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Vortex

I am hand in hand with Cyanide as we walk in the direction of the refugee camp where we've been spending our days after the war. I lift the flap of a tent and walk in, seeing my friends sitting in a circle in the big tent that is now our home.

"Looks like you've finally gotten together," Lauren smirks and I hit her playfully on the back.

"What are we going to do now?" Amanda asks.

"I don't know..." I say, a faraway look in my eyes.

I sit down in one corner of the tent with Cyanide and take a mug of steaming hot chocolate. Sipping the warm brown liquid, I look at Vivien who is chatting animatedly with Sara and Scarlett. They seem to be getting along pretty well.

We had cured Vivien after the mist dropped away, for whatever magical reason. She immediately became her normal self and I can't see any trace of the disease that had once controlled her body from the inside out.

I see how most of the H.O.P.E are edging away from Vivien, probably because they saw her kill me the last time in the obsidian dome. I make a mental note to tell them that Vivien's fine now, she's not dangerous.

Suddenly, the tent shakes and I gasp. Cyanide quickly summons flame and holds it out warily. A big swirling vortex appears in the middle of our tent. I let out a little scream as it begins pulling in all of our stuff - coffee mugs, towels, everything.

I begin slowly inching forward to the hole and I scrabble for something, anything to hold on to and not be sucked in.

"I thought it was all over!" I scream over the vortex's howl, as a series of terrified shrieks ring out around the tent.

I can see people being sucked into the vortex and it terrifies me. Who knows where we would end up if we went in?

I hold defiantly on to a tent pole and as the vortex's pull gets stronger and stronger, I find it harder to resist. My grip on the pole starts to loosen and I cling on desperately.

I feel a rush of wind and turn around. Amanda is hovering in a corner of the tent, scarlet wings beating furiously in an attempt to save herself from the vortex. I hear her scream and close my eyes as she is yanked backwards into the hole as well.

I look at Cyanide, who can't hold on much longer and as her grasp on the tent loosens, I lunge over and grab her, pulling her close to me.

We stare into each other's eyes and I whisper, "See you on the other side," as we both get sucked into the dark vortex of uncertainty.