Note: Thanks again to all my readers. I was given this really neat idea to throw in and I apologize. I just couldn't think of how to incorporate it. The idea was: 9+1+9 equals 19 and the number 19 is also inside 919. I would have never thought of that but unfortunately I couldn't fathom how to include it. Thank you GofG for that, and I'm sorry I couldn't work it in.

- 14 –

In only one short hour my brother was set to be slaughtered. My heart raced at a speed that caused my chest to tighten and ach. If our plan didn't go as smooth as possible, we were all dead.

Honestly, I was sure we were all dead anyway. I didn't see a happy ending. Surprisingly, that didn't frighten me. Failure scared me but death I saw differently. I was able to look at death with indifferent feelings and gratitude. If death had been tangible I would have took its hand and lead it to follow me; sure it would grab my soul swiftly when the time came.

And that time was quickly approaching.

As Benny and Mack stayed on the top floor, I quickly made my way down the emergency stairway. Unfortunately the stairway was dark and small. The flashlight I held gave me more light than comfort. Racing down, I stopped only fast enough to flash my light on the brightly painted numbers beside contrastingly dull doors. Floor #1 appeared before I was ready to face it.

Pushing away the anxiety growing in my stomach; I retreated swiftly and as quietly as possible. Back on the bottom floor, I scanned the hallways briefly.

I knew what I had to do and used all my energy to focus on any and every childhood memory that would surrender itself. Childhood shows I loved as a child replayed themselves. Characters from Voltron, Gummy Bears, My Little Pony, Thundercats…and many more entertained my thoughts as I snuck toward the stage entrance.

As I walked the halls, life began to stir. My breaths sputtered as a mixture of norms and zappies started to swarm around me. I felt as if I were at the EAC on opening night of a bizarre Halloween concert. A slow trickle of people steadily grew. People started to enter and move straight for the nearest opening to the arena itself.

The norms paid me more attention than the zappies. I was moving against the flow. I got a few questioning looks but no one confronted me directly. I wasn't worried about the norms. The zappies were the ones I was trying desperately to hide my intentions from.

"He was Prince Adam…yeah that was He-Man's name…and Battle Cat was…oh what was his name…something like Coward. No, not Coward. Cringer! That was it – I think. The cat's name was Cringer."

I smiled as I quizzed myself on cartoons no longer on the air. I was sure any zappy trying to read my mind would overlook such nonsense. Or at least I hoped that would be the case.

After maneuvering through an endless stream of people, I finally found my goal. The first indication I had that I was on the right track was the 'EMPLOYS ONLY' sign on the door. The second indication (and most valid) was that the key Mack had found upstairs marked 'STAGE' allowed me to unlock my way.

I entered and closed the door as quickly as I could behind me. My vision was impaired by the lack of light; but I didn't want to chance using my flashlight. I had too much to hide and not enough 'happy thoughts'. My thoughts might be overlooked but I doubted that the flashlight would go unnoticed.

Earlier upstairs I had given Mack my gun and Benny the Zippo. As I neared the exit that would lead me to the arena I patted the spot my gun had once been. "Maybe this was a stupid idea," I thought. It really was too late to turn back now and I couldn't stop. Stupid or not I had to do what I could.

I found myself shuffling my feet as my thoughts chanted the opening theme song to the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Boy how I could use some serious Turtle Power about now. My nerve was treading thin and I felt a hair away from stark raven mad!

If I had nails I would be eating them for dinner. My detached mind did wonder how on Earth I had gotten on this side of the television screen. I should be sitting in a dark room, popcorn in lap, yelling at the B-rated horror actress not to go further.

New to the screen in her fabulous debut, Helen Ashen! Come, let's all watch as she's eaten to death by the Cell Phone Junkie Zombies.

Cell Phone Junkie Zombies… It was amusing but not as catchy as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

I had been so wrapped up in my own twisted prep speech that I had managed to make it to the back of the elevated stage. I only allowed my mind to fret momentarily on how I got from the stage hallway to the stage without even realizing what I was doing. Perhaps there was more to that theory about overdosing on fear I had a few days ago. If I lived I would have to check into that. I'm sure the library was open with no waiting.

I really didn't want to think too hard about what I was about to do. I didn't even know if I could do it. Sometimes when the going gets rough you just got to jump head first and do your best. Damn the rest.

And that's exactly what I did.

- 15 -

"Caramel Pudding… Karaoke Karate!"

Though I wouldn't call my actions sane, I did keep the zappies off track with my gibberish thoughts as I pulled myself onto the back of the stage. In front of me were the four people Benny had talked about in his dreams. Shawn and Kirk were nearly in my reach when I hear a screech.

