Hey guys, I'm sorry that I'm so late getting this up, but my life has been consumed by midterms all week. But now it's Friday, so here we go! Thanks to RHatch89, nick2951, potterjay92, and Fun With Typing for the reviews, and to wag11137, AmandaTropic, and whataliar for the favorites and follows. Please keep letting me know what you think - reading your reviews brightens my day!

Chapter 55

It's been three days.

But it feels more like three months.

The minutes pass like hours, and the hours like days, and the longer we're out here, the slower time seems to go. The night, into the next day, isn't so bad. I ate a bit before going to the prom, and it tides me over for about twelve hours.

But then the hunger starts to become consuming. I should be used to this feeling, after being trapped in that hole for weeks. But I don't think I'll ever get used to the feeling of raw, gnawing hunger that doesn't even feel like it's confined to my stomach anymore. It's everywhere, and it's all I can think about.

Of course it rains at night. By this point, I wouldn't be surprised if "A" can somehow control the weather, too. Why not? They control everything else. Spencer's dress has a cape attached, so we all huddle under it during the downpour. It doesn't really help, though. My dress is completely soaked and heavy. It makes it hard to move.

The sun beats down on us during the day, and during the afternoons we lay spread on our backs or sides on the rough ground, everyone clutching their stomachs or dozing, without actually sleeping. When you're this hungry, real sleep doesn't really happen.

There's some talking, too, and I'm pretty sure I participate, though I can't really tell. My mind is foggy, basically empty of all thought, and there's a constant roaring in my ears that blocks out most other sound.

After three days have passed, or something like that, I'm not even trying to keep track of time anymore, I sit upright, my knees pulled up to my chest to try and constrain some of the hunger pangs. It's not working.

The others are all talking about Charles. I recognize Spencer admitting that there was something familiar about him, but my eyes cross and I miss most of what is said after that.

"How long can a person live without food?" I hear someone ask, and my mind clears for a moment at the mention of food.

"Three weeks," Mona and Spencer mumble in unison, and Spencer goes on, "But water's a different story. Some people can only go days without it."

"You know you're dying when you're not hungry or thirsty anymore," Mona says quietly. "It means your organs are shutting down."

"That's what happened to me when I was in that hole," I say, my voice scratchy and rough. "I only got a few drops of water, tops."

"My organs are definitely working," Aria groans, rubbing her stomach. "I'm so thirsty, I'm seriously considering drinking my own pee."

Everyone laughs, weakly, but I can tell that she's serious. And I don't blame her. I can't say that the thought hasn't crossed my mind a few times.

"I can totally suck on a pee ice cube right now," Hanna agrees, and I laugh again, even though the movement hurts my ribs. It feels kind of good to laugh.

Emily clears her throat, resting her cheek on her knee. "I'd lick sweat off a jock strap."

Okay. That thought has never crossed my mind. "Okay, Emily, you win."

I glance over at Aria. Her eyes have grown wider than usual and she's shivering, her arms wrapped tightly around herself. "I don't know how much longer I can handle this," she mutters, her voice almost manic.

"You can handle it, Aria," Mona mutters. "We all can."

I sigh, feeling my eyelids droop. But I refuse to close my eyes, because I'm afraid that if I do, they won't open again. "We're gonna get through this, guys," I mutter, mostly for my own benefit. "Together."

I drift off then, and snap back to attention again at the sound of the creak of the metal doors swinging open. We all jump just as that smooth voice that I've learned to hate fills the air. "Bonjour. Good morning. Buenos dias. Please enter and follow the lighted pathway."

I scramble to my feet and wait for the dizziness to subside before I step forward, glancing down into the bunker. All I see is total darkness. Aria walks over to me, peering down as well. "I mean, I'm afraid to stay up here but I'm also scared to death to go back there."

"Please enter and follow the lighted pathway," the voice speaks again, and even though I know it sounds exactly the same, I almost feel like I detect a note of warning.

"What do we do?" I ask in terror, turning to my sister. "You've been here the longest, what do you think?"

"Maybe this was our punishment," Mona offers, but she doesn't sound very convinced. "Maybe it's not mad at us anymore."

Aria grabs her hand, and reaches out for mine as well. "Let's stick together."

All of us clutching at each other, we move slowly back into the darkness. I close my eyes for a moment, taking in a breath and heading down the steps, unable to believe that I'm voluntarily walking back into this torture lair.

The silence is a little unnerving as we creep down the dark hallway. There are no sounds of movement, and we all hold onto each other tightly, no one wanting to be the first to let go. I have no idea what's going to happen, but the last thing I want is to be alone. No matter what "A" threatens to do to us, we have to stick together.

A rattling sound breaks through the silence, and I yelp, instinctively pulling my hand out of Aria's and leaping back. The sound comes again, from behind us, and we all whirl around.

The faceless black hoodie stares back at us, and I shriek, grabbing hold of Spencer's arm so hard that my nails dig into her skin. Not that she notices.

"A" walks toward us and, so quickly that no one has time to react, throws a smoke bomb directly at the floor. Then he reaches out and grabs Mona by the arms, pulling her toward him and shoving a gas mask over her face just as thick smoke begins to fill the hallway.

I scream my sister's name, trying to grab her hand, but the gray smoke is too thick. I can't see who I'm touching or where I am, and I cough, hearing the others do the same. The smoke is filling my lungs now, making it hard to breathe, let alone speak, but I try to yell out anyway, terrified.

