'The hidden? What does that mean? Where is Jake?' The thoughts flooded into my head and crashed into my brain. I looked around trying to find the familiar spiky blond hair and sky blue eyes, but I could see him in the crowd of people. I ducked down between the legs of people and stayed like that. My heart started beating hard against my ribcage and my hands started shaking. A panic attack.
'No. Don't let it start. Not now.' I thought, grasping my hands together to control the shaking. My head started aching and my breaths were coming out faster. The world around me got muted and spinning. The blur of legs and the rustle of movement made my head feel like it was being carved open slowly and steady.
I took 10 shaky breaths to calm myself. Then counted to 5.
1... 2... 3... 4... 5...
'It's fine, Matt.'
'Now get up.' I stood up on my shaky legs.
'Good, unclasp your hands.' I did
'You've gone through this a million times. Come on, relax.' I could hear my therapist repeating the same thing back at me like she has done for the past 5 years.
My eyes unblurred and I was aware of the people muttering and complaining. I sighed, as my hands stopped shaking and everything returned back to normal.
"ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT! MAY I HAVE EVERYONE'S ATTENTION PLEASE." I turned around to face the new speaker. She had a tight, black bun and sharp almond eyes. Her lips were painted blood red matching her outfit. She looked very very tense.
"Everyone please head out of this hallway following the pathway." The woman ordered vaguely. Everyone started walking in all different directions and it was all too chaotic.
A gunshot rang throughout the tiny hallway.
I gasped as I heard people screaming and backing away from something.
I pushed through the crowd and saw a pool of red and someone with a giant hole in his head.
'Oh god. Please don't be Jake. Please.' I rushed to see who it was but it was just a normal looking guy with blond ruffled hair and probably 17.
My stomach rumbled and everything shook. Oh god. He was only 17 and he got killed. Oh god. I grabbed the closest thing next to me for support.
"Dude. I understand you're about to faint or something. But please don't grab me like that again." A familiar voice said. It was the blond girl from earlier. I quickly let go of her arm and muttered a sorry. Before I could die from embarrassment and nauseousment, the woman's voice rang out.
"Don't even think of going back into your rooms or you will have the same fate as Mr. Delocix"
People around me started panicking and pushing against each other. One bumped hard into me and I almost tripped, but the blond girl caught me.
"God, can you stay upright for once?" She said, grunting as my full weight almost crushed her. She sighed and said, "Come on, let's go." The girl linked her arm with mine and started dragging me toward the end of the corridor where we could see the opening.
"Oh yea, my name is Sage. Sage Delocix." Sage said, dragging me and narrowly avoiding bumping into the crowd. Well she was avoiding them. I wasn't. People elbowed me and somehow kicked me and it hurt. A lot.
"And yes. Before you ask, the person who got shot was my half-brother. And yes, I am fine. Thank you for asking" I blushed hard as I realized I haven't said anything for a while.
"S-sorry. Also um my name is Matt Rodrigo. And are you actually ok?" I asked. Before Sage could answer, she gasped. I looked up and staggered to my feet, shocked. Sage and I were standing just at the edge of a giant stadium.
The floor was muddy but it was cracked due to the blazing sun over head. There were people chanting and singing in their seats. And wow the stadium was so big. It was shaped like the coleseum with the walls slightly cracked and made out of marble. I was taking in the scenery in front of me as people from the hallway started flooding in. I looked around but I still couldn't spot Jake. Good riddance, he probably ditched me.
I suddenly felt a chill while admiring the stadium. My heart started beating really hard because I realized, we are not in the audience. We were the ones on the stage.
