"OOOOOWWWWWW!"

"Lily, this hurts like hell, and we've been doing it for like two hours, but will you stop being so dramatic!" Mark grumbles, just as a whip slams itself down his spine, making him moan in pain.

"Who's the dramatic one here now, huh?" Hazel asks, crouching across from us with a raised eyebrow. The new scar on her eye gleams in the pale light.

"Whatever." Mark grumbles. "How-" He screamed. "Dude, I can't hold it in any longer. Anyway, how long is this gonna last? Until we die? Again?"

"I don't know," I reply. "But-ow-don't you all think what's happening to us would make a great movie? I mean, four dashing heroes getting utterly punished at the never ending claws of their biggest enemy? Seriously, I'd totally see it."

"Lily, we've being whipped, and all you're thinking about is seeing a movie about us?" Hazel snorts.

"Hey, I think you'd look the beautiful being whipped." Mark puts in.

"Guuyyyss," Xander says. "Will y'all be quiet. I can't stand all the pain and that peculiar humming noise in the background, as well as you people talking."

"No," Mark replies. "And are you talking about the furnace? It has a name, and feelings as well. And right now I think it's really hurt. Go apologize to it, Alex." 

"Shut up."

"No."

"Guuyyyss," I drawl. "While we were so ever focused on making our perfect conversation, the whips stopped." Right as I say that, my chains spring up, unwrapping themselves from my wrists.

Hazel is the first to stand up, stretching her arms out and rubbing her back. "What now? Can we try to break out like that guy did last night? And ... kill Short Stuff while we're at it?"

"'Short Stuff' probably heard what you called her," Mark remarks. 

"Did she?" Xander asks, looking around the room wildly, not seeing the person, and then panicking more. "Damnit, Hazel; you just had to call her that."

"Hey, calm down." I pat his shoulder. "Our torture is over."

And then the ground opens, and I find myself back in my cell just like before.

-Time skip-

Late at night, I am tracing my finger on the dusty floor, wondering about how I can escape. If only I had some manipulation powers instead of turning into animals, so I can charm guards into freeing me.

As if on cue, Finn whispers, "Hey, I'm getting you out of here! Prepare to run!"

I shriek.

"Shut up!" He hisses, emerald eyes narrowing with the slightest bit of playfulness. "Do you want to be caught? No, you don't! So c'mon!" Finn digs into his pocket and grabs a key, turning the tip into the lock.

My door opens swiftly on its own, as if it was just yearning to be free. I grab it before it can hit the hard wall, using it to pull myself up as well. "Are we getting the others?" I ask.

"No." Finn turns the corner of his lip upward in a cringe. "Why should we?" Seeing the searching look on my face, he grins. "Just kidding. Mark's right behind me. You can't see him cause he's in a shadow. Well, it seems like he's always in a shadow, as if something dangerous is happening." He pauses as a look of realization replaces his old expression. "Actually, I think you should hide in a shadow too, just in case."

"Yeah, stupid," Mark barely whispers. "Now hurry up and get the others before it's too late."

"Alright, we're coming." I reply. "Whose prison is the closest to the nearest exit?"

"Uh, Blondie's." Finn says. "Let's get that other girl first."

"Their names are Xander and Hazel." Mark grumbles, and we start walking.

Hazel is leaning against the wall with an alert expression when we get to her, like she's been waiting for this escape all along. "Took you long enough." She mutters after Finn's key pulls her door open.

"Hey, if you wanted to escape by yourself and cause a ruckus, than feel free to." He says back.

Hazel sighs. "Thanks anyway."

"No problem, ma'am!" He salutes with a wide grin. "Now time to get Blondie!"

"Xander." Mark mutters again, but no one pays attention to him. He huffs quietly and pouts as he follows us.

When we get to him, Xander is asleep for some reason. 

"Xander, wake up!" I whisper shout. "We're leaving!"

Alexander doesn't even budge an inch.

Hazel finds a rock in her pocket, and tries throwing it at him. He doesn't wake up. 

Finn leans in close, singing Shake It Off in falsetto. Nothing happens, except for the soft noises of Hazel and Mark punching Finn.

