I had been alone for a very long time hiding under the bed when you moved into the room. Please don’t think that that is creepy; a lot of monsters hide under beds and we don’t mean to disturb. We’re just shy and have no real home of our own. Besides, the room was empty when I got here; your brother had already moved out. 

I decided to just stay quiet and stay under the bed like usual. I didn’t disturb you and besides you were a teenager you wouldn’t look underneath and find me.So I stayed quiet underneath the bed. My tentacles curled around me like a blanket. Everything was fine,you would come in at night and sleep and go about your day after you woke up. 

Then you started crying. I could hear it when the lights went out and you hid beneath your blankets.The bed would shake with your trembling and I could hear your whispered pleas as you fought battles with your own imagination for control over your dreams. I could see your exhaustion when you woke up and leaned against your dresser, your whole body still trembling from fear. Every tremor and whispered plea was like a knife to my heart.

When your hand fell over the edge of the bed I couldn’t listen to you call for help anymore. I couldn’t let you keep trembling making the bed feel like it might fall apart. So I grabbed your hand wrapping my tentacle around your fingers. I had been afraid that you would scream or cry or pull away from me but you didn’t.You gripped my tentacle tighter and fell still. I held your hand until you went to sleep and when you woke up you weren’t trembling.

I felt happy all that day knowing that I had helped you and after that everytime I could tell you needed help and your hand fell over the edge of the bed I held your hand until you fell asleep. It was the least I could do since I lived under your bed.

Then one night you trembled and called out for help but your hand would not appear over the edge of the bed. I couldn’t take it as the hours drew on and you didn’t know that I wanted to help you. So I climbed out from under the bed and wrapped my tentacles around you. But unlike when I would touch your hand you did not fall still like I expected.

You were not comforted by my touch like you used to be and struggled kicking and grabbing at me not realizing I was giving you a hug. Your eyes were wide with panic and fear that hurt my heart even more than your pleas. All your fighting woke your parents and I could see them coming towards your door so I pulled away from you and hid back down under your bed.

You knew better than to tell your parents about me and I thank you for that. I’m sorry that I scared you. I didn’t mean to. I was trying to help. Don’t worry, I won’t come out again. I won’t touch you again. I tried when your hand fell over the edge of the bed but you pulled it away and just shook harder. I don’t even know if you’re listening to this. But if you are please know I’m sorry. I never meant to scare you.

Email

Ken Rainwood looked at the computer screen his heart beating wildly as he looked at the message on the screen on the Lost and found website for finding missing people.

I have seen Elise Rainwood

There was a link to a live chat website and he clicked it, he knew his parents wouldn’t like that he was on it but he had to know if this person had really seen his younger sister. 

The screen filled with the picture of a teenager a few years older than him 

“hello?” he asked the girl looked up.

“oh! What’s your name?”  he thought about this question, he had always been told not to give his name out online to strangers. 

“I saw a message on the lost and found website that said something about someone I know a girl named Elise Rainwood?” 

The girl’s eyes widened and she leaned in closer to the computer. 

“are you part of her family?” she said quietly Ken nodded 

“I’m her brother, why? is she with you?” he said half hoping that his little sister would walk into view. 

“No” she said looking down sadness in her eyes “I’m Caroline by the way, what’s your name?” 

“Brent” he said using his middle name. 

“How do you know my sister?” he asked 

“I met her while I was doing community service picking up trash on the side of the road” 

She paused Ken was intently focused on her. 

“she was from the other jail and I went up to her because she seemed sort of young and started talking to her, then I found out that she had been kidnapped and I told the police and they got some of the other kids away but” 

she took a deep breath 

“we got in a police car and tried to get away but the people from the other jail or compound as Elise called it shocked her with a taser and took her away” 

Ken’s heart sank he had hoped that Caroline might tell him where Elise was. 

“They’re putting me and the other kids in witness protection but I wanted to send this message before I went into hiding.”

“Hey!” Caroline said speaking quickly “did you get an email from Elise? She said she tried to get one to you but not if you got it ” 

Ken’s spirits lifted and he quickly opened a tab and looked at his email looking for anything that might be from his missing sister. He scrolled through them looking at the subjects and found one that caught his eye.

Subject:Kidnaped!!

With shaking hands he opened it. At first glance he saw it had a lot of spelling errors but he didn’t care he started to read aloud. 

Dear Family,

I really hope you get this. I am taking a very big risk sending this if I get found out I will certainly get punished but I will take any punishment they give me I have to try, I have to let you know I’m still alive. I have been kidnapped. This is a terrible terrible place I haven’t seen the sun since I was taken but that’s the least worst thing here. But I’m one of the lucky ones there are other kids here some taken as young as three. I hope you get this It may be the only hope I have in coming hours.Don’t try and send me an E-mail I will delete this account right after I send this message to stop them from finding any evidence.I will never forget you. Keep looking for me! I will love you all forever.I promise I will come back that’s as much of a promise to myself as it is to you.I love you!don’t stop looking for me!!

-Elise Rainwood

“She paid for sending that message” Caroline said “they found out about it and hurt her, she has a scar on her left shoulder” 

Ken felt terrified for his poor sister he read through the email three times committing it to memory. He scrolled down and saw a picture that looked like a mug shot of Elise staring straight backed and terrified at the camera. 

Don’t worry Elise he thought looking at his sister’s terrified eyes in the picture. I will never stop looking for you. Until you are found.

***

“Safety” 

I opened my eyes at the long awaited word and sat up. Kayla was there with bandages and ointment for my shoulder which was still bleeding from what they had done. 

“What was it this time?” she asked as she cleaned the wound with a wet towel. 

“They used my instincts against me…again” I said wincing remembering the metal spike I had tried so frantically to melt with my power. 

Kayla winced. 

“they even did it in the same spot” she said, “but looks like they didn’t do too much damage you’ll still be able to use your arm” 

she expertly bandaged the wound and gave me pain medicine; it wasn’t that strong but it was something. What I didn’t tell her was that they had done more damage to me than she could see because the damage wasn’t anything medicine could heal. 

You will never leave this compound! you will never see the sunlight ever again! I remembered the words vividly. I looked over and saw Kate asleep in bed at the other side of the small room that was our cell. 

“What they do to Kate?” I asked nodding toward her. 

Kayla winced 

“They made her try and stop a wall from almost crushing her” she said “so she’ll be out for a while,you should get some rest too your arm needs to heal” 

I nodded suddenly exhausted, I laid down and quickly fell asleep.

***

“They are staying in some of the empty cells until we can find homes for them” the police officer said to Ken walking down the short corridor. 

She was right. There were a lot of kids in some of the cells their doors wide open some young ones and others that were possibly as old as him. 

“Will has given us the most information so far so you should speak to him” she said stopping in front of a cell with the door open. 

“Will?” she said softly 

Ken looked in and saw a boy in a t-shirt and jeans sitting on a bed in the open cell he had light brown hair and sparkling green eyes. 

“Yes?” he said looking warily over at Ken. 

“This is Ken Rainwood” she said to Will “Elise is his sister he wants to know if you can tell him anything about who took her” 

The boy’s eyes widened “come on in” he said nodding to the bed. 

Ken went in and sat down Will looked over at the officer. 

“could you ..um give us some privacy?” 

The woman nodded sympathetically and walked down the hall the way she had come. 

Will looked at Ken “so you’re Elise’s brother?” 

Ken nodded. 

“yes,I heard she was in the group that went to pick up trash” 

Will smiled “we all really owe her” he said “she told the police we were being held captive and got us free” 

Will shook his head his eyes darkening “they are going to be mad at her” he muttered shuddering.

“Why did they take kids?” Ken asked stating the question that had been in his mind since Elise was taken. A voice answered from the cell next door. 

“Because they’re all freaks!” 

Ken spun looking toured the voice it came from the one to the left an older man in a locked cell. Will’s fists clenched and he stood up outraged. 

