The Game

Gone

“If your card was to flash red at a checkpoint instead of green don’t expect to live to tell the tale. It is a known fact that those who disappear beyond the gates in the hands of guards never return,”-The Gamers’ Guide to Survival Article B subsection C, Page 31

October 6th 2014

Manhattan, New York 9:11 am

Kaelyn

I pushed myself through the crowd but was shoved back repeatedly. I needed to find some way for her to notice me so I could explain that this was all a mistake.

“Phoenix!”I yelled. I threw my arms in the air and jumped above the crowd.

Her head snapped upwards at the sound of her name being called and her green eyes locked mine. She started mouthing words at me but I couldn’t make out a thing. I was being blocked from seeing her by the dozens of bodies in front of me. I stood on my tip toes and jumped again. I managed to make out a few words. “Go and leave” she said. What was she talking about? Then it finally clicked she wanted me to go and leave her there with those guards but I couldn’t let that happen. I knew that the second they took her away I wouldn’t see her again.

The guard with the blonde hair from earlier took hold of her wrists and she didn’t struggle. Why didn’t she object to the gesture? I moved forward shoving people away this time not caring who I hurt until I was at the front of the crowd. The guard muttered a few words to her and she nodded. She shot me an apologetic look before allowing him to drag her through the gates.

“No!”I yelled.

I tried to make my way towards her but a couple of guards I hadn’t noticed before blocked my way.

“Phoenix!”I yelled.

They couldn’t take her they just couldn’t. If she disappeared I would have no one left. I ran forward and tried to make my way through the wall of bodies blocking me.

‘Phoenix!”I screamed desperately. “No you can’t take her,” I yelled my voice cracking slightly.

My eyes watered and I felt something wet on my cheek. I wiped my finger across my face inspecting the wet substance only to realise that they were tears, my tears.

I moved forward and tried to reach her but was only held back by a guard. Yes, the same one with brown eyes and blonde hair. He gripped me by my shoulder and held me back. I clawed at the air in a desperate attempt to free myself.

“Phoenix!”I screamed, my voice echoing.

I pulled myself forward and used my hands to push the guard away from me. He just spun me around and made me face him. He did it so effortlessly which made me rethink my original strategy for escape; hitting him. His eyes held no emotion, they were typical and plain nothing out of the ordinary but yet I couldn’t look away. It was if he had some kind of hold over me and I was compelled to listen to him and only him. I tried to move my hands but they didn’t budge it was if I was paralysed. Here, I was standing as Phoenix was about to dragged off to who knows where.

“Kaelyn, ”I heard a voice yell.

It was strangely familiar.

“Kaelyn!”

There it was again. The person sounded so desperate and helpless.

“Kae!”cried the voice and then I instantly knew who was calling me.

Only two people called me that. One of them was dead, the other was Phoenix, who I was sure to lose if I didn’t do anything.

I needed to look away. I willed myself to, using all of my strength I managed to turn my head in the direction of the gates and the last thing I saw was a flash of bright red then blackness.

                                                     *******************************

My eyes fluttered opened and I was greeted with sickly smell of disinfectant and pale white walls.

Where was I? What was I doing here? What was going on?

I tried to force myself to remember it all. The only thing on my mind was the colour red and that was all I kept seeing every time I closed my eyes and tried to focus. Streaks and flashes of red all shades was all I could see. I groaned and clutched my head.

“Phoenix,” I croaked.

I tried to sit up but the pain in my head forced me to sit right back down.

My thoughts were jumbled and I couldn’t think straight.The only things on my mind were Phoenix and those guards.

“Phoenix! Phoenix.”I yelled, but I got no reply.

I could hear the shuffle of feet and the sound of a door closing.

“Where is she?”I asked without looking up.

I grew frustrated when I got no answer in return.

“Where is she?”I repeated.

“Kaelyn calm down,” said a voice.

I glanced up and only to see Nurse McAdams standing there with her blonde hair flowing. Okay, so I was in nurse’s office. One question answered three to go.

“I’ll answer any question you want just calm down,” she said in soft monotones.

“Why am I here?”I blurted out.

She chucked and grimaced.

“You took quite a fall I’m surprised you don’t have a concussion.”

“I fell?” I asked, furrowing my eyebrows.

“A fight broke out by the checkpoints and you somehow managed to get this in the process.” she said.

She reached out and touched a spot over my eyebrow. I winced and moved my hand up to the spot.

“The funny thing is I can’t remember getting this,” I said.

“That’s bound to happen considering how hard you landed after being shoved. You’ve been out of it for a couple hours now,”

I opened my mouth to speak and I then closed it. I needed answers to other questions I could discuss my injury later.

I asked the question I had been itching to ask from the time I woke up.

“Where is Phoenix?”I whispered my voice crackling slightly.

The nurse looked at me confused and tilted her head.

“I’m sorry who?”she asked.

She couldn’t be serious. Everyone and when I say everyone I meant it had known Phoenix. She was famous for her hair, it couldn’t be missed.

“Phoenix , the girl with the red curls. The girl, who flirts with everything even the guards. The girl who’s brave and fearless and stands up for what is right. The girl, who was about to be dragged out of those gates by the guards. The girl who is my best and only friend.”I said.

I was sitting up now and I was staring the nurse straight in the eye. She furrowed her eyebrows and reached out to touch my forehead. What was she doing?

“Sweetheart you took quite a fall I think you should rest now,” she said.

I stared at her in disbelief, she couldn’t be serious.

“Where is she?”I repeated.

She sighed and put a hand on my shoulder, looking at me condescendingly.

“There is no one who goes to school here by that name. There never has been and most likely won’t ever be.”

A/n

Dun Dun dun dun!!! Ahahahahah a Cliffy!!! :)

-Makala