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Darkness is all I can see. I blink but I can't tell if my eyes still shut or i'm blinded, I reach around and try to sit up, hands searching the darkness. As I move a choking sound comes out of my mouth and water comes from my lungs. I try to inhale but I can't and I choke again, sputtering out water all over my hands as I try to cough. I start to panic as my body ricochets forwards so I'm on my hands and knees and I hear my hacking coughs reverberate off the walls. What seems like water pours out my mouth and my mind starts to race as I go into shock - is it water? Blood? Am I dying? I try to breathe again, inhale, exhale, choke on my breath.

But I can do it, I can breathe.

When I finally regain control over my breathing, I rock back on my heels and lean against the cold metal wall. I breathe in deeply and wonder how long I'd been here - stuck in the abyss - Hours? Days? Weeks? I try to recall what I had done last, why I was here, alone in the dark. What if i'm not alone? I push my fatigued limbs further into the corner, dreading the thought of something grabbing me from the dark.

Where were my friends? my Family? My sister? 

I pause, my family? My friends? Do I have a sister? My brows furrow in confusion as I think through what I know:

My name is Lila.

I don't know my surname.

I'm sixteen.

When was my birthday?

I have a family.

But I don't remember anything about them.

A low boom echoes in the room interupting my thoughts, and the walls start to shake. I sit up, bracing my hands on the floor, crouching low - prepared. Scared, but prepared to face what was ahead.

But then, it starts to move. Upwards, gaining speed with every second. As it speeds up blazing blue neon lights flash by beside me, like cars on a highway - and I my eyes start to notice forms and shapes around me, and I can see. A box, made of grated metal carrying boxes, like an elevator?

The lights whizz by swiftly and the pressure builds and pushes me down to the cold, hard floor.

Then I see it. The end, the red lights. constant flaring sign, and I know i'm going to hit.

I'm not slowing down.

I have no family I know of, I have no friends to think of as I hurtle to my death in a metal box - only the oncoming sign of death that stares me down in a contest of bravery.

I loose. Squeezing my eyes shut and waiting for the impact. 

That never comes.

Everything is silent.

The sound of my own breathing sounds dephening in my head and I hear my heartbeat in my ears. Panic washes over me and I push back againt the wall once more.

Click

The ceiling explodes with light and I try to push my back into the metal walls further. Feeling the metal cutting deeper into my back drawing blood.

I squint up at the light, begging, hoping, praying that dying from impacting a wall in a flying metal box wouldn't have been the better option. I raise my left arm to shield the light, and I shooting pain goes through my wrist. I ignore my instincts and I dont take my eyes off of my impending fate, instead focusing on the silhouettes looming over me.

One figure crouches down in the crowd and jumps down beside me, rattling the ground causing me to panic and franticly grip on to the wall incase I fall to my death. The figure instinctly walks towards me and he crouches down a metre in front of me. His blonde wisps of hair dance in the bright light cascading down from the haven of light above us, and his green eyes become parallel to mine. He slowly extends a hand to me cautious not to startle me and I look at him, fear in my eyes. I breathe in slowly aware of the eyes on me and I stare at the young boy and listen to the sounds around me. I hear birds, voices and the sound of the wind brushing by leaves. My heart beat is steadied and I loosen my body from the wall, peeling my sweaty back from the metal grooves.

He smiles at my movement and I slowly reach forward and take his hand. I feel relief cascade through my body and I relax, feeling the corners of my mouth twitch upwards into a faint smile.

"It's okay." He whispers, guiding my body up to standing level with a slight tug. "You're safe now."

And to my surprise, I believe him.

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