《The Bond of Three》


 Ash

    Ash checked her cherry-red watch, making sure she wasn''t late. She''d picked out her nicest clothes - a business grey dress suit specifically tailored for her. Her wavy brown hair kept slapping the back of her neck with every step - as if telling her it hated being in such a high pony-tail. Breathe, she reminded herself.Just breathe.


    Just because she''d lost the job since she''d had since she was thirteen, after seven years, and had been struggling to get another every since did not mean this one was going to be another flop. Trying to keep her dignity while hurrying at the same time under the incredibly hot sun was even harder than it sounded - no matter how many times she repeated it in her head.


    This time is going to be different, she promised herself.


    When she finally made it into the air-conditioned room, she was happy to pull in a breath of not abnormally hot air. Her shiny black heels didn''t make the clip-clop sound as she walked across the ugly grey carpet to the boss''s office. She smiled and nodded at employees, who would either smile back or wonder that smiles existed anymore.


    After getting the ''thumbs up'', she pulled the glossy wooden door open and stepped cautiously inside. An old man with suspiciously clean white hair sat behind an expensive-looking table, ordered with a few handfuls of knickknacks. His eyebrows had grown with age, hanging partially over his eyelids as he glared at the tablet in his hands. What should have been a nice suit once was stretched over his body. He muttered something over his breath, either ignoring Ash or simply not even noticing her there.


    She cleared her throat, drawing his attention. He looked up, his thin, cracked lips slightly open as he did so.


    "Eh, what do you want? I haven''t seen you before."


    "Sir, I would like to get a j-"


    "Nevermind. Hmm. Do you think you could fix this stupid device?"


    Unsure of what else to do, Ash carefully took the tablet, feeling its weight in her hands. She stared down at the screen before pressing a few buttons and deleting a few hundred useless apps. After quickly cleaning its storage and giving it a wipe with her sleeve, she handed it back to the old man. He scrolled down a bit, pressing a few buttons before his eyebrows shot up.


    "Ah! You''ve done it! Very good. Now, what do you want?"


    Ash opened her mouth to speak but was interrupted by the door behind her opening. She thought,secratary, before turning around to see who it was. The man who''d opened the door was wearing a nice suit with almost perfectly cut hair and salt and pepper hair. He looked fairly old - in his sixties maybe - but he moved with more grace than Ash could''ve.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    "Father, please."


    He smiled at the old man, who muttered something under his breath before - with great struggle - standing.


    "You know, Grean, if you arrived on time, you might actually have a business here."


    The man - Grean - let out a small sigh that hurried his father out the door. He gently closed it before walking around the desk and taking a seat in front of Ash.


    "Please forgive him - he''s used to running the place. Now, what are you here for?"


    "I want to work here. Please."


    "What''s your name?"


    "Ash Smith."


    "Ah! Here you are. Oh, the new application - I see."


    She smiled, relieved that her hopefully-soon-to-be boss wasn''t the grumpy old man. She handed him her resume, waiting as his green-grey eyes flicked back and forth over the papers.


    "It says here, you''ve had a job before. Blossom''s farm - was it?"


    She nodded, memories of the place flooding her mind - even though it felt like forever since she''d been to the place. Chasing the pack of dogs that all had a job there, eating dinner with her boss and her husband, laughing as she listened to the owner''s stories while cleaning the stables. She''d promised herself not to get emotional, but as the memories clouded her head, a lump formed in her throat. Grean brought her out of her head.


    "You must''ve been fond of the place. I, myself, have been there on a few occasions, and even then I didn''t want to leave."


    Ash choked back her tears with a painful swallow.


    "Yes, it was a wonderful place."


    After a few moments of silence, Grean set her resume back on the table.


    "I''m afraid"- normally those two words did not mean good things -"this place isn''t like Blossom''s farms in the least, but I hope it''ll be enough."


    Ash''s mouth hung open as his words sunk in.


    "You mean . . ."


    Grean smiled, his eyes wrinkling with age and a twinkle glittered in them. She wanted to jump around the room, shouting and laughing and singing, or run around the building with her papers in hand, laughing and shouting it to the whole world, but she managed to grin, hoping he''d see all those things in her smile.


    She was reaching for her papers when suddenly, a stinging pain exploded in her cheek. She yelped, her hand fleeing to her face where the pain now faded. Grean''s smile was gone, he was on his feet in an instant.


    "What''s wrong!?"


    "I don''t . . ."


    She felt panic rip through her stomach, twisting it into a thousand different knots. Grean said something but she couldn''t hear him - her ears were ringing too loudly. Without warning, another explosion of pain erupted in the back of her head. Stars danced across her vision and black spots joined them. She couldn''t hear anything now, only the deafening ringing that pounded in her skull. Her whole body felt weak and tired, and she didn''t want to move. Finally, the ringing was gone, and she could see clearly.


    Grean was in front of her, gently shaking her shoulders and shouting her name. She winced at his voice, causing him to grew quiet, his whole body relaxing.


    "Miss Smith, I thought we were losing you. Are you alright? What''s the matter?"


    There was a handful of people around her, staring down with - mostly - worried faces. She tried to catch her breath, Grean helped her sit up.


    "I don''t know, it just came out of . . ."


    For some reason, a dream played in the back of her head. How it did, and how she knew what it was, she wasn''t sure, but she knew it was a dream. It was almost like . . . she was experiencing something another person was - like she was feeling everything they were.

 Finn

    All too happy to finally be sleeping, Finn snored on the couch in his apartment, time slowly ticking by as the morning grew into noon. The thing that woke him - eventually - was his watch, which rang off the hook, as if angry at him for sleeping for so long. He woke with a start, scratching his head as he quieted his fancy watch. His groggy eyes widened in panic as it clicked in his head - he was late for work, again.


    After grabbing a quick breakfast and pulling on a mostly clean business suit, he rushed out the door, checking his watch all the while.


    Tapping the watch and straightening it on his wrist, he thought about the real reason for it. Ever since he could remember, he''d experienced strange things - things no one could explain. When he was three, he was on the soft rug of his family room in a mansion in London - on a family vacation - playing with his favorite stuffed animal, Switches. His mother was humming a sweet tune, his maid dusting the fireplace, when, without warning, he screamed in pain, trying to tell the adults the pain causing him so much trouble was on his arm - where he always got stupid shots.


    They rushed him to the hospital, worried for his life, but no matter what they did, the doctors couldn''t figure out what the matter was. He was in great shape - for a three-year-old.


    The pain was gone though, and his mother took him home, worrying about him for the rest of the week.


    Sometimes he got the symptoms of a stomach virus, but he never got sick, regardless of how horrible he felt. Everyone waved it off, telling him not to worry about it, but the older he got, the more he wondered whether they were shooing it away because of his own comfort, or theirs''.


    Finn shook his head, hating how much his childhood bugged him. He had just turned twenty, he couldn''t still be so bothered by his past . . . right?


    He tried not to zig-zag too much through the crowd, doing his best to keep whatever dignity he hoped was left in him. The streets of New York didn''t normally agree with people in a rush, but everything seemed . . . unusual, like today was different for some reason. He kept pulling the cuffs of his suit down - a nervous habit he''d accidentally gained over the last week. His dad had given him a job - whether Finn wanted it or not - at his company. His dad, by the way, was a millionaire.


    Finally, he reached the office building - the one his dad owned, his dad who he was working for - pushing away all the thoughts that crowded his head.


    Okay, Finn. Today will be different - you''re going to make sure of it.


    Sitting at a cubicle for about four hours had him more exhausted than he thought possible for sitting. He jogged his leg like a teenager, checking his watch. He was glad for its purpose; keeping the phantom feelings away. He - throughout his life - mostly got odd pains, but there was a good mix of other things - not just pain. Sometimes, it was like a dream was playing in the back of his head even before he went to sleep.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    He tapped it, for no reason in particular, sighing at the time. He''d been there for so long. He wished his dad could''ve owned some other huge company - maybe one with less chairs. He looked around the quiet room, the workers silent in focus. He checked his watch for the millionth time.


    It glared up to him with the same 5:00 he''d seen for the last - what felt like - forever.


    I can''t sit here any longer or I think I''ll go crazy. Maybe no one will notice if I . . . He stood, clearing his throat to seem "casual" as he tugged the cuffs of his fancy suit. He walked down the boring halls as importantly-looking as he could. No one even looked up as he walked past, then finally out the door. Even the receptionist didn''t give him a second thought - although plenty of fortune-hunter-women did. Well, not so much him as a person, just his money.


    He was walking through the foyer, his heart pounding. He was so close to getting out of the place. But his plans were foiled the second his dad appeared there, dressed even fancier than he was, expensive cologne choking everyone in a mile radius. He stopped in place, folding his hands behind his back in a formal manner.


    His dad - Johnnathan Peter - stood slightly taller than his son, despite his age, with salt and pepper hair and unnaturally, plastic-surgery smothered face. Finn forced a fake smile, hoping John would see how he felt about being there.


    "Finntainian! What are you doing here, in the foyer? I thought your cubicle was upstairs!"


    "Well, I needed some fresh air, father. I thought I''d grab something to eat as well."


    "I don''t think-"


    Finn ignored him, unconcerned about trying to act casual anymore. John wouldn''t fire him - he didn''t have it in him. Not because Finn was his son, no. Because Finn got more publicity and fame than his dad did, so John mostly kept him around for that - no matter how much he annoyed him. Of course, Finn wasn''t blind to his motives, eager to get out of his clutches for once and - maybe it was wishful thinking - explore the world.


    John tried to call after him but Finn ignored him, passing through the automatic doors to the real world. He''d made it to the sidewalk but only managed a step before unexpectedly being dragged into the closest alleyway by his arm. When he turned to see who''d grabbed him, his panic was gone and an aggravated look passed over his face. He sighed, yanking his arm out of the person''s hand.


    "What do you want, Elise?"


    John''s secretary crossed her arms, pursing her lips together.


    "You know he doesn''t like you to be on your own, especially when he needs you in his building."


    "Where he can keep me safe from the big bad world?"


    "Yes!"


    "I''m twenty-years-old, Elise. I think I''ll be okay on my own."


    "I don''t understand you, Finntainian."


    "It''s Finn."


    He didn''t give her another chance to speak, turning on his heels and making his way back to the street. Elise called after him, angrily marching towards him. He sighed, turning around to face her. She opened her mouth to speak but the sudden ringing in his ears clouded her out. He pressed his fingers against his head, which had eagerly grown a headache. He found himself blinking a million times. Was there some kind of unseen blinding light? Just as it was all dying down, a hard pain exploded in his gut, making him double over.


    He couldn''t even hear himself grunt.


    Time slowed to a stop as it flew by. When his vision cleared slightly, he caught a glimpse of a small crowd and flashing red and blue lights. Everything was too overwhelming. Before he knew it, he was on the grimy alley-way floor, his vision tunneling in. Something burned into his wrists then he blacked out.

 Ash

    After a few hours of peaceful work, Ash found herself growing hungry. She decided to stop by the snack bar and grab something.


    To her surprise, when she reached the kitchen area, Grean was standing there, munching on a bagel as he stared down at his phone. Ash mentally debated whether to say something to him or not and decided on keeping silent as she snatched a bag of chips. Grean was completely wrapped up in his phone, staring down at it with his eyebrows knit together.


    "Miss Smith, did you see the news today?"


    She shook her head.


