Volume IV: What Kept You From Greatness

Sick: Part 1

I smiled and bounced down the street, Peter beside me. He chuckled as I skipped along beside him, acting like I was eight and didn't have a care in the world. I spun around with a giggle, almost falling. Peter caught me and shook his head. "What's got you so energetic today?"

"I dunno, I'm just in a good mood," I replied. "Besides, I'm with my favorite person in the world."

"And who's that?" Peter teased.

"You, silly!" I humored him. We rubbed noses together, earning a giggle from me. I turned back around and continued hopping down the street.

However, I heard a small yelp from behind me, making me turn on my heel. I was just fast enough to see Peter's arm as he was pulled into an alleyway. I ran back and got ready to conjure something if I needed to. I masked my face and voice as I walked into the alleyway, my cloak shifting into its normal form. "Peter?" I called quietly.

I heard muffled cries behind me, turning on a dime and conjuring a shield. Despite my best efforts, I wasn't quick enough and a man hit me in the head with a pipe.

***

When I woke again, I was in a small cage. Seeing as I was 6 feet tall, I didn't exactly fit. I tried sitting up, but it was quite short. Instead, I decided to inspect myself and my surroundings. My head was pounding from the hit. I checked myself to find my cloak missing. I knew then that I was dealing with someone very powerful. If they were able to wrangle my cloak, I didn't stand a chance. Although I didn't know for sure... Perhaps my cloak had gone to get help?

I sighed and checked my surroundings, seeing another girl in a cage a few feet away from mine. There were cages everywhere, some with strange animals I'd never seen before and others with what seemed like suffering people. I heard some coughs and some soft crying. I looked to the girl in the cage beside mine, who had her back turned to me. I looked across the way to another cage that seemed to have a boy in it. They almost looked familiar.

That's when I caught sight of another cage across the room, which I saw had Peter inside of it. He laid motionless. I couldn't tell if he was breathing, but I perked up nevertheless. "Peter!" I called, but earned no response. Deciding I needed to escape, I moved myself so I was squished against the back of the cage, my legs bent in the air. I took a deep breath, then kicked with all I had against the cage door.

I did this quite a few times before I heard a voice. "It's no use... I tried that when I was first captured by them..."

I rolled over, half sitting up in the cramped cage. "Who are you...? Where am I...? What is this...?"

"Slow down, Katelyn..." The girl turned around in her cage and took a gentle hold on the bars, facing me.

"Samantha?!" I gripped the bars on my own cage. "What's going on?!"

"Shhh..." she shushed. "He'll hear you... Then we'll all be in trouble."

"Okay, okay," I replied in a hushed tone. "Samantha... What is this?"

"Captivity," said a familiar voice from another cage. I looked across the way to see the boy from earlier, except it was Jackson.

"Jackson?!" I exclaimed, except I kept my voice hushed this time. "What is going on here?!"

"They've captured us all to sell," Samantha said.

"They told us every day that they had plans to capture you and Peter. I guess they finally done it..." Jackson continued.

"We... Had hoped you two would rescue us... Or that you could overpower them..." Samantha spoke sadly.

"Looks like we're not going to get out of this anytime soon... I just hope they sell us to someone halfway decent..." Jackson looked away, seemingly terrified.

"I... don't understand... Samantha, Jackson... Who?"

Samantha sighed and looked me straight in the eyes. "Katelyn, we've been captured and we're going to be sold."

"By who?" I replied.

"Us, of course," came a voice above us. Two sets of boots came into view, walking towards me.

"Who are you?" I asked, trying to move to the door so I could see better.

One crouched in front of me. "Hello, darling. We've never officially met." He outstretched a hand. "Quentin Beck."

"You?! You're dead!!!" I exclaimed.

"Na handshake? Well, alright. I thought your father raised you better."

"I figured he would've," I heard an unfamiliar voice ring out. That's when Kaecilius kneeled in front of me next to Beck. "Such a shame. I might have kept her if she was a little more polite."

My world had just turned upside down. My head began spinning and I gripped the bars tightly. "Kaecilius?" I tried to swallow the knot in my throat. "W... What is this...?"

"This, my dear, is captivity."