Juris

I woke up only a few minutes after the needle went into my neck. I wake up in a back of a huge van. I can't see the driver, all I can see are the gray walls surrounding me.

I stand up, trying to see if there's any way I could get out. Of course there's no way, but it makes me feel better if I try.

Try try try.

I can't even count the number of times I've tried. Well, not just me, but the other three. We tried to make it through Hanson's experiment, but half the world ended up hating us. Us four tried to escape together, but Paytah got captured. We tried to get him together, but Lana ditched us. We continued to try, but we were also captured.

I'm done trying, because every time we do try, it never works.

Paytah. Lana.

They are probably dead, and I can't wrap my mind around that thought. If Lana made it, for sure they would kill them. Maybe they've killed Paytah before she even got there. I tell myself, almost force to tell myself, that they are alive. Lana made it, and for now they are just keeping them in a room, not touching them until Aira and I come.

What a wild thought.

At least I know Aira must be here, in another van hopefully. But I don't know who these people are. They were just like the men who captured me from the beginning, before any of Hanson's tests. Maybe President Jackson ordered Hanson's men to come get us. It didn't seem like she cared that we were leaving, but James did say that we were still in danger.

The van abruptly stops, and I jerk forward into the wall, grunting as my shoulder takes the hit. I stay silent as the drivers door opens and shuts. I can hear footsteps, a ton of them, actually, walking on the gravel. I also hear a ton of doors slamming, like there's multiple vans. Did they really being this large of a group to take down two people?

Or maybe they thought it was three people, like it was supposed to be.

I picture Lana in Paytah's place, when we watched him on a tv screen, when we heard him cry and scream in agony. I picture her doing the same.

I push away the thought.

But it comes right back when I actually hear screaming. Aira, I automatically think.

"Aira!" I yell, slamming my hands on the wall.

But I freeze when I hear a male cry out. Then another scream.

We aren't alone.

I press my ear against the inside of the vehicle and try to listen. It's all scattered;

"Stop!"

"Please, what is happening-"

"Mom!"

I can't think of any reason why all these people are here, even some young children. It doesn't make sense, why is Hanson capturing all these people?

I push myself back when I hear someone opening the van I'm in. When it opens people are on me immediately, cuffing my hands behind my back and dragging me outside. I look around, seeing dozens of vans. There are a ton of guards, as well as innocent people. I watch as a van opens and a pile are inside, all trying to scramble away, but it's useless.

"Juris!"

I look back, seeing Aira also cuffed, but walking a few people behind me. I yell her name back so she knows I heard her.

I look around even hoping that somehow Paytah and Lana are here, but it's a very slim chance.

I don't recognize where we are, not one bit. It's almost warmer here, and the grass seems greener, the sun shining down on us, making me sweat. I might've been in that van for a couple hours, but the drastic change in weather confuses me.

I think everyone has realized it too, because even though I constantly hear frantic yelling, people are looking around curiously.

"Where are we?"

"Shut it." A guard hits me in the back a little, apparently not wanting to share where the hell we are. I feel a pair of eyes on me to my left, and I look over and see a boy, and he looked a little like Paytah at first glance I almost shouted for joy.

"Juris? One of the four?" He says. A guard who is holding him shoves him a little, but he keeps his eyes fixed on me. I don't know him, but I realized he must know me, I'm pretty sure the majority does.

But I look past him, at all the other eyes that are now staring.

"And Aira!" I hear someone say, and I look back at Aira who looks surprised.

With such a big crowd, anxiety takes me over. Please don't hate us. Please don't hate us. If this whole crowd hated us, not even the guards would be able to prevent our deaths.

"What's happening?" I hear a voice, and at first don't know, but then I realize they are asking Aira and I.

I'm just as lost as you are.

"I-I don't know." I say, and people look at me worriedly. They look at me like I'm some kind of leader, like their king they take orders from. But they've only seen me on tv, during the test. Maybe they are picturing being home looking at me through a screen, wondering what my next move will be.

It must suck for them to see what the real Juris actually is.

Aira is now lost in the crowd as the guards guide more people out. I'm scared, my anxiety is on a whole new level. Lana and Paytah, dead. Again I try my best to push the thought away, but it's always there, lingering in my mind.

They are alive. All of us are alive.

The guard holding me must be wishing he could hold anyone else but me, because Ive been fidgeting and asking questions nonstop. I watch frantically as they've completely gathered everyone. All of us start moving forward. I fight back, not wanting to go wherever they are taking us, because I know this will not end well.

"Where are you taking us, where-"

The guard suddenly pulls me to the side forcefully, and I shut my eyes tight, expecting a punch. But all he does is pull me close to his face.

"I'm sick of the questions, kid."

"I'm sick of asking," I gasp, but manage a glare, "so tell me."

"Fine."

All of a sudden, he lifts his big mask from his face. I look closely at him. He looks about forty, with brown hair and a stubble, and a breath that makes me want to gag.

But there's something that I notice.

I hold my breath, confused but also awful curious.

It's his eyes.

I stare right into them, right through them.

"There, now shut up." He puts his mask back on, and we continue to walk, but he almost has to drag me.

His eyes. Not green, nor orange, nor light blue or dark blue.

He had brown eyes.

No elements have brown eyes.

••••••

Hello!!!

Well, only ONE chapter left in book 2!!!!!!

I'm so excited, and hope you are too!

Thank you :)