Gone in an instant

Chapter 21: Saturday, 3:30 AM

Three years. It had been three years to the date since they had locked me up in this drab asylum. Everything was metal, gray, and cold. They had taken me as soon as we got to the compound. The first wish for the winner of the 'contest' was to lock me and Adrian up, and our families were taken somewhere, they might be dead by now. This hurt the most. Especially because Charlotte was in with my family. What had happened to her? I felt something I can't really explain when I thought of what could have happened to her. It's a cross between hurt, sadness, sorrow, and emptiness. It's very unusual and very awful.

Anyways, I hadn't see Adrian in three years either, but yesterday a guard told me that I was “Going Somewhere” tomorrow. I dreaded what that meant. I'm sure he meant I'm going to die. That they had finally gotten around to getting rid of me. I would never be able to say goodbye to my family...or Charlotte. I can't think about this anymore, and right on cue a guard opened my door.

“Ready to go?” He said, somewhat evilly. I just glared and nodded. He pulled out handcuffs and another guard came in and pulled a black cloth sack over my head. Eventually I was loaded into a vehicle of some sort, it was deathly silent. I felt so alone. I was going to die. I felt sure of it.

After what seemed to be an eternity the truck stopped, my heart started beating faster and I started sweating. I was super nervous. But nothing happened. Five minutes later we were driving again. They must've just stopped for gas or something.

Several hours later, I couldn't tell you how many, I was unloaded. Dragged for a few minutes, and the my handcuffs were taken off and the bag lifted. I was in that a huge room packed full of people on balconies above, the bottom was pretty empty though, I soon stopped looking when I saw the beautiful face I could never forget. Charlotte was standing about 100 feet away, guarded by three guards. I swear every time I saw her she was more beautiful than the last time, her hair was slightly darker, now a dark brown, but her eyes were still their captivating light brown. I just stared, gaping for a few seconds, she was also gaping at me. Then we both smiled at the same time. I forgot about everything else, about everything and everyone around me, and I just stared and had the most wonderful feeling ever, it's more than happiness, but joy doesn't sound right, so I'll just leave it at wonderful.

And then we both remember what was happening and both of our smiles shrank and the mood darkened. I mouthed “What is going to happen?” to her, she looked shocked for a few seconds, then she looked more sad than I've ever seen someone before, and a tear escaped down her cheek. And then another. And another. “Am I dying?” I mouthed painfully. She looked down, still crying, and nodded. I felt faint, I nearly collapsed to the ground, I felt the life drain from me. I was no longer alive, just living. I was in shock, I couldn't believe it. And then the man who won (I can't remember his name.) stepped up to a podium about 200 feet to my right, and everyone clapped. Except for me and Charlotte, then I asked, or rather, mouthed, “What about my family?” She shook her head. She just meant she didn't know, she must have been separated from them. Right? They're probably in this room. Right now. I looked around desperately, but I never saw them.

Suddenly the man at the Podium spoke, “We lost a great leader just three days ago.” My Grandpa's picture was shown a huge drive-in-movie-esque screen. My grandpa was dead. Good riddance. “His last wish, was for the execution of the incompetent leaders to finally come.” He pointed to me, I felt thousands of eyes on me, except Charlotte's, she couldn't bear to look at me. “But first, we must cause him the most pain possible.” Oh no. “He shall witness the death of the girl he loves most!” Charlotte looked up, shocked. I was shocked too, I looked at her desperately, the guards began moving me towards her, this didn't make me any happier even though it should. The crowd was roaring, how sick these people must have been. I hated every single one of them. “Please, quiet down. Even worse, he will be the one to kill her.” The man smiled devilishly at me. I glared a glare of pure loathing at him, and I saw the fear in his eyes for just a second, just a quick flash. This man was afraid of me.

“Don't try anything Josh, we will have several guns trained on you, you will have one of your own, what you choose to do with it is your choice, but I would suggest following our...instructions.” He picked up the microphone and walked towards me, pulling a gun out of his suit and handing it to me, as he did so he whispered in my ear, “If you kill her you will go free with 5 million dollars in cash, if not, you will watch her die and then you will suffer the same fate.” I glared at him, he actually thought 5 million dollars and my life were worth more to me than Charlotte? What a monster. I took the gun though, Charlotte was tied to a pillar, she looked so broken as I aimed the gun at her. I took notice of the man though, and where he was at. Then I pulled the trigger.