January, Chapter 8

"No!" I scream. "No!"
Summer is making Keleb and Tessa take Ellie away.
"No!" I scream again.
"It's too late." Summer drones. "The Pope's dead. Ellie's worthless." Tessa grabs Ellie's thrashing arm.
"Autumn! Help!" Ellie screeches. Keleb puts a hand over Ellie's mouth.
"Summer! No! You can't do this!"
"Autumn!" Ellie kicks Keleb away. "Autumn..."
"Autumn!" My eyes snap open. Ellie is standing over me. "You were screaming." she says. I look around. I'm still in LC. Tessa and Keleb are no where in sight. It was a nightmare. Sighing, I climb out of bed.
"Sorry." I tell Ellie. "I was having a nightmare."
"It's okay." Ellie smiles. "We have breakfast." she points to a tray sitting next to the door. It's toast, milk, bananas, and white scrambled eggs. White. Summer always makes her eggs white. Always. At least I know it's safe to eat.
"Do you want some toast?" I ask, spreading some grape jelly on one. Summer never gets jam.
"I already ate some." Ellie sits down. I scoop some eggs onto my plate and take a banana and glass of milk. I sit down in front of her.
"How long have you been awake?" I take a bite of my toast.
"Awhile." she answers.
"Who brought this?" I ask.
"A person." she answers. That helps.
"She told me to tell you that when it's summer, she'll come back and take us upstairs to the training room."
I laugh. When it's summer. Wow. Summer will be back soon to take us upstairs. Summer can't go a day without training.
"Okay." I answer while peeling my banana. I don't bother to correct her. Ellie watches me while I eat. She seams restless, always shifting her position and looking around. I remember that when I was her age, about 7, I always wanted to play something. I rack my brain for something to do.
"Do you want to play a game?" I ask. Ellie perks up.
"Yeah!" she stands up. "Yeah!"
"Okay. How about..."
"I Spy!" she yells. "I Spy!"
"Sure!" I plaster a fake smile on my face. I hate this game so much. The room we're in is so small and has almost nothing in it. "Umm... I spy... something... yellow?"
"Easy. Banana. My turn. I spy with my little eye something gray!" I look around. Almost everything in this room is gray, black, or both. This might be a long day. Or week. Or month. Or year, I don't know how long we'll be stuck in LC.

. . . . . .

"Carpet." Ellie smiles. I'm about to die. We've been playing this game for over an hour. Ugh!
Click! A green light blinks on next to the door.
"I spy with my little eye something green!" Ellie squeels. I get up and look at the light. It turns red. "Wait- red!"
Click! The light is blinking out of control now. Our door opens up. A woman is standing out there.
"Well hi there!" she says a little too cheerfully. I hate people like that.
"Hi?" I squint my eyes. Do I know her? It's definatly not Summer. I though Summer was taking us to the training room, not this person.
"Summer requested me to bring you two up to the training room. Shall we...?" she gestures outside. Should I trust her?
"Come on, Ellie." I pull Ellie out. I'll do anything to stop playing I Spy.
"Okay!" The lady clasps her hands together. "There will be a lot of people up there. You better hold my hand." Ellie lunges to the lady's hand. I stay put. I'm 13, not 7!
"I'm good." shake my head. "Ellie, come here."
"She's safe with me. Come here." she grips Ellie's hand tighter.
"No." I don't like this lady.
"Autumn. Come. Here. Now."
"No!"
Ellie trys to get out of the lady's hand. "Autumn!"
"Let Ellie go!" I yell. "Now!"
"No! Hold my hand!" she trys to grab my hand, but I twist away. "Come on, you stupid girl!"
"Autumn!" Ellie wails. "Autumn!"
The lady grips Ellie's wrist tighter. Ellie starts crying. Her hand is getting white and limp.
"Help!" Ellie screams, tugging on her arm.
The lady pulls something out of her pocket. Wait- her belt. She grips it with one hand. It's a gun.
"Hold my hand. Or else your little friend here will lose hers." Ellie stares up at me, still sobbing. Her little beady brown eyes blink rapidly as tears stream out of them. The lady points the gun at me.
"Who're ya gonna chose?" The lady lifts an eyebrow. Ellie's hand drops in her grip. Ellie screams.
The lady pulls the trigger.