heavenward | n.scatorccio

Julianna's eyes darted to the left, landing on the small, rusted vent near the floor. It wasn't large, but it looked just wide enough for them to squeeze through. Her mind raced as she took in its screws and the thin mesh covering it.

"The vent," she said quickly, her voice barely above a whisper. Natalie and Javi followed her gaze.

Natalie's brow furrowed. "That? How the hell do we even get it open? And where does it lead?"

Julianna ignored her question for a moment, shifting forward on her knees and inspecting the vent. Her heart pounded as she ran her fingers over the mesh, finding where the screws were slightly loose. It wasn't perfect, but it was doable.

"If we can loosen the screws," she murmured, more to herself than anyone else, "we can get through."

"Uh, yeah," Natalie said, glancing nervously at the door. "And how exactly are we gonna do that?"

Julianna's eyes locked onto the knife in Natalie's hand, the unspoken request clear in her gaze. Natalie hesitated for only a fraction of a second before understanding, pressing the hilt into Julianna's waiting palm. The blade caught the faint light of the room, its glint sharp and unforgiving, a small but dangerous promise.

"This," Julianna said, gripping the knife tightly. "I can use the tip to unscrew it."

Natalie stared at her, then at the door, where muffled voices could already be heard approaching. "You better hurry."

Javi shifted nervously beside her, his wide eyes darting between the vent and the door. "They're coming," he whispered.

Julianna nodded, her hands trembling as she wedged the knife's blade into the first screw. It wasn't easy, the angle was awkward, and the knife wasn't designed for this kind of precision, but she worked as quickly as she could. Her pulse thundered in her ears as she turned the blade, the screw slowly loosening.

The first screw came free, clattering to the ground, and Julianna moved on to the next. Sweat beaded on her forehead as the voices outside the door grew louder.

"Hurry," Natalie muttered under her breath, her voice sharp with urgency, glancing over her shoulder.

"I'm trying," Julianna spoke back, her frustration mounting.

The second screw came loose, and she worked on the third, her fingers slipping slightly as the blade scraped against the metal.

"Julianna," Javi said softly, his voice trembling.

"I know," she nodded, though her tone wasn't angry, it was scared.

The third screw fell away, and finally, the fourth. Julianna grabbed the mesh cover and yanked it free, tossing it aside.

"Go," she said, her voice firm despite the panic clawing at her chest.

Natalie didn't hesitate. She dropped onto her stomach and wriggled into the vent, her body disappearing into the darkness. Javi followed quickly, his small frame fitting easily through the narrow space.

Julianna hesitated for just a moment, glancing back at the door. The sound of boots stomping down the hallway sent a jolt of adrenaline through her, and she dove into the vent, pulling the cover behind her.

Just as she slid it back into place, the door burst open.

"Where are they?!" one of the soldiers barked, his voice echoing in the room.

Another soldier spotted the vent and rushed toward it, his eyes narrowing. "They're in here!" he shouted into his walkie-talkie. "We've got a breach—prisoners in the vents!"

Julianna's breath caught in her throat as she crouched in the tight, claustrophobic space, listening to the chaos unfolding outside.

"Get them out!" the first soldier yelled.

But the second soldier grunted in frustration. "The vent's too damn small."

"Then block the exits," the first soldier ordered. "Sound the alarm."

The sharp blare of an alarm filled the air, making Julianna flinch. Her heart pounded as she started crawling forward, following the faint sound of Natalie's and Javi's shuffling ahead of her.

"We have to move," she whispered, her voice shaking but determined.

The three of them crawled through the vent as quickly as they could, the sound of the alarm and the soldiers' shouting fading behind them.

The vent was cramped, hot, and smelled faintly of rust and mildew. Every movement was met with a metallic creak, making Julianna wince each time her knees or hands pressed too hard against the thin metal. The flashing red lights outside the vent cast fleeting shadows, flickering through the slats and illuminating their pale, panicked faces as they crawled.

Natalie was leading, her voice sharp in the dark. "We've got to find an exit before they figure out where this vent leads. These assholes have the whole building on lockdown now."

"Where even are we?" Javi whispered, his voice quavering but quiet as he wriggled behind Natalie.

"I don't know," Julianna murmured from the back, trying to keep her breathing steady. The flashing lights and alarm were making it hard to think clearly, but her gaze scanned every corner of the vent, looking for an opening. "It feels like some kind of—of military compound. I think those guys... I think they're soldiers or something."

"Soldiers?" Javi hissed, pausing to glance back at her. His wide, brown eyes reflected the red light like a deer caught in headlights.

Natalie didn't stop crawling, her voice flat but tense. "They're not soldiers. They're something else. No soldier would lock up kids like this."

