The Elements of Rage | ✔

• T H I R T Y • S I X •

"Why should I apologize for being a monster when no one apologized for making me this way?"

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"What?" I scoff disbelievingly. "You think you can just take my powers?"

Her voice is becoming quite annoying. Coming through the cameras, there is a slight static to it and an electronic edge. It surrounds me, coming from each camera. It is as if I can't escape even just her voice.

"Precisely. Don't look so surprised, Rage. Remember that boy? What was his silly fighting name? Oh, yes, Dodge," Kitrina responds.

"Dodge?" I echo, my voice a mere whisper.

I know exactly who she is talking about and it is as if the pieces of the puzzle are showing themselves and beginning to connect.

"Exactly," Kitrina replies smugly. "When you took his earth powers from him, you gave me the key to taking powers. Just like he said."

"Who?" I ask sharply.

"I'm glad you caught that," Kitrina says with what appears to be genuine happiness. "You see, Rage, you are not the only one with unique powers, nor or you the only one imprisoned here."

"There are only two of us left. We are her prisoners."

Those were the words Scintillate said. When she warned me in that dream, she revealed that there were many prisoners at one point, but that she and one other were the only ones left. I wonder what this boy has for his powers. If Scintillate's power is any indication, I won't be able to guess what his power is.

"Will I ever meet him?" I ask, finally.

"That depends."

"On?" I prompt, growing tired of her short replies.

"You'll see."

I force myself to remain calm and calculating. This is no time to give into fury. I need to use my mind, not brute force to get out of this situation.

"Where am I?" I ask, just now realizing that I had not yet asked at all about my whereabouts.

"Ahh, I was wondering when you were going to ask," Replies Kitrina. "Normally, it's the first question that prisoners ask. You, my dear, are in a secure facility. Don't worry, you have not left the country. However, you are miles away from the nearest civilization. This building is built just below an old military testing site from the second era."

"And how long have I been here?" I question, wanting to get a time frame.

How long have I been away from the boys? Are they worried yet? They better not come looking for me. I take a small amount of comfort in the thought that they won't be able to find this place, especially if it is an underground facility.

"Mm, who knows?"

I give the camera a flat look and raise an eyebrow, but Kitrina doesn't continue, causing me to sigh inwardly.

There's a clicking noise from the cameras. Furrowing my brows, I ask Kitrina what it was. No response. I ask her if she's still there. No response.

My eyes dart around. This might be might chance. What if this is my chance to get out? What if that's what the noise was?

I reach up to touch the camera before pulling my hand back. Biting my lip, I think for a second. Ripping a couple inches of fabric off the bottom of my shirt, I tie it into a knot and toss it at the camera. There's a loud zap and the fabric falls to the ground, black and crumbling to ashes.

I'll take that as a no, this is not my chance.

Frustrated, I plop down on the ground and wrap my arms around my legs.

But now is not the time to be frustrated. Now is the time to prepare and wait. When the opportunity arises, I will strike. I will strike fast and hard and Kitrina will not know what hit her.

I lay down, still exhausted. It's been so long since I was tired, but now I feel sluggish and slow, I am so tired. Sleep takes me the second I close my eyes.

I don't know how long I sleep for. I don't know what time it is when I wake up. What I do know is that all the white in this room is hurting my eyes, it's so damn bright. I have a pounding headache; however, I feel better, less tired and more awake, after all that sleep. My arms are still burned, but now they only hurt when I touch them, at least.

With a sigh, I begin to do some simple exercises. I need to stay in shape so I can get out of here. Not only am I going to need my strength to break out, but I'll also need it so I can back home. If Kitrina was telling the truth, I'm going to have run several miles to get to a town so I can finally get back home.

Not that I trust her, though. I mean, for all I know, everything she tells me is a lie. I can't just blindly trust her and hope for the best. I will listen and pay attention to all she says, every bit of information. That doesn't mean, though, that I can just believe her.

The only person I can trust right now is myself. And even that's kind of iffy at this point.

Without my powers, I'm not even sure who I am.

Without my powers, I'm just that scared little girl, abused by her family and too scared, too stupid, too weak to do anything about it.

Without my powers, what can I do?

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I know this chapter's pretty short, but I hope to update again today.

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Q: Do you think Rage will escape on her own? Will she be saved by the boys? Or will Kitrina let her go?

A: *whistles nonchalantly* Who knows?