Shouts erupted outside as the vehicle I was trapped in rolled away. I heard more shots go off, screams tear through the air of dawn, and the wheels bump against rough roads.

    I clenched my fists, more furious than ever. Cassius now had the compass. He had Seth and he had taken my brother's mind. I wanted to hit something.

    He had taken everything from me. I had been alone for fifty-four days because of his selfishness, his overuse of the Elements. Whether he wanted a fight or not, he was certainly getting one now.

    No, I decided. He will never win. Not with me.

    I was wide awake the whole ride, anticipating what I was going to do next. I couldn't have known how long it lasted, but it wasn't short at all.

    When the truck jolted to stop, I stood. More than anything, I wanted to see Seth.

    The doors flew open. I was ready for them to take me. Two guards grabbed me by the arms and dragged me out, marching beside me while my hands were pinned painfully behind my back.

    Lights shone from the huge compound set before me. It towered into the sky with lights shining down over hundreds of vehicles and soldiers carrying on. An occasional murmur was heard, but other than that, it was silent as I was led down a long path to the entrance.

    A gust of wind slapped me in the face and I felt a raindrop. Then another. Soon, the wind was blowing and the rain was hitting me sideways. If I wasn't already miserable, the weather made sure I was. The sky was dark, clouds blocking out the fact that it was probably the middle of the day.

    My heart filled with hopelessness as I gazed up at the building. What was I thinking? Seth was in this place, yes but--

    A deafening popping sound filled my ears, drowning my doubt. Over the howling of the wind, more popping and shattering filled the space. I noticed the darkness closing in before I realized what was happening.

    All the lights on the upper level of the prison were busted. Some on the second row had already started disintegrating.

    "What--" one of the soldiers next to me started before all the lights went out at once.

    The explosion roared in my ears as glass mixed with the rain. I yanked back suddenly to cover my face. Sharp pricks tore at my arms. But there was no harsh grip on me.

    I was free.

    Flashlights were waving in the air. People were shouting in confusion as dust coated everything and rain slammed into us. I could hardly see in front of me. I scrambled up and ran for my life away from the prison.

    I ran for cover behind a truck near the fence and breathed heavily just as another explosion filled the air.

    Seth.

    I had to find him. Last time I saw him, he hardly knew who he was. Turning, dread filled my stomach. Seth could be trapped in there. Or dead. Somehow, I'd get to him.

    I edged out from behind the truck, then began back in the general direction of the prison.

    Running toward the flashing lights and the alarms that made my ears ache, I tried not to panic. Rain slammed against my skin and blew my hair in my face. Debris rained down as lightening cracked accompanied by thunder, which drowned out everything.

    "Stop!" someone screamed over the noise.

    I whipped around to see a flashlight advancing toward me. Instantly, I started sprinting. Him. I just had to make sure he was alright--

    My shoulders were grabbed by large hands and I screamed. The soldier dressed in black with headgear like everyone else, looked at me. He pushed off his visor and everything stopped.

    Suddenly, nothing mattered anymore.

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(a/n)

(:

I hope you've enjoyed this story! Thank you for reading it. God is very good.

-Abigail

{August 23, 2016}

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