Darcy's POV

I run as fast as I can to the room where Emma is. "Emma!" I shout, just as she turns to look at me. A guard grabs me and pulls out a taser. I've learned to avoid them, and try to keep my senses with me, but one messed up part of my mind says no. I try to run again, and end up on the floor curled in pain. Eventually, they drag me into the room, and ask Emma if she knows me. She nods. They shut the door. "Ok then. Let's get started, and when the time comes, we won't have to get any volunteers . We'll just use her." Says a rather cute boy holding Emma. I see by his name tag he's called Peter. Eh. I don't think it suits him. Emma cries out in protest. "What! No, no! Don't use her! Please! Let her go." She screams, and breaks into sobs. She winks very quickly to me, so I know she has a plan. I stand there, waiting, and wonder how we could escape. Then the next few seconds go in slow motion. The door opens. Emma stands up. Peter is thrown back by some invisible force. Emma grabs me. A man shouts. We start running towards the front door, and Emma asks me if I came alone. "No. Jason's outside." I pant. She raises an eyebrow, like she thinks there's something going on between us. There isn't. "Jason, follow us!" Emma shouts when we exit the building.

***

Emma's POV:

We open the door to a shed. “Looks cozy.” Jason says, and we duck through the doorway. i catch my breath, and wait for Darcy to ask the question. Here it comes. "What did they do to you ? How did we get out?" She asks. Jason nods in agreement. "They didn't do anything. But they were going to soon." Eh. True enough. She gives me a look that says, 'you didn't answer the other question'. I sigh. "Ok. The doors automatically open if you press a certain button, and luckily it was on the bed. I pressed it when I was 'crying'. I don't know why Peter jumped back, but it was helpful." I lie. There’s a moment of awkward silence, and everyone sort of looks around the shed. Jason coughs, and it seems like no one believes my story. “I’m pretty sure some of that was a lie. Like how Peter jumped back with his own free will... but I understand that you don’t want to tell us just yet. We'll give you some time.” Darcy says, looking down. “I promise to tell you the truth later. But now, I’m not ready. It’s hardly the truth to myself yet.” I whisper. Darcy lays down and soon, we can tell she’s sleeping. “Is the truth really that bad?” Jason asks, concern in his eyes. “I don’t know. I don’t even know if it is bad, or good. It’s both. It’s none. At times I might even forget. But I know it’s true.” I say, getting quieter towards the end. “Good night.” Jason says. I lay down, thinking. When could I tell them? And how? How could I tell them? And how would they react? Darcy... well, Darcy, based on her optimism, would only see the good things. She might say, “no one can ever beat us!” Or, “you’re so lucky, Emma!”. Jason would see both. Both good and bad. He’d feel sympathy, and I know if a man has sympathy, he’s hard to resist. That’s happened once before. A year ago. I loved it at the time. After, I couldn’t even look at him. The memory fills my head.

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He hugs me close to his chest. “Emma. You are special. You don’t belong here. You should travel, sometime. See the world.” He whispers. “At least we’re not locked in our cells. We can go anywhere, even outside. Just not past the gates.” I say. We lock eyes and lean in closer. I feel my heart beat wildly. And suddenly, it’s tomorrow. I hate that memory. I avoid him all day. I told myself I wouldn’t kiss until I was 16, and I wouldn’t kiss a mad person. I was only 15, I kissed a mad person. True, I might be one too, but I can control myself. I’m never talking to him again. I’m never forgiving myself until I can say sorry. I will never kiss again. I’m glad he only kissed me. He could have done much more. I’m lucky...............

i drift to to sleep with that unwanted memory in my mind. Why couldn’t I have thought of something else?

***

i wake up feeling grimy and tired, like you feel when camping. I check Jason’s watch, and it says 06:27. But I’m not sure if Alaska is in a different time zone or not, so I don’t trust it. But why is it so light outside? And inside... weird. I hear Darcy stir, and see that she’s awake. “Emma? Is that you? I can’t see, it’s so dark.” She whispers, squinting at me. “Yeah, it’s me. But it’s not dark outside, I can see clearly. Jason’s watch says it’s six thirty, but I’m not sure.” I say. Darcy looks at me weirdly. “Emma, I can hardly see you! How is it light outside?” She asks, suspiciously. I shrug. “Maybe it’s because I’ve been up longer, so I got used to it.” I lie. It was probably something to do with my magic that I didn’t want. She nods, but still looks suspicious. Jason gets up, and checks his watch. “Hello, ladies. Want to go get breakfast?” He asks, and yawns. That sets off a chain reaction. I yawn, then Darcy yawns. (A/N: how many of you yawned reading that? I did!) we get out into the cool air, and breath In deeply. I shiver, and we all huddle together. “Look! There’s a cafe! Let’s go!” Darcy shouts. “We don’t have money.” Jason hisses. I have a thought. I imagine a few dollar bills in my mind, holding out my hand. There’s a rush of energy that runs through me. I look down at my hand, and smile. It actually works! “I have money!” I say. “Where’d you get that? How much is it?” Jason asks. I shrug, and Darcy counts it. She stops in the middle. “Hey! This is our money, elf! Don’t you try to steal it! Shoo!” She says, and brushes something invisible off the money. I look at her in confusion. Elf? “We have 23 dollars! Yay!” She squeals. We walk into the cafe, and the good smells embrace me. I could live like this, with cheerful Darcy and silly Jason. They’re all I need.