"That's it? Blue?"
"If you'd rather call me asshole, be my guest."
"No no, it's just...odd. That's all."
"And?" Blue dragged out the single word. "I'm not what you expected I get it." As Blue said that, Jasmine could've sworn she saw something deeper than pain flicker in her eyes.
"Nevermind. We're gonna get you out of here." Jasmine blurted out. She really wasn't thinking straight. Hannah was taken aback.
"Yeah yeah, the last pair of misfits that came poking their heads in here said that and guess what? It ended in flames." Blue sighed, trying to stretch her limbs but it proved to be difficult for her.
"People have been here before?" Hannah queried, her voice shaky.
"Mm hm. For all of five minutes before they were taken and locked up in igloos. Just. Like. Me." Jasmine shivered at the thought of being locked up in an igloo for the rest of her life.
"What happened to them?" Her head was spinning with endless questions. Blue sighed again, but this time with empathy.
"From what I heard they beat them to death. Dragged their bodies all the way out to the crevasse and threw them in. Goners."
All of a sudden, Jasmine's ears perked up at the sound of faint voices from outside the igloo. "You better run. They're coming." Blue whispered almost tauntingly.
Alarmed, Jasmine seized Hannah's forearm and hurried her out of the igloo, instructing her to stay low. They quickly scurried through the snow, side by side, not stopping until they were a good few igloos away from Blue's.
There, they crouched behind the nearest igloo and caught back their breath.
"I think she's insane." Hannah murmured.
"I wouldn't be surprised."
As quietly as possible, Jasmine peered around the side of the igloo to see two of the Glacies' citizens entering Blue's igloo, one holding the bluntest knife she'd ever seen. Jasmine gulped.
"Why do you think they haven't killed her yet?" She asked lowly, trying to push down the lump in her throat. "Why are these people doing this?"
"Jasmine, I don't know but we need to tell someone. Right now. Izzabeth, Adam, they need to know. We can't stay here any longer."
Jasmine knew she was right. They had to leave otherwise, as Adam had once said, they'd be human kebabs. If Blue was telling the truth.
"Okay, but what about Blue? We can't just leave her here." Hannah sighed.
"Sometimes it's better to let things go."
Jasmine shook her head.
"No. She's human. Just like us. If we don't get treated like her then why should she? She's dying, Hannah, we have to help her."
"We've known her for five minutes Jasmine!"
"And five minutes could be enough to give her some hope."
"She didn't believe we'd get out of there alive."
"But we did. What does that tell you?"
Hannah flicked her gaze to the snow. "Look, I know this isn't simple. If it was simple she wouldn't be struggling and neither would we. But we can't leave her like that. She needs help and if we can get her help, I know I'd sleep well at night. Wouldn't you?"
Hannah nodded, her gaze returning to Jasmine.
"You're...right. You're right. I'll do it. I'll help you." Jasmine smiled at her friend reassuringly.
"We can get everyone out of this. We can."
Hannah nodded again, but this time in agreement.
"Okay, so what's the plan?"
"We get back to the camp, we tell Izz and Adam everything, I'll go and get our bags because Susan told me where they'd be and whilst I'm doing that, you guys go and get Blue. Got it?"
Hannah blinked.
"You'll have to repeat that to me."
-
Jasmine and Hannah raced back to the camp, trying their hardest to stay out of sight. Jasmine immediately spotted Adam and Izzabeth, with Cavan standing nearby, searching the camp. Probably for herself and Hannah.
When they turned and saw the pair out of breath, they zoomed over. Jasmine told them to walk.
"Where were you?"
"The igloos. Something sick is going on here and they're covering their tracks by being nice to us."
Adam shot Jasmine the most confused expression she'd ever seen.
"Wait, what?"
"What's going on?" They stopped walking at Cavan's interruption. "If you're discussing whether or not you should get rid of me then don't you think I should be involved?" Jasmine glared at Cavan as he stood cross-armed in front of her.
"This is nothing to do with you." She insisted.
"I'll be on my way then. Later losers."
Before Cavan could dawdle off, Izzabeth rolled her eyes and yanked Cavan back, causing him to yelp.
"Do you people have any--"
"We're leaving. Right now." Cavan's face lit up, suddenly interested.
"And we're taking someone with us. Her name's Blue--"
"That's such a cool name!" Izzabeth chimed in. Everyone shot her looks of disapproval. "Sorry, continue."
"She's being tortured by these people. You'll understand when you see her,"
"Why are we bringing her?" Adam asked blatantly.
"Because she needs our help." Hannah answered. "No more questions."
