Thirteen

To Freedom.

   We arrive at TieQueen during evening. We decide to take Melissa to spend the night at our place since Kevin and January help us so that the doctors won't know that she's here.

Kevin 'What the hell is she doing here?!' he sounds so surprised, but angry at the same time.
Lore 'She wanted to leave the hospital as soon as possible and, since we are her friends... '
Kevin 'Since you're her friends, you'll get her lost. Melissa can't live in the town; the doctors will be very furious when they find out about this.'
Lore 'No! You can't tell them!'
Kevin (He grabs my arm and separates me from the group) 'If she had been in the hospital, that would have been for a very good reason, Lore. Melissa is sick and the cure is there. The doctors were only trying to help her. We need to announce them that she's here or Melissa is going to die in a few days.'
Lore 'Ok, ok. Just give me one day.' I didn't expect such a difficult situation. I thought she was fine.

The second day, I organise a secret meeting which only the teenagers, except Eva, of course, take part in. I'm trying my best to explain them the true reality, but they seem confused and not ready to believe what I'm saying. Stephanie is helping with some extra explanations, so is Aiden. All for nothing because they refuse to accept them.
I decide it's better to show them the photos of the files I've taken in the hospital even if I haven't time to have a second look at them.

Lyvia 'You could have photoshopped those.' she's saying in a slow voice without being too convinced offering me a tiny hope.
Lore 'Do you really think I am that advanced? I barely know how to make a call.'
Aiden 'Listen, everything is true. Melissa can confirm it to you. They faked the death and have been doing research on her all this time in order to serve their experiment. Klaus and Andy haven't died either, but they do die right now because of their treatment.'
Lyvia 'What is the goal of the experiment?'
Lore 'Hmm, well, we don't know... yet.' Now I realise that we never thought about this important fact. 'But, if you want the same fate as the boys', stay here, if you wish to live, truly live leaded by freedom and serving to your own goal, you'll be expected to come here in two hours. We don't force you, just give you a real new chance to be alive.'

We leave them alone and head back to our house only to pack a few essential things. Since Aiden has already been prepared, he stays with Melissa in a safe place. While I'm putting my stuff together, Kevin shows up in the room.

Kevin 'What are you doing?' he's asking me surprisingly.
Lore 'Well, you said you have been aware that I want to leave. So, this is what I'm trying to do. To get rid of this negativity and evil-mindedness.'
Kevin 'Are you out of your mind? You can't leave by yourself! Where are you going to get food, water... a shelter from?! Without adding that it's winter outside!'
Lore 'If I die... I would die knowing the feeling of being alive.' I take my baggage and try to get out of my room, but he stops me.
Kevin 'I can't let you do such an empty-headed thing. I see myself forced to tell the other doctors.'
Lore 'What?!' I can't believe my ears. 'You said you would help me.'
Kevin 'Yes, but not risking your life.'

Everything about him shows me that he's lying.

Lore 'My life? Or the experiment? Don't worry, I got this!'
Kevin 'How do you know about the experiment, Lore?' He looks so shocked. His phone is being taken out of his pocket by him and I am able to see an another doctor's name on the screen.
Lore 'Sorry, but you have already ruined us too much. I can't let you do that!' I drag his phone and push him back in the room ending up locking the door and leaving the house.

I meet Stephanie downstairs and we are ready to go, but not before writing a message on the table: 'The change is to be created in our own way by ourselves! -Sincerely, twelve teenagers + Elsa.'

   Unfortunately, at the meeting place there are only five people, including Aiden and Melissa, who doesn't seem very well.

Lore 'Are you sure you don't want to go back to the hospital?' I feel worried and with no intention to be guilty of if anything happens to her safety.
Melissa 'Never been more convinced.'
Lore 'Then we should start walking.'

   A last looking back, not as a regret, but as a pure satisfaction of our ambition and hope. Step by step, we arrive to the river where we should meet Azel, but to my surprised, we see more than one person.

Lyvia 'We thought it's better to go before you do, not to raise suspicions.'

   There is the rest of the teenagers who are waiting for us to come up. I couldn't be much happier. We hug each other laughing and trying to maintain the motivation awake. I am able to see Azel from distance, so I'm running to her. Getting closer makes me notice that something is wrong. She falls on the ground in a few seconds without saying anything. Everyone is gathering around her.

Lore 'Oh God, what happened?'
Azel 'They found out about your intentions. Keep running and never stop because the doctors will... *she coughs* will always chase you.'
Lore 'What happened to you, Azel?' I am very nervous and I can't hold my tears falling from my eyes.
Azel 'Switch... the *she coughs again* letters.' She barely can't talk, so I advice her not to make any effort.'
Lore 'How can we help you, Azel?'
Azel 'Throw the phones... are supervised. Find yourself, Lo... ' she suddenly stops without finishing her thought.
Lore 'No, no, no. Azel, Azel, please! NO!' I put my hands on her body and I'm drowing in tears. This can't happen to me. To her. NO!

My life has been a huge missunderstanding, but she was the only person who I trusted from the first second I met and I got her killed by our actions. Stephanie lifts me up and tries to say pozitive words in order to calm me down.

Lore 'We can't let her here!'

We burry her body in tears and unbelievable sad feelings. I write her first name on the grave because it is all I know. I stay there for a few moments looking at her name crying.

After this, we throw our phones in the river, get our stuff and hit the road again having no clear destination in our mind.
   The doctors really make me angry and ready to take revenge, but I have no idea how I am supposed to do it.
The night is coming and we stop for a quick bonfire to get warm since the snow freezes us. Again, I am thoughtful. Without actually realising, I write 'Elsa' on the snow.

Stephanie 'Are you ok?'
Lore 'I will be.'

I keep staring at the name until I might realise what message Azel wanted to send to me. I start switching the letters until Elsa becomes Asel and, at that moment, I remember that I used to spell my cousin's name 'Elza' when I was little. I had a member of my family in front of me and I wasn't able to figure it out.