I didn't matter that I had no clue as to how I'll keep them away from her. All that mattered was that I wasn't letting them take her, whatever the cost. 

         It shocked me how deeply emotional I felt about this. I was so used to the indifference that my mind had adopted to protect itself against going insane that the level of commitment and, honestly, loyalty I felt towards this practical stranger, even if she was supposed to be my sister, made me feel really confused and uncomfortable at the same time as I felt protective. 

         It made for a very strange mix of emotions. 

         Some part of me, the part that has always looked after itself before anyone else, kept repeatedly whispering, "Forget the girl. This is going to happen, no matter what you try to do to stop it. The only thing your interfering will do is cause you to get hurt, too." But the other part, the part that wanted to protect Jordan, was stronger, and so I listened to it instead. 

         As the clomping of the boots got louder, I locked eyes with Jordan, and motioned with a silent finger to my lips to stay quiet. She nodded, absolutely terrified but trying to act brave. For whose sake, I had no clue. Because this was absolutely terrifying, and everyone knew it. There was no pretending otherwise.

         I gestured for her to get further away from the bars, and after a slight hesitation, she backed up. Hide, I mouthed, and she nodded before ducking from view. I backed up further into my own cell as well, looking around desperately for something, anything, to use as a weapon. Like always, my eyes find nothing. It's not like I haven't already tried this already. In fact, I had tried several times to fight back before they came into the cell. It always ended with the same thing; me lying face down on the cold concrete as electric pulses washed through my entire body, making me spasm. But this time, I was determined not to let it end that way. 

         Grinding my teeth together, I stood silently just inside the cell door. The only option I have now is something I never would have thought I would ever do, not for another human being. This option frightens me, and my hands and feet turn into blocks of freezing ice as the boots sound from just outside the door, and then several white clad figures come into view as they stand in the hall outside, getting ready to drag Jordan kicking and screaming down the hall. 

         I can hardy breath with fear as they pull open the heavy cell door across the hall. For a moment, time seems to stand still as they take in the 'empty' cell. For a moment, I allow myself a teeny tiny spark of hope that they won't find her, that they'll just move on. 

         I shouldn't hold on to hope. Hope was useless, and often just brought disappointment. 

         I don't know why the guards always paused so long before dragging the prisoner from their crappy hiding places. Im sure they have all been over this so many times that they know every potential 'hiding place' like the back of their hands. Maybe it was because they wanted to intimate and scare the prisoner even more then they already are. But whatever the reason, the pause was barely a blink before they yanked Jordan out from under her cot, and she started hysterically screaming at the top of her lungs. 

         It was the sound of her soft voice omitting such a high pitched noise that made me snap from my terrified trance. I sprang to the bars of the cell, and my screaming voice suddenly joined with Jordans. "No!" I screamed at the guards backs, and they stiffened. "Not her! Don't take her!" 

         Only one of the four guards turned towards me, tas-gun already raised up to his shoulder and pointed at me in warning. His robotic monotone said, "Please back away from the window and proceed with your day. There is nothing for you here."

         He didn't know just how wrong he was. "No!" I practically screamed back at him. "Don't take her away!" My voice was so frantic that my words came out in one huge rush of air, stumbling over each over and tangling, until you couldn't understand what I had said. Taking a deep shuddering breath, I said, in a slightly calmer, clearer voice. "Don't take her." Another breath, then I forced the next words out of my mouth. "Take me instead." 

         The guard stood there for a second, then asked, "Repeat that?" 

         My breath this time was surprisingly calmer, almost peaceful. "Take me instead." My voice as it came out, on the other hand, was anything but peaceful. It was pure ice, hard and unyielding, offering no questions, only demanding obedience. 

         This time, all of the guards paused what they were doing. Jordan stopping thrashing and screaming. The hall was silent, with all of the guards locking gazes with me in a confusing standstill. It least, I assumed they locked gazes with me since I couldn't exactly see their faces. It stood without a doubt that none of the prisoners had ever volunteered to go under the knife to protect somebody else.  

         The silence was interrupted by a buzzing noise, followed by the sound of one of the guard answering in the monotone voice. "But sir..." A pause and more buzzing. "I understand. Yes, sir. Right away, sir."  

         Apparently, all of the soldiers had received the same message over some ear mic, because, as a unit, they pushed Jordan back inside of her cell, shut the door, and marched to my cell door. Before I had even had the chance to process what had just happened, the guards had pushed open the door and grabbed my forearms, dragging me through the open doorway. 

         "No, wait!" Jordan shouted desperately, slapping her fists against the concrete of the cell door. "Take me, I want to go! Don't take her!" She flew against the cell door again, and again, screaming at the guards, but they ignored her completely and marched me down the hall, until all I heard was the echo of her screams. 

         And then not even that.