He finally found the strength to interject.
Shut up both of you! They stopped, at least for the moment. It was hurting his head just to think. The memories kept coming back.
"Please Stephen! He is in here with us! Please open the door!"
"Dad help us!"
"Don't you fucking leave!"
"Come on Stephen," he whispered, "don't give up on them." He seemed to be unaware that no one else was in the room with him. A tear slipped from one of his eyes and fell onto the dirty floor below him.
"You can't leave them Stephen." Stephen Cartwright just slumped down into a corner, rocking back and forth with his hands on his head.
"You just can't leave them…"