Snow Storm

Doors locked. Check. Windows shut. Check. It is midnight and everyone has officially left the building. I have been waiting since I have arrived at Sounds.Inc to explore the rooms, locked away from prying eyes. I have been counting down the days until the perfect snowstorm will strike. I am officially trapped at my office as one would say. But, rather, I am not trapped. I choose to stay there. 

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“Agent Covington, do you copy? I repeat, agent Covington do you copy?” My walkie-talkie screamed from across the room. Blurry-eyed I searched the room for a familiar door handle, familiar desk, a familiar anything, but found none. At the crack of dawn, the strong winter sun had risen. Light-headed and confused I layed there staring at the plain office sky waiting for it to cave in and kill me. 

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Ding, ding, ding. Pang, pang, pang. My head spun as I glanced around the room. My phone kept dinging and my head panging. “Ughhh” I heard from across the room. Terrified I whimpered, “ Who’s there?” “Who are you?!” They screamed back. A loud crash came from across the room. “Offic- Covin- on ar uo there?” I heard someone say. I ran out of the room leaving the mysterious voices behind. I found myself stranded on a long hallway, more lost than ever. I kept turning and turning, everything looked the same. I eventually went in a large circle. I found an apple on the ground and against my better judgment took a fat, juicy, bite out of it. Disgusting I thought to myself as I saw the horror inside. Brown and rotten. I screamed and threw the apple across the hall. 

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The ceiling never caved in and it never killed me. It should've, I deserved to be crushed by the drywall. A strange voice echoed from across the room. I couldn’t make out the figure, but I suspected I knew them. They whimpered terrified, “ Who’s there?” Angry at the world and myself, I yelled back at them “ Who are you?!” Even though I knew. Their footsteps echoed through the hall as they turned and ran. Alone. Again. God, I deserve it, but I wish I didn’t. 

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Drenched in blood I made my way to the street. The snow from the last night was still knee-deep and barely melting. I started crying. Hours later I was almost frozen. I had to keep going, not sure to whom I was going to, but someone needed me. I could feel it. A warm breeze blew over me as I opened the door to a rundown gas station. I had $1.50 on me. I could only purchase a candy bar and hot cocoa, but it felt amazing to eat something solid. 

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Sighing and feeling the weight of the world on my shoulders, I got up. I retrieved my walkie-talkie and found it dead. I took one last look around the room and left. I found a snow trail the other person had left behind. I followed it. I ended up at a gas station and entered. I saw a kid alone in a corner and he looked bloody, but I was too tired to tell. I purchased a hot coffee and protein bar. I sat a few tables away from the kid. His back to me I could sense I should talk to him. I made my way over to him and tapped his shoulder. Startled and wide-eyed he screamed and ran out the door. I tried to follow him, but the trail eventually let out. 

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Panting, I stopped and the man was no longer following me. Relief washed over me as I had escaped. I had felt a weird connection to the man but also felt unsure around him. If he needs to find me he will. Until then, I'm getting as far away as possible. 

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Cursing myself for scaring the kid I run the facts of what happened at Sounds.Inc. I was placed there as a fake employee by the FBI, to explore and see if our theories were true. If our suspicions were correct then Sounds.Inc was holding over 50 kids captive. We were right, they were holding kids captive, but I only found one. Where was my brother? He should have been there. I don’t even remember what he looked like. He was only 4. I wanted to scream at the universe for all of it. I lost my brother, I needed to be the one to get him back.  

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Three train rides later I am in New York City. I plan to continue and make it to Seattle. I have no money and no plan to get there. I fell asleep under the stars and awoke to the smell of smoke. Cigarette smoke to be precise. Coughing, I looked up at the man smoking. He asked, “ Kid, what’s your name?” That's when it hit me. I didn’t know. “Umm”, I stammered. He looked scary. I got up and ran again. He chased me for blocks. I turned down an alley and watched him, wiz, past me. I continued running in the opposite direction. My brain kept questioning itself. God, what was my name? Did I have one? Did I have a family? What had happened to me? 

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Helpless, useless, and alone I stared at the sky. Wondering if he was too. Maybe he was looking at the same bright night sky, misted with the pollution of Seattle. Maybe he was in Seattle. I could find him. I dreamed of the day he’d be in my arms again. I would never let him go again. 

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The sun was up so I was up. Truth be told I am terrified. How many men are trying to chase me? Did I do something wrong? Ethan. “Oh my god!” I screamed with glee. Ethan. Ethan was my name and I was sure of it. I had a brother too. Emanuel Covington. OH MY GOD. I ran away from my brother. TWICE. Why, why, why. I would not let it happen a third time. 

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Oh, Ethan, you were so young and innocent. You didn’t deserve it. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have left you all by yourself. 

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