"Anyway, I'm going to get the bags Susan prepared and whilst I do that, you guys are going to get Blue. Hannah knows where she's going. Got it?"
Adam nodded. Cavan grinned deviously. Izzabeth's expression was blank.
"Wait, so--"
"Just follow Hannah! I'll meet you round the back." Hannah also nodded and beckoned Adam, Izzabeth and Cavan to follow her.
"Hey so if I work with you on this, you'll let me off the hook?" Cavan queried Jasmine.
"I'll think about it."
"Come on you bafoon!" Izzabeth called to Cavan. "Don't make me come over there." With a smirk, Cavan strode off after the trio.
Jasmine watched as the four took off through the igloos and out of sight. It was up to her now. She breathed in, held it for a few seconds and then out before setting off to collect the bags.
"Now why are you in such a hurry, chump?" Susan intervened with Jasmine's path. Jasmine's jaw fell adjacent as she quickly thought of something to say.
"Well, as much as we'd love to stay Susan," She panicked for a split second. "we have to leave now. Urm, Adam got sick. Really sick. And we need to get him to a good civilisation."
That should do it.
Susan sighed.
"If you must." She gestured towards the tent where all their supplies were packed.
-
"Shut up!" Izzabeth whisper-shouted to Cavan, whom was making every sound he made somewhat louder than usual. "Do you want to blow the entire operation?"
"Psh, operation. That's cute. We're getting some girl we've never met before out of an igloo. It's hardly an operation."
"Would you please just keep your voice down?" Hannah said impatiently, not taking her eyes off Blue's igloo.
"Yeah yeah whatever. Why do you even listen to her? She's not your leader. Why don't you just run away?"
"It's called loyalty to your friends." Hannah snapped.
Before Cavan could say anything else, the two people whom Hannah and Jasmine had seen earlier exited the igloo, the blunt knife dripping in crimson liquid. Adam gulped.
"Just stay with me." Hannah instructed, nervous although she tried not to show it.
The four crept towards Blue's igloo, always checking for people, and crawled inside. Izzabeth gasped at the sight of Blue, who looked twenty times worse than earlier, Adam's jaw dropped and even Cavan showed a little sympathy.
"So, you're alive huh?"
-
"There's rations, water and blankets. I'm afraid that's all we could supply."
"Yes, that's great." Jasmine murmured impatiently under her breath, swinging each bag over both her shoulders.
"And I insist you stay for a leaving ceremony." When Jasmine had securely placed all the bags on her shoulders, she turned to Susan with a forced smile.
"It's kind of you, really, but we have to get Adam help."
"It'll only be a few minutes, to celebrate your time here."
"I'm sorry, we really have to go." Jasmine didn't make eye contact with Susan again and she pushed past her and out of the tent. This angered Susan throughly.
"You are staying for the leaving ceremony or else I will throw your bodies into the crevasse!" Susan yelled, alarming Jasmine. What made her jump most though was the fact Susan's shout was more of a hiss and when she swivelled around, Susan was not a human anymore.
No.
She had the body of what looked like a rat and the head of a viper or some form of venomous snake. Jasmine was outstanded and her entire expression dropped at the sight of the snake-headed mutant towering over her. Then, someone from nearby screamed.
"Snekcrat!"
And just like that, havoc struck.
-
"So this was your friend's plan? What a terrible idea."
"Yeah, she's full of them." Hannah answered from in front of Blue, who was being supported by Adam and regretfully by Cavan. Hannah scanned the area for a sign of Jasmine.
"What's your trait?" Adam asked Blue with a soft smile.
"Animo." Adam nodded. "It means--"
"Courage." Blue gave Adam a look to say congratulations, you're a genius.
"Let me guess, yours is Captiosus?" She wheezed sarcastically. Cavan laughed.
"Actually no. I'm a Miserator." Although no one could see due to how swollen and cut up Blue's face was, she was actually surprised.
"Hey Hannah! I think I see her!" Izzabeth called out, pointing the way that lead to the camp. Izzabeth was right. There Jasmine was.
"Something isn't right." Hannah stated, squinting to get a closer look.
"Run! Go!" Jasmine screamed from where she was sprinting.
"What is that..." Adam's sentence drifted off when he could see what was chasing Jasmine.
Hannah suddenly sprang back into action and ushered her friends to go.
"Shit! Come on guys, go now!"
Jasmine didn't even think to stop as the vicious snekcrat neared closer and hissed fearsomely.
"Run!" She yelled again as she sprinted past her friends and out into the open land.