Sub Zero

Chapter Twelve

We're like hens trapped by a hungry fox. People outside of the dome are trying to melt and destroy the thick ice, hacking away at it with swords and pressing flame-engulfed palms to the cool surface. Jason is still screaming. I have no idea how his voice hasn't given out, or Torren hasn't heard him. I shiver at the thought of our captor.

I glance around the dome, trying to figure out how in the world we could escape. The walls of ice stretch up to approximately seven feet, and the diameter is about ten feet total. Luckily for us, Indie had somehow rolled away from the table while we were distracted, so it's only us three in the dome, no other objects.

Throughout my school years, I was thought of as witty and strategic. I wish that I could live up to my reputation right about now. I sigh, trying to let out all of my frustration and anxiety in a puff of breath.

The only way I can think of escaping this room is to move the dome. This idea would seem pretty grand if it were possible. There's a reason this hunk of ice is called a dome, after all. The walls stretch up from the ground in an angle that makes the circular ceiling possible. However, these walls rise up from the concrete floor. What I mean is that if the floor that we sit on in the dome is ice, then there would be a better possibility of this hunk of ice being sphere. If that were the case, we would be able to achieve mobility. I pull my knees up to my chest.

Could I somehow freeze the bottom of the dome to make it circular? I glance around, taking in the thick walls and enraged people beyond them. If we were to somehow pull ourselves up from the ground, I could possibly freeze the floor. I frown and chew on my bottom lip; a nervous habit of mine.

Could the ice even hold our weight if we were to use it to support us? Indie's tiny. There's no doubt that the ice could support her. Finn? He doesn't look that heavy. He's somewhat thin, but also well-built and muscular at the same time. That leaves me. It would be a miracle for the ice to hold my weight, and even more so if it were combined with the others.

I extend my legs back out and stand. Finn glances up at me, a slightly bored, yet puzzled look on his face." What are you doing?" He asks. "You'll see. Maybe." I mutter, walking across the concrete floor. He only shrugs, but still watches as I scan the area. Indie sits in the corner, fidgeting with the frayed ends of one of the poorly-tied ropes.

She shoots a dangerous glare in my direction, her bitter words held back by the makeshift gag. I awkwardly walk past her, trying not to be distracted while I scan the curved walls. My face lights up as I come to a conclusion. I pivot around, hands on my hips. I smile. "I have a plan."

Finn hangs from bars of ice that I have created on the ceiling, his legs pulled up to his stomach. His arms are stretched up above his head, making his bicep and chest muscles visible. I flush a dark pink, remembering what had occurred between the two of us just a little while ago.

After spilling multiple warnings and threats towards the girl, we untied Indie. She also pulls herself up. Her slender fingers cling to the ice handles, turning white from the effort of keeping herself up. She gasps quietly as her fingers slip once, but she quickly steadies herself, sighing when she does.

Finn lets out a deep breath, probably to calm his nerves. "Ready?" He asks. I nod, sighing. "Yeah." He looks over at Indie, raising his eyebrows. She nods. "Alright," I say, "On the count of three."

"One-," I'm interrupted when Indie gasps again, and I'm slightly annoyed until I see her fingers. They're changing into an unnatural dark blue. I panic, remembering the poisonous snowball earlier. But my sudden change of  mood only seems to make the color spread down her fingertips and to her palms.