Owen unties us while Matt moves the barrel of the gun between us, making sure we don’t try to do anything to Owen. I don’t have a death wish, so I have no plans to aggravate Matt while he’s holding a gun.

We’re so close to the door. I can see the outside world through the windows. The trees look greener than they did before. I long to walk outside there and feel the breeze on my face.

If Matt didn’t have a gun, we could try running. With Caleb gone, we’d have a chance. But there’s no point in letting those thoughts in; Matt does have a gun and we can’t get out now.

The rope around my wrists drops to the floor with a thud.

I flex my fingers and roll my hands.

Owen moves behind Evan. I keep my eyes on Evan. His eyes are tight, and he pants when he breathes.

Owen steps back with Matt, and I push myself to my feet. I grab Evan the second we’re free. He’s unsteady on his feet, his body weak from the beating, but he doesn’t lean on me. Even though he’s in pain, he still won’t lean on me.

“It’s okay,” I tell him, stepping closer.

The metallic smell of blood stings my nose. God, he’s in a bad shape.

With his pretty eyes staring ahead, he gently shakes his head.

“Always the strong one,” I say as we walk through the door, me a lot steadier than Evan. He won’t accept help, so he is shuffling along with one eye almost completely swollen shut.

I place my palm on his back because I know that’s about as much as he’s going to allow me to do. “Are you all right?” I ask as he braces himself against the wall with his hand.

“Yeah. Are you? They didn’t hurt you, right?”

“They didn’t,” I reply. Not physically, but watching someone you care about being hurt is difficult. Evan’s grunts of pain and the twisted expression on his face will stay with me forever.

I follow a step behind him, and as we walk through the clothes room, I grab us both a bag. My clothes are fine, but I don’t want to wear the same things I have on now. Evan’s top is covered in drops of blood from his split lip.

“We’re both okay. That’s great,” I say.

He smiles. “We’re the same, you and me.”

“Hurry it up,” Matt mutters from behind us.

I push the door open and the next and the next, being sure to slam them behind us. Then we’re back.

Hazel is on her feet the second she sees us. “Oh my God! What happened?”