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“So how do we get out of this one?” Hayden asks. His whole demeanour has completely changed. All of the sarcasm and anger is gone from his voice, he just looks like he wants to get this over with as quickly as possible.
I pretend to think for a moment, even though I know exactly what I have to do, I try to think of another way. ANY other possible way that I could get around this. To get over Aubrey’s fear we had to smash all the mirrors, which Hayden found plenty of pleasure in doing. In Tyler’s fear we had to disable all of the clocks. And in my fear, I have to get the gun I know is lying in her lap and shoot her.
“You are going to have to trust me,” I tell them, walking over to the girl’s lap. I know that if I tell them what I have to do, they will immediately object. “Close your eyes,” I say as I pick up the gun.
Aubrey gasps in shock, and everyone else’s faces have gone completely slack. They have realised what I am about to do. My fear is being the murderer that people expect me to be. It’s being exactly like my father inside, but it’s also knowing that I am going to have to one day take my father’s place. I know that I do not have a heart cold enough to do that. My fear tells me that I will never be good enough for him, because I will never shoot the person in the chair. Now, I need to get over that fear; for the sake of escaping and helping the real Emerson.
“How do we know that you aren’t going to shoot us?” Hayden asks, but his attention is elsewhere. He’s distracted.
“You are Emerson’s best friends,” I plead, looking each of them in the eye. “Why would I want to kill the people she loves most in the world?”
“Because you’re evil, just like your-”
“Hayden, stop it.” Crusoe interrupts and he is silenced immediately.
“Fine, but I’m not closing my eyes.” Hayden looks at me in anticipation, like he expects me to shoot her without hesitation.
I take a few steps back and load the gun. Everyone except Hayden closes their eyes, as a declaration of something almost similar to peace comes over the group. Aubrey’s arm is gripped tightly around Crusoe, like she is prepared to faint at any moment.
Once everyone’s eyes are closed, I raise the gun and aim it at her, memorising every single part of her face. Her face is blurred, but I can’t forget it. It has been etched in my mind like a stretch in a notebook. I look at her hard jaw, set in place, the soft point of her nose and the delicate curve of her lips. Even her scar, which draws its way from her check and up to just above the tip of her eyebrow. Every single part of her is a work of art.
Looking at her, I know that I will never be able to give into what the fear wants me to do. Not with her. For as long as I live, I will not be able to hurt her because I know that it will hurt me just as much. Instead, I take the gun and place it on my own temple. Everyone’s eyes are still closed, except Hayden’s, who raises an eyebrow in what could almost be seen as impressed curiosity.
It’s not real, I tell myself. My hands are shaking but I try my best to keep them tightly around the gun.
It’s not real, I say.
It’s not real.
It’s not-
“Stop!” A voice disrupts me, and I drop the gun in shock. As it hits the ground, it disappears completely and so does the girl sitting in the chair in front of me. I turn around to find Emerson, the real Emerson, breaking through the door and standing there in confusion. It’s as if she’s wondering why I would even think about doing that to myself. She clearly didn’t see who the girl was in the chair, otherwise she would surely understand.
At the sound of her voice, the gang immediately opens their eyes and rushes over to her, their faces full of shock. Aubrey pulls her in close and wraps her arms around her, giddy with laughter. Mason comes next and gives her a strong, brotherly hug.
The reunion is speedily interrupted when two soldiers come in from behind and grab Emerson’s arms, pulling them behind her. “Do you know who she is?” They say to me, as if I am in charge. I don’t know how to respond. Will it work in my favour if I say that I do, or will it completely backfire on me?
“My son is in there and you didn’t even think about telling me?” I hear Dad’s voice from somewhere outside the door. Is it possible that he really came for me?
“DO YOU KNOW THIS GIRL?” The soldier shouts at me again. I am about to give an anxious reply when a cry from behind makes me stop.
“LET HER GO!” I turn around to see Hayden push past me and charge at one of the soldiers. After a moment of surprise, the rest of the gang follows suit.
Aubrey is the closest to Emerson, so she pulls her away and Hayden and Tyler start fighting with one of the soldiers. Together they fight with such agility and blinding speed that it’s almost hard to believe that they just met.
Mason and Crusoe try to take on the other soldier, but they clearly aren’t as cut out for fighting as Hayden and Tyler are. Mason’s punches are slow and uncoordinated, and Crusoe seems to be almost too hesitant to hit the soldier at all.
Emerson and Aubrey are walking closer and closer to the door, Emerson shielding Aubrey as she goes. I walk slowly behind them. I don’t want to interrupt their reunion, but I also can’t fight to save my life, so I am rendered useless.
Mason manages to land a punch with one of the soldiers, and the soldier goes stumbling back.
“Run,” Mason says breathlessly as Tyler kicks the other soldier in the shin and he falls to the ground. We all hurry out the door, having no clue of what awaits us on the other side.
Chapter 18 - Jasper Cunningham
We don’t even make it down the hallway before I hear an all too familiar voice call my name. “JASPER!” my father cries as I find myself eye to eye with him. The look in his eyes tells a story that seems almost like relief. I hope for a moment that he will hug me and tell me he is thankful to have me back. But that’s just wishful thinking.
Instead, he puts his hands on my shoulders and holds me out till I am an arm’s length away from him. Ever since I’ve become as tall as him, he’s done this to make sure I know he is still in control. I may be the same height as him now, but he will always be stronger. He will always have the power over me.