“I AM NOT A FREAK!” he shouted at him the man moved back to the other side of the cell to get away from Will’s fist as he tried to punch him. After a few tries Will gave up and went back to the bed.

Will sat down on the bed again. 

“in a way he’s kind of right” he whispered “the reason they took us is because they are building an army” 

“Do you know where you were being held captive?” Ken asked.

Will shrugged “One of my cellmates thinks that we were in a dessert” 

Ken was about to ask something else but then a small terrified voice shouted. 

“Ahhh!” 

Will stood in an instant and shot to the door and rushed down the hallway. Ken got up and followed as fast as he could trying to keep up. Will stepped into one of the cells with an open door. 

Ken looked in. A little girl about the age of ten or eleven sat cowering in the corner, a worried looking police officer facing the terrified girl. The girl had a glowing blue forcefield around her. Will stood in the way of the police officer. 

“Emma” he said gently “it’s OK you’re safe” 

He was standing on the balls of his feet Emma looked past him shaking her head and pointed at the officer. Will glanced at her the poor officer was shaking terrified. 

“This is Society headquarters remember? Everyone here is a Member” 

The girl seemed to relax at this and the forcefield faltered and then disappeared completely. 

One of the Officers came and led Ken out of the hall of cells while they calmed down Emma and dispelled the tension. Ken went out and got in the car he had driven to the police station, not even sure what to think of everything he had just seen and heard.

Ellen fell to the ground next to the toilet as she felt her energy drain out of her. Reaching up she put her hand to her forehead where a fever was starting. She felt nausea start to rise inside her and gave out a groan of annoyance and was then forced to throw up into the toilet.

Not now! I don’t have time for this!

Though she supposed she never had time for this and whether she liked it or not there was no changing what was happening. Her Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome had been triggered, there was only one thing she could do; get her lazy roommates to take her to the ER before she was dehydrated.

Crawling to the door she cracked it open and shouted down the hallway to her roommates. “Krissy! Veronica! I need a garbage bag! Or a bowl or something! I just got sick!” 

She heard scrambling in the other room as they got out what she needed and Veronica came down the hallway Krissy following behind looking confused. Veronica handed her the bag which Ellen quickly opened holding at the ready.

“Why couldn’t you have gotten it yourself?” Krissy asked annoyed “And why are you on the floor?”

Ellen took a deep breath. She didn’t like her roommate Krissy with her condescending look and way of acting like she was better than everyone else just because she was taking nursing classes though how she had decided to become a nurse was beyond her seeing as asfar as Ellen knew she spent more time going to parties than studying.

“There’s something I need to tell you.” Ellen said hoping they would believe her and get her the help she needed. “I have something called Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome. It makes me throw up over and over. The only way to get it to stop is to go to the ER. I need one of you to take me.”

For a moment they just stood there staring at her with that wide eyed shocked look that had been etched in her memory from all the times she had told people about her diseases.Then Krissey let out an exasperated sigh and rolled her eyes. 

“Really Ellen? This again? I heard you asking Mr. Arnald about it; you heard him. It doesn’t exist. There’s no such thing as Cyclic Vomiting Disorder.”

Ellen glared at her, panic filling her chest. “Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome. And it is real, I have it, and I need your help!”

“You just threw up because you’ve been so stressed about that report due on wednesday.” Krissey retorted.

She was about to try and explain how things like stress could trigger an episode or maybe explain her fever and exhaustion to prove there was something wrong with her when she was forced to throw up into the bag at her feet. When she was finished she looked up at her two roommates, tears of pain and desperation in her eyes.

“Please. You have to believe me!”

Veronica stepped forward smelling like the essential oils she always used. It almost made Ellen gag again. 

“Ellen you need to calm down. Come on. We’ll take you to your room where you can relax for a while.You’re just stressed.”

Veronica helped her to her feet and Ellen let her lead herself be led down the hallway to her room where Krissey had turned on Veronicas lavender scented air freshener. Ellen held her breath to try and not smell it as nausea tried to overwhelm her again. She struggled weakly against Veronica who gripped her arm tighter and forced her to sit on her bed. Ellen gripped her bag tighter like a lifeline. There had to be something she could do to make them believe her!

Ellen spotted her Hope Chest next to her desk and rushed to it grunting as she lifted the lid. Veronica and Krissey started towards her trying to tell her to relax or take a nap; as if she could do that with the threat of dehydration hanging over her. Moving around books on biology and finances and cooking she pulled out the laminated book created from page protectors that she had so desperately worked on during the summer in case something like this happened. 

A guide to Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome. Instructions on what could trigger an episode, what needed to happen to make it stop, how to recover from an episode, and every bit of research she had been able to find on the possible cause and cure.

She turned back to them and held it out. “C.V.S is real. I need to get to a hospital so they can make it stop!”

Veronica took the packet from her and opened it. “Oh Ellen..you really believe all this junk? It only fuels your fears. You don’t need a hospital. You need to relax.”

Krissey scoffed looking over Veronica’s shoulder at the packet. “What are your sources? ‘Stomach flu overeactors.com?’”

“No! ‘The national institute for rare digestive system diseases’!” She started flipping to the sources pages at the end of the packet but they pulled it away from her out of her reach.

“Give it back!”

“No!” Krissey shouted “This thing doesn’t exist! You’re overreacting!”

“Yes it does!”

Krissey raised an eyebrow, an arrogant smirk on her face. “Then why haven’t I heard of it?”

Ellen sat down exhausted, answers flying around her head. Because you don’t study! Because people don’t know the cause. Because some people don’t believe in it. Because it’s rare. Because it’s easier to think it’s just stress and not a disease without a cause or a cure. Because some people think it’s better to tell someone they’re crazy than tell them they have a disease no one understands.

“Because it’s rare. And people like you refuse to try and understand.”

Krissey glared at Ellen. “Come on Veronica. Ellen needs to think some things over.” they started walking towards the door. Krissey looked back at her. “You can either be a stressed person stuck in a room,or you can be a crazy one. You decide.”  Ellen forced herself up and stumbled towards them only to collapse against the door as it closed.

“Sorry Ellen!” Veronica said from the other side “But it’s for your own good!”

“Krissey! Veronica! Let me out right now!” Ellen pulled on the door handle but the door wouldn’t budge. “Let me out!! Please! You don’t know what your do-”

Ellen dove for the trash bag by her bed just in time as her stomach clenched bringing tears of pain to her eyes. She blinked the tears away letting them fall and looked at the bag. Not much had come out. She didn’t have much left.

Four she remembered her father telling her. That was how many times a person could get sick before they lost everything. Before their stomach had nothing left to give and dehydration started. How long would she last before she became so dehydrated her body stopped functioning? A few hours? A day?

She looked at the locked door shuddering as she remembered stories that she had come across in her research about C.V.S. About people being locked in asylums because other people thought that they were making themselves sick, people searching for answers and never finding them, always being told that the sickness was their fault.

“I’m going to find what causes you.” Ellen said to the disease within her “If I get out of this I’m going to find the cause and I’m going to make sure no one ever has to feel like this again.”

She took a breath and coughed on the pungent lavender scented air. Using the wall as support for her exhausted,trembling legs she walked over to the window and forced it open letting in a beautiful rush of cool, clean air. Ellen stuck her head out the window letting the cold night wash away some of her fever and looked at the lights of cars driving by and people in their apartments and houses. So close, and so far at the same time.

Ellen forced herself to go back into her room only when she started shivering and surveyed her room to try and figure out what to do. Her roommates had not believed her and had locked her in the room with not even her phone which she had left charging in the kitchen like always. Her eyes fell on the lavender scented humidifier sending the stench into the air. She had an idea.

***

Ellen waited on her bed with the trash bag at her feet. She would need to let her roommates calm down before she put her plan in action or they might just ignore her. So she waited. Waited until she could hear them in the kitchen chatting about boys and weird coworkers and annoying teachers. Looking at the clock she found that about twenty minutes had passed since she had sat down,she was about to get up when her body convulsed and she instinctively pulled the bag open in front of her. For all the pain it caused her only a trickle of liquid came from her mouth. The fourth time. She had nothing left to give.