    Grean held his phone out, showing her what captivated him.


    It was something about a new kind of supernatural link - or something like that. Ash didn''t find any interest in it, but still smiled and nodded fr Grean''s sake. Either he saw something else to read about it or realized she didn''t care and held his phone to himself again. Ash checked the office clock. It read 5:20 in bold black numbers. She sighed, yanking open her bag of chips. She picked one up, pulling it towards her mouth as thoughts buzzed in her head. Before the chip reached her lips, her ears suddenly rang, drowning out any sound. She winced as a headache got a hold of her brain, squeezing it as hard as it could.


    The world around her started to swirl together - she could make out Grean''s fancy suit in front of her. Just as she thought it was going, something hit her in the stomach, making her clutch her gut, probably making a sound close to a dying cat.


    Then, it was like there was a blinding light shining in her eyes, forcing her to blink to get it to go away. Her vision grew dark, she felt as though she was looking down a long tunnel. Then she blacked out.


    ***


    After wading in the bog of dreamless sleep for she-didn''t-know-how-long, the memories of everything flooded her head, and Ash woke with a slow start.


    The first thing she noticed was how badly her wrists burned as if some invisible rope was wrapped too tight around them. She moved her hand - which, to add to her already many worries, was sore - and felt her wrist. She opened her eyes, shocked by where she was. It was a hospital, which she knew she should''ve expected, but she still wasn''t prepared to wake up there.


    Whenever she was young and the phantom pains - that''s what her mother called them - came, she and her mother just waited them out, weary to spend so much money on a hospital bill.


    An IV was hooked up to the back of her hand - bulky and painful as ever. She was comfortable in the blue bed, with white sheets spread over her from her waist down. She pulled in a breath, trying to calm herself. There was a white curtain pulled around her bed, hiding her from the rest of the world. She didn''t want to be there - not even a little - but she didn''t know what to do. Thankfully, she didn''t have to wait long before her curtain was pulled back and a nurse''s face appeared there.


    The nurse had chocolate-colored skin, impossibly and yet naturally flawless, with curly black hair pulled into a tight ponytail and blue scrubs. She had kind eyes that twinkled with her smile.


    "Well, I''m so glad you''re awake now!"


    Ash just smiled back, thanking the nurse with her expression.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    "How are you feeling?"


    Ash swallowed, trying to think about how to sum it up with words. The nurse saved her though, answering her own question with another question, that answered how Ash felt.


    "Not good, huh?"


    Ash nodded, strangely afraid to speak.


    "Do- do you know what''s wrong?"


    Even though she already knew the answer, no, she asked it anyway.


    The nurse''s smile faded and she shook her head, rattling the curls in her ponytail. No matter how many times she heard it, Ash always felt disappointed at the answer to that particular question. The nurse was about to leave, but she narrowed her eyes in thought, pressing her lips together. She turned back to Ash before tilting her head up as if to say, "I''ll tell you something I probably shouldn''t because I feel like it''s the right thing to do."


    "It''s Ash Smith, right?"


    She nodded.


    "You know, there''s another patient here with the same symptoms as you."


    Ash discarded her silence.


    "You mean, none at all."


    "But that''s the thing, isn''t it," Ash waited patiently for her to continue.


    "Clearly what you''re feeling is real, regardless of what the results say. I mean, do you think blacking out for no rhyme or reason means nothing?"


    When she got the shake of the head she was waiting for, she continued, a smile etched into her features again.


    "I think you might wanna meet this guy," she turned around again to leave but stopped herself. "My name is Rose by the way."


    After getting unhooked from her IV, Ash followed the kind nurse, subtly rubbing her mysteriously sore wrists. They didn''t walk far at all, maybe twenty steps, until ending up at a wooden door identical to the ones all around it. Rose knocked on the door, waited, and then pulled it open. The room was almost an exact replica of Ash''s, excluding the few minor differences, the thing most out of place was the guy sitting on the bed where Ash was - in her room.


    He had blonde hair with dark brown roots and bright green eyes that must''ve broken every heart they looked towards. Ash forced herself not to like this guy - who actually looked about her age -, she didn''t know what he was like, and from the looks of it, he was probably a jerk. Just his complexion by itself made him look rich. Oh, great. He was talking to an older man, with salt and pepper hair and an expensive-looking suit and tie. Ash guessed that they were related, given their similar complexions and faces.


    The older man was visibly angry, clearly only barely holding it together. The younger guy looked like he wanted to be anywhere else, mostly quiet as the older man carried on. Ash and Rose caught their attention, ending their - one-sided - argument. The older man glared at - what she assumed was - his son and stormed past Ash and Rose in a hurry. The younger guy sighed, trying to keep his emotions inside him as Ash walked up.


    "Finn, this is Ash," Rose glanced at her new friends before returning her focus on him. "I- we think there could be some connections here."


    Finn looked back and forth between them both, confusion knit his eyebrows together. Rose sighed.


    "Tell me exactly what happened before you blacked out."


    He was hesitant to speak about it in front of Ash, but Rose''s confident presence encouraged the words out of him.


    "I- I was in the alleyway next to my dad''s- I was in an alleyway. Anyway, my ears rang all of the sudden and my head hurt, and then I blacked out." He sighed at the last few words. "Is that all?"


    Rose looked hopefully to Ash. She couldn''t possibly think their symptoms were related just because of some silly little similarities in them, right? For some reason, her wrists started burning again, asking for her to try and relieve them by rubbing them.


    "Rose-" Finn''s bored expression melted the moment he noticed Ash''s movement.


    "What are you doing? Why are you doing that?"


    Ash grew suddenly aware of her rubbing, her ears turning pink when he called her out.


    "What- what do you mean?"


    He grabbed her hand, pulling towards him but she smacked it away.


    "Do not touch me."


    "Okay, okay just - show me your hands. Please."


    Skeptically, she held her hands out for him to see. All three of them widened their eyes at the sight. A red, irritated line ran across Ash''s wrists, the sight somehow made them burn even more. But the most surprising thing wasn''t that. Finn held out his own hands for them to see - aggravated bracelets wrapped around his own wrists in the exact same place as Ash''s.


    "What . . ."


    This time, the answer to her question wasn''t no. Just, what in the world is going on!?

 Finn

    Finn''s entire life had been a strange web of whatness, but this was a whole new level. How it was possible that he and the same random stranger girl had both passed out at the exact same time of day, simultaneously experiencing the same symptoms and both had a weird burn mark around their wrists in the same place was beyond him.


    The nurse stared into the distance deep in thought. For an awkward moment, no one said anything - sending Finn way back in time, about two or three years ago, to when he was an awkward teenager with no chance at getting a girlfriend. He caught himself gazing into the distance, directly at the girl''s face. Even though she didn''t seem to notice, he blushed anyway, quickly looking away.


    Regardless of the baggy hospital gown that she was wearing, she still somehow looked beautiful. He couldn''t stop worrying about the moment when she''d realize who he was, go crazy fangirl mode over him, and then ruin every good thought he had about her. But the moment never came - it never would.


    "What''s your name again?"


    He tried to sound casual about it, asking as normally as possible. The girl was drawn out of her daze, snapping back to reality at his voice. She raised her eyebrows.


    "Hm? What? Oh. Ash Smith. What''s yours?"


    He opened his mouth, prepared for the worst as his name left his throat. He tensed, waiting for her to go crazy and beg for an autograph, but to his complete and utter surprise, she just nodded. Wanting - only slightly desperately - to change the subject, he asked the nurse her name as well. It wasn''t like him to do it - ask a staff member or worker that served him - but he didn''t want another awkward moment to creep up on them and push him back to his horrible teen years.


    "My name''s Rose," the three of them were all a little shook about everything - Finn''s sudden care about people he didn''t normally care about only made it weirder.


    "What do we do now?" It seemed like an obvious question when Ash asked it, but it was the one taking up the majority of their thoughts. Rose clicked her tongue, an idea popped into her head so clearly that the two of them could see it on her face.


    "I have an idea. It might not work so don''t expect much but- I''ll be right back."


    She left the room in a hurry, closing the door behind her out of habit. Ash and Finn said nothing at first, willing the other to break the silence. Finn was the one to do it.


    "What do you think is going on?"


    "I-I don''t know," she slightly tilted her head, the wheels in her mind turning as she sat on his bed, causing him to move his legs over to make room. He waited, curious to hear what she was about to say.


    "I think . . . I don''t know. The weird thing is . . . my whole life this kind of thing has been happening. When I was little, strange, and unexplainable things would happen - my mother called them phantom pains."


    She talked about how she and her mother were kind of poor, so the hospital wasn''t a regularly visited place - no matter what pain or weird instances would happen, and how they couldn''t get to the bottom of the strange things, and then the conversation somehow veered into a personal direction. She explained how she''d worked - although it felt more like a trip to Grandma''s house - at Blossom farm for so many years, losing that job because of a reason she intentionally passed over, and had been looking for a job for the past year or so.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    "I''m sorry," she said after a quick silence, "I don''t know why I told you all that."


    "I don''t mind. In all honesty - if anyone can relate, it''d be me."


    "What do you mean?"


    Now it was his turn to share more personal information than she needed, ranting on about his own childhood, except that it was so much different than hers - practically opposite in every way. After he''d finished, they both sat in silence, but this time, it wasn''t awkward - just . . . quiet.


    Then, out of the blue, she just smiled. It was small but confident, and her brown eyes twinkled. Finn swallowed, trying not to give away his dry throat.


    Rose walked through the door, beaming with a giant grin across her face. Ash and Finn were both happy to see her joy until the doctor following her walked into the room.


    The room grew cold at his presence - Finn was instantly colder, pulling his blanket higher up. Ash seemed to feel the same, trying not to shiver. The man had salt and pepper hair paired with a tall and slender yet strong build with deep brown eyes that bore into anyone he glared at.


    Even though he was in great shape for his age - he looked about sixty-something - he took up a lot of space in the room somehow. Finn immediately felt intimidated, inwardly promising never to let himself feel less than this man. Rose didn''t seem to notice - or ignored it - but everyone else in the room almost cowered back at his presence, everyone except Finn.


    There was a small crowd of hospital staff behind the doctor, who reminded Finn of mice, living in fear under the shadow of a powerful fox. The doctor walked up to Finn and Ash, standing over them like a frost giant.


    "So . . . I hear that you two have a special case . . ."


    Finn forced his sweaty hands not to shake, staring up at the man with as much power as he could muster. Finn was about to reply with some comment he would probably regret, but Ash cut him off - as if she knew how horribly it could go if it was left to him.


    "Yes - we do."


    The doctor narrowed his eyes.


    "Tell me about that."


    His voice was cold, with no emotion. Finn was in awe of Ash, who spoke to the man was a calm voice and a proud posture, clearly unshaken by him.


    "Well, we were just discussing it, actually," she glanced at Finn for approval. "It''s happened all our lives - strange things happening, things no one could explain."


    "Give me an example."


    Ash thought about it, unmoved by his dagger-like stare. He reminded Finn of a wolf considering inwardly how he would kill his next victim.


    "When I was young - I think about five - I thought I''d broken my arm, I was sure I did, actually, but when I told my mother about it, especially given the fact that I hadn''t been doing anything except read, she didn''t believe me. Eventually, she took me to a friend, who was a nurse at the time, and she examined it- but there was nothing wrong. I was completely healthy."


