I open my eyes, and they are so heavy. I see the sun shining through the gauzy cream curtains, forcing me to shut my eyes. I'm so tempted to go back to sleep, but something stops me. I'm so hot. What the heck is going on? I open my eyes, but this time I keep them open. And all I see is fire. There is a fire in my bedroom. My grogginess is all gone. I'm completely awake. I rip off the covers and try to see if there is any way for me to get out of my room. I see things burning, but not my items from home...they must have been taken to a different room…
Everything comes back to me. I packed to leave the palace. Maxon broke my heart. It hits me like a pound of bricks. I feel tears well up in my eyes. Focus Bella. Your room is BURNING. I look again, and I still can't see any spot that doesn't have fire in it. "Help!" I yell, hoping that someone can hear me over this fire. Or that someone is even around. I hope everybody isn't in a safe room. I all of a sudden hear gunshots. I scream, ducking for cover. I yell for help again. Nobody responds, not even gunshots. "HELP!" I scream at the top of my lungs. "SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME!" The smoke makes my eyes water, and now I can't see straight. I grab the sheet and pull it over my mouth and nose, hoping that I won't pass out so quickly from the fire.
Suddenly, I see a spot where there aren't flames and I jump over there, throwing the sheet back onto the bed. The flames are getting close to me in this spot, so I know I have to hurry. I frantically search for another spot. I find one. It's right by the door. I just hope there isn't fire on the other side of the door. I jump over the flames, and I can feel them lick my nightgown and skin. I get to the other spot, but just barely. I quickly check for flames on me, but luckily there aren't any. I feel the door to see if it is hot. It isn't.
I throw open the door and sprint down the hallway. I hear a noise behind me, and I glance back. Two men are running towards me, dressed in all black head to toe. I pick up my pace, barely missing the corner of the wall. I take a sharp right. I see the doors to the outdoor gardens, and I'm so close. I hear a gunshot behind me, and I duck. "Lord save me," I whisper. I try to open the garden doors, but they are locked. "No!" I yell, starting to run again. I'm too slow. The men catch up to me. I scream as loudly as I can, for one last effort. The men grab me, pull my arms behind me, and tie my hands together. "MAXON!" I scream, becoming desperate, so desperate that I call for the person who wanted to make me leave the palace.
All of a sudden, the men pull me down to my knees. "MAXON!" I scream even louder this time. I hope he isn't in a safe room already. "MAXON!" I feel something on my head, and I look up and see a gun is pointed at my head. "MAXON!" I scream as loud as I possibly can. I feel them put something around my mouth. A gag. "NO! MA-" I try to say, but the men put the gag on before I can finish. I bow my head, realizing I lost this fight, and I will probably lose my life at the end of this. I hear the gun cock. Goodbye life. Goodbye Maxon, I think, hoping that somehow he can hear me. I close my eyes, ready for the bullet to enter my head.
Except the bullet doesn't. I raise my head, confused. What is going on? I think. I know that the men are still holding onto me, but the gun isn't pointed at my head anymore. It's pointed at Maxon. He's just standing there like his mind is in the clouds. I start to kick and shove the men, but they still have me in their grip. They are too strong. I do manage to get the gag off, though. "MAXON!" I yell, making him jump. He comes back to reality. He starts to run towards me, and then I hear a gunshot and I realize that the men shot Maxon.