E X I T S

          I see exit 45 and pull off the road for the first time in 8 hours. I suppose I was mistaken that the idea of moving would be more enthralling than this. I pull up the run-down highway rest stop, exhausted. I get out of my car to go pay overnight parking, but the moonless night prohibits me from locating the meter. It's almost pitch-black, the only thing barely illuminating my surroundings are the stars which have been brighter than usual. I don't think much of this, and continue trying to locate the meter. As I stray further and further from the car park, I begin to feel the black night envelope me entirely. My nerves begin to tingle wildly, and I decide I have to leave this place as fast as I can. As I turn around to return, I notice the car park has completely disappeared. I look all around me and everything is completely dark. I feel like I'm in a thick mist, and it's getting hard to breathe. My senses become disoriented and I begin feeling dizzy, when suddenly a blue light appears close to me, saying my name "Kayla" over and over again. "My car! Finally!" I think to myself, but when I finally get a hold of it I feel my body being lifted from the ground. 

         Click.

          I'm gone.

          I find myself a meter or so off the ground, but for some odd reason I'm not falling. As I flail in the air, trying to grab a hold of something, my long curly black hair begins to cover my eyes and again I'm reduced to having no vision.

         "Can someone help me?" I yell, and continue to uncontrollably spin midair.

         "Woah we got both of them!" I hear another voice boom, followed by a series of cheering. Both? Last time I checked there's only one of me.

        "Guys what's going on?" I hear another voice yell.

        "Silence! Nice to see you Jay and Elecktra, You both are POW's of the Second Interplanetary War. You Mercurians think you're so clever at capturing our commander, but look who can do that too!" My throat closes up. What war? What did I do?

        "I swear I- my name isn't-" I state meekly.

        "Silence! You are both sentenced to imprisonment for- lets see- life!" Gravity returns and we both fall and hit the ground in an oversized cage of sorts. I sharp and persistent pain takes control of my foot. At this moment I feel so beat down and helpless. Everything seems out of my control, and I begin to break down completely. As tears leave my face and I accept whatever fate holds for me, I hear the other POW murmuring to himself:

       "Yes, everything is going to plan." I swiftly stare at him.

       "What do you mean everything's going to plan? Who are you? Where are we?" I interrogate quietly.

       "Look, I'm Jay and I actually am a warrior in the interplanetary war. The Jupiterites captured the commander of the Legion of Mercury and it's my job to get him back!" He explains.

       "Okay, but why am I here? I live on Earth, not Mercury." I ask, baffled.

       "Well, you'll see." He says with all confidence I wish I had. He approaches the guard holding position supervising the two of us.

       "Hey! So, I don't know if you could help us out but this girl, she's not actually Elektra Sircuit, she's Kayla Winters, from Florida. I think there's been a huge mix-up and I was wondering if you could let both of us go?" The guard turns to face Jay and, with a voice so loud it knocks him across the room, proclaims, "Silence! You're not fooling me!" The shock wave leaves Jay in a pile on the floor.

       After the emotional roller coaster I've been through, I've finally had enough. I feel a warmth begin to rise from my fingers. It works way down my arms and into my torso, where it heart my heart to a degree of no backing down. My foot single mangle, I get up and with an uncontrollable rage charge towards the guard. With all my force I strike him in the head and- nothing happens. I fell to the ground, drained. The guard approaches more closely to the cage,

       "You really think that would do something? Ha! I'm an immortal, giant, wise creature, with a brain so big I can see your plans three seconds in advance!" But as he crosses the bars, he stops moving. My plan worked, he's stuck in between the bars in the cage! I triumphantly squeeze my way between the bars, helping Jay as well. We dash upstairs and approach the red ball of energy that brought us here!

       "Finally a way to our homes! Come on, let's go," I begin walking towards the portal of red light that looms above us. Before I jump up, I turn back to see that Jay's still standing in the cage.

       "Uh, Jay, did you not hear my 'finally a way home' thing, or?" I joke, but still he stands. I see liquid begin to gloss his light brown eyes.

       "I just- I can't go back, I have to destroy this shuttle." He states meekly. I see him curl up a little, and instantly I feel my face getting warmer.

       "Really?" I sneer. "After I lost my spirit (and foot) on this journey you NOW bail on me at the last second?"

       "Well the fact of the matter is that the only reason we even got to this point is because of MY help." He retorts.

       "You've got to be kidding me right? I didn't want to be here! And yes you technically did 'get me to this point,' but guess what? I don't want to be 'at this point' I want to be home. The fact that you took me from my family, my community, to help you- and now you don't want to leave?" I feel so warm that I'm worried my skin may sizzle off. Jay walks calm, but firmly, to me.

       "Well if you want to go home so bad, here-" I suddenly feel myself being catapulted upward towards the orb. "Jay you don't understand!"

       Click.

       I'm gone.