    A shiver ran down Finn''s spine as a memory came to mind. He was about five years old, playing in his dad''s office, climbing up the high bookshelves, right before he lost his grip and fell to the ground,  breaking his arm.


    The doctor was unfazed, playing Ash''s story through his head. He turned stiffly to Finn.


    "And what about you?"


    "What do you mean?"


    "Tell me, did anything like that particular story happen when you were the same age?"


    Finn reluctantly told them, explaining the thing as well as he could remember it. They figured out that it had been the same arm, in the exact same place, at the exact time of day in the exact same month, et cetera.


    When they were done talking, an unreadable look passed over the cold man''s face. Disgust? Joy? Victory? Finn didn''t know. But the way the man thought to himself - the face he held - made Finn want to curl up under the covers and never come out.


    "Sorry- are we done here? Since nothing is wrong with either of us," he rubbed his wrist without thinking about it, "I think it''s time to say by-by to this little . . . thing. Thanks for all your help," he said as he pulled out his IV and stood from his bed, face to face with the man, "but we''re done."


    He took Ash''s hand - she let him - and took a step towards the door. The man''s hand shot out, pushing him back onto the bed with such force Finn had to catch his breath.


    This man was stronger than he let on.


    "No. I don''t think we are."

 Ash

    It was incredibly hard to act so calm and collected before a monster of a man who reminded Ash, in a strange way, of Grean. If someone told her they were twins - she would believe it.


    If Finn was scared, he wasn''t letting on. If it had been under different circumstances, she might''ve blushed, but given the terrifying man that had stopped Finn in his tracks, and the eerie cold presence he gave off, she didn''t. The room held its breath as the man and Finn glared at each other - the man with a smile hidden in his features. Finn rolled his eyes, letting out a sigh.


    "What do you want, man? You want money?"


    The man laughed, a metallic sound forced sound that could give anyone nightmares.Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    "You are a bigger fool than I thought, Finntainian Peter."


    Finn didn''t move a muscle of surprise at the sound of his name - Ash figured he must be used to it by now. The real world rocker was when he knew Ash''s.


    "Ash Smith, surely you must know what I desire."


    "I don''t."


    He opened his mouth to speak but Finn cut him off.


    "And let me just say, neither of us cares."


    The man shot an angry look at Finn before a smile wrinkled his features again.


    "Oh, you will. Very, very much."


    "Would you stop it with the riddles, man? Just tell us what you want and get out of our hair."


    A shiver ran down Ash''s back when she caught him noticing Finn nervously rubbing his wrists. She wished she had just drawn the man''s attention back to her or somehow stopped Finn, but it was too late.

 Ash

    The man''s eye twitched, an unreadable expression hidden in his sharp features. Everyone in the room was quiet now. The man tilted his head up, turned to Rose, and then did the unexpected. He told her he''d pay for Ash and Finn''s hospital bills and have someone escort them home.


    Ash wanted to complain that he didn''t know where either of them lived, but she thought better of it. This doctor knew her name. He probably had some spy or whatever who knew where she lived - the thought did not help. She glanced at Finn, who looked how she felt. This is a terrible idea. We can''t trust him.


    Rose tried to remind him that Ash and Finn weren''t well enough to go home - they had so many questions unanswered - but the man kept insisting they were fine, calling up someone to take them home. Ash wanted to call her mom or someone and ask them to take her home, but she was an adult. She had a phone, and besides, she always imagined herself being a good fighter.


    Finn and Ash sat in the fancy black car, staring at the window at the world, all blurry, around them. She finally sat back in her seat, aware of every little thing the driver did. She noticed Finn, who kept fidgeting with his watch. He''d still put it on, even though they both still had bracelets of red skin around their wrists. For a second that seemed to last forever, Ash was in debate whether to roll up the divider or not, both because she wanted to talk to Finn and because of their safety, and eventually went with rolling it up - despite the voice in the back of her mind screaming at her not to.


    "Why''d you put that on?"


    "Because," he tried to make the watch sit comfortably on his arm, "it''s supposed to stop the phantom pains."


    "Oh."


    After a moment of silence, he spoke again.


    "I got it when I was younger - my parents had it made for me. They told me it''d make everything better, of course, I believed them. I guess it doesn''t really work though."


    They sat in silence a little longer before Ash spoke this time.


    "Sorry about your dad."


    "What do you mean?"


    Ash stared at her hands in her lap, trying to come up with the best way to put it.


    "When Rose led me into your room, I noticed you and him were arguing."


    "Yeah - he likes doing that a lot."


    "The thing is, though, I . . ." Finn looked up at her from his watch, "I think you should stop the argument when it begins."


    "Trust me, I''ve tried."


    "I mean . . . how many times has he been right in an argument?"


    "Like, once?"


    "Exactly. Unnecessary arguments waste time, and they never help anything, do they, so just- I don''t know - tell him to leave or something."


    "It''s not that simple," despite his hopeless tone of voice, Ash noticed hope in his form. He opened his mouth to speak, a smile on his face, but he never got around to the first word.


    The two of them were thrown forward - their seatbelts the only thing keeping them from crashing through the window. A deafening sound erupted around them, then gravity went all wonky and Ash couldn''t tell what was up and what was down.


    She squeezed her eyes shut, clutching the nearest thing for stability and comfort. Stray pieces of plastic and metal flew past her, knicking her arms and face.


    Then everything was still. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    She risked opening her eyes, catching her breath as she soaked in the scene around them. From what she could tell, the car was flipped on its side, the passengers inside practically hanging from their seatbelts. Ash realized the thing she''d grabbed onto with her life was Finn. Little cuts and scrapes decorated his face and arms - he was unconscious. She moved, a sharp pain shooting through her shoulder. Carefully getting into a better position, she unclipped her seatbelt, falling on top of Finn.


    She jerked her head, getting the hair out of her face before unbuckling her friend. His limp body slumped against the car door. Ash took a shaky breath, climbing to the other door of the car and somehow managing to push open the heavy door. Those car doors were heavy normally, with gravity pressing down on them, they were practically impossible to open.


    Cool night air streamed into the car. She couldn''t make out much in the dark - stars floated overhead in the distance - but from what she could tell, they must''ve been in a forest. She looked down at Finn, still asleep against the side of the car. She groaned. How in the world am I gonna get him out of here!?


    After half an hour, she completed another impossible task somehow, pulling Finn out of the car and onto the grass. She flopped down beside him, already exhausted.


    "What now?" Even though it was summertime, her breath still left her mouth in a puffy cloud. She desperately wanted to forget about trying to figure things out and just lay there on the forest floor, but she forced herself to get back up anyway. Finn slept like a baby - but now she knew he was much heavier than one. Unsure of what else to do, she bent down, shaking him by his shoulders to try and wake him up.


    "Finn. Finn! Finn!"


    After a few straight minutes of calling his name, she lost patience and slapped him across the face. He woke - finally - with a start, bolting upright and taking in everything around him.


    "What . . ."


    "We were in a crash. I think . . . I think we''re in a forest or something."


    "But . . . we were just in New York. How could we possibly oh no we''re in a forest."


    He stood, with some effort, wincing as he made a tight circle.


    "How in the world could we of possibly made it to the forest in such a short amount of time!?"


    "I''d like to say we might be in Central Park, but -"


    "We''d hear the city - besides, you can''t see so many stars in New York."


    Despite the fact that they were both in one piece, and now knew they weren''t in New York, neither of them felt any better. In fact, Ash felt even worse.


    "What do we do?"


    It was an obvious question of course, but she didn''t know what else to say.


    Finn pulled out his phone, repeatedly pressing the power button and tapping it violently with his finger. It was already broken enough without him breaking it even more in frustration.


    "Stop. Finn, stop it."


    "What about you?"


    She shook her head - she''d lost her phone a while before, in the car crash. They both stood there for a moment, looking around the forest in despair.


    "Well, we have to go somewhere."


    "Where!? We don''t even know where we are!?"


    "Yes, I''m aware of that! We can''t just stay here though, okay? I mean, if you want to stay, be my guest, but I''m leaving."


    She picked a random direction and followed it, Finn eventually giving up and following. Leaves and sticks cracked under their feet as they walked - thankfully they''d been given their original clothes back, so there was that at least. An owl hooted in the trees, bugs made their own funny sounds and frogs croaked somewhere in the distance.


    A few times, one of them would trip over a root or an especially big rock and fall to the ground. Each time though, the other was there to help them up. They walked in more silence until Ash couldn''t stand it anymore.


    "Why is this happening to us!? I mean, why were you and I choosen for whatever this is!?"


    Finn clearly didn''t have the answers to her questions, but she had to ask anyway as if it''d get them somewhere.


    "Maybe we have something in common."


    "True enough . . . okay. Your eyes are green - but mine are brown. My hair- is a different color. Did you ever get braces?"


    "Yeah. You?"


    "No."


    They both thought hard about it. Ash''s stomach growled.


    "Man, I''m hungry."


    "Me too."


    They both glanced at each other, the same crazy idea in their heads. Neither of them mentioned it though. Finn yanked the cuffs of his sleeves down before returning to his wrist-rubbing.


    "Weird, huh?"


    "More than weird, but yeah."


    "Do you think that man knew what was going on?"


    Even talking about him made the air colder somehow but she still wondered. Finn shook his head.


    "I don''t know."


    He forgot about his wrists and started rubbing his shoulder.


    "Agh, my shoulder hurts!"


    Ash stopped, tired of walking towards nowhere and giving them both a break for a moment.


    "Let me see," he pushed his shirt collar back, revealing his shoulder. It was completely fine. Thinking about it made Ash''s shoulder hurt though. Finn noticed her rubbing it and asked about it.


    "It''s fine." Nevertheless, she pulled her sleeve all the way up. She tried to swallow when they both saw what was hiding there. Similar to the burns on their wrists, there was a red patch of skin burned into her shoulder where her seatbelt was.


    "I think the seatbelt gave it to me." He nodded in agreement, but there was a solemn look on his face.


    "Ash . . . you think . . . maybe . . ."


    "We can experience what each other is feeling?"


    He nodded, his eyes wide now.


    "You think that''s crazy?"


    She nodded, raising her eyebrows as she started through the forest again. "Yes."

 Finn

    After about an hour of pinching and slapping themselves to see if the other would feel it - which worked every time, without fail - Finn and Ash decided they''d had enough trying out their phantom pain thingy. Somehow, despite the cuts and scrapes all over her face, Ash still glowed with beauty.


    She looked down, pulling a strand of hair out of her face.


    "Do you remember the story I told the creepy doctor about? About my phantom broken arm?"


    He nodded. When she didn''t say anything else, he spoke instead.


    "Remember, I actually broke my arm."


    "So the reason I was feeling it - was because of you?"


    "After all the weird things that have happened, I believe it."


    "Me too."


    They walked longer in silence until Ash spoke.


    "What were you doing in there again? Climbing on his book selves?"


    Finn managed to laugh. He looked over at Ash, grinning from ear to ear. Her smile was gone, the look that replaced it with shock. He followed her gaze, his own smile melting away. Not too far away, the lights of a small town twinkled. It felt as if it was welcoming them, calling their names.


    Ash laughed hysterically in utter disbelief.


    The next moment, they were running towards the town at full speed, neither of them unable to let go of their smiles.


    Five minutes later, they were walking through the place, looking for the right store to walk into. The black color of the night was turning gradually into a dark blue. A little glowing sign caught Finn''s eye, he pointed it out to Ash and they walked cautiously inside.


