A snort came from the open door. When he gazed at the opening, the second man was still there to watch everyone. The second man then spoke, "You act like you're not going to starve like them in the long run. Do you think the people from your family will find you that easily?"
"Certainly." Scott didn't care about the question. He just didn't want to show his fear to this man who wanted to see his despair. Moreover, he knew well that his uncle would hear about what happened.
"What an idiot. Look around you. They all thought that way days ago." The second man laughed. He then took out his sidearm and aimed at Scott's face. "Do you want this instead? It's better to die when you're still a human even in your own eyes."
Scott didn't budge; neither did he say anything. His eyes just blinked as he looked down to find Rowan instead. There was no use in playing with someone with all the advantages.
Rowan didn't care about the situation, either. He just closed his eyes and continued cuddling with the person next to him. If Scott got shot, then he would just suck Scott's body heat until the body grew cold. After all, a body's warmth could still last after a few minutes.
As for the game the second man was playing… tch, that was no game. That was simply a mix of mockery and boredom at best.
The second man hated the fact that he was ignored. Then again, he could simply shoot the two if he was allowed to. Right now, they were more important than their own egos. He holstered his sidearm and walked out of the room. He had given everyone enough time to eat.
"…thank you…" the girl from earlier whispered when the door fully closed. That was the only noise heard from the captives after a long while.
…
Minutes felt like hours, and the two continued to sleep in the cold room along with the other captives. When they felt someone crawling around, Scott opened an eye and felt someone lying close to his other side. The person was cold to the touch, but the body burred in an attempt to fend off the cold. Then again, the person had no place in the cozy coat that hugged Scott and Rowan.
Rowan just murmured, even if his eyes were still cold, "It must be past midnight by now. How long have we been here for real? Why is Duke still not here?"
"You think that guy can rescue you?" Scott snorted at Rowan's whispers. After all, Duke was only a regular man in Scott's eyes. If his Bradshaw family could not locate him yet, what more of that man who only knew how to smile?
"If he finds us first, I will ask him to dissect you like a frog," Rowan answered with a scoff. He wanted to push Scott away in anger, but there was no meaning to that. Could his anger keep him warmer than this?
At the conversation, someone joined in. It was one of the girls. "…aren't you two together? Why do I feel like there's another guy?"
When she said so, no one could deny the smile on her lips. The people must have been so quiet about themselves and their identities that hearing Scott and Rowan bicker was taking their attention too much. Moreover, talking was better than dying from the deafening silence.
"I just know this man. My boyfriend is a hundred times better than him," Rowan murmured in response. If this was a way to summon Duke and Pareidolia, he would speak about them.
"A hundred times better than me?" Scott snorted again, smirking at the notion. "How could he be a hundred times better if you still can't resist me?"
"Duke kills other people, not me. How is he not a hundred times better?"
It was so strange… this conversation. The people listening to them had no more energy to live, but the intrigue was making them remember that they were still alive. They just decided to listen to the bickering of this couple that seemed to have already broken up. However, look at them. They were still watching out for each other—at least that was what it looked like to the outsiders.
The girl giggled again. "How long have you been together? It sounds like your breakup is very recent… and you have been together for a long time."
"…" Rowan and Scott grew quiet. They were not going to divulge their lives to strangers, especially in a place like this. Even if it looked so helpless, both men knew that they would not die here. Their stay wouldn't be a full day.
"…ten years…" Rowan still answered after a few seconds. "I'm dating Duke for two. I'm just getting caught up with this guy again because of my work."
"Ten? You could have been married…" The girl hummed in response. Her voice then grew so quiet as she was only whispering to herself. "What could have torn apart a couple that's been together for ten years? Fifteen? My parents were even in love for twenty…"
At the seemingly new topic, the people began exchanging their views or their parents' divorce stories. Rowan and Scott remained quiet again, even if Scott was now moving to pull Rowan closer. The other was slipping down because of his poor leaning posture.
Rowan only winced when his wound hurt at Scott's actions and his own movement. Scott whispered a few words of worry, but Rowan only kept quiet as he tried to sleep of the pain. The painkillers from earlier were beginning to wear off, it seemed.
"What the fuck?"
Rowan moved to look at the man's face since the voice was a little disturbed and terrified. When he did so, he saw a thin thread making its way down to Scott's chest. It came from the ceiling, and Rowan could only see it because it had a strange shine.
At the dawning of the matter, Rowan quickly got Scott to move out of the way. He made Scott roll off from where they were, his eyes losing sight of the shiny white thread. Because they made loud movements, Rowan warned everyone: "Guys, stay where you are…!"
The painter found the strength to stand and walk back to where they were earlier. When he looked up at the tall ceiling, he figured there should be a crack or hole there somewhere. It was just that it was too dark and high for Rowan to see anything. He just felt the thread and tugged on it lightly.
His eyes then shone in glee. They had arrived!