Julianna bit her lip, a wave of guilt washing over her. She couldn't help but feel like this was her fault. If Javi hadn't followed them, if she hadn't encouraged him indirectly with her actions, maybe he'd be safe back at the school, with Travis, instead of trapped here in this nightmare.

"Julianna," Natalie said suddenly, snapping her out of her spiraling thoughts. "You see anything back there? Like another turn or—anything?"

Julianna craned her neck, glancing back into the vent shaft behind her. Nothing but the endless tunnel of red and black shadows. "No. Just... more vent."

Natalie cursed under her breath, pausing at an intersection in the shaft. "Left or right?" she muttered, mostly to herself.

"Right," Julianna blurted before she could second-guess. Her gut told her it was the way, though she didn't have anything concrete to back it up.

Natalie glanced over her shoulder, raising a skeptical brow. "You sure?"

"No," Julianna admitted, her voice quieter. "But it's better than sitting here."

Natalie sighed and started shimmying down the right path, her movements quick and deliberate. Javi followed her without question, though his breathing was heavier now, like he was trying to hold back tears.

"Javi," Julianna whispered, her voice soft. "You okay?"

"I-I'm fine," he said shakily, though his trembling hands and voice said otherwise.

"It's okay to be scared," she told him gently, her voice quieter as she crawled forward. "I'm scared too."

Javi didn't answer, but his head dipped slightly, a sign he was listening.

The three of them moved in tense silence for a few more moments before Natalie cursed again. "Shit. Dead end."

"What?" Julianna asked, her heart sinking. She pressed forward, craning her neck to see over Javi's shoulder. Sure enough, the path ended abruptly in a solid, grated wall.

Natalie groaned, slumping slightly against the side of the vent. "We're running out of time. We need another way."

Julianna's eyes darted around the shaft, her brain working overtime. The flashing red light from outside illuminated another narrow vent just above them, like a vertical chute leading upwards.

"There," she said, pointing.

Natalie followed her gaze and frowned. "It's tight."

"It's the only way," Julianna insisted, already shifting forward.

"How are we supposed to climb that?" Javi asked nervously.

Natalie tilted her head, thinking for a moment. Then, without warning, she turned her back to the chute and crouched slightly. "I'll boost you guys. Come on."

Javi hesitated, glancing between Natalie and Julianna.

"Go," Julianna urged him softly. "She can do it."

With a shaky nod, Javi shuffled forward and stepped onto Natalie's cupped hands. With a grunt of effort, she hoisted him up, guiding him into the narrow shaft.

"Okay, your turn," Natalie said, looking at Julianna.

Julianna hesitated, glancing at the tight chute and then back at Natalie. "Are you sure you'll be able to pull yourself up after?"

Natalie gave her a pointed look. "Just go, Julianna. We are running out of time."

Swallowing her doubts, Julianna stepped onto Natalie's hands, wincing as the edges of the chute scraped against her elbows and knees. She climbed quickly, her heart pounding as she pulled herself into the vertical shaft.

Javi was already crawling ahead, his small frame making it easier for him to move quickly. Julianna followed him, glancing back down just in time to see Natalie pulling herself up into the chute with a grunt of effort.

Julianna kept climbing, her focus locked on finding an exit. The alarms were still blaring, and she could hear the soldiers' muffled shouts growing louder below them. They didn't have much time.

The vent let out into a dimly lit corridor, the walls lined with peeling paint and exposed wires. The alarms still blared, pulsing red light bathing the space in an ominous glow. Julianna dropped out first, landing with a soft thud, followed by Javi and Natalie, who scanned the hallway immediately for any signs of soldiers.

"Okay, stay low," Natalie whispered, crouching near the wall. Her green eyes were focused, her instincts honed. She gestured for the others to follow as she began moving, her steps calculated and silent.

Julianna swallowed hard, her heart hammering in her chest. Her hands still felt sore from the rope burns, but she gripped the pocket knife tightly in her hand, her only weapon for now. Javi stayed close to her, his small frame trembling slightly, but his face was set with determination.

They crept down the corridor, passing rooms that were locked or empty, the contents of each hinting at the soldiers' organized chaos. Tables covered with maps, labeled crates of supplies, and strange-looking devices—bulky machines with blinking lights that Julianna couldn't make sense of.

"This is definitely some kind of base," Natalie muttered under her breath, pausing at the corner to peer around it. "Look at all this crap. Who are these people?"

Julianna's mind raced with everything they'd overheard and seen so far, their rigid structure, their strange gadgets, their cold demeanor. It all felt like something out of a dystopian novel. Whoever they were, they weren't here to help people.

They turned another corner and froze. A group of three soldiers stood in the distance, their backs turned as they discussed something in low voices. Each one was armed, their rifles slung casually across their shoulders.

