Authors Note:
Writers block hit me hard on my other story because I couldn't stop thinking about "A is for Answers". This is what my mind came up with when I kept thinking about what would happen next.
She runs up the steps as fast as she can, taking two at a time as she tries not to panic.
Come on, come on.
She feels the familiar burn on her legs that tell her she's pushing herself too hard. She ignores it as she thinks of the gun shots she had heard.
Please be okay. Please …
The steps seem endless; she could have sworn she had been going up them for hours.
She sighs in relief as a steel door finally comes into view. She pushes it open roughly and the relief she felt morphs into fear as she takes in the scene in front of her.
Aria is on the ground, holding Ezra's sprawled body as she shakes. She clings to him, his head on her lap, her shaking hands covered in blood as she helplessly presses them onto the wound on his torso. There's a pool of blood on the ground under him. Her sobs are barely audible as Emily and Spencer scream for help. Hanna and Alison are on the ground with Aria, their shoulders shaking as they cry.
She walks over to Emily and grabs her arm. Emily turns and throws her arms around her neck. Paige holds her tightly as she cries. She wants to tell her everything's going to be okay, but she can't stand to lie to her.
She gently pulls away. She wants to comfort Emily but they don't have time. They need to leave, A's still out there.
"We need to go. Now. We need to take Ezra to the hospital." She says urgently.
Emily stares at her, her eyes distant. Paige starts to panic, "Emily...Em. Stay with me," she put her hands on her wet cheeks, her thumbs stroking her skin gently, "Em, look at me. Please. You're strong. You're so strong Em. Please, we need to get through this."
Emily's eyes slowly start to focus on her and Paige sighs in relief.
She squeezes her hand, "We need to leave okay?"
Emily nods as she helplessly walks over to Spencer.
Paige walks over to Aria, "Aria...we need to go. Please, let go of Ezra."
She flinches as Aria screeches, "NO! Noo! Don't touch him!" Aria clings tighter to Ezra's body.
Paige's heart breaks for her, but they needed to get out of there.
"Aria listen to me! We need to get him to the hospital. Aria! Do you understand?!"
Aria keeps shaking, her sobs muffled as she buries her head into his hair.
Paige looks over at Hanna and nods her head towards Aria. It takes her a while to understand but she finally nods. Hanna grabs Aria's shoulders and struggles to pull her away. Aria screams and cries harder, "Nooo! Please!"
Paige runs her hands through her hair as she watches Alison stand to help Hanna. They hold Aria as she struggles against them. Her cries getting louder as they lead her towards the door.
She looks down at Ezra. Oh god. Be alive. Please be alive.
She crouches next to him and tears burn in the back of her eyes. She takes a deep breath as she struggles to get a hold on him, adrenaline filling her body as she pulls him up and puts his arm over her neck. Her legs shake as his body weighs her down
No, stay strong Paige. Damn it you can do this.
She looks over at Spencer, "Help me. Grab his other arm."
Spencer hurries over and slides Ezra's arm over her shoulder, her arm going around his waist to hold him up. They half carry half drag him towards the door, Emily holding it open for them as she tries not to look at the wound. Hanna, Aria and Alison are waiting for them a couple steps down. Paige and Spencer walk cautiously down the steps, their breathing ragged from the exertion.
Paige tries not to look at Ezra. At the way his head is slumped forward; at the blood that still pours from his wound. She takes a deep breath as his head bumps into her shoulder.
"How did you know we were here?" Spencer's question breaks the silence. Her voice is sore from screaming for help.
Paige turns to look at her, "Ezra went to my house. Said he knew who A was and that you were all in trouble."
"Did he tell you who A was?" Emily asks, her voice breaking.
Paige shakes her head, "No. He said it was too dangerous." She clears her throat before she continues. "We came in my mom's SUV. Someone had slashed his tires earlier. We drove here and he told me to wait in the car. That we would need to leave quickly." She swallows as she looks down at Ezra. He's pale.
"Then I heard gunshots... I ran as quickly as I could."
They stay quiet after that. Their heavy breathing the only sound that could be heard.
Paige looks at Emily and studies her. Her eyes are red, tears running down her cheeks. She has her arms wrapped around herself. Dirt covers her jacket and jeans. Paige aches to hold her. To comfort her. But now's not the time.
They finally make it outside. The night is cool and a full moon lights their way. Paige nods her head in the direction of the SUV and they soundlessly make their way to it.
Paige's voice sounds too loud in the empty streets, "Spencer, you drive, the keys are in the ignition. Hanna and Emily go in the back seats. Aria and Alison will go in the passenger's seat. I'll put Ezra between you two."
Spencer leans Ezra's full weight against Paige, her hands shaking as she makes her way to the driver's side and climbs in. The engine roars to life as she turns the key.
Paige struggles to hold Ezra's limp body as she watches Emily and Hanna climb into the back seats. She meets Emily's eyes through the window, her eyes conveying all the things she can't say. Alison puts the middle seat back into its place, and she watches sadly as Aria climbs in. Paige half drags Ezra's body into the SUV, Aria pulling him up into the seat. She holds him to her and sobs quietly, his head against her shoulder.
Paige takes a step back and looks at Alison. She holds the door open for her as the blonde climbs in. As Paige is about to close the door, gloved hands grab her and pull her back. She screams in fear as a sharp point digs into her neck. She can hear Emily screaming her name as A drags her back. She looks at Emily in panic.
Keep Emily safe. Keep her safe.
"Go Spencer! Drive!" She shouts. "Get out of here!"
She meets Spencer's gaze and begs her to go. Keep her safe Spencer! Get Emily out of here.
Spencer hesitates as she glances between Paige and A. Paige sees the struggle in her eyes. She curses inwardly as she yells. "SPENCER GO! NOW!"
She can still hear Emily screaming her name as the car drives away.
"Spencer stop! Please Spencer!" Emily shouts as tears stream down her face, "Let me out! Spencer let me get out!" She tries to climb over the seats to get to the doors but Hanna holds her down. Somewhere in the back her mind, she registers Spencer's broken voice, "I'm sorry Emily. I'm sorry!"
Emily's sobs fill the car as she looks helplessly through the back window. Paige is no longer pressed against A; she's on her knees, her hand on her face as she looks at A. Emily cries out her name as A kicks his foot against Paige's head, her body slams backwards into the ground. The last thing Emily sees before the car turns the corner is Paige's motionless body sprawled on the ground.
Paige slams the back of her head into A's face, the sharp blade digging into her neck as he stumbles back. She turns to face him and stands in a defensive position. Her breathing is ragged as she looks at A.
Her neck stings were the blade cut her but she ignores the pain. She glances at the knife in A's hand. She can't run; not while he has that.
She stares at A, the mask hides his face. This is the person that's been torturing Emily and her friends. She was face to face with the person that had traumatized them.
Her mind fills with anger as she thinks of everything they had been through because of A. She lunges forward without thinking, a flash of something bright catches her eye and she feels a burning pain on her cheek. Hot liquid drips down her cheek and neck as she stumbles backwards. Her legs finally give out and she falls on her knees. She touches her fingers to her cheek. Hot blood covers them.
She looks up just as A's foot slams into her face. Her cheek and neck burn with pain as her back slams into the ground. She looks in the direction Spencer drove as she lays on the ground. Her vision blurs; the fading lights of her mom's SUV the last thing she sees before darkness consumes her.
Do you hate me? This is the crazy stuff my mind comes up with. I'm not sure if I'm keeping this a one shot or continuing it.