Once she caught her breath Ellen stood and stumbled towards the humidifier that she had unplugged from the wall picking it up and went to the open window. She stuck her head out again into the cool night air looking up at the stars that were beginning to show in the sky, praying that her plan would work. If it didn’t…

She pulled her head back in and held the humidifier by the cord letting it dangle out the window above the drop. If it didn’t work would she be able to climb out the window? Could she survive the twenty foot drop to the sidewalk below? She didn’t want to think about it.

“Krissey! Veronica! Let me out! I need to get to a hospital!” It was best to start with the big things she knew they wouldn’t give her. Then they might give her something smaller.

“Ellen for the last time! You aren’t sick!” It was Veronica. Good.

“Fine! Then bring me my phone!”

“Ellen-”

“BRING ME MY PHONE RIGHT NOW OR I’LL DROP YOUR HUMIDIFIER OUT THE WINDOW!”

Ellen heard her fiddling with the doorknob taking down whatever they had used to stop the door from opening. The door swung open crashing against the wall. Veronica stood there eyes wide at seeing Ellen holding her precious humidifier out the window. Krissey could be seen looking in behind her.

Ellen felt a rush of hatred upon seeing them and had to stop herself from dropping the humidifier out the window right then. Just to get back at them for what they’d done to her. Just to see it shattered on the ground, destroyed, for the pain they’d caused her.

“Bring. Me. My. Phone.”

“Ellen” Veronica said, holding her hands out. Like she was trying to calm a crazy person. Ellen didn’t care if they thought she was crazy. She barely cared about anything. She didn’t have the energy to.

“Stay back!” she let the cord slide through her fingers an inch. Veronica froze.

“Bring me my phone. Now!” Ellen forced every bit of venom and raw anger she had into that last word. Their faces paled surprised at the rage their quiet roommate was able to have towards them. As if she would destroy them if she had the energy to.

Veronica turned and rushed out the door as Krissey stood there wide eyed and terrified. A moment later Veronica berst back in Ellen’s phone in hand and held it out to her.

“Here! Here It is! Take it!”

Ellen snached it from her hand clutching it close to her chest before she brought the humidifier in so they wouldn’t take it from her. She pulled the humidifier back into the room resisting the urge to drop it out the window anyway just to see the look on their faces. Veronica took it and rushed out the door, Krissey following her.

Ellen slumped to the ground exhausted, trembling from fear. Her mind spun trying to decide who to call. Her first thought was the police. They could arrest Veronica and Krissey couldn’t they? This was practically a kidnapping or a hostage situation right? If nothing else it was a case of neglect. Did that count with roommates or just parents? She shook her head. She didn’t need police, what she needed was someone to take her to the hospital. Her mother would be a good choice but she worked a half hour away and wouldn’t be able to come right away. Her dad was even farther, back at the house. She needed someone close.

“The Club.” she whispered, pulling up the chat. They all lived by campus and better yet they knew what her disease was and what she would need. They would believe her. They would save her. She started texting.

‘Help! This is Ellen! My C.V.S. started and I need to get to the hospital as soon as possible! My roommates refused to help me and locked me in my room! I need someone to come get me and take me to the hospital! Please Help Me!!!’

She hit send and almost immediately got an answer from Micheal the biotech student asking what her address was. She texted it to him.

‘On my way!’

She let out a relieved sigh. Someone was coming. She would get to a hospital. Ellen pulled up her mother’s contact next and texted her.

‘Mom my C,V.S. started. I tried to tell my roommates about it but they didn’t believe me and locked me in my room. I managed to get them to give me my phone and have texted a friend who will take me to the hospital.’

She hit send on the message and leaned back against the wall to wait for her mother to call her. She was so tired. Not to mention thirsty. A gag made her reach for the trash bag by her bed again but nothing would come out. She needed to get out of here and get to a hospital. 

Can I even get up? Ellen wondered looking at her body. She wasn’t sure.

Krissey looked in at her through the door. In her relief about her phone Ellen hadn’t noticed that they had left it open. 

“What are you doing?” Krissey said looking at her like she was a misbehaving child.

Ellen glared at her. “No-None of your business.”

Ellen’s phone rang in her hands as her mom called her and she looked at it, her brain trying to get her exhausted body to answer the phone. She lifted it up and was about to answer when it was snached from her hands by Krissey who appeared over her. 

“Who did you call! The police?!”

Ellen shook her head slumping to the ground. “N-no. Give it back!”

Krissey hit decline on the phone silencing her mother’s call. “No! I’m not going to let you blame us just because you keep overreacting!” She started walking towards the door and Ellen scrambled after grabbing her ankle with her weak hands. “You’re not sick so just get over it already!” Krissey yanked her foot out of Ellen’s grasp, stepping on her hand in the process and making her cry out and cradle it to her chest.

“That’s what you get for trying to call the cops on us!” Krissey said as she slammed the door shut.

Ellen laid down on the floor silent sobs shaking her body. Everything was falling apart. Looking up at the light in her room made her eyes hurt so she put her arm over them relishing in the shadows. She had nothing else she could do to get them to help her or get them to give her back her phone and Krissey and Veronica were probably already texting the people she’d texted saying it was nothing. She would be stuck here waiting for her energy to slowly drain away.

A hope still refused to die however, the words of Michael’s text flashing through her exhausted mind.

‘On my way!’

Ellen just hoped he was still coming.

Things I’ve realized/ things the quarantine has changed.

1. There is such a thing as too much alone time for an introvert.
2. Online school actually isn’t that bad and I actually have more free time than I did in school.
3. Toilet paper is as valuable as the holy grail.
4. Birds wings actually make sound when they fly above you. Even the little birds.
5. I can walk through my neighborhood and only be in the middle of the street.
6. You can feel sound hitting your eardrums if you let yourself notice it.
7. No matter how much free time I have I will still rather read a book than finish doing the random projects I started ages ago.
8. What I thought was silence is actually the sound of the freeway a mile away.
9. I am now the queen of grilled cheese sandwiches!
10. There is such a thing as too many grilled cheese sandwiches.
11. I want to go to a grocery store.
12. I miss eating lunch with friends (even if I didn’t really feel like part of the group.)
13. Its possible to wake up at a normal time.
14. Curfews don’t exist at the end of the world
15. I’m living a part of history.
16. We will all be able to tell our kids of “The toilet paper runs of 2020”
17. Life will never go back to normal.
18. Quarantine birthdays are even more fun than normal birthdays.
19. It is possible to be worried that the police will be called on your birthday party because too many people are standing in your yard. (oh no! the kids are playing tag!!)
20. There is more candy in the apocalypse than I thought there would be.

The Outing

The door opened and we all went out into the long awaited sunlight. I breathed in deeply the scent of the outdoors as I felt a nice breeze that I had almost forgotten existed. We had ridden in the van for a long time. I glanced around at the other kids and spotted Emma, the little ten year old was looking around with her eyes as big as quarters with wonder and the biggest smile I had ever seen. 

Right, I reminded myself, She was taken young – she’s never been out here. 

I stared up at the sun not caring that it burned my eyes; it had been a very long time since I had seen sunlight. I thought back and tried to remember the last time I had seen the sun.

The day I was taken. I thought remembering the last time I was outside the compound. I had been walking home on field day when a van drove up men in black had jumped out, grabbed me, and taken me to the Compound. 

“All right listen up” said the large muscular guard in front of us interrupting my thoughts. “You all know the rules, and remember we have people from the county jail coming here too. Remember the consequences for breaking any rules. Your name will be put on the List.” 

I winced hearing the consequence for breaking a rule and reminded myself of them. 

(1) Don’t use your power. 

(2) Don’t mention the compound or what goes on there. 

(3) Don’t tell anyone how you got there. 

I looked over and the man gave all of us trash sticks and bags I can’t believe that I am actually happy to be picking up trash. 

