The Haven

Chapter 11

"What do you mean your leaving?!" I try to plug my ears to block out the noise, but the shouts still push through.

"Honey, I know your upset but it's for work! I have to go or I will loose my job! you know how hard I've worked for this." I peek through the door and see mom near tears as she listens to dad and he stands by the door with suitcases in his hands.

"I'll go with you, we all will." She's trying to reason with him, but dad doesn't show any sign of giving in.

"You can't, it's a rule. I love you, so very much. Tell the kids I love them too when they wake up." And with that he disappears somewhere none of us know the location of. I already miss him, but I could tell just by looking at him, we probably weren't ever going to see him again.

***

I feel like I'm floating. Hovering in the air. I can't see anything because my eyes are still heavily closed, but I can feel.

I feel a light coolness nipping gently at my skin and a small pressure surrounding my body. The numbness keeping my body frozen is starting to fade, and my fingers are able to move. I feel some sort of swish passing through my fingers as they move around. I can breathe but it feels different. I don't know how though, it's just wierd.

Slowly I peel my eyes open, and feel something slide over them. My vision is extremely blurry, and it takes a few blinks to get them into focus.

The first thing I notice is the shiny ripples just a few feet above me. Its like looking underneath a fish tank. Then I notice the small bubbles floating from my nostrils and open mouth.

Wait a sec...

Oh my gosh! I'm in water! I'm drowning! My arms flail around and I scream, making larger bubbles shoot from my mouth. Everything seems further away and harder to get to. I can't think straight, my mind is twisted with the thought of suffocating beneath the water. In a panic, the pace of my slowing heart drops with every stroke as I push myself to the surface. Air has never been as precious to me as it is right now. Just like I did when I was taken, I reach for the hope before me. Only this time, I'm reaching for anything but water. Just before I can let my lungs absorb the air and break the surface, a glass wall lowers down just enough that I have no choice but to stay under the water.

I'm going to die.

This can't happen, I won't let it. I continue to hold my shortening breath as I speed in every direction until I hit a glass wall every time. I'm in a giant tank. My breath is running short and I can see a person through the glass just standing, watching me with a clipboard in her hand. Without hesitation, I beat my hands on the glass wall trying to get her attention. As if I'm not here, she continues to ignore my cries for help and just stands there.

My heartbeat is slowing and I can feel the gasps for air crawling up my throat. This is it. This is where I die, in a freaking fish tank. My mouth involuntarily opens and with a huge gasp, I suck in a ton of water.

My lungs fill with...air? What? I start breathing, only I'm still in the water. I can taste the water flowing into the back of my throat, then, as if it hits a wall or magically turns into oxygen, air fills my lungs.

I turn towards the person outside the fish tank and see her happy and clapping. What the heck is going on?

Noticing a blinking red light above me, I look up to see the glass wall at the top of the tank sliding away and I hurry to swim to the surface.

"Welcome back to land mate." A gentleman, probably in his thirties, greets as he helps pull me out of the water. His Australian accent makes me smile and his curly brown hair and brown eyes make him look very friendly. He also appears to be a classy gentleman with his button up vest and perfectly ironed, black trousers. Enough with the descriptions, I have a mission, and if I am to escape I will need to know where I am.

"Where am I?" He smiles a bright and genuine smile as he wraps me in a towel.

"Your in the Blaze, and I am the head of this operation, Charlie." Ok, forget the 'friendly' he's the head leader of the freaking Blaze.

This is where Illia was. These are the people who were fine with killing her and probably tons of other innocent people.

I send him a deadly glare and he just laughs.

"Don't like me already, huh? I bet I can change that after I show you all the talents you've been gifted. In the end, you'll be thanking me." What an arse hole! No way I'll be thanking him for anything when what he's doing isn't right.

Wait a second, did he say show me my talents? As in plural? I thought they only gave you one!

"Your different from the rest cupcake." Charlie says, as if he read my mind.

"I did read you mind, it's my talent, so good luck coming up with an escape plan." He sends me a taunting wink and continues speaking.

"You have seven gifts...we have discovered your first one was a success, you can breathe under water. Now we just have to test the rest of your gifts."

"What if the rest aren't successful?" His eyes harden and I can see his muscles stiffen. I already know what will happen if my gift aren't successful. It's what almost happened to Illia, I just want to know if he has the guts to say the horrific crime he is fine with committing.

"I'm pretty sure you already know what will happen."