Violet runs out of the tunnel frantically. "Alright, listen to me. We have to get out of here. Go find everything you need to survive then we need to run and never look back. Do you understand?"

My eyes grow wide. "What? I can't leave!" I exclaim. I had almost forgotten about Jay and Ryker. But I can't leave them. They mean too much to me and I'm not leaving them for anything. 

Violet is silent.

"Why can't you leave?" Pine asks.

"My brothers! I need them and they need me! We've spent our lives together and I'm not leaving without them!" I scream. "You wouldn't understand, you're gems. You can't feel love but I can and no matter what you say, I'm not leaving them."

"Um, we do understand." 

I spin around to see Auburn standing in the tunnel. "I'm sorry to eavesdrop, but gems can feel love and we do. I know how you feel and you need to stay with your brothers, they'll be the only friends you have left one day. And you'll love them for staying with you. You need to return the favor to them."

For a second, the entire cave is still. No one moves or talks.

I look at Violet and Pine hopefully. 

Pine shakes her head, but Violet smiles. 

"I'm sorry, but they'll just get you into more trouble. You need to run away from the gems. Trust us. We know." She whispers and I realize that her smile is out of pity.

I glance back at Auburn and think of my options. All three of these gems are potential danger. Pine and Violet could just be setting me up for trouble. Auburn could be telling me to stay because she knows that this new gem civilization is danger. But then I would have to leave. Why did this all have to happen in the first place? What can't I just be back in the hideout with Jay and Ryker?

Finally, I sigh. "I'm staying, I don't care what any of you say." I run to the rope ladder and climb it as fast as I can. I'm not sure where I'm going, but I hope that I can get to a gem civilization. On the outskirts of every gem civilization, there's an entrance to human hideouts that's so hidden that only humans can find them. I'm just hoping that I can find my way back to my own shelter from there.

I jump up on the rocks sheltering the location of the cave and start climbing up the rocks. When I come to the highest rock, I see that it's overlooking a field. I jump off of the rock and slide down the muddy hill. I'm surprised that the gems haven't taken over this area of grassy land. After sprinting across the field, I come to a fast-flowing river. Water is pulsing over the only rocks in the river but I don't care. I hop to the first rock.

It's incredibly slippery and my pathetic leather shoes can't hold up against the current. The water pushes me down into the river and I can feel the bursts of water pouring over me.

I can't get up off my back. Whenever I try, I get shoved back down by the powerful current. I no longer know what part of me thought that this would be a good idea.

I can't call out for help. All I can do is hold my breath.

As a huge wave of water crashes over me, everything happens suddenly.

My arms and legs grow weak. My vision blurs. Then everything goes black.