I walked to the other side of the street and started picking up trash. I started to get it down to an exact science, pick up on stick, wrap the bag around the trash, pull it off, repeat. I was so concentrated on my rhythm, I didn’t realise when someone came up next to me. 

“Hi” they said making me jump and instinctively send out a small heatwave to protect myself my head shot up and I saw it was a girl, a teenager that I hadn’t seen before. 

“Sorry if I scared you,” she said and I noticed her fan herself to cool down. If people didn’t know that heat came from me they usually didn’t question it, just passing it off as a hot wind. “I’m Caroline what’s your name?” 

I instinctively reached for my ID tag around my neck that had my information my name,age,power but then I reminded myself that this person wasn’t from the compound so I just said my name keeping my tag hidden in my shirt.

“Elise,” I said, taking in her appearance. She was wearing jeans and carried a trash spike and bag. I went back to picking up trash. 

“So…why are you here?” I asked thinking she probably robbed a bank or something. 

“Vandalism,” she said stabbing another piece of trash “me and some friends TPed one of our friends’ houses and we got caught by the police. So I have to do community service. How about you?” she asked. But then I heard someone saying my name. 

“Elise!” I heard a small voice whisper. I turned and saw Emma standing next to me. I waved to Caroline and walked down the road a bit so we could talk in private.

“What is it Emma?”

“What’s that thing in the tree? No one will tell me they just keep saying to get back to work! ” she said pointing at a bird in a nearby tree. 

“Oh!” I said smiling at her enthusiasm “that’s a bird Emma”. She looked as happy to be outside as a dog that just got a new toy. 

“Bird?” she said. 

“Yep” I said. I took a quick glance around and spotted a guard walking toward us. 

“Quick get back to work Emma! You don’t want to go on the List do you!?” 

Emma’s smile vanished and I saw a flash of terror cross her face. 

“No!” she said. 

“Then go! hurry!” 

I gave her a little push and she went off on her way, but the guard had spotted me. I turned back to start picking up trash, but the guard stepped up behind me and grabbed my ID tag from behind pulling it tight around my neck. 

“What were you telling her?” he inquired roughly. 

I glanced up the road and saw that Caroline wasn’t looking at me. She hadn’t seen the guard come up. “It was nothing”

In response, he wrapped my ID tag tighter with a twist. 

“Tell Me!” he said. 

“I was just telling her what a bird was!”I said loudly so he would hear.

“This is a time for work not chit chat!” he said harshly and he tightened the ID tag and then released it making me fall to the ground gasping for air as he turned and walked away. 

“Jeez are you alright?!” 

I glanced up and saw Caroline standing over me. She must have heard me fall I thought.

“Yes, yes I’m alright,” I said between gasps I took her hand and stood up and looked at her. 

“What happened to your arm?” she asked staring at my shoulder.

“It’s nothing,” I said trying to hide it but she pushed my arm aside and moved my sleeve to look at my shoulder. 

She gasped staring at the two inch scar on my shoulder. 

“How did you get this?” 

I looked away closing my eyes to fight back memories flashing through my mind and trying to control my anger at what had happened. 

“I didn’t do anything,” I whispered. 

“What?”

“I didn’t break any law!” I said louder and looked back at her tears rolling down my face. “I was taken. kidnapped. I got the scar as punishment for hacking a computer!” 

I stared down at my feet so I wouldn’t have to see her shocked face. I could never get looks like that out of my head. I heard her gasp and I knew that I had made a good choice in staring at my shoes

“Why did you hack a computer?” she asked hesitantly. 

“I was trying to send a message to my family to tell them to keep looking for me to say I was still alive.” I said sobbing. I’ll get put on the List for this. I thought. 

“They did that to you?” she asked. 

“I said too much already. I’ll get put on the List for sure!” 

“What List?” she asked. I shuddered. 

“The List is a list of all our names in the compound if you break a rule or get in trouble or if it’s just your time you get your name put on it. Then you get taken down to the lower levels where they do their tests,” I said, pale faced and shaking. “And trust me! What that guard just did was nothing!” 

“This way,” she said grabbing my arm and pulling me towards a police officer. 

“What seems to be the trouble?” he asked. He saw my tearstained face he put his arm on my shoulder kneeling to look at me “Are you alright?“ he asked me. 

“Officer” Caroline said to him “This girl said she was kidnapped! And the people holding her captive hurt her!” to prove her point she moved my sleeve up and showed him the scar on my shoulder. 

“What?!, who did this to you?” he asked kindly 

I said nothing. Instead I nodded toward the guards.

”They did it?” he asked me 

I nodded. 

“What’s your name?” he asked. 

Again, I reached for my ID tag then stopped myself.

“Elise Rainwood,” I said instead. His eyes widened.

“Let me look at something!” He stood and got out a small laptop from his police car and logged into it. He pulled something up and turned it towards me. “Is this you?”

I stared at the computer. My picture was on it from before I was taken. I glanced underneath it and saw my name, age, and birthday. And above my picture was a caption saying I had gone missing four months ago and there was an ongoing investigation on my kidnapping.

I covered my mouth fighting back sobs and tears that threatened to overwhelm me relief and hope leaping in my heart. They’re still looking! The guards lied about them giving up!

I nodded to the officer. “That’s me.”

The officer looked at the rest of the kids. 

“Were they kidnapped too?” he asked me. 

“Yes,” I said quietly. 

The officer called over another officer.

“Call in reinforcements and round up all the prisoners that are from the other jail this girl and the others were kidnapped!” 

“Yes sir!” said the man and he got out his radio and started filing a report. 

But then I heard a demanding voice shout something I knew all too well. 

“Hey, Freaks! Get back to work!” 

I turned quickly at the sound as if it were my own name. 

“What are you doing!” shouted a guard even though he was only ten feet away. 

I took a defiant step forward shoving down my fear. They had told me that my family had forgotten me. They had stolen everything I had and now they would try and take it all away again. I would not let that happen again.

“What should have happened a long time ago,” I said boldly. I saw the guard reaching for the stun gun at his side and I shouted the code word that every one of the kids from the compound knew by heart. 

“For Max!” 

Every head turned my way as the guard pulled out the stun gun, pointed it at me, and fired.

***

Caroline grabbed Elise to stop her from hitting her head on the road as she fell to the ground. 

What Elise had said must have been a codeword of sorts because all the kids with tags threw down their bags and sticks and started moving. One boy grabbed one of the guards and literally threw him into the side of a van. Another of the kids dropped their stick and bag and ran forty miles an hour down the road passing speeding cars. 

A girl with brown hair and bright green eyes ran toward Caroline and Elise and fell to her knees next to them. 

“Did she hit her head on the ground?” she asked. For a moment Caroline was too shocked to answer then she spoke. 

“No I caught her before she hit the ground” The girl nodded 

“good” she said. 

Then expertly checked for a pulse on her neck; she looked like she had done this before.

“her heart’s still beating so she’ll be fine” she looked up at her and held out her ID tag for her to read apparently this was as good as an introduction. 

Caroline read the girl’s name Kate Weaver.

“Elise and I are cellmates” she said she then looked down at Elise whose eyes were scrunched shut Kate rubbed Elise’s arm and spoke one word.

“safety” 

Elise’s eyes opened in an instant she slowly sat up and looked around 

“where are we?” she said looking at Kate 

“outside” was all she had time to say. 

“Quick let’s get away from here!” said the policeman picking up Elise and moving toward a police car they followed Caroline got in along with Kate and they sat in the back of the police car. 

“Weird, there’s only a seatbelt” said Elise as the officer put her in the back of the car. 

They all got in and put on their seat belts the officer got in the front “buckle up!” he said then he started the car and they shot down the road.

***

Officer Greg Holton looked to the side and spotted one of the vans from the other jail one of the ones with the kids in it, and saw guards loading full of sad looking kids. He walked over and hit one of the guards on the head that was standing guard at the door to the van and the man fell unconscious and told his deputy Walter to secure the driver. 