    A surprising amount of people lingered inside the place, dancing, talking, laughing, some of them sat by themselves, staring expressionless into their cups.


    Finn and Ash tried to avoid them, not wanting any trouble or anything and hopeful that no one would recognize Finn -wherever they were.


    They managed to find an empty booth in a darker spot of the building, the people around them either ignoring them or just not noticing they were there. Finn tried to catch his breath, the burn Ash had gained from the crash reminding him it was there. It was strange to feel something he knew didn''t belong to him - even though he''d felt phantom pains all his life, it was still weird.


    Ash looked nothing like she had when he''d first seen her. Her skin was stained with dirt and blood, her hair pressed against her forehead in some places because of sweat. What used to be a fancy high ponytail, now sagged down, strands flying all around. Her clothes were muddy and ripped. She looked perfect.


    She looked up at him, taking in a breath with a hint of a smile in her features. Whatever faint smile had been there before though, melted away and her face grew serious.


    "What do we do now?"The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    Finn looked around the place, thinking it over in his head.


    "The truth is," the words were spilling out before he could stop them, "I admit, I''ve never been in any kind of situation like this. I''ve been under my father''s thumb for my entire life, cared for, looked after, taken care of . . ."


    He didn''t know why he''d started the sentence, but now he didn''t know how to finish.


    "Hey, look on the bright side. Now you might lose some of that baby fat."


    His expression changed into objection.


    "Excuse me! I don''t know what you''re talking about," he turned away, holding his head high so that she''d get the joke. But when he turned back to her again, there was only a flash of a smile before it was gone, again.


    Ash took in a sharp inhale, about to say something but she was cut off by a trio of people - teenagers - two girls and a guy.


    They all looked similar - alburn hair, grey eyes, fair skin, the boy was dotted with freckles though, unlike his . . . sisters? - they were all different heights. One of the girls was short, like really short, the other girl was tallish and the boy stood about a head taller than her.


    Each of them had the same expression - a smug and mysteriously knowing face.


    "Come with us."


    Finn coughed in surprise. "What?"


    "You clearly need our help, and Bharam is probably after you two," the middle girl spoke, her hair stood straight, falling around her sloped shoulders.


    "Yeah, right."


    Finn turned back to Ash, pulling on his cuffs. The girl sighed. Without warning, the short girl reached out and grabbed his arm, pulling it towards her. He tried to pull away when he realized what was happening but she was surprisingly strong.


    "Can''t explain this, can you?"


    Everyone at the small booth''s eyes fell to Finn''s wrist, still marked with the painful red bracelet. He pulled away, subconsciously rubbing it.


    "Actually, we can."


    "How did you know it was there?" The four of them all looked at Ash, who had her eyes narrowed inquisitively. She didn''t wait for them to answer, rattling off with some more questions.


    "Who''s Bharam? Why is he after us? Where did you come from? What do you want? How do you know so much?"


    The boy rubbed his forehead as the short girl sighed.


    "We really need to act now - no time for questions. We can bring you in the hard way, or the easy way," the middle girl said the last few words with a purposely fake smile.


    Finn glanced over to Ash, wondering if she was thinking the same thing he was. He couldn''t tell by her expression, but what she said and did answer his question.


    "Fine, we''ll come with you."


    The short girl narrowed her eyes, crossing her arms.


    "Just like that?"


    "Well, it''s not like we have anywhere else to go and you already heard all the questions I have so . . . yeah. Just like that."


    A smile passed over the middle girl''s face, but her siblings only eyed Ash and Finn doubtfully.


    "Maybe it''s gonna be easy this time," she turned on her heels, gesturing them to follow.


    The short girl rolled her eyes, reluctantly following. Before he went with them, the boy leaned closer to Ash and Finn.


    "We''re helping you. Don''t make this hard on all of us."


    Ash gave a small nod, clearly unshaken by his threatening tone of voice. He gave them both one last look before turning to follow his sisters.


    "Well, what are you waiting for? Come on."


    Finn and Ash stood up simultaneously, Finn knew they were thinking the same thing now. They both took one step to get the boy to turn around before bolting away from the group, pushing past bodies and strangely placed furniture. A shout rang out from the building - the voice of the boy - which urged the two of them to hurry up. Finn was close to the door, reaching for the handle, so close to freedom.


    He was knocked sideways, into another booth, as the crowd around them suddenly started frantically screaming and running. He couldn''t see Ash, frantically searching the place for her. Maybe she left without him. Maybe she was on her way home right-


    "Finn!" As guilty as he felt about it, he relaxed at hearing her voice - she was still there. She made it to him, with a real struggle, scooting into the back of the booth they were in to get away from the careless rush of people.


    Finn tried to get a good look at whatever had scared everyone, also keeping his eye out for a window to the exit, but every time he got close, someone got in front of him, held back by the people struggling to get out first. At the first opportunity he could get, he grabbed Ash''s hand and bolted for the door.


    For the second time, he was thrown back, but this time, it was on purpose.

 Finn

    When he got a hold - mostly - of his bearings, Finn tried to figure out who''d pushed him so hard. He definitely didn''t expect the answer. A seven-foot person in shiny black armor stood at the door. He looked like a motorcyclist, given his glossy helmet and fancy armor. Well, the helmet was like a motorcyclist at least.


    Finn noticed the empty place, looking around the room as Ash helped him to his feet. The place was still dimly lit, with a low ceiling and wooden floors. The only people who remained, excluding Finn and Ash, were a group, about a dozen or so, of people, dressed the same way as the motorcyclist.


    They were all positioned around the room, standing stiff and ready to sight. The three kids from before stood at the back of the place, coming forward as the boy spoke.


    "Look, we have no intention of hurting you. We really don''t want to but if we have to - if it''ll mean we can get you two to safety then we will. Got it?"


    Neither Finn nor Ash spoke, both of them formulating their own escape plans in their heads. When they didn''t answer, the boy gestured towards one of the guard-dudes stationed at the exit. The motorcycle-guy opened the door, revealing what looked like a car door on the other side.


    All eyes turned back to Finn and Ash.


    "You coming nicely, or what?"


    "If you really think-"


    Finn wasn''t able to finish, something pierced his neck, a warm fluid filling him as the room around them started to blur and tilt. He tried to keep his eyes open and keep on his feet, but whatever was flooding his system had other plans. As the world caved in, he got one last glimpse before passing out. Somehow he''d ended up on the floor, his cheek pressed against the grimy wood floor.


    A blurry figure was in front of him suddenly, bending down and pulling him up by his arm.


    ***


    After feeling timeless and weightless, Finn found himself looking through the eyes of someone else. Was it happening now? No - it was a memory. Ash''s memory.


    She crouched over Finn, shaking him to try and wake him. A nasty-looking needle with a furry little end was sticking out of the side of his neck. Someone moved in the corner of her eye but it was too late.


    Then he got blurry glimpses of what she''d seen- no wait - what he''d experienced; being lifted into the back of a van, a bumpy ride, a girl in the passenger seat looking back at him with a knowing expression. Every memory seemed like a dream though, distant and foggy. The last thing he remembered was being set carefully onto a bed.


    More strange sleep. Then a dream finally came.


    He was a sleek black bird with beady little eyes - a raven. He was sitting on the roof of a farmer''s house, looking over a plant infested field. The place was beautiful. Blue hills rolled in the distance, trees lined the rim of the large property. Animals chattered around the farm, new babies getting used to their lives. The air smelled of sweet roses and strawberries.


    He was so wrapped up in the place, he didn''t notice the crow that had landed beside him.


    Finn? Is that you?


    A clear female voice rang through his head. It took way too long to realize it was Ash''s.


    Ash! How . . . but wait-


    It''s me! It''s me! Why are we crows? And what are we doing . . . here . . . She looked around the place, her keen eyes picking out little details.


    First I''d like to know where here is exactly.


    N-nevermind. It is really you, isn''t it?


    He nodded - the task a lot harder as a bird. Ash fluttered in place, her feathers shivering as she did.


    How long do you think it''ll take ''till we wake up?


    I don''t know, an idea popped into his tiny crow head. Until then, follow me!


    Not giving it a second thought, he jumped off the roof and spread his wings.


    A few seconds later, they were soaring through the clouds. Even in the dream, he could feel the wind tug at his wings and feathers, boosting him forward every now and then. If crows could laugh, they were laughing. There wasn''t a feeling like it - pure freedom, but it was cut short the moment something pulled them back to reality.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Finn woke with a start, the moment his eyes opened, he bolted upright, scaring a handful of people flocked around him. Cold, wet cloths slipped off his wrists onto his lap. He quickly noticed his surroundings in about two seconds. He was in a small, dark room with glossy wood floors and a window to his left - a door to his right. The teal green room reminded him of the old mansions he''d seen in movies when he was younger. There was a nightstand by his bed and a dresser at the wall across from him.


    One of the people whispered something to another before running out of the room. There were about four people in all, most of them older looking, all of them dressed in fancy looking scrubs. One of them - an older man with red hair - was sitting at his bedside, mixing some kind of liquidy-paste in a wooden bowl. Finn knit his eyebrows, glancing back and forth between the bowl, the people, and the man. He had a bushy red mustache that stopped at his upper lip.


    "Where am I? Who are you? What am I doing here? Wh-"


    "I''d suggest you save your questions until they can be answered." The man only glanced once at Finn as he spoke, a smile played across his mouth. The man''s knowing smile aggravated Finn, who clenched his jaw to keep himself from saying something he''d regret. Doing something he''d regret though, he didn''t mind.


    He nodded at the man''s remark before surprising the group by jumping off the bed and pushing past them to the doorway. For a split second, he was sure he now had the upper hand, then his legs wobbled and he collapsed to the floor.


    The small group started helping him up but the mustache man stopped them, causing Finn to fall to the ground a second time.


    The man chuckled, bothering Finn even more. He got into a sitting position, ready for the people to help him back up.


    "They won''t help you, young sir. If you want to stand, you must do it yourself. Oh, and when you do, make sure you come back into the room this time."


    Yeah right, he thought, grabbing onto the wall for help as he struggled to get off the floor. By the time he got into a standing position, his whole face was red with effort and anger. He waited, glaring at the older man, who waved away the others.


    "Now, where are you going to go from here?"


    "Away from you. Now, thanks for the help but-" he''d spun around, looking down the hallway in the direction the others had gone, taken a step forward, and fell to the floor.


    He could feel the man repressing a laugh.


    "Are you going to help me or not?"


    "Oh - I am helping you. Help comes in ways you will not want or understand sometimes, young sir."


    Great. He pulled himself off the ground again, his body shaking from the suddenly laborious effort, and turned to the hallway. This time, this time for sure!


    After a few painful minutes of trying to make it to the exit of the hallway, he gave up, too tired to be angry at the old man.


    "Are you finished yet?"


    Finn said nothing as he sat on the ground, staring into the room.


    "Now, come on in and sit yourself down so I can help you. By the way, you must be starving."


    Finn hated how when the man mentioned it, his stomach did feel empty. He really wanted to get as far away from the room - and the old man - as possible, but hunger and soreness won out, urging him back into the room. He pulled himself to his feet one last time, gripping onto the same spot in the wall that he had so many times already.


