Welcome to Paradise Chapter Two- Behind the Door

The pounding at the door continued, and I slowly moved toward it, frightened about who might be out there. What if it wasn't Trey? I shook my head, taking in a deep breath. I slowly grasped the handle, taking in a shaky breaths, trying to calm my racing heart. 'Please be Trey...' I thought to myself. "Open up!" came a voice, and my heart dropped to my stomach. It wasn't Trey; I didn't recognize the voice. I froze and took a step back, away from the door, my heart racing. What was I going to do? "Open up Shadow!" the voice called again, and I stared at the door. That was my nickname; only Trey called me that. But still, I was too afraid to open the door. "For the love of God Shadow, open the door! Please!" I took a small step toward the door, but then stopped myself, remembering what Trey had said. I wasn't to let anyone in unless I knew it was him, and this person wasn't Trey. "Damn it, open the door! Shadow, open the door, please!" I stared at the door, my eyes wide, my heart racing around wildly in my chest. They knew my nickname...it got to me. How did they know it? Had Trey told them? Or had they somehow gotten it out of him to makeme open the door? I froze then. What had they done to him? The pounding grew louder. "Shadow please! He's dying! Please! Open the door!" I froze again, my heart skipping a beat. Dying? Who? Was it Trey? I shook my head. "Please, you have to open the door! He needs help!" the voice was pleading, but I still couldn't open the door. Trey had said not to. "Shadow! He's dying! Trey said you would open the door! Please!" I frowned. They had talked to Trey? Or were they just saying that? "Please, he's dying!" Slowly, shakily, I moved toward the door. What if this person was telling the truth? What if someone was hurt? I paused in my walking. What if it was Trey? What if he was dying, and I was just standing here? I rushed to the door and pulled the door open, hurriedly glancing out of it. A male stood there, holding a bloody figure. I stare at the figure for a moment, and then heaved a breath of relief. It wasn't Trey; he wasn't injured. The person let out a breath of thanks and then pushed their way into the room, where they placed the figure onto the floor. "Thank you Shadow..." he went to work on cutting the figure's shirt off, and I looked away. I didn't want to see the blood that I knew would be there, nor the cuts that caused it.

"...Where's Trey?" I whispered quietly, and he didn't answer. My heart racing, I shut the door and slid the lock into place. Where was Trey? "Who are you?" I asked softly. "What's going on? What's happening out there? Where's Trey?" the male still didn't answer me, and five minutes later the figure was bandaged and unconscious on the floor. The male got to his feet and faced me. I frowned, my eyes curious and concerned for answers. "What's happening?" I asked again.

He sighed. "You asked me my name," he said quietly. "It's Derek. I don't exactly what's going on, or what's happening out there. I'm sorry..." he sighed. "And Trey..." he looked at the ground for a moment, and then shook his head. I sat down next to him, my heart racing around wildly. "Well...last I saw of him he was near the wall. There was gunfire. Small explosions. Fire." he shook his head and closed his eyes. "That was the last I saw of him...He said to come here..." he broke off for a moment. "I think...we're the only ones that made it..." I stiffened and shook my head, scooting away somewhat, as if the distance I put between us would make his words that less true. "I'm sorry..." he whispered, looking at me with soft gray eyes. "You're new here and you've been thrown into this mess." he shook his head, a bitter chuckle escaping his lips. "And now you've lost your roomate."

"...No..." I whispered, scooting away a little more, glaring at the ground. "He's okay..." I wanted to believe that so badly. I wanted to believe that he was okay, that he was coming back, but suddenly I wasn't so sure. If what Derek was saying was true, then...then Trey was gone... I closed my eyes tightly. I felt Derek's soft eyes on me, felt how sympathetic they were. "He's okay..." I whispered again, as if trying to convince myself of that as well. But it was hard... I didn't want him to be dead...he was kind of a friend now.

"I'm sorry..." Derek whispered again. "Trey didn't want you involved...he told me so the first day he met you." I looked at him and saw him smiling at himself as if at some memory. "He said not to get you involved...but there was no choice tonight. I'm sorry for getting you involved. I'm sorry Trey's gone...but..." he sighed. "He didn't want anyone to mourn him if this should happen. He knew it was coming..." he looked at the door for a moment, and I slowly followed his gaze. Footsteps echoed in the hall and then disappeared and he whispered to me, "We have to be quiet. They're after us...it was horrible...I'm sorry for getting you involved. Let us stay here until Dave and Roy heal, and then...we'll leave." I frowned. He was just going to leave me alone? Trey was most likely dead, and now he was just going to leave me? I took in a small breath and glared at the ground. "Maybe it's for the best that you won't have a roomate..." he whispered. I stared at him. "You don't need to get involved with us; that's why Trey wasn't here very much...he didn't want you involved. If you want my opinion, you're still new; they're not watching you all of the time. I say you should escape from this place and get out of here while you still can. Because soon they're going to start watching you, and then you're dead for sure...Trey knew what was happening...he got us together, led us..." he sighed. "And look what happened...please get out of here while you still can..." with that, he got to his feet and walked into Trey's room, shutting the door behindhim. I glared at the floor silently, trying to take in all that had happened.

"...Trey..." I whispered and closed my eyes. "I'm sorry...I should have stopped you..." Why had I let my grip fail? Why had I let him pull away? Now he was gone...

A knocking at the door broke me out of my thoughts, and I stared at the door for a moment, unsure of who it was. 'Now what?' I thought to myself. Derek rushed out of Trey's room and slowly crept toward the door. I could hear rushed breathing on the other side, and I frowned, slowly rising to my feet. Derek frowned and listened intently. "Open up..." came a raspy, breathless voice. "It's me..." My eyes widened and Derek hurriedly threw the door open. Trey stood there, hsi face dirty and slightly bloody, blood splotching his clothes. He stumbled into the room and Derek caught him before he could hit the ground, slowly lowering him to the floor. "Hey Derek..." Trey whispered, smiling softly. "Nice catch..." his gaze wandered to where I stood frozen. "Hey Shadow..." I raced forward as Derek shut the door and we both knelt down next to Trey.

"Hey Trey..." I whispered, my voice soft and quiet, full of a breathless relief.

"Hey buddy," said Derek, smiling down at him. "Thought you were a goner for a moment...didn't think you made it."