Natalie's hand shot up, signaling them to stop. She motioned for Julianna to stay back with Javi as she crept forward, her movements silent and precise. Julianna's breath caught in her throat as she watched Natalie grab a nearby metal tray off the floor and toss it down the hallway. The clang echoed loudly, and the soldiers spun around, guns raised.

"What the hell was that?" one of them barked.

"It came from over there!" another said, gesturing in the opposite direction. Two of them moved toward the sound, leaving only one behind.

Natalie moved quickly, sliding up behind the lone soldier and slamming the butt of his own rifle against his leg before wrenching it out of his grip. He crumpled with a cry of pain as she shoved him against the wall, her elbow pressing into his neck.

Julianna's eyes widened. "Natalie—" she started, but Natalie shot her a look, silencing her.

"Stay quiet," Natalie hissed to the soldier, who groaned and clutched his leg. "If you so much as twitch, I'll make sure you can't walk. Got it?"

The soldier nodded frantically, his face pale with fear.

"Julianna," Natalie said, motioning for her. "Grab his rifle."

Julianna hesitated for a split second before stepping forward, picking the weapon up. It was heavier than she expected, the cold metal sending a shiver down her spine.

"Good," Natalie said. She turned her attention back to the soldier. "Where's the exit?"

The soldier glared at her, his jaw tight. "Go to hell."

Natalie sighed and slammed her knee into his injured leg, making him yelp. "Wrong answer. Try again."

"Fine! Fine!" he gasped, clutching his thigh. "It's down the main hall, past the storage room. There's a gate at the end."

"See? That wasn't so hard," Natalie said coolly, letting him slump to the floor. She grabbed the radio clipped to his vest and tossed it aside, ensuring he couldn't call for backup. "Come on."

The three of them moved quickly, Julianna keeping close to Javi as they navigated the corridors. They could hear soldiers shouting orders over the alarms, their voices growing louder with each turn.

They reached another hallway, but this one wasn't empty. Two soldiers were patrolling, their rifles at the ready. Julianna's stomach twisted as she realized there was no way to avoid them.

"Okay," Natalie whispered, picking up the another rifle from a desk nearby. "I'll take the one on the left. You aim at the right. Just shoot his leg."

"What? I—" Julianna stammered, panic flooding her chest.

"You can," Natalie said firmly, gripping her shoulder, her eyes locked onto Julianna. "Trust me. Just aim low."

Julianna nodded, swallowing her fear as she raised the rifle, and steady it, her finger hovering over the trigger.

Natalie counted down softly. "Three... two... one—go."

They moved simultaneously. Natalie slammed the butt of her stolen rifle into the left soldier's knee, while Julianna fired a single, shaky shot at the right soldier's leg. He cried out, collapsing to the ground as she stood frozen, her ears ringing from the gunfire.

"Julianna!" Natalie shouted, snapping her out of her daze. "We have to move!"

Julianna nodded numbly, her pulse racing as they ran past the injured soldiers. Javi was silent, his face pale but determined as he followed closely.

They finally reached the storage room the soldier had mentioned, bursting through the door and locking it behind them. The room was filled with shelves of supplies—ammo, weapons, food, and more of those strange devices they'd seen earlier.

"What are these things?" Natalie muttered, picking up one of the gadgets. It looked like a small, cylindrical device with a button on top.

"No idea," Julianna said, leaning against the wall, her hands still trembling from the gunshot. She had only ever harmed infected before. "But whatever they are, they're dangerous."

Javi pointed to a map pinned to the wall. "Look," he said quietly.

They all turned to see a detailed layout of the base, complete with markings and notes scribbled in shorthand. Julianna's eyes scanned it quickly, her mind piecing together what little she could understand.

"They've got this whole place mapped out," she said. "Look—this section here is labeled as a barracks, and this one says 'research lab.'" She paused, her stomach sinking. "They're... experimenting on people."

Natalie's jaw tightened. "We need to get out of here. Now."

Julianna nodded, grabbing the map and folding it quickly. "This way," she said, pointing to a marked exit.

They moved with hurried precision, their movements efficient. Weapons were snatched up from the scattered pile, each one adding a grim sense of urgency to their escape plan. Natalie's hand immediately went to a crossbow propped against the wall, her fingers curling around it with practiced ease. Julianna's gaze landed on a large knife—a machete with serrated edges that glinted ominously in the dim light. She gripped it tightly, the weight of it grounding her, even as her pulse raced.

Javi reached for a hunting knife, his hands shaking slightly as he picked it up. They worked quickly, shoving handguns and boxes of ammo into the beaten backpack that had been hanging on a rusted hook nearby. The bag groaned as they stuffed it full, the zip barely holding as they piled in their makeshift arsenal. No words were exchanged, just the sound of rushed breaths and the clatter of metal.

The three of them moved swiftly, their steps silent as they made their way toward the gate, wherever it was.