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H o l l o w s I n
T I M E
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I exhaled. I turned the key. The lock clicked. I pushed the door. It creaked. I freaked. No, not anymore—I'm out of here. I crawled out and jumped up. Too fast. That was too fast. My legs, not used to getting up and walking around in a while, felt like jelly, and not the good 'I'm in love' kind. I brushed it off. But I couldn't brush off the fact that there were other prisoners. Would I leave them? Do I throw them the keys? 

Think seriously, Sky. What is logical? What is safe for everyone? I pushed the keys into the pocket of my worn out hoody, the one I used to love, making the decision to tell the police that there are still people locked up inside.

I found the door easily and started for it, trying to block out the screams and shouts of those who thought I was abandoning them. I still felt bad, though. I had trouble with the door, but I eventually kicked it open. I ran outside. I ran out into the middle of a war.

They weren't the police.
I knew instantly.

They were Guardians.

In the middle of the crossfire, I had to hide from many bullets.

Then I ran into someone.
I looked up in fear.

"Sky?" My voice wouldn't work.

It was Kim.

But the name wouldn't rise to my lips. Branches snapped behind us and she pushed me behind her and shot someone.

"Run!" She screamed, "Find the truck!" She pushed me and I stumbled. Then I sprinted. Or, at least I tried. My legs had energy, but they were tired. They were out of shape. But I pushed.

Then I stopped.
Just in front of me was a battle.
But that's not why I stopped.

The wind hit me. My hair whipped around my body and the leaves rustled by my feet, some picking up in the wind and circling around us. His lips parted, I could even see his eyes widen. He nearly dropped his weapons, I almost dropped to the floor.

Shots were fired in slow motion, people fought in slow motion, people fell in slow motion. The whole world rotated in slow motion as our eyes met. I could tell from this distance he hadn't changed much, except for the stubble shadowing those lips that I knew and had loved.

In that moment, it didn't matter what he had done, or hadn't done. I didn't care that he had aided in my downfall. To me, nothing mattered. Just him. And that's why, when I ran into his arms, I also ran into a battlefield.

I was shoved around as people fought. No one seemed to notice me, as if I was invisible. In the corner of my eye I saw someone's arm raise. I flinched. Then I couldn't see a thing.

A body was blocking my view, but over their shoulder I saw the previous threat fall to the floor. Then the body turned. It was him. His perfectly illustrated features on his perfectly sculpted face. I was no longer angry at him. How could I be? Looking at his face, I only knew how to love.

His name lingered on the tip of my tongue, fluttering as quiet as a whisper, as light as a feather. And suddenly, I needed him. He was my protector. His eyes wandered all over me, we didn't make contact, but our souls united without a words notice. We didn't even have to try, we fell back into sync.

Then his name fell.

"Jameson."

Jameson's eyes came alive, they lit up, they burned with a fire of passion, of relief, of happiness. My heart jumped one two many times. He reached up and out, his fingers nearing the skin of my face. I waited, more than ready. Anticipation and tension grew with every gunshot we didn't hear as electricity sparked between his fingers and my face, awaiting the surge.

His fingers didn't meet my face.

But it didn't matter. He held me tightly in his embrace and the surge was so great that the whole world sped up. Faster than before, faster than usual. I felt jittery butterflies like that timid fifteen year old girl I once was. But I'm not her. I'm not young. I'm not timid. I am supposed to hate this fool of a man. He never came for me, he never saved me. Yet here I am, giving in to my feelings, to him.

And then, too late, I realised I didn't want him. I wanted what I thought was him. I loved the idea of him.

Of who he used to be.
Before he broke my heart.

We held each other for five moments too long. Too long. I heard a click next to my temple.

I shifted to find that someone was about to pull the trigger on me. I saw a threat, and I wasn't pushed into a corner, I pushed the threat. I kicked her in the gut and she grunted as she stumbled back. I punched the gun out of her hands as she fell.

Then she came for me. But then she was down. Jameson pulled me into his side protectively when he had successfully knocked the girl out of action. Gratefully, I leaned into Jameson's side and relished this moment.

"Sky." Jameson whispered and gingerly touched a strand of my hair, looking much like death.

I flinched away. This man never saved me. He shouldn't deserve this many thoughts. But I couldn't help it. My heart fought for him when my head tried to dismiss the thoughts. I couldn't break free of him.

"Jameson," A Guardian that I didn't recognise approached us and I tensed slightly, my eyes noticing immediately that he was a stranger. And I was right to tense. The guy lifted up a gun as soon as he saw me. Jameson pushed me behind him protectively.

"What are you do–" Jameson broke off the stupidity of the Guardian.

"She's a Special One! Her name is Sky Forest and I do not know why she is here but we can only assume.." Jameson trailed off and I felt him tense as I stood behind him, palms pressed up against his back as I peaked around his strong frame. The Guardian looked at me. Sheepishly, he lowered his gun.

"I–" I came out from behind Jameson and the Guardian looked at me, appearing to be searching for something. "I didn't even recognise her." He continued, maybe talking to himself.

He pushed the gun into his pocket and I flinched slightly.

"Sorry," He apologised then took a backpack off his back. He pulled out a bottle of water and I eyed it, my throat burning, aching for just a drop of a remedy. He held it out for me. I frowned at it. How long had it been since I had water? Not as long since I last washed; they'd give water to prisoners every week or so to make sure they didn't die. I took it from his hand and only held it, I was uncertain what to do next. I hadn't been told I was allowed to drink.

Jameson put an arm around me and placed his palm against my back. He said a few parting words to the other Guardian before steering me away from the last breaths of the battle. We soon approached a van and I stopped in my tracks. My breath caught in my lungs and I choked.

"Hey," Jameson murmured in a soft voice, coming to a stop in front of me. He reached for my hands and held them tightly in his, rubbing his thumb over my knuckles.

"It's okay," He must've seen the panic in my eyes, he still knows me all too well, he never forgot. But in reality, he did forget about me. He never came to save me from the strong grip of evil.

"Nothing's going to happen to you, I'll be right by your side the whole time." He assured and I exhaled, fear trickling out of my breath as it ghosted in the cold, February nights air. I pulled my frail cardigan tighter around my cold body. I nodded, happy to get out of the cold.

The van wasn't much of a van, well it was, with seats. Jameson and I sat at the very front, him in the drivers seat and me in the passengers. In reminded me all too much of the day Jameson came to retrieve me from my hometown. It seemed like years ago now, but I relished in the relaxation it brought to me.

If I only I could go back to that day.

But it's far, far too late for that now.

There's no coming back from this.

You reap what you sow.

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I like sowing and reaping and then sowing again and reaping again

Who likes sewing ha ha

Or suing

I mean you must be horrible to like that

But okay

So like is Sky okay

I'm calling childline helpline but idk is she still a child irdk

Okay maybe I'll call like hotline bling

Love drake

-the brake

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Next update: Monday-funday
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CHAPTER NINE SPOILER:

GOOD NEWS!

Although our journey did finish abruptly, you will be happy to know that you will be fully refunded

With another chapter in the present time

Of which follows on from this exact point

So that we can uncover the mystery of what the hell happened to Sky Forest.

Any questions?