Running faster, faster, faster. It was all she could do. Trying to make as little sound as possible, she ran. She ran from everyone, everything. She ran from her past, she ran from her future. She tried to out run her present situation, but that was never going to happen. She ran from the city, from her family, from her memories. If she could, she would run from everything that made her unique, that made them want to find her. Her feet hit the hard forest floor, trying so very hard not to make any of the leaves crunch under her feet. Faster, faster, faster, she ran.
She knew that if they really wanted to catch her, they would have. But of course, they love the chase. They love the game. They had already caught almost everyone else, but not her, never her. The guards would chase, the brainwashed would follow. Eventually they would give up, and it confused her more than anything else. They never give up, unless they were given other orders. They just wanted the main challenge to be the best yet. She had no doubt that they were going to televise it.
Ashlynn moved again. Never staying in one place for longer than ten minutes. Ten minutes, that's all it would take for them to find her, to hunt her, to kill her. This, of course, meant she couldn't take in the beauty that was the forest around her, but she also knew that they had everyone else, but the last four. The final four as they were called, and Ashlynn was one of them. She moved again, heading right toward a safehouse.
It wasn't big, or beautiful by any means, but it was safe. The old roof seemed to falling apart and the shutters were falling off. The door, though sturdy, didn't look it. All the windows were boarded up, and the walls looked to be wood, but they were actually cement. The grounds around the house were in great contrast to the vibrant green forest around them. The grass was long and yellow, the flowers all dead. Nothing ever grew around here. However ,the safe houses were the only land that the Guardians, as they were called, weren't allowed to touch, so this was where Ashlynn ran. She would be safe for twenty four hours there and not more. After twenty four hours, the Guardians could take the house and whoever was in it.
Ashlynn wouldn't let that happen, to her, or to anyone else. As she came up to the door, it flung open on it's own. A hand creeped out from behind the door and a hushed voice, so quiet she could barely hear it, said
"State your business here."
Ash took a deep breath, before she held her hand to the one on the door, and replied
"To escape my past, and those who wish to harm me. May you be safe on your journey to glory."
A high squeal was heard from further in the house, before an excited voice exclaimed rather loudly
"Let her in! Oh my god you have to let her in!"
The door opened further to reveal a young boy and girl. The girl ran up fast, jumping onto Ashlynn's arms, wrapping her legs around Ashlynn's waist.
"Hey Moon." Ashlynn whispered into 'Moon's hair
"Hey Ember." 'Moon' said back, her voice muffled by Ashlynn's chest
As Ashlynn dropped 'Moon' down, she turned back to the boy
"How are you Crook?"
"Listen up, while it just the 'final four'," 'Crook' started, squaring his shoulders "We are to refer to each other as our proper names. Got it?"
"Even Jake?" 'Moon' complained
"Yes Maria, even Jake. Anyway it good to see you Cameron." Ashlynn replied.
"Glad to know I'm liked around here." A voice said in a heavy southern accent.
Ashlynn turned around to see Jake, broad shoulders and heavy browed as always.
"Well come on," Cameron started "We have to make a plan. We only have twenty four hours before death."
Everyone moved toward to dining room, a little heavy hearted. Ashlynn checked to fridge, glad to see some kind of food.
She grabbed an apple and took a bite. When she looked back around she saw everyone else just staring at her.
"Sorry. I haven't eaten in days. Running takes up a lot of energy."
Cameron just shrugged, as did Maria. Jake scowled before stating
"We only have enough food to last us to the next safehouse. We'll divide it, then take off at first light. Everyone should get some sleep. We have a long run ahead of us."
Maria sat there, a blank expression on her face, as though she wasn't impressed.
Though Maria was the youngest of the four, at only fourteen, she knew how to survive. Before this started, she was already spending most of her time outside, in places where she shouldn't have been.
Ashlynn smiled at the girl she thought of as her little sister. She couldn't bear the thought of anything happening to her.
"And travelling in pairs?" Cammeron asked worried about everyone, expect Jake's, safety.
"No pairs, if we cross each other, then we cross each other. If we travel in pairs, there's a higher chance of us getting caught. I would like to stay as the final four, and not the last two."
Everyone nodded and got to work, getting ready for the next day. As soon as the food was rationed, and the bags were packed, they left the bags by their beds, and went to sleep.
--LINE BREAK--
The bright light flashed behind Ashlynn's eyelids telling her that she needed to wake up. She got dressed and walked down to the kitchen to grab some food before leaving. Maria was already at the table eating.
"Are you ready to leave?" Ashlynn asked, grabbing some of the leftover food
"Yup I'm going to be leaving soon. How about you?"
