Kassidy's Travels

Not trying names

I awoke tied to a chair. For some reason I wasn't surprised. It even brought a smile to my face; God knows why. I looked up into a very bright light. I looked away and blinked a few times. I looked around. I saw a big mirror. I felt that it was actually one-way glass. I sat there for a few moments, thinking of how best to go about this. My hands were still wrapped in Mylar. Why, I had no idea. I closed my eyes and felt my heartbeats. What? I only had one heart. I checked and made sure. Yup, one heartbeat. Why had I thought heartbeats? I sighed. I twisted my hands around very quickly, knowing I would get a rope burn. I jerked y hands up and they slipped out, leaving the Mylar behind. I stood and looked at the mirror.
"Put me back with the boys. I'm not leaving them. I swear I will hunt you down one by one." I said. A door opened to the side, and someone walked in.
"Very good, Kassidy. Unexpected and very effective approach to the situation. " Said the man. It was desk guy! I looked at him.
"Take me back to the boys." I said through gritted teeth. "Now." I decided to try something. I raised my hand, palm outstretched. He backed up.
"Okay! Okay!" He said. I lowered my hand and smiled. That had worked so much better than I had thought it would. I wondered then why they were so afraid of my hands. I shrugged it off.
"Thank you!" I said. I followed him out of the room down the corridors. He passed me off to some guards. I was once again handcuffed to a jeep, hands encased in Mylar. We drove and drove. I guess I fell asleep. I awoke in a shack...tied to a chair. With zip-ties, my rope burn trick was useless. My hands were uncovered though. I felt someone else was in the room.
"Who's there?" I asked, my own voice sounding loud. It was impossibility hot, wherever I was.
"Jorge." Answered a man with a thick Spanish accent.
"Well, Jorge, I'm Kassidy. Would you mind letting me go? I have to find my friends." I said.
"Oh, we've already done that for you." He said. "Now, I'm going to let you stand up, and you follow me and don't speak. Understood?" I felt he was standing directly behind me. I nodded. I stood, arms still around the back of the chair. He yanked the chair out and although my wrists were still pinned behind me, I was standing. I turned and saw my captor. I smiled, oddly enough.
"Now, what were you saying about my friends? And where's my backpack?" I asked. He nodded at the corner of the room. I walked over and turned around. I bent down and worked each hand into its proper strap. After shimmying around, it was resting on my shoulders hap-hazardly. I turned.
"Ready." I said. Jorge walked down a long hall, I followed. I felt my heartbeat speed up, and my breathing was shallow. I felt a sick feeling in the pits of my stomach, and I was scared. I tried not to let it show but I failed. At least I wasn't crying. We came to a halt. We were on the side of the room with lots of people, standing across from the Gladers. I searched their faces.
"Kassy!" Aris exclaimed and started to move towards me. People blocked his way. I tried to see him, but I was too short. Just once, I'd like to meet someone shorter than me. Then Minho charged Jorge and things went south. He was on top of Jorge, cussing him out and hitting him. I took the chance and bolted to Aris.

"Oh my god I thought you were dead!" he said queitly and pulled me into a hug. He let go, and i shrugged my backpack off.

"Front pocket, left compartment, at the bottom. There's a pocket knife, so you can get these shuck things off my wrists." I said and he did as he was told. I rubbed my wrists. Jorge got up and looked where I had been.

"Where's the girl?" he asked, his tone cynical. He swiveled his head around and his eyes came to rest on me.

"You!" he screamed. I backed up into Aris, who put his arm around my shoulder. I felt my pulse quicken once more. "Get over here. You're our hostage." he yelled. I felt anger boiling inside me. I broke from Aris's grip and walked over to where I was all up in his space.

"No. I'm. Not." I said much louder than necessary. He grabbed my arm and attempted to pull me behind him. I easily broke from his grip. I sighed pityingly.
"Watch out, Kass is mad." I heard Minho say.
"She's just a little girl." He scoffed. I smiled my evil little smile.
"As if." I laughed. A moment of still quiet followed, then I took out his knees and was on top of him, his arms pinned behind his head, in one swift movement. I felt a blow to my temple. I felt dizzy, and heard Aris yell.
"No!" I let up on Jorge involuntary, and he pushed me to the side, I was on my back, and although I was still, the room was spinning. Then Jorge had me pinned down, not that I was planning on moving. He looked to the side.
"Oh Brenda!" He called out. He moved and a girl about 16 entered my view. She grinned.
"You shouldn't have done that." She said. She raised up the piece of wood which I had assumed was what had hit the side of my head, and right before it came down again, I saw a light so bright I couldn't see for a few seconds after, in a concentrated beam coming from... My hand! I screamed out loud. That explained the Mylar. I sat up quickly, and I just as quickly regretted the decision. I felt dizzy again. I slowly stood, and staggered to the side. Aris ran to catch me. He helped me back to the Glader's side. I sat down hard on the ground. The room spun slower and slower until it had stopped. I stood up. I hadn't been paying attention to what was going on and I was quite confused as I followed the Gladers, the Brenda girl, and another girl about my age. It turned out we were getting food! I love food. Food is good. The girl sat next to me.
"So... Light beam hands...cool." She said.
"I actually haven't the slightest shuck clue as to what happened. But whatever happened, your friend didn't kill me and I didn't kill anyone, so it all worked out I guess." I shrugged. She laughed.
"You use funny words."
"Good that." I said while taking a bite of beans. She smiled.
"My name is Claire." She said. A pang of sadness hit me then. I started to cry.
"What's wrong?" She asked.
"My...my twin sister, Claire, she was... Murdered" I spat out the word "by the Grievers." I said
"Oh my God I'm so sorry!" She said quickly. I sighed.
"I'm alright. It's a pretty name. I'm Kassidy. Kassidy Portman. Or Kassidy Bloom. Take your pick." I said.
"I like Bloom." She said curtly.
"I go by Portman because he's my dad, and it has a nice ring to it, even if it sounds boring." I said.
"You're right, Kassidy Portman." She put emphasis on my last name. I smiled at her. She smiled back, and then the roof caved in. I screamed and Claire grabbed my hand.
"Run."
We ran through the dark halls and I almost screamed as I bumped into Thomas and Brenda.  It was dark; I couldn't see. For all I knew, I had just bumped into a hollowgast! What's a hollowgast? Ugh, this memory thing was so annoying. Little words and snippets and people but nothing real. What the shuck was a hollowgast? I don't know! A ghastly creature that hides in hollows?! Anyways. We stopped, and I felt Claire was very close to me. It made me uncomfortable. I reached out to Thomas.
They be all up in our space!
How we supposed to feel?
I stifled a laugh at Thomas's response.
No but seriously,  what about Aris and Teresa? And Claire's a girl... I said more seriously.
Yeah, we've got to stay true. These girls are going insane. It would never last.
Because that's the problem with this.
Suddenly Claire wrapped her arms around me, and I stood there awkwardly.
Do I hug back?
Um, yeah, I think so. Girls like hugging in times of distress.
I put hugged her back. I could feel her smile.
Stay true to Aris. He's the one who cares.
Aris? I reached out.
Yeah?! Are you okay?!
Yeah, we're fine. You?
What do you mean that y'all are fine? Who are you with.
Brenda, Thomas, and Claire.
Oh. Good, they can keep you safe.
Aris?
Yeah?
I love you.