I'm aware of my vision spinning, and I stumble back, blindly smacking into a wall as I slump to the floor, unconscious.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

I groan and squeeze my eyes shut even tighter, trying to block out the awful pounding in my head. It reminds me of the first time I woke up down here, after "A" whacked me on the back of the head and kidnapped me. I wonder if I hit my head on something as I blacked out.

Before I allow myself to open my eyes, I shift around, feeling out my surroundings. I'm lying on something smooth and cold, but something thin and soft is covering me. And I'm naked. I don't even have to look to know.

Alarm at this realization is what prompts me to finally open my eyes. I slowly force myself to rise up on my elbows, despite the awful headache, and I repress a scream as I look around.

The metal table that I'm lying on is right up against a wall, but to my right are four others. And Spencer, Emily, Hanna, and Aria are lying on them, facing up and covered by the same kind of sheet that I am.

We're in a morgue.

"Oh my god," I gasp, just as Aria sits upright, her eyes wide with panic. She immediately leans over to Hanna, lying next to her, and shakes her. "Aria," I hiss, sweat beading along my hairline.

"Viola," she replies in shock, her eyes meeting mine just as the other girls begin to stir, sitting up with gasps and looks of terror.

"Is this a hospital?" Hanna asks, her eyes sweeping around the cold metal room.

I wish more than anything that it was – that we were actually out of this horrible dungeon – but I shake my head. "I think it's a morgue."

Spencer groans, pressing a hand to the space between her eyes. "It feels like somebody's ripping out my brain through my eye sockets."

I rub my own forehead, having to agree. At least I'm not the only one with a pounding headache, but it makes me wonder even more what "A" did to us.

"Thank God," Emily says suddenly, and I lean forward to look down at her. She has lifted the sheet covering her chest and peered down at herself. "I thought for a second 'A' harvested our organs."

I wince, fidgeting uncomfortably. When I woke up naked, that wasn't the first thought that ran through my head. But if "A" had done anything sexual, I would feel it, wouldn't I? Aside from my head feeling like it's going to split open, I feel basically normal.

I glance over at the others, only to find Spencer staring at me. "What?" I ask, running a hand over my face in concern.

"Guys," Spencer exclaims, her eyes widening with a realization, "what if 'A' wanted to make us look dead to send a message to our families?"

"What do you mean?"

She grimaces. "So they'd stop looking for us. The only thing is…one of these things is not like the others." She gives me a pointed look. "Why would 'A' want to lump Bethany Young in with the rest of us?"

I shrug, forcing a laugh so I don't start to panic instead. "I think my mom might be more freaked over me having blond hair than me being dead." I glance over my shoulder, wincing at the sight of the camera. Hopefully "A" didn't hear me say that. The last thing I need right now is to end up back in that hole.

The door opens and my back goes rigid. I clutch the sheet to my chest tightly, my hands clenched into fists. I'm so sure that we are about to be confronted by "A" again that I actually let out a sigh of relief when Mona walks in, pushing a tray and wearing a red and white candy striper uniform, just like one from the real hospital.

"Juice? Aspirin?" she asks, gesturing to the little cups on the tray.

"Mona, what the hell is going on?" Hanna demands. "What happened to us?"

"I've asked you not to call me that ever again, Hanna," my sister snaps. "That bitch is dead to me."

I shudder a little at that, but Aria shakes her head. "Okay, Ali," she says quickly. "Ali. Do you know what 'A' did to us? We're scared."

"I'm scared, too."

"How long have we been here?" I ask, my voice trembling.

"Only a few hours," she says, glancing up at the camera. "I've been in my room until now. That's all I know."

Emily narrows her eyes, looking unconvinced. "Are you sure that's all you know?"

"Okay," I groan, squeezing the bridge of my nose as the pain between my eyes grows to an almost unbearable level. "I could use that aspirin now."

"Sure." Mona grabs a little paper cup off of the tray and hands it to me. It's marked with a large red "B" and is filled with clear liquid. I'm suddenly uncertain – this doesn't look like any aspirin I've ever seen before – but I can't deal with the pain for even another second. So I take the plunge and gulp it all down, relieved that at least it's tasteless.

The intercom crackles to life. "Please return to your rooms and find your surprises."

I sigh and begin to swing my legs over the side of the table, when I'm shocked motionless by my sister looking right at the camera and saying, "No."

I freeze, exchanging a glance with Spencer. This does not seem like a good idea. "Please return to your rooms and find your surprises."

Mona does not look away, her eyes narrowing. "I said no."

"Um," I mutter, alarmed, just as three chimes fill the room and she starts, all signs of determination leaving her expression. "Three chimes means we have to go back to our rooms. Or else." She runs from the room without another word.

Crap. I jump down from the table, and the room spins. "Whoa," I mutter, rushing after the other girls and down the hallway. The headache is mostly gone, but I don't feel any better. Everything looks a little weird, a little discolored, and the walls seem to spin around me.

"Ali," the others are yelling, so I try to call out, too, but my throat is suddenly bone-dry. It wasn't aspirin, I realize, only vaguely aware of the conversation going on around me until I notice that the others have all retreated into their rooms.

"Guys," I call out, stumbling over to the only open door – the one to my room – and leaning against the doorframe. "I think I'm gonna – "

But then the world goes black.

...

Thanks for reading, and again, please let me know what you think! I love reading feedback from my usual reviewers, and I would love to hear what some new followers think. Next, Viola wakes to find herself in a situation more terrifying than ever.