4 There's No Way Out

When the day is long, the night is yours alone, and you're sure you've had enough, of this life. Hang on. Don't let yourself go, cos everybody cries. Everybody hurts, sometimes.

"All of the doors are locked." Said an exhausted Chandler, on return. He was holding Ross' cell which he had aquired from the place he had dropped it.

"What?" Ross gasped.

"All the doors in the entire block, including the exit. I tried to get to a phone before but there's no signal...anywhere..." Ross looked surprised and shook his head disbelievingly as he spoke, "No...There's always signal in an apartment."

"I'm telling you I called everyone." Chandler said deflatedly, "There's just no signal."

His voice still sounded surprised when he finally spoke, "No signal...but how...why?.. I don't geddit.'" Ross was sitting in an armchair next to Chandler who was resting on a couch. He simply shrugged.

"I just came here because Monica sounded so worried...and obviously...I began to worry when I heard you but you were locked in. Why were you locked in?" Chandler said, "It was Clare. I heard her lock the door from the outside."

"Chandler, your door doesn't lock from the outside..." As he said so he got up to demonstrate. There was clearly no lock on the outside.

"But it was Clare..." Chandler assured.

"Chandler, there was no-one here..." They both thought for a moment and then looked at Joey. Then Ross finaly said:

"Who stabbed Joey, was that Clare too?" Chandler didn't answer and felt reluctant to say anything. Then Ross spotted the knife.

"Oh my god...the weapon...?" He walked over and stared at it. The blood on it still looked fresh. "Why would someone leave it here just lying on the floor?"

Chandler became unnerved, "Ross, please. Can we just concentrate on getting the hell out?" The viens were showing in his forehead. He could feel his blood pressure beginning to rise. He marched over to the windows, and they were all boarded up. "Something seriously weird is going on Ross, and I don't like it."

Nightfall came quickly, and Chandler was rummaging in one of the bedrooms. He was searching for some pillows so they could all camp out in the living room. He had thought this through, and it seemed that this was the best thing to do, since he didn't want to have to move Joey any further from the couch. He decided he would nap next to him with Ross to keep Joey company and to make sure he was OK. It turned out he didn't need to hand anyone a pillow as they were already asleep, but he put one under Joey's head anyway.

Joey was still on the couch, he looked peaceful as he slept, and Chandler now had posession of the armchair, as Ross was resting at the end of the couch next to Joey. He was leaning slightly to the right and Chandler thought Ross would fall over onto Joey. Chandler leaned back in the armchair and studied his friends for a moment. They both seemed peaceful and content, and it looked as though they had nothing on their minds. Chandler settled down, and although he thought he would never be able to, he soon also fell asleep.

Joey had a painful awakening, as he began to feel the pressure from his wound again. Ross beside him, was dabbing his wound with a damp flannel. Joey looked around, "How long have I been out?" His voice sounded bleak and strenuous. Ross stopped dabbing for a moment,

"Quite a while, Joey. How are you feeling?" He spoke with confidence, happy to hear his friend's voice again.

"Am I dead?" Said Joey.

"No. No of course not, I...we, took good care of you!" grinned Ross. Then Chandler entered the room holding the axe. He was out of breath and spoke quickly,

"I think we can get the door open. I've been using the axe on it but it's hard work."

Then Ross stood up, "I'll go next. You stay here and I'll chop some more." Chandler was too out of breath to answer, but he handed Ross the axe, then he sat himself down in the armchair next to Joey. Ross left the room. When Chandler regained his breath, he picked up a packet of potato chips, "Want anything to eat?" he asked Joey.

"Yeah!" Said Joey, excitedly. Then he tried to sit up, but had to lie back down, wincing. Then he let Chandler help him up slowly. He was given a packet of potato chips and a can of beer. Chandler too was drinking.

"If I know you well, that is your favourite breakfast!" He mused.

"True!" Joey smiled.

A sudden rush of blood ran to Chander's head as he remembered how he had first seen Joey stabbed. All the bad memories from yesterday afternoon came flooding back. He saw a flash-back of the pool of blood, and Joey, who was in it. Then the knife. He could hear Joey's voice from yesterday trying to speak his name, Chandler...

For a moment Chandler had to steady himself as he was about to fall, but he quickly turned away from the headache and breathed.

"Chandler, you OK?" Joey tried to get up to help his friend. Chandler couldn't reply as he was still recovering. Joey, now worried, managed to pull himself onto his feet, though he could feel the pain surging through him. He was still waiting for a reply from Chandler who was facing the other way. "Chandler?" Joey had to use the furniture for support as he climbed across to Chandler. Then Chandler turned to Joey, his face was in shock,

"Joey, wha---.Sit back down, you're hurt!" He ordered. Joey looked surprisingly at Chandler, before he let Chandler take him by the arm, then Ross entered the room. Ross was about to say something but was too shocked by what he saw, "Chandler! What the hell are you doing? Are you trying to kill him or something?" He rushed over to Joey and helped Chandler sit him down. He again frowned at Chandler, "You know he's too sick to walk!"

"But he got up himself..." Chandler said defensively. Ross interrupted,

"I couldn't leave you alone with him for one second..."

"But I..." Chandler tried to make Ross understand the situation but he was stubborn. Then a voice from the couch...,

"Guys don't fight!" Joey moaned. Then Chandler and Ross looked at each other,

"You're right, I'm sorry." said Ross.

"I got up myself. Ok...I was worried about Chandler..." Ross and Chandler stared...

"What...why?" asked Ross. Chandler's head sunk, and Joey added,

"He was looking really...un-well." Ross looked at Chandler who was embarassed,

"Chandler, are you OK?" Chandler said,

"I'm fine... Did you get any further with the door?" There was a pause. Then Ross said,

"I wanted to take a break." He looked Chandler sternly in the eye as he handed him the axe. Chandler nodded,

"K. See you guys later." As he left the room Ross followed him into the corridor. He stopped Chandler as he was about to go down the stairs,

"Dude...if there's a problem...you can talk about it..." Chandler simply sighed,

"I'm fine. Don't worry about me." He started going down the stairs. Ross watched him leave and turned back toward the appartment.

There was a call from across the hall, "Guys!" Chandler yelled, "I'm through!" Ross got up,

"OK. I'm coming." He'd already talked the plan through with Joey. First he would go down with Chandler and once they'd got outside they'd get help. It was simple but it meant that they had to leave Joey for a little while. "Joey, I'm gonna go with Chandler. Now are you absoloutely sure you're gonna be OK?" Ross asked.

"Sure, don't worry." replied Joey. Ross gave Joey a hug for comfort and Joey smiled as he watched him leave. Downstairs Chandler wished he'd given Joey a hug too, but he didn't want to waste any more time, then Ross appeared, "OK, you needed help?"

Chandler said, "Yeah, I've hacked as much away as I could, now we need to push away the broken parts of what's left." As the two of them worked on pushing the wood splinters away they both realised something odd. "Chandler, isn't there usually street noise?" Chandler let go of the door as he thought, and he too realised that it was bizzarly silent outside. Both looked at each other and Chandler shrugged, "Dunno, maybe we're just both deaf!" he mused. Ross laughed at his joke but did not find it amusing. Then Chandler asked, "You brought the axe?" He thought they needed to do some extra hacking afterall.

"Damn, I left it upstairs..." Ross whined. "I'll go get it."

"No, I'll go with you." said Chandler. "I don't feel safe down here all alone..." The two headed up the stairs.