BANG.
There was a scream, and Gray was plunged into darkness.
The lights had gone out.
Waiting for his eyes to adjust to the black, he jumped when he heard President Lilly's voice.
"Gray? Gray!"
Then-
"The boy! Find Grayson Sohren and bring him to me!"
At first, Gray wondered who she was talking to.
Then he realized with a shiver-
She was broadcasting.
Of course.
The President had comms and cameras and speakers hidden everywhere. She was sending an announcement to the entire school.
He was a target.
They were going to find him and kill him.
He felt like he was back in PE with Coach Harding. Only this time, if he screwed up, he would die.
Gray fumbled around in the dark.
He couldn't let President Lilly find him.
He felt completely helpless, his hands out in front of him like a zombie. Then his palm hit something sharp, and it was all Gray could do not to yell out loud.
Like with Bazic, Gray could almost feel President Lilly's gaze swing over him.
He froze, and she called softly,
"Gray? Come on, Gray. I won't hurt you... I just want to talk, hon."
Gray held his breath, hoping, praying, she wouldn't find him.
Backing up, he felt a wall behind him and put his hand on the hard surface, feeling something cold.
The door handle.
Gray felt the icy knob, thinking fast.
The power outage had to have deactivated the door locks... but if he opened the door, President Lilly would move towards the sound instantly.
In front of him, Gray could just see Lilly's silhouette as she walked around, trying to find him.
He had to time this right... three... two... one...
Gray took a deep breath, and turned the door handle.
The instant he was out, he slammed the door shut and took off.
He glimpsed President Lilly's sharp blue eyes as he streaked down the dark school hallways.
Heart pounding, Gray sprinted desperately- making turns into different hallways and twisting into obscure corridors, praying he lost the President.
He kept his hand along the wall to help him find his way and stopped near a vacant classroom, gasping for air.
His throat burned, but in the moment where he stopped, his brain could finally understand.
He was the boy of the prediction.
But instead of saving the world, he was destined to die.
The adrenaline pumping through his throat made a dryness that was unbearable, and Gray barely had time to inhale again, when icy cold hands grabbed his wrists and yanked him backwards.