Greg opened the doors to the van and stepped in. 

The van was a terrible sight he looked in and saw all the kids strapped to the two sides of the van with multiple cuffs and belts he shut the doors behind him and stepped toured a boy strapped to his seat with a gag on his mouth Greg took it off him 

“whats going on?” the boy asked and Greg answered 

“your being rescued” as he undid the boy’s restraints 

“what’s your name?” Greg asked, the boy held out his tag and Greg read his name Will Atkins 

“you’re not kidding me are you?” Will asked suspiciously.

“no”  

He saw a glimmer of light come to the boy’s sad eyes. 

“we need to free the others will you help me?” 

Will nodded vigorously.

“wait!” he said as Greg stepped forward to free the child next to him “We have a special code that tells us that it’s safe to open our eyes” 

He moved over to the child next to him and gently rubbed her shoulder and spoke. 

“safety” 

The girl’s eyes opened and she looked up at them both Will undid the girls restraints 

“free the others” he said to her and she nodded they all got to work freeing and waking up all the kids and soon everyone was free. 

“Alright” Greg said speaking to them all but before he could say anything else the doors to the van burst open revealing a very shocked guard at the sight of seeing the kids free. He got his taser out and pointed it at Greg. Will stood next to him. 

“you mess with him you mess with us ” he said boldly the man’s eyes widened with fear and he dropped his taser. 

“Get in” Will said.

The man promptly obeyed they took the weapons and gave them to some of the children.Then strapped the man to one of the chairs and put a gag on him. 

“All right ” said Greg “here’s what’s going to happen ” he said after the kids had settled down “we are going to bring you all to the county police headquarters and we will find out what to do from there”  

The children nodded as if by speaking they might wake up from a wonderful dream. 

“hey!” said one of the kids once the van had started moving and they were back in their seats “let’s sing a song while we wait” 

“legend of Max!” one of the smaller ones said 

“sure” they said and they all started singing.

Once long ago there was a boy 

His name was Max

His talent was like no other

But the people were afraid

So they put him in chains

And tried to take his power

But doing so destroyed him

The power lost forever

Greg thought about the girl that had told another officer that the kids were kidnapped before she had been shocked she had shouted the words ‘for Max’ could the boy in the song and this other Max be the same? He turned his attention back to the kid’s who were still singing.

-someday soon the sun will shine again

The door’s will never lock us in again

And their chains will rust to dust

Oh someday soon the sun will shine again

And chains we’ll never wear again!

And the List will burn to ashes 

Never to say our names again

Oh someday soon the sun will shine again!

And the children will finally see the light

And so we fight until we can see the light

Because someday soon the sun will shine again!

The song ended grand and loud as the van stopped and the door swung open revealing Walter and some more officers awaiting orders. Greg spoke to the man in charge after all the kids got taken into the office. Greg shut the door so the kids wouldn’t hear the conversation. 

“So what is happening here Greg?” said his boss “it looks like a daycare out there” 

“sir, we have a code 237” Greg answered 

The old man’s eyes widened “a mass kidnapping!?” the man rubbed his chin in thought “I will have to send this to the state” he said 

Greg looked down and then spoke what was on his mind. “I think that the people that kidnapped them were the government” 

The man gave him a quizzical look 

“you been watching too many movies again Greg?” he said with a small chuckle. 

“Sir, I asked them how many kids had been kidnapped and do you know what they said?” 

“what?” 

“Four hundred”. 

The man’s eyes widened. 

“tell me sir, who would be able to kidnap that many kids and not get found out!” 

***

I sat in the back of the police car as it zoomed along Caroline sat next to me and Kate on the other side. The car kept going faster and faster the lights flashing. I looked back and saw that one of the vans from the compound was following at breakneck speed. 

“we’re in a car chase” I said getting a little worried as the van started gaining 

“what?” Kate said looking back at the van. 

“step on it!” said Caroline and the car went faster. 

“they’re going to catch us” I said. 

Kate looked over at me. “not if I can help it” 

She scowled at the van and suddenly it started swerving and flipped in a u-turn and had to turn in a circle to get back on our trail. 

“Nice” I said impressed at how far she could reach with her telepathy power. 

“hey you didn’t think we practice so much just because it’s fun, did you?”. 

I sat back “this is one of the best days I have had in a long time.” I said 

Caroline looked at me like I was nuts. 

“Seriously?, you had to pick up trash on the side of the road, got threatened by a guard,got shocked by a taser, and now you are in a car chase with people trying to possibly kill you. What is good about this!?” 

I sat up straighter and looked her in the eye. 

“when you think of freedom you think of driving to the mall with friends, you think of skipping class to see a movie.” 

I took a deep breath. 

“but when I think of freedom I think of finally seeing the sun and the sky again, I think of looking on the List after breakfast and not finding my name on it, I think of spending hours in the library hacking through the firewalls on a computer to send an Email to my family, even though I know that if I get caught I will get punished for it.” 

She was silent and the car continued in a fast speed. The officer in front spoke for the first time. 

“why exactly do these people want you kids so badly?” 

Kate and I looked at each other. 

“We’re not quite sure” Kate said, “but we know it has something to do with power”  

“yes” I said then I changed my voice to sound like the guards. 

“when an individual has control of a strong advantage they can use it to their interests and if someone gets in your way they can easily be persuaded or eliminated” I said quoting the propaganda that I had heard so many times I had it memorized,and because I myself had been persuaded. 

“So you’re of political importance or something?” Caroline said 

“or something” I said staring at my hands and thinking of the power they held. 

“Look!” shouted Kate her hand grabbing mine and I looked up and my heart sank to my shoes. 

In front of us was a barricade of vans with guards from the compound stood outside armed with taser guns the police car swerved to the side trying to flip around and go the other way but there were vans blocking the way there too. The car was quickly surrounded by guards I looked at Kate her face was pale like mine her eyes wide. 

“We’re dead” I said 

“No” Kate said “remember they won’t kill us” 

“I think I like that option better than the alternative” I said my voice shaking. I turned to Caroline whose face was pale and she looked at me terrified. 

“contact my family” I said to her “tell them to keep looking, tell them I’m alive” tears in my eyes as I looked out the window through the bars. 

“If you run now they might leave you alone. We’ll distract them!” I said to her and the officer. Kate swung their doors open with her power.

“Run! Both of you now!”

The officer started to protest but Kate shoved them both out the doors and they started running to the trees on the side of the highway. We both got out me making heat flare melting some of the guns and drawing attention away from the fleeing civilians. They deserve freedom more than someone like me.

We were quickly surrounded. I tried not to think about what would happen when I got back to the compound. I looked at the sky wondering if this would be the last time I saw it.

“Goodbye sunlight” was the last thing I said before I was shocked by a taser into unconsciousness.

Micheal read the text that Ellen had just sent on the club group chat and felt his pulse start racing. 

‘What’s your address?!’

She texted back immediately ‘Woodrills Apt.#21’

‘I’m on my way!’

Micheal grabbed his jacket, keys, and wallet as he rushed to the door.

“Mike! Where are you going?!” Jack shouted as he ran past.

Michel didn’t answer flying down the stairs of his apartment to his car. He had to take a moment to put Ellen’s address into google maps and to his relief found he wasn’t far. He sped out of the parking lot and sped down the road going almost five over the speed limit. His phone beeped and he forced himself to wait until he got to a stop sign to look at it.

‘This is Ellen’s roommate Krissy. Please ignore the last message she sent. She’s been stressed lately and is overreacting. We’re calming her down. Don’t worry. You don’t have to come.’

Micheal glared at his phone as if he could send his hatred at Ellen’s roommate through it. Ellen had said in her last text that her roommates didn’t believe her and had locked her in her room; he wasn’t about to listen to anything they said about her health. He willed the light to turn faster. Finally it turned and he raced down the street forcing himself to slow as he turned into the parking lot and parked as close to her apartment as he could. As he ran up the stairs watching the doors for number 21 he wondered how he would get her roommates to let him in.