"Xander, short stuff will get us!" Hazel says. And a beautiful, once-in-a-lifetime miracle happens:

Alexander Grace stirs and inches his hand towards us just the tiniest bit.

"Short stuff will get us!" We all whisper.

Another movement.

"SHORT STUFF WILL GET US!"

Finally, finally, Xander wakes up with a little jump. "She's here?! Whereareweeveryonegetout-"

"Shut up!" Mark hisses. "We're escaping, you dolt!"

"Yup, on the count of three: One, two, and three!" Finn puts the tip of his key inside the hole and moves his finger. The door swings out, but Hazel catches it and pulls-well, more like shoves-Xander up to his feet.

"Okay gang, out!" Finn exclaims, opening a door and letting us follow him into a different purple hallway. "Now don't touch the plants!" As he says, "Plants", Mark and Hazel send me knowing looks, which make me turn red and cover my face.

Finn leads us down an alley of creaking stairs, and finally out the door. It's a relief to breathe the both hot and chilly sweet night air again with actual stars twinkling above you, and no cars buzzing around the usually busy summer New York streets.

"There's a McDonald's shop right over there," Finn instructs to us, pointing to a small shop across the road. "Just go in there; the boss stays in there twenty-four hours a day. And tell him who you are, although he can basically just tell from your silver auras."

"What about you?" I ask. "Won't Short Stuff flip out if she finds out that you're not there?"

"Short Stuff is at a meeting; I don't know where. But she'll return in a few days, which is enough time for me to figure out how to run away."

"Okay then, bye." Xander says.

"Good luck." Finn returns, and he walks back to the towering white building, as we head towards the McDonald's place.

The door creaks loudly as I push it open, and a little bell attached to it rings. We look around, scanning the greasy tables and chairs for the owner.

Just then, flashing yellow lights flicker on, turned on by a tall guy who looks like he's way back from the 1600's. Scruffy gray hair, a slight beard, and dusty cheeks are his main features, and he has a small wooden cane that he doesn't quite need to use, since by the looks of it, he stands up pretty nicely.

"Well, what have we got here?" He asks in a heavy British accent, gazing at us with kind but suspicious golden brown eyes. "Are you mates of one of my mates, or something along the lines of that fact?"

"Sir, we're acquaintances of Finn Something," Mark answers politely. "And we are hoping for a shelter."

"Very well," the McDonald's guy answers. "Pardon me, but is it alright if I turn off the lights? My eyes take very long to adjust to the brightness."

"Of course," Xander answers.

The lights turn off, and the stranger's eyes widen at the sight of us, then turn back to recognition.

"So you're spirits," he mutters.

"Yes sir, and we are fleeing from a certain short, blond haired woman who hates us for some reason, and right now is the best time to escape since she's at some meeting, as Finn says." Mark explains.

More realization crosses the McDonald's worker's face. Finally, he says, "Finn has told me about you. Come on. Into the Multi-Gender bathroom." He goes to the counter, hitting a "Fanta" button on the soda machine three times, and we all go to the bathroom, where a fingerprint scanner has opened itself up.

The stranger matches his index finger with the scanner, and a door opens, narrating the scenery of bright green grass, a clear blue sky, and birds chirping. 

"Step in and hold your breaths," the stranger instructs.

We do, and as soon as our feet hit the grass, it vanishes and is replaced by a tsunami wave that sweeps us for about five seconds, and we fall out onto a land that looks like your average fairy tale world.

A grand palace, darkened by the sunset, stands in front of us. Two guards, one half asleep and the other all the way alert, pose in front of a gate. As soon as they see the stranger, the mumble words of, "Your Highness," and open the gate.

The "king" leads us into the castle, where as soon as my foot touches the hard gray stone floor, a girl about our age, maybe a bit younger, sprints up and tackles me in a hug.

"VISITORS!" She screams, not giving me enough time to get over my shock.

"Abbey, a bit quieter, please." Our guide pleads.

"Sorry, Your Majesty King Harold!" The girl looks down, and then continues bouncing up and down. "Abbey is just very excited to see visitors."

"They're actually refugees."

"We're only going to be here for a couple days as we figure out what to do." Hazel says. "So please don't get too joyful."

"Well actually, you'll be staying here for quite a while," King Harold says with a shrug. "Welcome to your new home."