Sept. 1, 2015, 7 p.m.
Caught in the Cells: Chapter 16
E - Words: 2,119 - Last Updated: Sep 01, 2015 Story: Complete - Chapters: 17/? - Created: Dec 29, 2014 - Updated: Dec 29, 2014 178 0 0 0 0
Everything ached, his arms from carrying Blaine, his legs from pushing himself through the endless amount of water and finally his mind from the constant thought of wanting all of this to be over. Blaine still laid limp in his arms, the steady rise and fall of his chest putting him at ease. They had made it into the sewers just below the cells.
All of the blocked shape rooms looked the same as the first, with its smooth stone walls and lack of lighting. He could tell that the torch light had somewhat dimmed and set a nervousness in his stomach. If the torch ran out of battery there was no way hed be able to navigate his way out of there. It would be over.
He pushed himself into yet another moss filled corridor, the water seeming to become shallower as the corridor walls rose above him. As there was less water it allowed him to move faster, and though his legs felt like jelly due to the lack of force on his legs that the water had given him before, he vowed to push on through it. He was about half way down the corridor when he heard it, a hitch of breath. Staring down at Blaine his heart skipped a beat, for a second he though Blaine had stopped breathing but it was quite the opposite.
"Kurt?" Blaine said his beautiful brown eyes looking up at him with confusion. He felt tears build up in his eyes, he was so relieved that Blaine was awake and selfishly glad that he wasnt alone that he pulled him in tighter for a second in an embrace.
"Blaine, are you ok? Does it hurt much?" He asked trying to keep the tears from falling onto his face. Blaine looked around for a second but he doubted that he could see much in the light of the torch, which had dimmed to a warm but useless glow.
"No, not really," Blaine said leaning back in his arms so he was looking up into his eyes. "How long was I out?" He asked but he could fell by his features that he wasnt sure if he wanted to know.
"About an hour," he replied and Blaine closed his eyes for a second, before opening them and sadly looking into his eyes
"You should have left me like I told you too, you would have been out of here by now," Blaine said before looking to the ground. He took that as a signal to put him down and lowered Blaine to his feet. Blaine gasped when his feet hit the water and shivered, he forgot how cold it was after he had gotten used to the coldness biting at his ankles.
"Im sorry I couldnt do it, Blaine," he said hesitating letting go of Blaines shoulders just in case he fell. Once he knew Blaine was steady he let his arms fall to his side, the lack of weight in his arms made him feel light as a feather. "I couldnt leave you there, not after all the work we put into this," he continued but Blaine just looked to the ground.
"Where abouts are we?" Blaine asked and he wrapped his arms around himself nervously. Was Blaine annoyed that hed taken brought him? Had he made the wrong decision?
"Were just under the cells, it wont be long until we reach the tunnel that will take us out of here," he said and Blaine nodded slowly looking both ways down the tunnel as though he wasnt sure which way to go down. "This way," he said pointing the way he had been walking before Blaine had woken.
Blaine turned and walked ahead, he followed behind a hollow ache in his heart. Hed thought this is what Blaine would have wanted but hed messed up. He kept looking forward the dull glow of the torch barely lighting their path. Blaine had a quick pace which he followed even though every muscle in his body ached for him to stop moving, to lay down and give up. For some reason everything felt so pointless now that he thought Blaine didnt want to be there.
They walked in silence now, Blaine only looking back to be told which way to go when they met a junction in the tunnels. Soon they walked into the next box shaped room, he was beginning to see how much quicker it would have been if he hadnt had to carry Blaine. He looked down at the map before gesturing to the right side of the boxed room. There lay yet another tunnel, but this one looked to get smaller and smaller as the tunnel went on.
"We might need to side through on our stomachs when we get further down," Blaine commented turning to look at him and he nodded. He was about to ask if Blaine was alright again, he had seen him stumble few times on the way and was nervous that he might pass out again, but Blaine had already started down the next corridor getting to his knees as it reduced in size.
He hesitated only for a moment before following and dropping to his knees as Blaine had done moments before. The tunnel got tighter quicker than he thought and he was soon on his stomach using his elbows to force himself forward. He could see Blaine struggling in front of him, but at least he was making progress.
"I still cant see the end," Blaine complained after at least five minutes of shuffling. He could hear the strain in his voice and he had to admit that his body wouldnt take him much further. The burn in his arms was almost agonising and he was exhausted. He pushed forward, the pain forcing secret tears down his face, and he was glad that Blaine couldnt see. "Wait, I see something," Blaine said moments later and he tried to look past Blaine to see what he was seeing but couldnt see anything.
"What is it?" He said cringing at the sound of his voice. It was rough and wobbled with every syllable. He saw Blaine stop and look back over his shoulder to try and get a look at him. He ducked his head, hiding his face. "I can see the sky," Blaine said sounding concerned.