I could tell them I just came to check up on her after her first text. It’s the truth. And if that doesn’t work then I’ll punch them in the face.

He felt like he might do that even if they did let him in.

He reached the door to apartment 21 and banged on the door. He didn’t want them to have a reason to pretend they hadn’t heard him and he wanted to make sure Ellen heard him and knew that he was there to help her. 

I’m coming Ellen. Hold on.

He just hoped he wasn’t too late.

I sat on the couch, my mind spinning. I had nothing to do, nothing to focus on, no books to read with the library closed and I had gotten all of my homework done that I needed to do. All I could do was sit and think; and thinking was dangerous.

Sounds and images flash through my mind like a television flickering between fuzzy channels. I can feel myself shaking with tension though I’m not sure why yet. Am I afraid or is it just how high the air conditioner is?

Please don’t hurt me. Why am I thinking that? I’m alone, what could hurt me?

Chains…darkness..cruelty…pain…fear. Memories. Memories of dreams, of nightmares. That was long ago. It’s gone now. Why do I still fear it?

My body is trembling,getting smaller to try and hide. Like I could escape, run away, find somewhere safe. My lungs gasp for air trying to get a deep breath to try and calm me down. Is it possible to have PTSD from something that never really happened in real life?

Please!..begging…crying…pleading. More memories. Nightmares. Just don’t hurt me. Please..Please…Please…

“Shhhhhh” I slump back like a puppet with their strings cut. The hand clutching my other arm is my own but it feels like someone else’s. Someone more calm and strong than me.

“Shhhhhh,relax” I take a deep breath and hold it just long enough that it won’t come out as a shudder. I sigh sinking deeper into the cushions.

“You’re safe,you’re safe, nothing will hurt you.” I reach out and touch my legs to make them relax and put a hand on my head pushing it down the last inch so it is lying against the cushions and my neck is able to release the tension built up inside it. Another breath,another sigh.

“Rest”

I cover my eyes with my hand, my arm over the ear not against the armrest. I lay there soaking in the silence and dark that I hadn’t noticed I needed. Slowly everything fades until I’m just lying there staring at the dark leather. No memories, no fears.

I closed my eyes and fell asleep.

I hate when I stood in front of my preschool teacher

And apologized for getting sick in her class

And I learned to be ashamed of what I couldn’t control.

I hate when the teachers pulled me out of class to do tests

And told me I wasn’t as smart as the other kids

And I learned to be ashamed of what I didn’t know.

I hate when the bully backed me into a fence

And I ran away as fast as I could because I couldn’t fight

And I learned to run from my problems.

I hate when my fourth grade teacher yelled

Saying the bullies were not her problem

And I learned to stay silent.

I hate when I had to have heart surgery

And it hurt so bad

And I learned to be afraid of pain.

I hate when the nightmares came

And the people in them would be angry and hurt me

And I learned to fear anger.

I hate when I told my brother

And he told my parents

And I learned not to trust.

I hate when my parents compare me

“It was harder for your brother”

And I learned to hide my feelings.

This is what I learned

And then I started to write

And I learned how to speak.

I’m learning

 That I don’t have to be ashamed

For what I can’t control

Or for what I don’t know.

I’m learning

That I don’t have to run 

from my problems

Or stay silent.

I’m learning

That I don’t have to be afraid

And that I can turn my pain and fear

Into beauty.

I’m learning

That it’s ok 

To trust people

And show them my feelings.

And I hope 

that you can all

learn with me.

Rigecleft

When Ms.Morgan gently nudged me awake from the nap I had gone into amidst the wonderful, restful feeling I was sad to find that the feeling couldn’t last. I had known that I couldn’t stay like that forever but that hadn’t stopped me from wishing. However the rest had been very refreshing and I felt strong and renewed. 

Ms.Morgan led me back through the corridors and to the lobby I had first come into. I hugged her before we parted saying thank you for the wonderful morning. She waved at me as she went down the hall. 

Looking around I saw more new arrivals in the lobby smiling and talking excitedly about their treatments. As I started walking toward the doors to go out I saw something I hadn’t before. There was a large masterful mural on the wall above the large doors of four hands each with different colored armbands reaching up from the darkness toward a bright golden star. I squinted at the signature trying to figure out who had painted it but it was too far away. Beneath the picture were the words: Courage,Encouragement,Control

I went out the doors and started down the path. The sun had risen more and the path was covered with splotches of warm sunlight. A squirrel ran past in front of me along the path and leapt onto a small marble slab that I realized had a plack on it. I stepped closer to read it making the squirrel scitter into the trees.

Michael Higgins Building

“It is the purpose and duty of people to help each other in whatever way they can.” 

-Michael Higgins inventor of the ETM

 I smiled at the quote then wondered what an ETM was. Was it the machine that had somehow made my fear go away back in the building? If it was I had a new respect for this Michael Higgins person. I gave the stone a little salute then headed back down the path to the rest of Rigecleft.

***

I was walking out of the trees wondering where I should look for Vinessa and the rest of my new friends when I spotted them walking toward the cafeteria. I rushed over to catch up with them.

“Hey guys! Wait up!”

Vinessa turned toward me then ran over and gave me a hug. “Megan! How was it? Was it awesome?”

“Beyond awesome! I see why no one would tell me! It really was too good to ruin.”

Brooklyn,Chandler,and Mia came up smiling asking how much I liked it.

“How was it?!” Brooklyn asked grinning at me. 

“Amazing! Thanks for keeping it a surprise!”

“See, I told you there was nothing to be afraid of.” she held up a fist to bump “Story of our lives, eh Redband?”

I nodded smiling as I bumped her fist. We started walking toward the cafeteria and Vinessa told me what they had been doing while I was gone.

“They’ve been showing me around. We went and saw the horses! They grow all their own food here in the pastures and we fed them some cornshucks they were going to turn into fertilizer.”

“Cool!” I said as we walked into the cafeteria and I realized just how hungry I was. The food smelled delicious!

We walked over to the buffet table picking up our plates. At the table there were steaming plates and pans with grilled cheese sandwiches,chicken nuggets,pizza,and macaroni and cheese. It all looked so good I wasn’t sure what I should get.

Eventually I decided on getting a grilled cheese sandwich and some chicken nuggets. At the end I saw there were fresh chocolate chip cookies and I took three and put them on my plate. I loved chocolate chip cookies.

We all sat down at a table and started eating. The grilled cheese was still hot so I had to blow on it to cool it off a bit. “Did you guys go to the stores yet?” I asked

“No we wanted to have you there too!” Vinessa said “I’m excited to see what they have!”

“Me too!” I said feeling excitement building in me. For the first time I had money to buy things and a place I could go to get what I wanted. 

What should I even get? I wondered. Sure I had wanted stuff before but I had never actually bought anything; some things I wanted I never even told anyone about. Like a massager so my back wouldn’t be so tight. Though after my treatment I felt very relaxed and my back didn’t hurt at all. I had a feeling it wouldn’t last long however.

I started eating my grilled cheese as the others told me about the horses and the lake with kayaks and canoes that you could ride. They had gone searching for frogs on the bank and had found a couple of little ones which Vinessa hadn’t liked that much.

“They look so cute but then if you pick them up they jump at you!”

“She screamed so loud I thought they could hear her at Northpoint!” Chandler said with a chuckle.

“What’s Northpoint?” I asked swallowing some grilled cheese.

“It’s a town a few miles north of here. You can get there using the bike trails sometimes.” He said with a mischievous smile.

“Which we’re not supposed to do!” Brooklyn said “I swear one of these days you’re going to get in trouble Chan!”

“Come on all we do is ride around town! It’s not like we go telling everyone about how we got positive on the tests! We may break the rules but we aren’t that stupid”

That reminded me of a question I had. If what was going on here wasn’t bad why was it so secret? Why did we have to leave? Couldn’t they just set up places like the treatment centers in towns and require people to go to them? Did we really have to leave everything we knew behind?

