I'd never been so grateful to see a piece of technology in my life.

For the first time in two weeks, my phone was in my hand. So, they never got to destroying it after all. Maybe Allegra assumed it was destroyed, or maybe she was planning on it, but either way, my phone was here. In my hand.

I turned it on. Thank God it still had 30% battery. It wasn't perfect, but it was enough to call the police and get the hell out of here. I imagined what I would do if it was dead, if I had to charge it. I doubted there were any phone chargers in the academy. I would be just as stuck here as I was before I got my phone.

I wanted to know, more than ever, who the figure was. Last week, when I saw them, they were much less of a threat. I had racked through my brain, coming up with possibilities. Possibly a guard or another student sneaking out after hours. Today had disproved either theory.

Whoever this person was, was a threat to me. They had been keeping my phone away from me, therefore keeping me trapped at this academy from hell. A thought crossed my mind, suggesting that the figure was Dale. But Dale was an adult. I had heard his deep voice, talking on the phone with Allegra.

I didn't have time to be standing on these stairs, out in the open, with my phone. Any guard that decided to walk up or down, or even a student coming back from the dance would easily spot me. It was too risky going back to my room when Scarlett was in there, especially considering that we'd been fighting recently. I had an idea.

******************

I slipped out onto the balcony. The night air was cool and crisp. I would have enjoyed sitting out here, relaxing, if so much wasn't at stake.

I sat at the bench near the door, close enough to notice when someone was coming, but far enough away that they wouldn't see the illumination from the phone. As much as I loved unplugging and reading, I missed the glow of my phone, the warmth in my hand when I was on it too much.

I contemplated playing Rhiannon or Dreams, two of my favorite songs. I didn't have time, though to enjoy menial things such as songs. What if this is your last chance? I pushed the dark thought out of my mind. I would be able to escape. I would be able to return to a normal life.

Before I went to the phone app to call the police, I opened Safari. I would need to know the address of where I was before I could tell them where I was. I typed in the Ivy Academy and pressed enter, scared of what I would see.

A number of results popped up for the search. The Ivy Academy was a school in the Boreal Forests within Ontario, Canada. I knew it. 

However, me having knowledge of where I was didn't exactly help me when leaving. I knew where I was, but I had no clue how to get out. Plus, the further into the woods I was, the further away the nearest police officers would be.

I pressed on the more information button under the Ivy Academy name. Founded in 1951 by Dale and Jane Edgars, husband and wife. I zoomed in on the picture of Dale Edgars. In the black and white picture, he was a gruffy looking man in his late 70's, with a bald head, yet a lot of mustache. So this was Dale.

But it wasn't. This man had died in early 1974, 23 years after he founded this demented academy. I knew that the name Dale couldn't be a coincidence, but I decided to move on. Suspicions wouldn't help me.

I searched Bronson Academy next. I needed to know where my sisters were being kept, the quality and conditions at the very least. It was also an academy in the same forest and region as the Ivy Academy. I was close to Stevie and Cassie. I would see them soon. I knew it.

I switched to the phone app and dialed 911. I had always wanted to type in those numbers and press call, but now that I was in a position where I had to, it wasn't such a cool experience. I listened to the ring of the phone, waiting for them to pick up. And then I was met with a great disappointment.

The phone started beeping quickly. The screen spelled out words that would haunt me forever. No out of country calling.

I had gotten my phone after all of this time, and some stupid cellular issues would foil my plan? I coughed back tears, embarrassed. But more than anything, I was more embarrassed of myself. I was so stupid for thinking that the figure would just drop their phone and voila, I'm free.

I stuffed it back into my pocket. I couldn't call anyone, but I had learned more than I expected.

I rushed back inside.

A guard was standing right there, staring at me. For a moment, I thought he had caught me. Then he smiled.

"Good evening, ma'am," he said to me. I nodded distractedly, hoping he wouldn't be able to see the guilt on my face.

I walked into my room and flopped onto my bed. It had been a crazy hour. I'd talked to Beck, which was wild enough on its own, I had found my phone, and now I just needed a break.