I jerked my head up in time to see the Lady. As she flung her hand up I reacted on instinct and ducked. Air whooshed over me at an incredible speed. As if I had planned the duck, I rolled closer to the four stationed on the stage. No ropes held them. They were frozen.

I stood sharply and jumped to the side expecting another attack. I rested my hand on Kirk's chest for support as I watched the Lady for her next move.

"You've been a very bad girl," Kirk taunted me.

That was when I lost all grip on what I had hoped to accomplish. Kirk had always been good natured. The tone in his voice was so unlike him but he had spoken. I locked my stare on his hazel-green eyes.

"Ignore him and run Helen!" Shawn shouted. "She's controlling him. Now run!"

I caught a glimpse of movement just in time to dodge Kirk's feeble attempt to grab me. The expression on his face went from emotionless to anguish. He was fighting the Lady but she was winning. I could see his apology screaming at me from his eyes.

I took the opportunity to try something I would have otherwise been embarrassed to do. As I raised my hands, palms out, I didn't fear if it would work or not. I summoned the feelings I had had in the dream state Shawn had taken me too earlier and pushed. I pushed with all my might and praying that God would give me the ability to knock the Lady right off the stage.

I was shocked nearly senseless when it worked. It was only then that I realized Benny and Mack were putting their part of the plan into action. I snapped out of it.

When we had been upstairs Benny had found something quite useful. He had found a box of fireworks, most likely stored against regulations. To top the cake, he knew how to use them.

The high-pitched and very deafening squeal of the ignited rockets preceded a very loud boom. The boom was shortly followed by various screams. Then it repeated. My sarcastic mind couldn't help but to chant "lather, rinse, repeat" over and over.

Before the four on the stage could fully comprehend what was happening, I grabbed the black girl's arm and pulled her head close to mine.

"You need to run! Go now and go fast."

She didn't acknowledge me but I knew she heard me. I glanced at Shawn. He was stunned and looking to his big sister for answers. I gladly obliged him.

"We need to get out of here right now!"

I motioned toward the entrance I had taken. The four on stage needed no more motivation. Shawn and Kirk helped the two girls down. I took another glance at the carnage around me.

Several people were on fire. There were no words to explain just how horrible it hit me. Some of them were norms. Some of them were innocent and only seeking safety. Mack, Benny and I had agreed (reluctantly) that we couldn't hold back. War was cruel. We were cruel. We were murderers.

My stomach knotted and I fell hard to my knees. I hadn't eaten much so when I did finally get sick it was a mixture of stomach fluids and aspirin.

"Helen!"

I looked up and brushed the tears from my eyes. Shawn was off the stage looking up at me. I swallowed hard.

"Get out of here!" I yelled. "Find Mickey. He's with Simon. Find your nephew and live."

I didn't give him time to answer before I pushed him like I had pushed the Lady. Exhausting myself, I managed to push my brother through the back stage entrance before something blew up beside me. One of the fireworks had timed just right to cause a cave-in; closing off my exit but preventing Shawn from getting back in.

I collapsed. Rolling onto my back, I blinked rapidly to clear my vision. Edges blurred and realigned themselves rhythmically. My peripheral vision caught movement from both of the booths near the ceiling. I darted my eyes from right to left. On my right I saw Mack. To the left I saw Benny.

I wanted to close my eyes and forget what I was seeing. From both booths the windows exploded out in unison. Mack and Benny had been pushed and plummeted to their death.

My eyes remained wide open but thanks to the endless screams I didn't have to hear two of my dear friends die.

I was my fault. I was my entire fault. I didn't want to be alone. I had dragged the men into this. My selfish wants to see my brother overcame my humanity.

Before I could wrap myself into more self-pity, I found myself looking into the eyes of the Lady. I held my breath and waited. She would kill me and I deserved no less. I was in a room of people burning alive. So many innocent people had died or were dieing. It was only fair I give my life in exchange.

She grabbed my chin roughly. I knew she was going to squeeze my jaw right off; but still I didn't blink. A calm serenity came over me. I gave up.

Instead of killing me, she pressed a cell to my ear. A buzzing similar to the hiss of static tingled as it passed from the phone to me. I almost laughed, and would have if my lips had not gone numb. My teeth began to grind softly.

Then it came. At long last it came to me. Objects lost their original colors. Everything was doused in many hues. I had at last found my rainbow.

I felt heat crawl up my arm. I knew I was on…I was hot, I think. I don't know. What was I doing? I can't remember. Pain. Pain ran through me.

And then everything went black. Eternal darkness.