    He willed his legs not to shake as he took a step, leaning on the door handle for help, but they shook anyway as if they were taunting him. From the door handle to the next wall, to the end of the bed, then into the bed itself. He sat facing the man though, bent on making himself feel less like a helpless baby.


    "That''s better, isn''t it?" the man stated it more than asked. He held out the bowl, waiting for Finn to take it.


    "Now, drink that and it should help with the wrist burns."


    "There''s no way I''m drinking-"


    Not more than two minutes later, the bowl was being pushed against Finn''s mouth, making him gag as the thick liquid trickled down his throat. It tasted mysteriously sweet and metallic at the same time - which was not a good mix.


    Someone appeared in the doorway, distracting the man as Finn half coughed, half spat the gooey mixture out. He only heard the last part of the sentence.


    "... is going on here? Sir Albert, I thought we talked about this . . ."


    "You thought right, we did." The old man - Sir Albert - turned back to Finn, who pressed himself as hard as he could against the mattress to avoid the nasty goo. The man at the door told him off, letting out a chuckle. Sir Albert reluctantly moved away from Finn, handing the bowl to the man at the door.


    "Just make sure he takes this, please," Finn pulled himself up, regretting ever waking up from his wonderful dream. When Sir Albert was gone, the man stepped into the room, standing before Finn. His heart skipped a beat when he saw the man''s face.


    He had salt and pepper hair, looked about sixty, and had green-grey eyes. He was wearing a t-shirt that read I EAT PIZZA IN MY SLEEP, a beaded brown bracelet, and tan beach shorts. He looked - minus the outfit and smile - exactly like the creepy doctor dude back at the hospital. Finn pulled himself nervously back onto the bed. The man''s smile wavered when he noticed how Finn acted.


    "Who are you, really?"


    "What do you mean? Ah, nevermind. You may call me Grean."


    "What are you doing here - I don''t understand."


    "The real question is what are you doing here, isn''t it?"


    Finn glanced around the room at his comment. When he returned his focus to the man, Grean was already staring intently at him - eyes narrowed. The wheels seemed to be spinning in his head - then something clicked and he leaned back a little.


    "You mistake me for my brother, don''t you? Yes, you must. Well, I''m happy to tell you, you are safe from him here."


    Finn didn''t say anything, his eyes flicking towards the door. Grean drew attention to it by turning around to see what he had glanced at.


    "You can try to leave if you like, but I''m guessing you''ve already learned your lesson about that."


    "Yeah, I have. Why can''t I walk anyway? And where''s Ash?"


    "Slow down, take a breath."


    But Finn was on a roll.


    "Where are we exactly and what do you want with us? How much do you know? Do you have anything to do with the people from before? W-"


    "Enough, Finntainian."


    "It''s Finn."


    The man - Grean - spoke calmly, but with power. His welcoming smile was gone. Finn glanced nervously at the bowl in his hands, and the smile returned. In fact, he even chuckled.


    "Oh, don''t worry about this. Sir Albert has a hard time knowing when to stop. I don''t suppose you want any after . . . anymore."


    Finn shook his head, closing his eyes as if it would somehow get the thought of the taste to go away. Grean set the bowl on the nightstand and walked over to the door.


    "Well, are you coming or not?"

 Ash

    After being kindly treated to her wrist burns - as well as the strangers could help them - Ash was given a new pair of clothes - a bright blue t-shirt with two lines down the middle (one thicker than the other) and tiny words written on the sleeve. The sleeve read Hideaway homestead; Ash Smith. and a pair of jeans.


    She wanted to put them on immediately but the person who attended her told her to wait - informing her that she couldn''t currently walk. The ''nurse''s name was Jenna - she was about forty or fifty, with a kind smile and long black hair that had been braided. She pressed behind her ear, nodding at the tiny voice that came through. Her normally cheerful face was gone as she scrunched her lips to the side.


    "Looks like you''re going to be pretty tired because your Link kindly wasted a bunch of energy trying to get away from Albert."


    "My Link . . . you mean Finn? He''s alright? He''s here? Where is he and when can I see him?"


    Jenna smiled, almost pitifully, before helping Ash into a wheelchair and taking her down the hall. She explained as they went.


    "This is the girls'' side of the bedroom section, but just through that door and across the stairs is the boys''. Apparently your Link is talking with Grean at this moment. Grean, by the way, is the well . . . director, I guess. He owns the place and does a lot here. Oh, and a Link is the person you''re linked to - physically."


    Ash smiled, nodding so that Jenna could tell she was listening, but secretly she felt embarrassed about riding in a wheelchair and wished she could just walk like a normal person. They left the hallway, entering an open space, and traveling across the stop at a massive set of fancy wooden stairs. Different people - all around Ash''s age or younger - walked around the place, reading or talking or hurrying to get somewhere. Thankfully, they were all too busy to notice Ash being wheeled across the break at the stairs.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    Jenna led her through another room and then down a ramp, taking them through a plethora of doors and rooms until they ended up at - what Jenna explained was - the kitchen.


    Finn was sitting in his own wheelchair, talking to Grean. It surprised Ash to see him, she''d already forgotten that Jenna had mentioned him. Finn was munching on some delicious looking food when Jenna wheeled her into the room. The moment Finn saw her, his eyes twinkled and he grinned. Something fluttered in her stomach when he smiled at her.


    Without thinking about it, she stood - he did the same - and they both hugged each other. For some reason, it felt like it''d been forever since she''d seen him, and the weird crow dream somehow made him seem far away. They both only noticed what''d happened when Jenna gapsed in surprise.


    There they both were, standing on their own two feet again - no wheelchair necessary.


    Grean''s smiled faded and a look of wonder took its place.


    "Students don''t normally walk until . . . it doesn''t matter! I''m so glad you''re both well again!"


    Drawing attention to the fact that they were standing made Ash''s knees wobble, but Finn held her arm, making her stable.


    There was an awkward moment of silence before Jenna spoke.


    "Well, I think you both might be starving! How about some food?"


    Two minutes later they were both sitting at the small table, munching on the best bread Ash had ever tasted. Grean sat with them, gazing at random objects as he fell lost in thought.


    Ash pulled him out of his stupor.


    "Grean, this place is called Hideaway Homestead, isn''t it?"


    "Yes, my dear! But the caches like to call it Hideaway - no homestead necessary."


    Finn was wearing a smile, but it faded and he looked down at the table.


    "What about our parents, or friends - I mean, won''t they come looking for us?"


    Grean shook his head sadly.


    "I wanted to wait to give you the news, but I suppose I must tell you now," a dark shadow passed over his face. "Your parents and friends . . . they think you''re dead."

 Ash

    Finn coughed, choking on his bread. The two of them just stared at Grean until Finn broke the silence.


    "What . . . I mean, what about the other kids?"


    "Well," Grean seemed all too happy to change the subject, "they each have their own stories. Most of them, I''m afraid, end in faked deaths or the like."


    "The like . . ." Ash repeated it to herself under her breath. Finn munched on his bread again, more careful as he ate it this time.


    After they''d eaten, Jenna took them on a tour of the place. There was the ''main room'' where a giant portion of the space was mostly just air, wood, and walls. Ash recognized the set of massive, forked stairs which led to the girls'' rooms and on the other side sat the boys''. The floors were so shiny she could see her own reflection in them - it was blurry but still impressive. Giant wood beams stood high above their heads - just one of them looked about a million pounds. In the ''main room'', at the top of the stairs, was another set that branched off into a balcony that stretched around the entire room, doors were - perfectly placed - around the walls behind the balcony and pillars stood tall underneath the balcony itself.


    There was a huge window at the top of the staircase.


    Different hallways led to places like the kitchen, the piano room, the book room - not to be mistaken with the library, yes there was one - a giant, glorious one, and other kinds of rooms and closets. The second biggest room in the place was the living room. The ceilings were higher than Ash thought possible for a ceiling to be, and there were long, slender windows planted in the walls.


    Squishy couches and sofas were placed around the room, along with little round tables and chairs, desks, miniature bookshelves, and fuzzy rugs.


    In the library, there were little sitting places, tucked away, and cushioned with pillows and blankets. Many of them had a small window for the readers to glance out of - and so that they wouldn''t read in the dark for so long. The floors were covered completely with red carpet and fancy looking rugs. There were balconies, spiral and non-spiraling staircases, more books than anyone knew the amount of - a reader''s dream.


    Ash had a feeling she''d be spending most of her time there. She noticed how many different kinds of kids were there, reading together - or alone.


    By the time the tour was over, they''d skipped lunch and it was dinner time, but Jenna made Finn and Ash take showers and change into new clothes anyway. Why Grean wanted a tour before cleanliness was beyond her, apparently. It felt good to have clean hair and actually smell good again.


    Finn and Ash sat together in the dining hall - it was a glittery, gold-tinted place with million-dollar chandeliers that sparkled, and a countless number of round tables where kids sat and ate - both of them too tired to make friends and too content to try. Neither of them spoke at first, perfectly happy just to eat and enjoy it, but it didn''t take long before questions and thoughts piled up.


    "What''s going to happen from here?"


    Even though she knew Finn didn''t have the answer, she asked it anyway. He shook his head, gulping down mashed potatoes. The hunger melted away from his face, replaced by genuine thought.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    "Do you ever think about . . ." he glanced around the room, "how we even got here in the first place?"


    "What do you mean?"


    "I mean, you don''t think it''s suspicious at all?"


    Ash had gone along, perfectly happy picturing herself there for the next hundred or so years. In the blink of an eye, all those fantasy thoughts were gone.


    "I . . ." she hadn''t thought about it until now. In fact, the more she did, she could see how much Finn was bothered by it. His usual confident expression was gone, and his proud figure was slouched. She took a deep breath.


    "What''s wrong?"


    The table shivered as he jostled his leg up and down nervously.


    "Nothing," he looked down at his food, it must''ve looked unappetizing now. His blonde hair was messy now, hanging down and tickling his forehead.


    The glamorous dining hall didn''t look or feel so glamorous anymore. The chandeliers seemed to hang over their audience with a threat. Ash swallowed, trying to calm her heart - it''d eagerly jumped into superspeed. He suddenly looked up, his clear blue eyes iced with worry. Something about Hideaway was really getting to him.


    "How about this, just - come with me."


    "Bu-" she stood, her chair squeaking across the glossy floor, and marched out of the room. Of course, he had no choice but to follow.


    They - after a few wrong turns - ended up in the second kitchen, the room they''d both seen each other in for the first time - again. It had white walls and a little fridge with wood floors - not shiny ones though -, a small wood table with four chairs around it and a small counter-top.


    The library was her first thought, but she chose the second kitchen, knowing it''d be empty. They both took a seat by the table.


    "Spill it."


    "I- I uh, um," he was looking at her kind of funny but finally managed to speak normally again, "You want it straight?"


    "Yes."


    "I don''t feel comfortable in this place - it reminds me too much of . . . I don''t like these kinds of buildings."


    She eyed him.


    "That''s all?"


    "Yeah, why? Is it not enough to be uncomfortable by or something?"


    "It''s not that - you know it isn''t - I just- there''s more to the story. I''m sure of it. Hey, I''m your Link, remember?"


    He mirrored her smile, but they both slumped a little at the thought.


    "Fine. You''re right, there is more."


    She waited, tilting her head for effect. He scratched his head, laughing nervously.


    "I didn''t say I was gonna tell you!"


    "Well, you just did so, tell me."


    He laughed again, she thought she could hear annoyance in his chuckle now.