I ate one of my cookies while thinking of this. It was a perfect cookie just a bit crunchy on the outside and super soft with slightly melted chocolate chips on the inside still warm from the oven. I smiled, licking chocolate from my lips.

“Hey Redband mind if I have this?” an arrogant voice asked as a hand came out from behind me and stole one of the cookies from my plate.

I turned around glaring to see who was so rude as to take my cookie when I saw it was the angry looking boy from the bus the other day towering over me with a smug self satisfied smile on his face as he chewed on my cookie.

I opened my mouth to tell him to give it back but nothing would come out.

“No? Great; more for me then!” he gobbled up the rest of the cookie.

Someone called out to the boy. “Hey Caden! What are you doing?”

“One minute!” The boy called back. He grabbed the second cookie off my plate and I tried to stop him hitting his hand and making the cookie fall onto the ground. He glared at me as if it was my fault. 

“Now look what you did you little Redband!” He said fists clenched. I instinctively raised my arms in front of myself to block whatever attack he sent my way. A flurry of motion in the corner of my eye caught my attention. Suddenly Brooklyn was in between me and Caden.

“Leave her alone Greenband” She said sturn and menacing.

Cadens friends called out to him again. “Fine” he said to Brooklyn but I caught him giving me a deadly glare as he said it. He went over to his friends.

Brooklyn turned back toward me. “You alright?”

I nodded still watching where the boy had gone to see if he would turn back and try and get me. I turned back to my plate trembling and looked down at the crumbs trying to distract myself by wondering if I should go see if there were any cookies left over to replace the ones Caden had taken. 

“Greenbands” Chandler muttered “I’d keep away from them if I was you. They like picking on people.”

“They go after Redbands like us because they think we’re easier to get at.” Brooklyn said shaking her head “not so much the Bluebands because I guess even they can understand depression but they just see us as easy pickings.”

I nodded, glancing around for any nearby Greenbands. When I was younger I had learned to keep away from bullies. It was best if you just stayed out of their way if you could.

Once everyone had finished eating we went to the small lane of shops outside that I had seen out my window the night before.The shopping lane which the others called Mainstreet was a line of wooden shops each a bit bigger than a shed with their doors standing open waiting for us to walk in and look at their goods.

We walked with our new friends; looking around at the shops with their goods spilling out onto baskets and hanging out of windows.There were small flags and lanterns hanging on lines of fishing wire crossing above us as we walked down the small path making it look like the place could be just as bustling and cheerful even at night. 

Our friends led us down the street pointing at all their favorite stores. There was a small bakery at the end with everything from cookies to birthday cakes. Chandler said he liked the sports store called Sportish best where they rented out balls and gear for sports and canoe rides. They took us to a pole where there was a device you could put your card into to see how many credits you had.

I slipped my card in and pressed the button on the reader. The number appeared on the screen showing my credits and I gasped. 

“Three thousand and nine hundred credits!”

“Hmmm,impressive!” Brooklyn said, looking at my number.

I pressed the button on the device and took back my card. I looked at the little piece of plastic feeling rich.

That was until Vinessa put hers in and the others cheered looking at her like she had accomplished a nearly impossible feat.

“Four Thousand!” Chandler exclaimed. “You got a four-point-oh last semester?!”

She blushed. “When you can’t sleep you get a lot of homework done.”

She retrieved her card and the others took us to the clothing shop to pick out clothes. It turns out Mia is secretly a total fashionista and helped us pick out the best clothes which I was secretly glad for despite debating with her about the practicality of skirts and her looking appalled at me for being totally fine if my entire wardrobe consisted of t-shirts and leggings.

Finally we finished our clothes shopping and walked around the various shops for any other things we might want or need. Vinessa and I carried our bags of new clothes and the others saw our struggle with the bags and helped us carry some. I was glad that the clothes shop had a sale for the new arrivals marking all their stuff at fifty to sixty percent off so we wouldn’t have to spend all of our credits for the term just on getting new clothes.

We wandered into a store selling random small things like pens, necklaces, pillows, blankets,and more. I looked around at the shelves wondering if I needed anything in here. I found a sign on a shelf marked watches and I went over to it; without my phone I would need a new way to tell time.

Most of the watches were the digital kind with buttons on the side so you could change it into a timer and set alarms. I didn’t want one like that, with my luck I would end up accidentally setting an alarm for three in the morning and not be able to turn it off. I found an analog one that looked good. Gold arrows and lettering on silver with a gold frame around the numbers. It even lit up when you pressed the knob you used to change the time so you could see what time it was even in the dark!

I took that one and looked around to see if I needed anything else. As I wondered I spotted a bowl with small,smooth stones like my rubbing rock and smiled. I turned looking around and spotted a tower shelf that spun where stuffed animals were stacked watching the people with longing eyes to be held and loved. 

I walked up to it trying to act like I was looking at something else; to seem like I wasn’t enthralled by the animals. I saw a stuffed wolf and was drawn to it with its fluffy coat and bright blue eyes. I reached toward it and looked around, knowing it would be embarrassing to be seen with a stuffed animal.

Once I saw that no one was looking at me I picked up the small wolf and held it close against my chest. It felt wonderful to hold something so soft and fit so perfectly in my arms. I looked down at its eyes and I felt like it was scared just like I was and wanted a hug just as much, but didn’t know how to ask. 

I held it close again not caring at that moment if anyone saw me. I held one of its paws in my hand whispering to it like it was a small child. “Shh,Shh It’ll be ok. Don’t worry, you’re safe.”

“Megan!” I heard Vinessa calling out to me in the store and I gripped the wolf tighter before forcing myself to put it back on the shelf, its eyes looking at me with sadness and longing.

I’ll be back my friend. I thought of it as I pet it one last time before walking over to the counter where the others were waiting to pay. 

“What did you get?” Vinessa asked smiling

“A watch.” I said holding it up.

“Is there anything else you need?”

Yes.

“No; I think I have everything.” I said resisting the urge to look back at the stuffed animals. I would have to come back for the wolf another time when the others weren’t with me.

We took our things and went back to the Loge to put our things in our room. I put my clothes in my drawers, moving my bag with my notebook, journal and reading light under the bed. When we were done organizing we went downstairs to look for our friends.

I looked over at a hall on the main floor right across from the front doors where there was noise coming from rooms with their doors open.

“What’s that?” I said pointing as I started walking toward it. Vinessa followed.

We walked in and found the room was a large lounge.Teens were playing arcade games and others were playing video games on computers or mounted televisions. In the corner we saw a popcorn machine making the smell fill the room while people snached bags and went through a door into what must have been a small movie theater. Brooklyn waved us over to an arcade game and tossed me a token to play.

I looked over and saw a skee ball game over by the wall. I remembered I liked playing skee ball when I went to the arcade with my mom. I put my token in and picked up a scratched, white ball from the line that had appeared. I had five shots. I tossed the ball between my hands testing the weight then rolled it down the lane towards the holes at the end.

I smiled as I made it into the forty point hole. I picked up the next ball and rolled it down the lane but this time my throw was off and it hit one of the barriers around the holes and rolled down into the ten point hole. I picked up the next ball and moved my hand back and forth practicing my swing; testing the weight. I swung and let the ball roll down the lane crossing my fingers as I watched it fly towards the holes.

“Yes!” I pumped my fist in front of me. I had somehow gotten it into the one hundred hole off to the side. 

I picked up the next ball making sure to do a couple of practice swings before I send it down the lane. It makes it into the fifty hole. I pick up the last ball and look at my score;two hundred. I pulled my arm back for the swing seeing just how the ball has to go to make it into the one hundred hole on the left side. I swing and let the ball barrial down the lane jumping diagonally across the holes and into the one hundred hole. 

I jumped up and down in my excitement whispering quiet yeses at making the shot. I looked down and saw ten tickets get spouted out of the machine. Pulled off the tickets and looked around for the prize desk. I hoped they had bouncy balls; they were the only good things you could get at an arcade, everything else broke.

