fines

poison.

Talia's POV:

"I'm sorry, kids. There's nothing more we can do...your friends have no trace left anywhere. We've done all we can do."

I actually couldn't believe what I was hearing. Literally, could not believe it.

"That's not an answer, I'm sorry", I snapped.

"It's the only answer we have, ma'am", the policeman said.

"Well, you better find a new one, because I'm not taking it.", I snared before walking away to Winston, Ben, and for some odd reason, Gwendolyn.

"What'd he say?", Winston inquired of me. "Oh, basically that we might as well go ahead and start planning their funeral because 'they can't do anything else'", I rolled my eyes. Winston sighed, "Well, we aren't going to do that, right?", he asked. "Obviously not...I could never let myself do that. I'm not giving up on them, not now..not ever," I replied.

"Me either. They deserve justice", Ben said and shook his head.

Addison's POV:

Thorn brought Penny back into our room (apparently Michaelson let him, which was extremely suspicious) and told us we were going to meet some people. "What kind of people?", I asked curiously, following extremely close behind Thorn. "You'll see", was all he said. "That helps a lot," I rolled my eyes with a slight laugh. Penny wasn't as close to either of us as I would have liked. We were being led to this random place, in an even more random place, by someone we knew and trusted, but had just met a month or so ago. She was distant ever since Thorn brought her back. I didn't really know why...

Penelope's POV:

I was faced with a decision Thorn said I had to make.

*flashback*
    "Penny, it's either you, or her. I'm sorry but I've already looked at getting you out, and there's no way I can get two out at once.", Thorn said. His words hit my chest and a pang hummed in my heart like a bullet. "W--What?", I coughed out, choking on air. "I know it's going to be hard to choose, but you have to. I'm honestly so sorry, you have no idea...but I can only take one of you", he spoke, and I heard the sorry tone in his voice. "O--okay...I have to tell you...right now?", I managed to get out. How was I not crying right now? "No, not right now...we're going to meet some people, me, you, and Addie." He opened my cell door immediately after giving me a kiss on the cheek. "It's gonna be okay, alright? Whatever you choose, it's going to be okay", he said and I nodded, although I knew that was a lie. It was never again going to be okay. He started to lead me out of the cell, and he tried to grab my hand but I pulled it away softly. He stopped and turned to look at me. "I'm so  sorry, Penelope. I really, truly am sorry. I have no words besides 'I'm sorry' to say to you. I tried, I really did. Bu--", I interrupted him before I started to cry. "I know. And thank you for trying...can we just go now? To meet these people?" "Yeah, yes...of course. Let's go," he officially led me out of the private jailroom."

*present*

And now here we were, being led to the people who we were going to meet. It would be refreshing to meet some new people, I had to admit.

We stopped at a door that read 'IAB38'. Addie and I looked at each other and she had a small smile, but I quickly looked away. I couldn't look her straight in the face, knowing that I had to choose her fate. I saw her smile drop out the corner of my eye as Thorn knocked on the door. "It's Thorn", he whispered into the corner opening where the hinges on the door were. "Open", I heard a whisper back. Thorn took glances between me and my sister and then spoke. "This is Steven's room. He's 16, but he's been here for three years, he has quite some wisdom on this place; I figured I would let you meet him." Addison and I nodded quietly and Thorn opened the door.

'How come we didn't get a door that we could lock?', I wondered to myself. Then again, I thought, he has been here way longer than we, and probably anyone else, had.

We walked into the room and saw a boy with blonde hair sitting in a chair by his bed. "Hey, Steve. I uh..this is Addison and Penelope, I figured they should be able to meet you," Thorn said as Steven stood up. "Good with me; have a seat, why don't you?", he spoke in a British accent. We all say down in various spots. Addison and I sat on the two edges of the bed, still I kept my distance, Thorn sat on the floor, and Steven took his spot back in the chair.

We talked for awhile about how Steven had lasted there for so long and things of that nature. Thorn suddenly looked up and yelled.

"WE HAVE TO GO. ADDIE, PENNY, WE HAVE TO LEAVE. NOW."

Addison and I had questioning looks, but we both stood up immediately.

"SHOOT. I LET TIME SLIP AWAY. GIRLS, YOU AND THORN NEED TO GO.", Steven yelled in panic. Why were they so suddenly acting this way?

We got ushered out the door and we went running down the corridor back to our room. Thorn left us there with a "I'll see you in a few minutes. Just act like nothing happened. I'm sorry I didn't get to introduce you to anyone else I had planned to, but you'll understand why we had to go so soon in a moment."

We didn't know what was happening, and then a guard came to our room saying that they were taking all of us out to the main grounds in the back. The first glimpse of sunlight we would be getting since weeks ago. Apparently some sort of persecution was going to be taking place, and we all had to watch.

When we got there, I was shocked at who I saw standing in front of a small wooden table, hands strapped behind back and feet chained. Steven.

"Poison." he said, and the guards exchanged nods, until one of them brought a small bottle, as another freed one of Stevens hands. Steven took the bottle in his hand and gulped. He was tearing up but he put on a brave face and lifted the vile to his pale lips. He swallowed it, and fell onto the ground.

We were all grabbed by the same established guard who had taken us from our rooms. Nobody had said anything, it was an extremely short process. I didn't get to realize what was happening before it had actually happened. It was silent, all you could hear was the shuffling of feet before a brunette girl in front of us tore away from her guard and ran to Steven's body, which was shaking in a seizure. She was in tears, and she was yelling for him. "Get her!", a guard yelled. Within moments most of the men were on her, trying to tear her, a screaming mess, away from him. "Ru--Ruby", Steven got out choking before a guard pressed his thumb to his throat to cease all his squirming entirely. Steven was dead. The girl--Ruby---started yelling at the guards, kicking and crying. We all watched, not knowing anything to do. We couldn't do anything even if  we tried. Because we would end up a goner...like Steven.

And now Ruby.

They had shot her.

"It's a shame. Fifteen years old, all she was. She should've known to stop.", one of the guards said as he shook his head and walked back to his group of kids he was taking back to a room.

Two kids, 15 and 16, gone. In the same afternoon.

These people had no mercy.

I would make sure they got what they deserved.