Fate

Escape

It was some months later. I was finally allowed to leave the hospital.

I took a deep breath as I stepped into the humid Arizona air. I tightened my grip on the bag I was given to hold my medication.Brice came behind me and held out his hand. He gave me a little half smile, and I returned the favor.

He led me to a little taxi waiting to take us back to the airport. I was going home for the first time in a year. It seems crazy to think of how long I've been away. I'm a totally different girl, in more ways then one.

I have the biggest change in appearance. My once red, long hair is now short and dark brown. They had to color and cut it after the fire. My skin is scared and covered with almost healed blisters. My eyes are forever pained with the harmful memories of my past. I've grown 2 inches taller and lost 10 pounds. I only weighed 120 pounds to begin with.

I am no longer "Little Miss Lucky" or the "Risk Taker". I have become very anti-social. I stick with Brice at all times. I will not be returning to college. I could never be near so many people. Being in the cramped cab with only me, Brice, and the cab driver.

We didn't have much time. We push through the crowds that I tried my hardest to ignore. We took a quick stop in a store so I could buy some gum for the trip. Other than that there where no stops.

"Hello dears!" greeted a lady by the gate.

According to her name tag her name was Marigold. It was fitting. She had the most gorgeous gold hair and gold skin, and even gold flecks in her eyes. Her voice was off putting however. It didn't match her young appearance. It was rough and scratch sounding, like nails on a chalkboard. It mad me shudder.

Brice handed us the tickets that the hospital had kindly given to us. Marigold smiled sweetly and let Brice through. I started to follow, but someone caught my arm.

I looked up and saw Marigold. She was gripping me so tight, it was cutting off the blood flow to the lower part of my arm. I started to squeal as she dug her manicured nails into my skin. If she kept going she was going to draw blood.

"Marigold, memorable no?" she sneered.

I couldn't move. Brice was long into the tunnel. It wouldn't be long before he realized I wasn't there. I heard someone barking into Marigold's earpiece. She muttered something I didn't catch before turning to me.

"Jace?" Brice called.

"Coming!" I answered.

"Mention this to no one." Marigold hissed before releasing me. I nodded. I was about to turn away, but something caught my eye. There was a bit of gray peeking through those blond locks on Marigolds head. She glared at me and pushed the hair out of sight.

"Jace?" Brice called again, closer.

I ran into the tunnel, right into Brice. He helped me up, then pulled me down the tunnel and into the plane. We took our seats, then I put my purse in my lap and waited for takeoff. Surprisingly the purse made it through the fire. I guess it was on a table next to me and when the medics came to get me they saw it and grabbed it. I honestly had no clue how it made it through. I was glad. It had over $100 in it. Again, no idea how that got there, just happy it did. 

"We are preparing for takeoff. Please buckle your seat belts." commanded the pilot. 

You don't know how many times I've heard that in my life. It was getting old.

I rummaged through my purse to find the pack of gum I had bought in the gift shop. Once I found it, I popped a piece in my mouth and offered one to Brice. I smiled graciously and took the gum.

We started rising in the air, It seemed really fast, but whatever. I started chomping down on the gum to keep my ears from popping. 

Had the flight attendant done the safety procedures? No, they hadn't. 

"Hey! We're going the wrong way! We're flying east over the city. We're supposed to be going west." Some nerd yelled from the back of the plane.

"Shut up!" one of the flight attendant ladies snapped. She looked oddly like Marigold, but hunched over and a bundle of gray hair atop her head instead of blond. Her face was covered in wrinkles, but that was about it.

I pushed my thoughts aside and focused on the problems at hand. Were we really going the wrong way?

"Jace Morgan and Brice Baylock. We know your here. Surrender to us or we will kill everyone on the plane." barked the pilot.

I was paralyzed with fear. Klide.

"No? Well than..."

The plane jerked down. We were speeding towards Earth.

So much for going home.