Though he didnt act on it, Blaine turned and began moving ahead. He carried on behind him somewhat glad that he hadnt questioned him, but a small part inside of him wished that he had.
As they moved through the tunnel it suddenly started to get brighter. He saw Blaine start to move a little faster and followed suit, after being down in the tunnels for what felt like years he wanted nothing more than to be in the sunshine, breathing in clean air.
Suddenly Blaine paused. "Can you see anything?" He asked after a few minutes getting curious. He knew Blaine had reached the end of the tunnel, now that there was light he could see past Blaine into the open air.
"I can see the prison in the distance but… all there is out of the tunnel is a long drop into a river," Blaine said turning himself slightly so he could look back and look at him.
"Does it run? The river I mean," he asked and Blaine looked back out of the tunnel before looking back to him.
"Yeah," Blaine replied and he nodded his stomach twisting with fear at what he was about to suggest.
"Well have to jump," he said and he saw Blaine visibly stiffen.
"Jump? I cant get up, Ill have to slide," Blaine said and he nodded to himself.
"Wait, we dont know if the waters deep enough," he said and Blaine looked back at him again.
"Ill let you know," Blain replied and his heart skipped a beat. He was about to say something to stop him but suddenly Blaine was gone, hed forced himself out of the tunnel and disappeared. His mouth fell open as a great splashing sound filled the air.
"Blaine!" He said and pulled himself forward to the edge of the tunnel. For the first time he saw what Blaine had seen, and noticed why hed been scared to jump. The drop was a lot further that hed though it had been, reaching down like he was staring down from the top of a mountain. At the bottom he could see the river that Blaine had told him about, he could see that it visibly flowed away from the prison which was perfect.
He could see Blaine as a dot at the bottom looking up at him, he gestured at him to jump and he took a deep breath both of relief that Blaine was ok and nervousness that he would have to jump next. Grabbing the edge of the tunnel he pulled himself forward with his aching muscles. "Here we go," he said before giving one last tug on his arms forcing himself over the edge.
The cold air hit him like a slap as he fell, he ensured that he wasnt going to land on his stomach by forcing himself forward, and looked down towards where he was falling. He felt the panic as the river got closer and closer and then finally he hit the water.
Water filled his nose and mouth, he tried to push his way to the surface but he wasnt sure what way was up and what way was down. Flailing his arm, he reached out trying to grab onto anything that might help him find the surface. He panicked when he found nothing. He was sure that this was the end, all of this for nothing. He almost laughed at the thought. Hed given up when arm wrapped themselves around him and he was brought to the surface. He spluttered trying to get all of the water out of his mouth, nose and lungs.
"Kurt? Kurt are you ok?" He could hear the worry in his voice.
"Im fine, Im ok," he said trying to calm him. He noticed that his arms were still tightly around Blaine and released him, flapping him arms gently to keep him afloat in the deep water. "Youre an idiot!" he said hitting Blaine on the arm beneath the water. "That could have killed you," he said angrily.
"Then you would have known not to jump," Blaine replied dryly. Anger build up in his stomach.
"Why are you being this way?! Im sorry I brought you, I really am. If I knew you wouldnt have wanted to come I would have left you behind, but there nothing I can do about it now and killing yourself is not going to make anything better," he screamed before turning and swimming with the current down the river. He was sure that it had to lead somewhere that they could use to get away somewhere.
"Kurt wait!" He heard Blaine call but he didnt stop. "Kurt," Blaine called again and he could hear Blaine swimming to try and catch him. It wasnt until he felt a hand on his arm that he stopped and turned to look at him.
"This isnt the time Blaine," he said but Blaine didnt release his grip on his arm.
"Im aware of that but I cant have you thinking that Im mad at you for bringing me, you have no idea how thankful I am Kurt." He paused his attention all on Blaine now. "Im just mad that you had to carry me, Im mad that you took me at all considering the risks that Im sure you have taken by doing it. I feel so useless Kurt, I expected to wake up back in the prison, stuck there for the rest of my life and Im so happy Im with you now, because I wouldnt want to be here with anyone else," Blaine finished and he looked at him startled. He inspected Blaines face from his sparkling eyes, with long eyelashes that had drops of water falling from them onto his cheeks and his lips which had a small smile delicately placed on them, as though it could break with one touch.
Then next thing he knew they were kissing, their bodies so close arms wrapped round each other. He wasnt really aware what was keeping them afloat but he didnt care much. He could have stayed like that forever, in Blaine arms kissing desperately like they had waited years to do so. He would have, but a wailing sound tore them apart and Blaine looked around in shock.
"No," Blaine said sadly and turned back to him. "We have to go," Blaine said grabbing his hand and pulling him forward.
"What is it?" He asked as they began to swim down the river once again.
"The alarm, it means they know were gone," Blaine replied.