    "Sorry, but no. I think it''ll just worry you. If you''re already enjoying yourself here - happy and content - then I don''t think-"


    "Finn."


    "Okay!" He held his hands up in surrender. "All I was thinking about was-"


    Grean walked into the room, looking back and forth between them as if he was watching a tennis match.


    Finn quickly stood, almost knocking over both the table and his chair in the process.


    "What are you two doing down here for? It''s getting pretty late."


    "We were just talking. If you don''t mind-"


    "We''ll be right there," Finn smiled up at Grean, who eyed them both one last time before climbing back up the steps and closing the door. Ash stood so that Finn could look her - almost - in the eyes. He lowered his voice, leaning closer to her.


    "Don''t you ever think about the reason we even know each other?"


    She wanted to say something different than he was thinking, change the past somehow, but she flashed back to about one day ago.


    "Yeah, it wasn''t that long-"


    "Where did we even get these, huh?"


    He held out his wrist, reminding her about the red bands around it. She rubbed her own wrist with the thought. They didn''t burn anymore, but the redness was coming back, clear as day. It punched her in the stomach, making her throat go dry. But Finn wasn''t done.


    "Grean keeps telling us about the Links, or whatever, but if we''re linked together, and neither of us is or have been tied up too tightly, where did these come from?"


    She didn''t know what to say, or even think for that matter, staring down at his wrist. She shook the panic and confusion away, looking up at him as determined as she could.


    "Fine. I agree with you. What do we do then?"


    "You sure ask that a lot," he smiled in a knowing way as if he''d already planned it all out.


    "I guess I do. Now tell me."


    His knowing smile turned into a suspiciously sneaky grin.


    "Oh great."

 Finn

    When he''d told her he had a plan, Finn hoped that by the time he''d said it, he would''ve come up with one. A stable, reliable one, anyway.


    He lay in his bed, staring up at the ceiling with his arms folded behind his head. The ceiling of his room was awesome - big wood beams held it up, and old-looking lanterns held by thick wire would sometimes swing back and forth in a strangely soothing way. The stars outside his window seemed to wink at him as if asking him what to do now. Why did I tell her I had a plan!? He sorely regretted telling Ash, but at the same time, he was glad he had.


    He pulled his hand out from under his head, studying the red marks around them. He was slightly worried about them being that way forever but not too worried because it would be kind of cool. He held his wrist right in front of his face, squinting to see better in the dark.


    Whatever Albert had forced down his throat had seemed to be helping, for a while at least. Now the burning feeling was coming back, and he hadn''t missed it. He sighed, turning to get comfortable. It wasn''t comfortable on his right side. Or his left. Or his back. His stomach wasn''t any better. Finally, he sat up, tired, and annoyed. Why isn''t this bed comfortable anymore?


    He eventually found a comfortable position, relaxing as sleep finally started to sink in. As he was beginning to drift, a punch to the face woke him up all the way with a start. His heart was racing as he bolted upright, searching the room for his attacker. The room hadn''t changed. His palms sweat, making him have to repeatedly wipe them on his pants. When the sharp pain subsided, he slowly got back into a sleeping position.


    His heart still beat widely in his chest though, it seemed as though it wanted to run away for him. He closed his eyes, taking deep breaths and trying to slow it. Come one, he thought. Heart, I''d really appreciate it if you let me- another invisible hand struck his face, making him sit up so fast, the room started spinning and tiny little stars floated in his vision. An idea popped into his head - maybe it wasn''t sitting up so fast that welcomed them.


    "Look, whoever''s doing this - you really need to-" he was interrupted as something slammed into his gut, making him double over even though he was sitting on a bed. He grunted, clutching his sore stomach. "Not . . . funny," he wished he could get to the bottom of it right then. Suddenly, Ash popped into his mind. He ignored the fire raging in his muscles and jumped out of his bed, running through the hallway as quickly as he could.


    His feet thumped over the carpet as loudly as they possibly could, most likely waking up everyone in a ten-mile radius, but he didn''t care. He burst through the door that led to the hallway where Ash''s room was. The lights in the hallway blinked on as he raced past rooms, momentarily blinding him.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    When he could finally see again, there were angry faces of tired girls all around him, glaring at him as he hurried down the hallway. When he thought about it, Finn didn''t actually know where Ash slept, but he was at the point of no return, and instinct seemed to whisper in his ear.


    He pushed through Ash''s door - thankfully it actually was her door - rushing to her bedside and kneeling beside it. She was awake, scared, and confused, looking around the room for answers.


    "Finn! What are you doing-"


    "You felt it too - didn''t you? Are you okay? What''s wrong?"


    "I don''t know! I just woke up because I dreamed I was punched in the . . ." she looked at him as though he''d turned into a monkey or something. Apparently, the morning look really wasn''t working in his favor.


    "I know, I know. I just woke - well technically I''ve been-"


    "Your eye . . ." his hand fled to his left eye, which had grown swollen at some point. Despite the darkness - the light coming from her open-door helped clear things up - he could see a giant blotch of swollen purple skin surrounding her left eye.


    They both stared at each other, trying to figure out the other''s problem until the yellow light from the door was blocked out as a crowd began forming.


    Ash looked up as Finn turned to see who stood at the door. A group of girls was huddled in and around the door space, each with a different expression. Most had disgust, anger, confusion, curiosity - some of them he couldn''t tell. An especially short girl stepped forward, her arms crossed and her chin tilted up.


    "What''s going on here!?"


    Finn opened his mouth to speak but he was interrupted as someone pushed through the crowd. Jenna''s long hair was frizzy and there were more than one rat''s nests in it, her eyes had morning puffy-ness, and she was holding a fluffy robe around her. Everyone looked at her, waiting for what she was about to say.


    "Finn? Ash? What''s going on? Finn, you know you''re not allowed-"


    A ringing in his ears drowned her out, and suddenly a fiery pain exploded in his jaw. Then in his stomach again, then his chest. The air was sucked from him immediately and his vision started to tunnel. Not again, oh please not again! He willed himself not to pass out, despite his lack of sleep, trying to get back into a normal sitting position. For a terrifying moment, he thought he''d lost control - not that he had it, exactly - but he could just barely see everything around him.


    Something screamed into his head, begging him to run. He didn''t know where, he didn''t know how far, just run. At first, he was sure it''d go away, but now he didn''t know what else to do.


    Somehow, he made it to his feet, ignoring everything around him, then pushed past anyone in his path, running down the hall as fast as he could. A small part of him knew what he was doing wasn''t the best choice, but it was drowned out by confusion and panic.


    He made it down the stairs but was stopped the moment he was face-to-face with Grean and his buddies. The foreign voice in his head urged him to get away, to go, to get out of this place. Grean said something, more confused than Finn, right before Finn ran past them, trying to get to the exit.


    The doors to freedom were so close now, he almost made it too, if it hadn''t been for whoever caught up to him and drubbed the back of his head.

 Ash

    After crashing through the window of her room - two stories high by the way - and somehow managing to get up, run past all the security systems in the place, and then into the city around them, running as far away as possible from Hideaway, Ash found herself out of breath, worn out by the turn of events.


    She''d ended up in some kind of factory - how she really didn''t know - her hands pressed against her knees and she sucked in as much air as she could hold. The place was huge. Mostly grey, and machine-filled, but no one was there, so she decided to take a break.


    ***


    Apparently she''d fallen asleep sometime because she woke up, light streamed through the cracks and crevices of the building and machines that were previously turned off hummed to life. Her first thought was I gotta get out of here, then food. One problem at a time. She forgot how she''d gotten in, impressed in a creepy kind of way that she''d made it into there in the first place.


    She spent an entire hour searching for her exit but didn''t have to search past that, because the doors of the building were opened, men and women pouring in for work. She avoided them, hiding behind machinery and objects until she bolted out of the place.


    When fresh air and sunlight both choked and blinded her, she took a step back in surprise, taking in oxygen and letting it fill her lungs completely. When she could see again, she looked around, amazed by the city she was in. The name of the city she didn''t know, but at least she was still in America. Probably.


    Skyscrapers and fancy blue towers so high she had to crane her neck to see the top, stood all around her, smaller buildings were scattered underneath them like ferns in a forest. She stood right outside an alleyway, out of view from the people that swarmed the city streets and sidewalks. Admiring the city only lasted a few seconds before her stomach growled, angry at her for using so much energy and not replacing it.


    She sighed, squinting as she searched for any close restaurants. She felt like a wild animal, scrounging for food and shelter as she did her best to avoid people. She made it into the first restaurant she picked, a cute little brick building with few people around it. What was unlovable about the place to people, she didn''t know.


    She pushed through the doors, studying the inside as best as she could. It was not at all what she expected. The inside was dimly lit, with round wooden tables with - surprising her again - metal chairs. There was a long marble counter that stretched from wall to wall on her right, with a couple of bar stools placed in front of it, and the bathrooms were on the other side of the room, directly across from her.


    But all this- it wasn''t the weirdest thing. The weirdest thing was the people. Most of them were wearing armor with long capes of all colors, or what looked like fabric wrapped around normal clothes - like t-shirts and jeans - and all kinds of weapons. The odd thing was that everyone was wearing a cape of some sort. The person behind the counter wore similar clothes, but her''s didn''t look as much like she was prepared for war.


    Ash assumed they''d ignore her, going on with their business as she started to turn to leave, but of course, the place surprised her again, everyone there stared at her. Everyone. She thought the place was quiet before everyone was staring at her, it''d gotten quieter somehow.


    She pulled in a shaky breath as she forced a smile and a wave before turning on her heels. As she reached for the door handle, silently begging them to let her go, the waiter behind the counter stopped her.


    "Wait. Turn around slowly."This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Ash obeyed, raising her hands in the air. All eyes were still on her, making her palms sweat and her hands shake. They looked at her as if she''d committed a really smart crime, and they were criminals. Her knees threatened to give way but she forced them not to. The waitress behind the counter inhaled.


    "Is that a Hideaway shirt you have there?"


    Ash instinctively glanced down at her shirt before returning her gaze to the woman. She had bright blue lipstick and ruby red hair pulled tightly into a fohawk.


    Since the words wouldn''t come, and her throat had dried, Ash just nodded.


    "Did you steal it?"


    She shook her head.


    "Borrow it?"


    Nope.


    "Was it handed down to you?"


    For the third time in a row, she shook her head no. The woman snorted, somewhat amused.


    "Then the only explanation is that you''re a runaway from Hideaway Homestead. Is that true?"


    She nodded, encouraging another amused snort.


    "What is it? Cat got your tongue?"


    Ash was in mid-shake before she realized the mistake she was making and finally answered.


    "No."


    The room seemed taken back at her speaking, except for the woman, who just smiled.


    "Welcome to the club, then. What''s your name?"


    "A-Ash. Smith. Ash Smith."


    A few people - now that her eyes had adjusted to the darker lighting, she realized most the people there were around her age or teenagers - waved, small smiles on their faces.


    "You must be hungry."


    After a couple of plates of the best scrambled eggs, bacon, and cake she''d ever eaten, Ash relaxed a bit, slumping in her seat on the barstool. The woman, whose name, apparently, was Ruby - a title she''d gotten from her friends at the restaurant - was much nicer than Ash would''ve guessed just by looking at her,


    Ash was surprised for the umpteenth time by the place when Ruby told her that everyone there was what Grean called a Link. She said Grean had welcomed most of them to Hideaway, letting them stay there with him for years - as long as they wanted in fact.


