Nonexistent

TWELVE- Rogue

MOMENTS pass by, and I know I'm wasting precious seconds, but I don't have a clue what to do. 

A girl with dark brown hair a few meters away makes the bold first move and dashes to the tube, and I think she might make it until she steps on the red area. Several metal arrows shoot instantly through some of the holes in the wall and her impaled corpse falls to the ground: motionless. Her blood runs to the floor and blends with the red color.

The room is silent, but I know everyone is gasping inside-- just like me. We're in a room of breathing statues. I don't move a muscle. Neither does anyone else.

But after what seems like eternity, two boys run to the red area and one steps on it. Before a few arrows can shoot through him, the other boy stops them a few inches from his body. A Silvercrest.

He flings the silver arrows left and right, desperately trying to protect his friend towards the center. But he misses an arrow and it shoots to his chest. His eyes go wide as crimson bleeds through the center of his grey shirt, around the first arrow. Others shoot through the wall too quickly to notice. 

Even through their desperate attempts, the two boys join the girl's corpse on the red ground. Chills run through my spine as I stare at the lifeless bodies. I draw in a breath when a boy I recognize from stamina class dashes to the red ground. I remember how he returned my lost dagger, and I search my head for his name.

Calvin? Caleb? No, Caden. Yes, Caden.

My feet find their ability to move when he runs to the tube. I chase him with all my might, desperate not to just watch someone else die without doing anything. When I catch up, I grab his arm and fiercely pull him away from the burning red floor. When I look into his eyes, I see apprehension like I've never seen before. I swallow down my own fear for his sake.

"I-I can't do this anymore. I want to die, let me go. I want to die," he sobs as he weakly tries to free himself from my protective grip.

"Listen to me, Caden. We will survive this." I take his shoulders and shake his senses back into his limp body.

Suddenly, a screeching beep makes everyone's heads snap back up again. The clock signals five minutes down, and my eyes follow a huge boulder being released onto the slide. As it picks up more speed the lower it tumbles, I grab Caden and run for both of our lives. When it hits the ground, I look back to see it coming straight at me. When I know there's no where else to turn, I duck with Caden and wait for a quick death.

This is it.

But to my surprise, nothing comes. I peek one eye open, afraid that it's still coming. But all I find are pieces of small rocks, scattered across the ground around me and Caden. I look up to find a blonde with piercing blue eyes giving us a sincere smile. A Groundshifter.

That's when it hits me. We're all going to need to help each other to survive this, and the Monarchs planned it that way.

I look up at the heavy boulders, then around at the arrow-shooting holes, then to the tube in the ice, and I can feel my mind's gears working fast. I look up the girl with a grateful expression.

"Don't thank me just yet. Wait 'til we get outta here," she says, blowing a few strands of golden hair out of her face. "If we get outta here," she adds.

"We just might." 

She gives me a surprised look. "Got a plan? What do you need?"

"Get everyone left here. We'll need all of us."

"Got it."