"I'm going to wake up the boys and get Jake out of the safe house. We want it to still be standing for when we need it next." Ashlynn replied, chuckling lightly.
"Ash?" Maria said, her tone of voice worrying her "I don't have a good feeling about this trip. I don't think we're all going to make it."
Ashlynn looked at Maria, staring deeply in her eyes.
"We're going to make it. If we lose someone along the way, then so be it. As long as you and I are safe, we will survive." Ashlynn gave Maria a small smile, before continuing "Now how about we wake up the boys before you go?"
No matter how mature Maria acted, she was still a young child. A large smile grew over her face as she turned to race back up the steps.
Suddenly Ashlynn saw a blur moving outside of the house. Standing there, not twenty feet from the house, was a Guardian. Since nothing could ever be easy for Ashlynn, it wasn't just a Guardian, it was someone she recognised well.
She had stared at that face for months, for years even. There was no way to tell the time she was stuck with him, just that Cameron had saved her, along with Jake.
Now after two years of running from him, she finally saw that wickedly charming smile again. It was still that same smile that drew her in, that made her almost want to stay with him.
"Crook! CROOK! HE'S HERE!" Ashlynn screamed to the upstairs bedrooms.
Cameron, Maria, and Jake all came running down the stairs.
"Crook, Moon, Cowboy, we have to leave now! We have to find a way out before our time is up." Ashlynn, or 'Ember' as they were to call her in this situation, said urgently.
"We'll take to tunnels out. That's our best option." 'Cowboy' replied, fear evident in his normally calm voice.
"We can't. Don't you remember? They know about the tunnels. Plus it's a tight squeeze , so we can't escape if they get to us down there." 'Crook'said.
"Well we have to do something!" 'Cowboy' nearly yelled back.
As the boys were arguing over the best course of action, 'Ember' was looking at 'Moon' holding her close. A thought, though brief, popped into 'Ember's head.
"Me." She whispered.
"What?" 'Moon' looked up at 'Ember's face, sadness suddenly flashing behind her normally cold eyes.
"It has to be me. I'm the one they want, not any of you." Ashlynn said louder, gaining the boys attention
"No. No, I refuse to let you go. They never go for just one person" 'Crook' said.
"They would have sent someone else if they wanted all of us, but they sent him. It's me they want." 'Ember' stated, much more confident in her choice.
"Remember Foxxy?" 'Moon' asked so quietly that they could barely hear her.
"How could I forget Foxxy? She made it to top five for a reason, even if she didn't make it to top four." 'Cowboy' replied with a far off look, showing his true feelings toward 'Foxxy'
"Yeah, but they sent that girl to us. She knew 'Foxxy', right? Do you remember how sad she got after that?" 'Moon' continued, tears beginning to roll down her face.
While this conversation was happening, 'Ember' snuck out of the room. She ran up to her room, and she wrote a note. This note held everything from her connection to the man outside, right down to her feelings toward her teammates.
"I will always love all of you, even when I don't remember. Be careful, be safe, and protect each other. May you be safe on your journey to glory." She finished off her letter, a single tear hitting the page. She folded it, and left it with her bag.
She opened the window in her room, and started to climb. She hit the ground, and walked around to the front of the house. She looked back to the window, and saw Maria screaming, as she pointed toward her. Jake and Cameron came out of the house running, their feet hitting the hard ground.
" 'Ember'!" Cameron yelled " 'Ember', please remember why you are here! Remember what we fight for!"
"I am here to escape my past, and those who wish to harm me. I fight for the chance for glory. I fight for freedom. I am here to pave the right path, so future generation may live the life I was not privileged to. I fight for me. I fight for you. I fight for life!" 'Ember' yelled back to 'Crook'.
"Don't do this. Please don't do this. We need you… I need you." 'Crook whispered to her.
"You can finish this. I believe in you." She replied, tears threatening to fall from her eyes. "Goodbye."
She turned on her heels and marched with a new found confidence. Ashlynn saw the man standing there with his arms open.
"Welcome back Ashlynn." He said with a false happiness present in his voice.
" I'll never break Jasper. Not for them, and definitely not for you."
He loaded her into the back of a van, guards sitting right across from her. As they closed the doors, she caught a last glance at the ones she had come to love like family. They all stood there, watching, waiting, as the truck drove out of sight.
Perhaps, Ashlynn thought to herself, this was the right thing to do.--Authors note: Okay so Ive only planned for this to be a one shot, but if I get enough request I might post a sequel, or maybe a prequel I dont know yet.