    "What happened?"


    "Well think about it, why did you run?"


    That wasn''t a reason she was sure about or proud of.


    "Anyway, the main reason is because of-"


    Ruby was cut off as the doors of the place were flung open. At first, the residents seemed startled at the loud noise, but when they saw who it was, they turned back to their business for some reason.


    A young man walked into the place with more confidence than Ash thought healthy. He had a freckled face - very light-colored freckles - with strawberry blonde hair, it had a lot of red and brown in it on the lower part of his head though, and piercing green eyes. He wore the same thing as everyone else did - his own version of it. There was a long piece of fabric wrapped around his upper torso in an X shape, nice grey pants that were tucked into brown boots with gold accents. And, of course, a cape. It was a dark tan color, and it flowed behind him majestically as he walked up to the counter.


    He smiled at Ash in a mischievous way, as if he''d just blown something up and was refusing to tell her - she didn''t put it out of the question - before taking a seat near her and sliding a plethora of small objects across the counter.


    "I''m guessing I''ll have to pay for the newbie, huh?"


    "Not have to, get to," Ruby smiled as she slid the small pile off the counter into her hand before putting it into some drawer or something. Ash was swept away with the sight of him, but the second time he smirked at her, she turned in her seat, shoving any respect - or whatever sort of crush she had on him - deep, deep down.


    I''m sure all the other girls act like this around him. I, however, will not.


    She could see him in the corner of her eye, the same mischievous smirk on his face. Ruby didn''t look up as she said, "Ash, this is Kerem. Kerem, Ash."


    Ash was tempted to sneak a glance then return to her ignoring, but she chided herself, turning to him, and looking him dead in the eye like the mature, normal adult she was. She hoped he couldn''t see her blushing in the dim light - that, she couldn''t shove away somewhere.


    He tilted his head ever-so-slightly, visibly curious about her . . . bravery? She didn''t act like the other girls, and he noticed.


    "So, what''s your story, newbie?"


    "It''s Ash, try to listen. And I''m certainly not telling you."


    She didn''t mean to sound rude, but she felt a guilty twinge of joy that she wasn''t succumbing to his looks. He laughed a bubbly and yet smooth sound that made her smile.


    "Okay then! Will you at least tell me what you''re doing here?"


    "Hiding from Grean, I''d say," Ash glanced at Ruby, who was now cleaning a glass with a smirk.


    "Um . . ." suddenly, Finn popped into her head, and emotions clouded her vision.

 Ash

    Ash didn''t realize Kerem was talking to her until her ears stopped ringing.


    "... good there?"


    "What? Huh? Oh, sorry. Yeah."


    "You sure? Because you like, blanked out."


    "Yeah, I''m good thanks. Have any of you seen a guy come by here- he has blonde hair and really light green eyes. His name is Finn, by the way."


    Ruby shook her head, Kerem looked deep in thought, but not about what she was saying. He shook his head, drawing himself back to the real world.


    "Link problems?"


    "Uh . . . yeah - kind of."


    "Hm. What''s up?"


    She waited for him to continue until she realized he was actually asking her. Fighting the urge to say oh, or um, she spoke.


    "Well, a lot. First of all, I don''t know where I am, second, I don''t know what to do now and third," she somehow accidentally told the two of them - and maybe a few eve''s droppers - the whole story, from before the hospital, then Hideaway, and then the strange night before. When she was finished, she grabbed a stray glass of water, gulping it down so that she didn''t have to answer any questions for the moment.


    "So neither of you were tied up or anything before it happened?"


    A guy from a near table was wearing an inquisitive expression, turned around in his chair as the others at his table followed his lead.


    Ash shook her head.


    "And the marks you were talking about?"


    She held out her hands, showing everyone around the red bracelets wrapped around her wrists. Then she noticed something.


    "That''s strange . . ."


    "What is it?"


    "They look more faded than I remember."


    For a second, everyone in the conversation all squinted at Ash''s wrists, trying to be the one to have the answers. Kerem spoke, more intelligently than Ash would''ve assumed.


    "Say your Link is tied up-"


    "But I''m positive he''s not."


    "Say he is. The burns would hurt pretty badly until he got untied, very well?"


    "Uh, yes."


    "So when he did get untied, the redness would fade, very well?"


    "Mhm," there was something strangely attractive about the way he''d finish with very well.


    "I wot they didn''t burn as much as they did."


    "Yes, what does-"


    "So there''s really only one answer," the participants of the conversation all waited impatiently for him to ease their thoughts. "Your Link must''ve been kidnapped, tied to a chair, by the looks of it, beat up before he got free."Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    She skipped feeling awed at his incredible insightfulness.


    "What do you mean, by the looks of it?"


    He still had a whisper of a smirk of his face as he pointed at her eye. Her thoughts immediately snapped back to Finn, who''s eye had swollen and grown a sickly shade of purple. Her hand fled to her eye, which she quickly learned was not a good idea to touch right after a tiny, sharp pain warned her not to touch it. She winced, blinking as if it would get the pain to go away.


    "Why are you helping me?"


    "Because you-"


    "If you''re going to say, because you''re one of us, that technically doesn''t answer my question."


    Kerem shared a look with his friends with the familiar smirk still etched in his face.


    "What I was going to say- before I was rudely interrupted - was because you need our help."


    Ash relaxed her tense shoulders.


    "Oh," the others smiled as if they all knew something they didn''t. "What?"


    "Something you should know about the Links that live here, we are the definition of help."


    "And family," someone added. Even though she hadn''t known these people long, and she wasn''t someone who easily cried, Ash''s eyes grew misty, her throat threatened to let loose the emotion it had balled up. She swallowed it, putting on a smile.


    "Thank you," she knew the words were simple but the people around her didn''t mind, knowing that there was much more to the two words than sound.


    "Why don''t we find you some new clothes? Unless you want-"


    "No, please do."


    Ruby''s eyebrow shot up, she smiled similarly to the way Kerem always did. A girl sitting at the table nearest to them stood, her eyes brown eyes twinkling.


    "I have something!"


    Twenty minutes later, Ash was handing her old clothes to Ruby. She was now wearing a brand new t-shirt, with super comfy jeans, with a band of fabric wrapped around her shoulder and waist. Apparently, the reason that the majority of them wore the band of tough cloth wasn''t just for looks - although some people did seriously rock the look - but to easily conceal weapons.


    Ash was given a belt with a knife attached to it in a leather sheath, which was all hidden under her ivory strap of fabric. She was also given a cape with a hoodie, a darker shade of ivory than her fabric strap, and given the directions to find someplace called State-of-the-art Brooches for Dawners.


    Kerem mentioned Dawners was another name for newbies.


    The nice girl who''d said I have something turned out to be a teenager who absolutely loved giving people makeovers. When she''d said she had some-thing, as if one thing, she really meant she had a thousand different ideas for Ash, who didn''t mind as she cheerfully dressed her up to look as much like them - but still unique - as possible.


    "Brooches have a purpose, you know," she tapped her own - a silver heart with two curved lines starting in the middle and reaching the sides. Ash didn''t have to ask, because the girl, whose name was Milly, talked and answered for her.


    "They basically tell others what rank or position someone is in. Mine, for instance, means I''m a fashionista and have only reached a couple of levels as far as fighting and stuff goes."


    Ash wanted to ask about the fighting and stuff, but Milly continued.


    "See this little upside-down V shape, the one in the middle of the heart? That means I''m at level two. The heart means I can help people with fashion and stuff."


    Milly was one of those people who talked as much as they wanted, then just left - not in a bad way, because she did wish Ash luck on her journey and say her goodbyes - but Ash knew Milly had other things to do.


    She sat at the barstool, fixing her cape so that it would sit comfortably. Kerem was there out of nowhere, sitting in the same place as before. The thing was, she''d moved one seat over so now they were both sitting next to each other. He sat quietly but she could feel him smiling, comments pouring into his head.


    "Need help with that?"


    "No, thanks," she managed to get it right, then looked up to Kerem, who had the same sly look on his face. But there was something different hiding in his features. Pity? Love? There was warmth, definitely. Her eyes fell to his own brooch, with she hadn''t noticed before.


    It looked like a ''V'' that had been made thick, then hollowed out. Inside it was a bunch of smaller ''V''s, Ash counted twelve in all, six on both sides.


    "What does yours mean?"


    He looked down, somehow knowing she meant his brooch.


    "This big V, that means my specialty is fighting," he glanced up at her with the same old mischievous smirk, "although I think it should stand for good looks. And those tiny ones on the inside, those are how experienced I am."


    He explained it differently than Milly had, but Ash found herself fond of his definition.


    "Does that mean you''re like, level twelve?"


    "It''s actually called rank, but no. One ''V'' stands for two ranks."


    "Woah," she didn''t mean to say it out loud but it slipped out before she could stop it, making him laugh.


    "Come on, I''ll take you to old Albert."

 Finn

    Finn started waking up, a dull ache sitting in the back of his head. He grunted, slowly opening his eyes.


    He didn''t know what he expected, but it certainly wasn''t this. Instead of the teal green walls and bright window at the far wall, he was in a different room. The cement walls had been painted over a few times to make the room cozier, but the paint was peeling with age, revealing all the other multicolored layers that tried to hide underneath. This room, surprisingly, was bigger than the last. There was a door that stood ajar, leading into a bathroom, a small kitchenette, and even a ''sitting area'' - it was at the corner of the room - a sofa and an armchair with a fuzzy green rug. Why it was bright green was beyond him.


    The bed he was in was smaller - it was like his bed shrank and his room grew - placed at the opposite corner of the sitting area, and the exit. That''s strange. Why would they change my room? He wasn''t complaining, exactly, just suspicious.  The most unsettling thing about it wasn''t the peeling walls or the green rug. A thought nagged at him that he couldn''t shake. This place looked like an apartment, one that someone would be spending most of their time in. He couldn''t help but worry that the room had been chosen for that exact reason.


    He tugged at his shirt sleeves, trying to push the thought away. That''s silly. Why would they want to put me here? I''m sure there''s a perfectly reasonable explanation.


    He got up, walking past the bathroom door and the sitting area to the exit. He was so lost in thought he didn''t think about the door handle, which stayed firm even after his attempt to open the door. His palms were immediately sweaty.


    "Stupid door, come on," he didn''t really mean to say it out loud, but panic was starting to be the only sound in his head. For some reason, he suddenly realized there were no windows either. He took deep breaths, trying to slow his racing heart and calm himself. Was he claustrophobic? No. Was this a place and situation that could make anyone claustrophobic? Yes.


    The door''s just jammed. I just have to get it open carefully, they wouldn''t lock me here. I''m no criminal, but the thoughts didn''t make him feel any better. He tried the door again, knowing deep down that it really was locked, but he wouldn''t except it. He stepped back, shaking his arms and shoulders to loosen them.


    "Okay Finn, you can do this," he gripped the handle as tight as he could, his heart pounding in his chest so hard it seemed like it was right under his skin. Forcing all the strength and energy he could, ignoring the painful metal handle that dug into his hands, he pushed the handle down and towards him. Based on the placement of the hinges, he''d assumed the door opened inward.