I put my phone under the mattress, along with the tranquilizer darts. When I lied down on the bed, however, I could feel the pile of hidden items through the mattress. Instead of sleeping there, I moved to Scarlett's bed. It was bigger, anyway.

I'll wake up before she gets back, I thought to myself as I drifted off to sleep, exhausted from the night's events.

********************

When I awoke, I could immediately tell that something was wrong.

First off, it was still dark outside. Clearly, my sleep was more of a nap than a full night's sleep. The window above me was open, and I could hear the chorus of crickets chirping.

Second, I was sleeping in Scarlett's bed. I remembered deciding to nap there because my bed was uncomfortable with all of the items I had hidden under the mattress. I just hoped she wasn't mad.

Lastly, Scarlett was sitting across the room, watching me sleep. Her face was dark and grim, and I dreaded what she was thinking.

"Scarlett?" I sat up.

She smiled, although I could tell through the way her mouth quivered that she was no less angry. "Hi, Rhiannon. Did you have a nice sleep?" Her cheery tone did a poor job of veiling her aggression. I had done something, and whatever it was, was bad.

"I didn't mean to fall asleep in your bed, it's just that my bed is so--"

"Uncomfortable," she finished. I blinked. Something was very wrong, and I was unsettled. The room was dark, and I wished she could just turn on the lamp. I realized that having lights on would do nothing to remove my feeling of discomfort.

Scarlett got up from her chair and moved to my bed. She pressed on the mattress, hard.

"You see, I saw you sleeping on my bed, and I decided that you could have it, just this one night," she said, knowingly. "Despite the fact that you stole my dress, and you slipped tranquilizer into my water, I thought, what's one night letting her have a peaceful sleep? Even if it's my bed."

"Scarlett, you can sleep here. I didn't mean to take your bed." My voice was frantic and scared, just like me at this moment. She simply smiled.

She continued. "I figured, I should sleep in your bed, since you took mine. But you're right. It's very uncomfortable, your bed." I realized where she was headed. This was the worst possible thing that could have happened.

"Don't you want to know why it's so uncomfortable?" I shook my head. She lifted up the mattress anyway. All of my secrets were there. My darts. My phone.

"Please," I breathed, though I didn't quite know what I was asking her to do. Just laugh and give me my phone back, perhaps? Tell me it was all a joke and she wasn't actually mad? These scenarios were not realistic, but much preferred.

She was becoming unhinged. "Looks like you planned on poisoning me more." Her veil of icy calm was now becoming hot rage. "How many darts? 5? You were planning on using 5 more tranquilizers on me?" She had it all wrong, but I couldn't find the words to explain to her. My throat had closed up. Something told me that even if she could understand my side, she wouldn't want to anyway. She had become a monster.

I wished we could just go back to before we were fighting. Before I screwed it all up.

"And this," She held up my phone. I was scared she was going to drop it. "I'm telling Allegra about this."

"NO," I yelled. I was too close to escaping to have everything fall apart by the seams like this. I'd lost Dane, Scarlett, and my phone, all in one night.

"Really?" Her voice was cruel, wicked, and I hated myself for driving her this crazy. "Cause I think she would love to hear that one of her students has a banned item. Oh, and the best part."

Her face changed. "I'll tell her about how you and Dane have been sneaking out every night to engage in a relationship. Now, that one, I'll love that one." She laughed, and something crossed my mind.

"You like him, don't you?" I asked. "Dane." It all made sense. Everything she had done since Dane and I first became a couple was driven by jealousy, and eventually rage.

"That doesn't matter anymore," she spat. I knew I was right. "Say goodbye to your little friend."

She marched toward the door, my phone in her hand. She was taking away my freedom, my sisters' freedom, all for a little crush. I wouldn't let her.

I charged at her, all my force in my right hand. I took her hair in my grasp and slammed her against the wall, which was accompanied by a loud BANG. She collapsed.

I had beaten her, I had knocked her out temporarily and she would wake up and forget what had happened. I looked down at her, laying on the floor.

My heart rose in terror when I realized what I had done.

She was dead. 

***************

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