I spotted a desk near the front with glass windows and prizes like lights,glow sticks,and surprisingly packets of tokens to play games. I looked closer and found that a packet of ten tokens cost four tickets.I wandered up to the person who was serving popcorn and saw a sign saying it was three tickets a bag. I went over and bought a pack of ten tokens and a small, black drawstring bag to hold them in that cost three tickets then got a bag of buttery,warm popcorn to munch on.

Vinessa walked up to me. “Oooh popcorn! Can I have some?”

I held my precious treat away. “Hey! Hands off! This is to replace those cookies that Caden guy stole from me!” I said smiling.

“Oh alright” she said disappointed then plucked a piece from my bag and ate it,giving me a mischievous smile.

“Hey!” I said half laughing pulling the bag away from her.

She moved around to my side and plucked another from the bag and munched on it. I held the bag close to my chest to protect it from her greedy popcorn fingers.

“My popcorn!” I said, smiling like goblin protecting its treasure. “It’s only three tickets you can get your own!”

Vinessa did a dramatic sigh. “But it’s more fun to take yours!” She went over, bought her own bag and we found seats in beanbag chairs and watched some people play a game of Super Smash Bros Infinity plus. 

Brooklyn, Chandler,and Mia came over and sat by us sometimes stealing some popcorn pieces of their own causing me to admit defeat and share some with them. After I had finished my popcorn I walked over to the skee ball game and put in a token to play again. 

I picked up the first ball and moved my hand back to swing but before I could, I felt a strong hand grip my wrist and try to pull the ball from my hand.

Instinctively I did what I called the Twisty Wrist Move that I had learned in a sixth grade PE class for self defence twisting my wrist and jerking it hard to get out between the person’s thumb and other fingers where the grip was weakest. I dropped the ball and turned, fists raised in self defence. My eyes widened.

Caden stood smiling with my ball in his right hand. “Thanks for the ball Redband. Now get out of my way.”

***

I instinctively took a step back, causing me to bump into the Skee Ball game. There were two other guys with Caden surrounding me and at a glance I saw they were all Greenbands. My arms were tight with fear and I felt myself slouch to try and hide; I stared at him trying to stop the thoughts in my head and find something to say to get him to leave me alone.

Run! Please don’t hurt me. Please don’t hurt me. Please don’t hurt me. Just leave me alone! Run! Fight!…

I glanced past him and spotted Brooklyn laughing at a joke Chandler had said and as she glanced over at where I stood her smile fell eyes going wide. Caden blocked my sight of her.

“I said move Redband!” He said threatening.

I leaned away from him as he took a step closer. “My name’s Megan.” I said quietly.

Caden turned as a hand tapped his shoulder. Chandler stood there smiling at him.

“Please leave my friend alone.” 

Caden and the others looked down at Chandlers yellow armband and I saw a small sliver of uncertainty cross their faces. One of them took a step back almost running into me.

“Hey Caden, maybe we should just leave her alone.” he said quietly “I don’t want to cause any problems.”

“Quiet you ninny!” Caden spat at him then turned to Chandler.

“She was just paying for us to play a nice game is all” Caden said louder so he could hear.

“No she wasn’t, leave her alone.” Vinessa said coming up next to Chandler. 

“Yes she was” Caden said he turned back at me his voice holding a slight threat. “Weren’t you?” 

I hated being backed into a corner and I felt ashamed for having to have my friends bail me out of this though I was grateful for their help.

“Please leave me alone.” I said quietly.

Caden glared at me angry that I hadn’t gone along with his story. 

“I have an idea!” Brooklyn said walking up she held out an arcade token to Caden. “How about you play each other? Megan plays on that one and you can play on the other one.” 

I glanced over at the Skee Ball game to my right. There had been a boy playing it earlier but they had apparently seen what was about to go down and left. 

Caden studied the offered coin then took it from her and moved toward the game. “Deal”

I stared at my friends, eyebrows raised. Chandler stepped up to me and whispered.

“You got this. I know you do!”

“Are you crazy!?” I muttered.

“Yes.” He said still smiling “Now beat that Greenband bully.”

I picked up the ball that Caden had put back with the other ones and swung. With how wound up I was I swung way harder than I needed to and the ball hit the top then clanked down into the ten hole at the bottom. Caden and his crew laughed.

“Balls scaring you Redband?” one of Cadens friends jeered.

Brooklyn came up to me shooting them a glare that made them stop laughing and put her warm hands on my shoulders. 

“Relax, take a deep breath. Imagine it working. You’ve got this.”

I nodded, took a deep breath and swung the next ball. It landed in the fifty hole. I picked up the next one resisting the urge to look over and see Cadens score. I stared straight ahead and did a few practice swings then sent the ball down the lane where it made it into the hundred hole.

I picked up the next ball and swung for the hundred again but it missed going into the fifty instead. I take another deep breath and send the next one down the lane making it into the hundred again. One ball left.

I forced my eyes to stare straight ahead and not look at Cadens number as he gets a small cheer from his group. I look at the holes and I can see just where the ball has to go to get into the hundred up on the left. I pulled my arm back and sent it streaming down the lane towards the hundred hole. And makes it in.

I glance up at my score. Three hundred and ten. I looked over at where Caden and his crew stood glaring at me and saw his score. One hundred and seventy. 

Caden moved forward fists clenched, as I grabbed my tickets and was led away by Chandler. I don’t know what made me do it. Perhaps it was the thrill of winning but as I walked out I said something I would learn to regret.

“On the other hand, you can use the game Caden. You clearly need the practice.”

Vinessa failed to smother her laughter as we rushed out the door.

This is a story I just thought of I don’t know if it’s good or not please comment to let me know!

***

When the alerts came on everyone’s phones we knew that we would not win. The spaceships appeared above every government facility in the world. The white house was the first to be attacked. Then the congress building and all the rest.

I hid with my family in the basement hoping that they would leave civilians alone. I sat on the couch with my journal and blanket covering me to try and find some semblance of comfort. We watched the news showing the attacks on our planet and we saw the first look of the aliens that had decided to conquer us.

Their heads were hidden from us in strange fishbowl-like helmets and strange skin tight suits covered their bodies from which four long tentacles for arms extended as arms with four more acting as legs. I shuddered, pulling the blanket tighter around me imagining being captured by those strange tentacled creatures. 

The first sign that they had come for us was the deep rumbling that permeated through the ground and seemed to shake our house. I wanted to get up and look through the window to see if there was a ship outside but I restrained myself. Besides, I was also too terrified to move.

I laid on the couch watching the door leading upstairs as I heard the strange squishy ruffling sound as the creatures slid on their tentacles across the carpet upstairs. A shadow appeared at the top of the stairs and I stifled a scream trying to work its way from my throat.

The door creaked open, stopping short as the rope we had tied around the handle pulled taunt but a blast from one of the creature’s weapons disintegrated it and the door swung open.

The strange creatures slid down the stairs, their tentacles carrying large nozzles that looked like flame throwers I had seen in movies. I looked around at the rest of my family all sitting on couches. No one moved. No one spoke.

One of the tall creatures slid forwards and spoke surprising me as his words came out of a microphone in english. “Humans. Your planet is now under Arcinex rule. You are to come with us. Resistance will lead to punishment.”

For a moment everything was still. Then my father stood, a gun in his hand pointed at the creature that had spoken. 

“No, we are not going anywhere with you!” 

The creature that had spoken seemed to sigh like a parent dealing with a frustrating child.

“Then you have chosen your fate.” He flicked his tentacles at the creatures behind him and they unleashed white fog at all of us.

My father pulled the trigger shooting one of the creatures but it did nothing to stop them as they smothered him in white fog and he slumped to the ground unconscious.

Then they came for the rest of us. I tried to hold my breath so I wouldn’t fall asleep but as one of the creatures neared me I ran out of air and was forced to gasp as it puffed fog at me.

My body tingled, falling limp as exhaustion filled my brain. The last thing I saw was green tentacles lifting me from the couch to take me away.