    The handle was slowly giving way and then broke before he knew it. Yes! I knew I just had to . . . outside the door was a circular grey room, the walls lined with doors just like his, with a booth in the middle. A trio of people sat in the round booth, pressing buttons and pulling levers and things. They all looked pretty bored until they noticed Finn, who stood behind the door, his head poking out most of the way and his mouth in a little ''O'', the only thought in his mind for the moment was oops.


    For a second, no one moved - apparently, this kind of thing didn''t happen a lot in this place - then Finn regained himself first, throwing the door open and bolting to the door that looked most out of place. He quickly realized, cursing the designer of the room, that each door looked exactly the same, grey and blank with no window. The exit was one of them, without a doubt, but when they all looked identical, it meant he''d have to guess lucky or search every one of them.


    He went with option A, running to a different door. Then, he realized something else, again, cursing the designer. The exit was most definitely locked and the people in the middle of the room had the key.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    He was realizing it all too slow though, and the trio was right in front of him. There were two guys and a girl, all wearing some kind of expensive-looking armor that someone had way too much fun making. The guy on the left aimed his gun - Finn only noticed it when he did so - and fired. By some miracle, Finn realized what was happening and dodged. Throwing caution out the door, he tackled the same guy, yanked his weapon off him, then rolled into a standing position, doing it all without ever being aware he could.


    His moment of pride was his downfall. The girl took the opportunity as he stood there, shocked at himself, and fired her gun. For a split second, he panicked, worried that he''d just been shot with a bullet or laser or something, but to his surprise, the only thing that flew out was a furry pink dart that got him in the arm. He immediately pulled it out, but he was too late. A tingly, warm feeling spread through his arm, determined to knock him out completely.


    Thankfully, he''d pulled it out soon enough to buy himself some time. He went with his instinct firing his own weapon - which was hard for two reasons. One, he''d only ever used a gun about once or twice in his entire life, and two, only one arm worked. He was right-handed, of course, he''d gotten shot in the right arm.


    The dart missed two of the light-people, but their friend wasn''t so fortunate. He was still picking himself off the ground, so Finn''s misfire turned out working in his favor - Finn''s, not the other dude - anyway.


    The guy moaned in complaint before going limp on the ground. The stuff in Finn''s arm was spreading, slowly, but surely. He needed to hurry up and get out of there while he still had time. He pulled the bulky gun closer to his face, closing one eye for better aim, then shot at the other two light-people, who were just recovering from the shock of Finn''s weird ability to do the unexpected more than once in the same five minutes.


    After five stray bullets (fringy pink things, whatever) he hit the girl once and the other guy twice. They both crumpled to the ground faster than he thought, probably tired from working in that place for so long.


    Finn threw the bulky gun to the ground before marching over to the circle-booth-thingy in the center of the room. He couldn''t read the keyboards very well, at all, but after a few minutes, he dug up the key to the door, hidden in a box with the door''s location on it. He bounced the key in the air before gripping it tightly in his hand and racing to the right door, which happened (naturally) to be right next to his.


    He was two feet away from freedom, patting himself on the back, right as the door flung open, knocking him away as the key flew out of his hands, clattering across the ground.


    He grunted as he slid to a stop, slowly pulling himself to his knees - which was harder to do thanks to whatever he''d been shot with earlier. Bursting through the door with a swarm of tough-looking fighter-people, Grean came, his eyebrows knit together in confusion and anger. The moment his eyes fell onto Finn, his tight expression melted into something like, "Seriously dude? You had one job, stay in the room."


    Some of the fighter-people around him rushed over to the fallen trio, who were scattered around one part of the room. Grean said nothing, sighing as if his puppy had just chewed all his furniture. Strange analogy in Finn''s head, but the dart-stuff was seeping into his head now, starting to mess with his thoughts.


    Two buff dudes hurried over to Finn, pulling him to his feet before he could. He fought the serum inside him, forcing himself to stay wide - or at least fairly - awake. Grean''s chest moved up and down in deep strides - he was pretty darn aggravated.


    Finn managed a cocky smile, growing just a little more tired by the minute. The people around dragged the trio out of the room, probably to get them fixed up, and the rest just waited for Grean''s command, whatever it may be. Finn spoke first, determined to make Grean see his reasoning, and be on his side.


    "Why did you throw me in here? I didn''t do anything wrong, okay? Just let me have my old room back and we''ll sort things out."


    "Finntainian, I''m a very forgiving person, I am. And I always try to understand-"


    "Good, so you''ll help me then."


    Grean narrowed his eyes, earning himself another saucy grin.


    "I am helping. Are you aware that Miss Smith is gone?"


    Finn''s grin faded.


    "Where-"


    "We don''t know. During that whole fiasco last night, she ran away and we''ve lost her."


    "Then let me help you find her - I know her better than anyone here."


    "I''m not telling you to send you to find her. I''m telling you so that you''ll realize what you''ve done."


    "Me!? How in the world is this possibly-"


    He didn''t finish, a wet thunk pierced his back, sending a wave of sleepiness over him, one much more powerful than whatever had hit him before. His vision tunneled, then the world was gone again.

 Finn

    He didn''t know when, but Finn awoke.


    His arm and legs felt like lead, practically limp on the small mattress. He looked around the room he was in, then groaned. All that fighting and effort had been for nothing. He was back in the room with the bright green rug. The green rug room.


    It took a few minutes, but he finally managed to move his arms and legs. He was laying on his stomach, so he dragged one leg out from under the covers. He scooted himself very gracefully off the side of the bed, ending up on the floor right next to his short bed. His normally handsomely styled hair was dangling right above his eyes in thin strands.


    He wiped the sleep out of his eyes, pulling himself to his feet using the wall for support. Stars danced in his vision, happy that he was so disoriented. He took a second to pull himself together before grouchily walking over to the door and setting his hand on the handle. It didn''t budge.


    Fine, if you want to play it that way. I''ve done this before, he grunted with effort as he pushed on the handle, I can do it again.


    Since his groggy, weak arms refused to obey, Finn decided to look for something to aid him in his well thought out plan of escape. For some reason, Ash popped into his head. His already weak legs trembled under him. Where was she!? Was she safe!? What if something- he stopped himself.


    "No. I refuse to believe she''s- that- no. Ash is too good to . . ."


    He didn''t let himself finish the sentence, distracted by the objects in the room. There was a lack of handles on the kitchenette and bathroom. Why they kept one on his door, he didn''t know. Maybe it was fake. Maybe they wanted to taunt him. Or, maybe they genuinely just forgot.


    He noticed a small white piece of paper sitting on the counter. He walked over, slowly recovering from the drug inside him, and picked up the paper. It was a note.


    Finn,


    I hope you''ll understand why you''re still here. We''re doing everything we can to find Ash. Until then, please, for everyone''s sake, stay here. Relax.


    -Jenna and Grean


    The note only made him angrier. He crumpled it up and threw it away. Nice try. He''d found new strength. Adrenaline surged through him now, urging him on. It was like it was begging him to open the door now.


    He was about to march back over to the exit until an idea popped into his head. Why waste strength and energy breaking the door himself? He searched the kitchenette for a frying pan, but of course, they''d taken that too. He looked around the room for ideas. The sofa and armchair were both too bulky and heavy. There wasn''t any frying pan or pot in the kitchenette so . . .


    His eyes fell onto the kitchenette and an idea popped into his head. Yes, it was crazy. It wouldn''t work otherwise. He worked quickly, knowing Grean or his minions might return soon. He unscrewed one of the small wooden doors, tucking it under his arm for safekeeping. Then he went to the exit, and with some difficulty, managed to unscrew the hinges on that door too.


    He caught the heavy door when it fell, setting it carefully on the ground. When he looked up, there was a new trio sitting in the booth. He picked up his cupboard door, running towards the booth. Right before one of them looked in his direction, he slid across the floor, rolling to a stop underneath the counter of the booth.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    "Oh you havegot to be kidding me," one of them moaned.


    "What? Oh." She must''ve pointed the open door - or more like absent door - to her friend, who''s question was answered with his disappointed oh. Finn smiled hearing them. The third one didn''t speak, he just let out a long sigh like, "Greaaaaaaaat."


    "What should we do?"


    "Is he still in there?"


    "I don''t know. Can you see him?"


    The second guy didn''t say anything, so Finn assumed he shook his head.


    "I think we should call Grean."


    Finn panicked, his smile gone until one of the guys spoke.


    "No, no. Then he''ll think we''re not ready. This way, we can stop the bad guyand prove ourselves worthy."


    "That''s a terrible idea," the girl sounded as dissapointed as humanly possible.


    "Okay then, call him. Tell him we''re not ready and we need help."


    The girl sighed, followed by the smack of a high five.


    "How about this, you go check and see if he''s there. George and I will stay here, just in case."


    "You''re just scared."


    "No, I''m just smart."


    That encouraged a snicker from, who Finn guessed was, George.


    Finn had hoped that he''d be able to get at least two of them away from the booth, but since it wasn''t gonna be that way, two at the booth would have to do.


    As the third guy grudgingly left the booth, headed to Finn''s room, Finn scooted around to the other side of the booth and waited until the third guy was deep in his room. He blew out a quick breath, preparing himself for what he was about to do.


    As quickly as he could, he jumped over the side of the booth, slid across, grabbed the key from the very surprised girl''s hand - fortunately for him she''d been holding it at the moment - then ended the booth meeting with a kick to George''s head, knocking him out.


    "That''s what it feels like!" He didn''t mean to say it, the words just came out. Before the girl could react, he yanked her gun off her, shot her, then bolted out of the booth. To his dismay, his room had been changed, so he had to find the exit dooragain.


    He tried a couple of doors, but the third guy had come back from his room.


    The guy looked back and forth from the booth and Finn, trying to soak it in. Finn tried to shoot him too, but he was better at close distances. The guy hefted his bulky gun into the air, aimed and shot. Thankfully, he missed, the white-blue web of electricity flew past him and hit the wall, sparks flying everywhere.


    Finn checked his own gun, looking for the setting, but the dude was firing again. Finn swung the gun around his shoulder, deciding to save it for later, as he ran at the guy, who kept trying to hit him.


    Time was running out. An idea popped into Finn''s head. He bolted towards the guy, dropping to his knees at the last minute as he pulled his weapon off him.


    Finn got to his feet, turned, then shot. Just one of the little metal spindles hit the guy, nicking him in the arm. Fin fired again, this time perfectly hitting they guy right in the chest. His whole body violently shook, then he collapsed, his body still jerking around.


    "Sorry dude, just blame it on George."


    He threw the second gun down, headed for the booth. After finding the exit,again,he unlocked the door and pulled it open as quickly as possible. On the other side, there were three sets of staircases. Based on the recent tricks of the evil designer, Finn guessed only one of them led him to freedom. The other two probably led him somewhere else, like back to the circle room.


    He chose at random, hurrying up the concrete stairs. As he was making his way up, his stomach growled, reminding him how empty it actually was. He groaned, wishing it would be empty some other time. A stampede of footsteps thundered down the stairs beside him. He froze, realizing he''d chosen the wrong set of stairs too late.


    "Looks like this is the way I''m going then," fortunately for him, the stairs didn''t lead back to the circle room. Apparently, there was no wrong set of stairs, just three different entrances to get to the jail place.


    His led to a brown door. He carefully opened it. On the other side was a kitchen, empty for the time of day. He couldn''t help smiling as he raced through the room, running through whatever doorway looked like an exit. He somehow ended up in the main room with the fancy set of stairs. Students walked about, unaware of the escapee standing right there.