Page 146 of Outspoken

I navigate hallways and fallen cubicles, covering my mouth with a hand because this place smells like literal crap. The one other time I was in here, it had been around midnight, and I didn’t get to look around. Looks like this place used to be an office building. There are a few dusty desks left behind that people have turned into beds.

The deeper I travel, the more unsettled I get, especially since I haven’t seen any people, only spots where they camp against walls to avoid getting stepped on. Maybe I should have brought Miguel with me because I think I stepped into a slasher flick. It’s insanely creepy in here and cockroaches scatter with my every step.

Movement to my right startles me and I screech. A woman in a half fallen cubicle is brushing her hair in front of a broken mirror. She glares at me like I’m annoying.

I clutch my chest and try to get my pulse under control. “Sorry,” I whisper.

She laughs, dropping her brush on a brown suitcase near her feet. Next to that is a rolled sleeping bag. “Honey, why are you whispering?”

I smile in response, her casual attitude forcing me to relax. In my normal voice, I say, “I don’t know. Felt like I should.”

She looks me up and down, staring at my white T-shirt too long. Her own white shirt has a lot of stains. “You looking for something? Dave isn’t here today.”

“I’m looking for a boy. A teenager.” I pull up Angel’s picture to show her.

She nods. “Upstairs. Second floor.”

I exhale and a knot catches in my throat. I almost break down in tears in front of this stranger from being so relieved and happy.We found him. It’s not too late.

I clear my throat of emotion and smile at the woman. “Thank you.”

“The stairs are broken, but there’s a ladder. Just make sure it’s on solid ground before you step.” She glances away with disdain. “Hate to get that pretty face of yours messed up.”

I put distance between me and the salty woman, hurrying toward the entrance where the stairwell might be. As I’m looking around for the ladder, I send Miguel a quick text to let him know I might have found Angel and need a few more minutes.

He responds:TWO more minutes and I’m coming in.

I spot the ladder and dash toward it.

The thing is old and rusty, and it takes me a moment to amp myself up for this. It’s the only way up, so turning back isn’t an option.I can do this.One step, then another. Climb up to confront the darkness.

It’s only darkness. I’ll be okay.

After making sure the ladder is stable, I take my first step, then another, so completely out of shape it’s laughable.

Why didn’t I keep up with those exercises Miguel showed me?

When I finally reach the top, I grip a handle that someone screwed into the wall. A cockroach—a thick, grotesque, disgusting nightmare—crawls over my knuckles. I legit scream my lungs out. But goddammit, Ido notlet go, feeling every disturbing movement of its creepy little legs and antennae on my skin. No way am I falling and breaking my ass when I might be close to finding Angel.

Once I step on the second floor and stand, I do one of those ‘ick a fucking bug just touched me’ dances, shuddering in disgust and wiping my knuckles on my jeans. I hear a familiar laugh behind me, so I spin, shining a light into the dark.

Angel is sitting on the ground, leaning his back against the wall, laughing at me. The amusement on his face doesn’t hide the dark circles around his eyes. His hood is down, so I can also see the black dirt smudges on his cheek. Still smirking, he sucks on his vape pen even though it’s empty, no white vapor cloud puffing out. I wonder if he’s been in this spot all day—not eating or moving—sucking that empty vape pen as his only comfort.

He looks weary and worn, but he’s okay. I touch my chest.Thank god he’s okay.

“There was a cockroach,” I tell him, trying to regain my composure.

“Yeah,” he says, showing me one pinched between his thumb and forefinger. “There’s a million of them.”

I stare, thinking I might puke. “God, what’s wrong with you? Why are youholdingit?”

He smirks and tosses it into the distance. “They’re just bugs.” He picks up another one and chucks it. “Not like they have teeth.”

I shudder, trying to imagine I’m anywhere else and not somewhere infested with creepy, gross little things. I’ll need to soak in the tub for days after this.

“Amber?” Miguel calls out loudly from the first floor. “I heard you scream. I need to know you’re okay.”

I move to the hole in the floor where I climbed up and shine my light down on him. “I’m here. I found him. Go back outside. We’ll be out in a minute.”

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