-----
Jenna
The drive seemed to go on forever, but finally, Katie found a couple Disney movies, and we watched them while driving.
When watching Lilo and Stitch, my mind kept going back to the dream I had before Katie got to my house. I couldn't help but really wonder if the dream I had was from the book, and if it was then why would I know about it? How could that even work if I didn't even know? Looking at Katie, I can't help but want to ask her so many questions. Like one, who wins? This whole thing will have to end one day...and when it does, which team survives? Does it have to be Humans, because the end of Humanity wouldn't end like this, right?
Finally, I ask, "Katie, which team wins at the end of the books?" I ask.
From the angle, I can't see her face, but I can sense her hesitation. "Uh...do you really want to know?" She asks, making me feel uncomfortable. Why won't she just tell me? That's a bad sign.
"Yeah, I want to know...well maybe I don't. I honestly don't know, but please just tell me. I need to know."
"Why do you want to know? Do you really need to know that bad?" She asks, stalling.
"I want to know so I can understand everything that will be happening. Like, I want to know who the guy you fall in love with is, and why he betrayed us. I want to know so that when the time comes, we can avoid the problems."
"Wait, Katie, you're going to fall in love with someone?" Jessica asks, now very interested in the conversation.
"Too young." I hear Scott mumble.
Looking back at Katie, I can feel her get angry, and I don't know why. "I can handle everything. I will try and make everything work."
"You don't make any sense-"
"I just don't want to talk about it." She says, putting her face in her hands.
"Someone should have their own drama T.V. show," Abby says behind me.
Ignoring the comment, I look at Scott, seeing him give Abby an angry glance in the mirror, "How about you guys just watch the movie?" He suggests. "We're almost there. We have about two hours left." He says, looking at the time.
I shake my head. Scotts has been estimating the time left the whole ride, and by his first estimations, we'd be there already. "But that's what you said four hours ago!" Alli says, speaking for the first time since we've been driving.
"Trust me, before I didn't know where I was going, I know the path now."
"Again, that's what you said four hours ago." She says, frowning.
A second later, Scott replies, "Yeah, then why is the District right in front of us?" He asks. I look back at Alli and see her eyes light up, then Gabby's, and Abby's. Curious, I also look forward, and see it, Washington D.C.
Looking around, I see that it's changed a lot since the last time we've been here only a little over a year ago for a school trip.
Looking over, I see the Potomac River, and a large gate, one that was definitely not there before.
Scott slows the car, rolling down the window. A little office shows up, with a lady looking at us through a side window, reminding me of a drive through. The mad-looking lady opens her window.
"Hello, what's your name, age along with your exact date of birth?" She asks.
Scott looks at her, "Scott May, 20 years old. I was born on July fifth, 1998."
"Time?"
"12:08 P.M."
"Ok, and do you have any surviving family members?" She then asks.
"Uh, not that I know of." The lady nods her head, then as if noticing for the first time, she looks at the passenger seat at Katie, her eyes growing large.
"Uh...is that...ok, you guys can go through." Closing her little window, I watch as she talks into a wrist band, looking extremely shocked.
"What the heck is wrong with her?" Abby asks.
I see Scott eye her before returning his eyes on the road, "I've no idea." He says, following a lined path.
"What do you think has happened here?" Jessica asks.
"People in the government finally found out about the books, but they couldn't read them, so for precautions, a month before the events of last night happened, they created walls around Washington, hoping to keep out the creatures outside the walls," Katie says, her voice sounds like she was just reciting something you'd have to memorize for school.
"But how'd they know to take these certain precautions if they didn't know what was going to happen?" Gabby asks.
"I'm questioning the same thing," Katie says, looking back at us. I almost gasp. Her skins paler than usual, and purple bags show under her eyes, making her look exhausted.
"Katie!" Jessica gasps.
Looking startled, Katie looks at Jessica, "What?"
"Your...have you been using the face masks I gave you?" She asks. I almost slip out a giggle, this isn't really the time to be asking if someone has been wearing their face masks.
"Ok...so what happens now?" Gabby asks.
"Now, we go to the Capitol building, walk in and talk to them."
"So, we're just going to walk into the capitol building?"
"Yes, that is what the book says."
"Are we seriously going to focus on everything from the books?" Alli asks. "Because if we do...then we're screwed!"
"What does she mean we're screwed?" I ask, "What are you keeping from us!?"
Katie, looking like she's about to break says, "We lose!" She screams, making everyone jump. "Is that what you really wanted to hear? That we lose, most of us die, and the ones that don't will become slaves for the rest of their lives! Is that really what you wanted to hear!"
"Katie-" Scott says, almost sounding like he's trying to get Katie to chill, but that doesn't work.
She sits back in her chair, not talking for the rest of the way to the Capitol.
---
Less than fifteen minutes pass, and we finally get to the Capital, and near the doors I see tall people with large guns stand there, their eyes following us as we all get out the car.
My legs feel numb when I walk on them after so many hours of just sitting, and I can tell that everyone else feels the same. Jess looks like she broke a leg, Scott looks like he lost all feeling in all his legs, and Alli looks like she'll probably need to be carried.
Katie gets out the car last, but instead of walking slow with the rest of us, she runs up the stairs to the scary looking guards. That's when it hits me. Not only is Katie in her pajamas, but same as everyone else, even Scott. Last night everyone was in their pajamas because it was the middle of the night when we heard the alarms.
I look down at my old gray T-shirt and slippers, and to Jessica's oversized Harry Potter shirt, and Abby's stained school shirt. Alli's PJs are definitely the cutest, High School Musical pants that must have been a hand-me-down from Katie that now barely fit Alli anymore, and same with the matching button-up shirt.
I look at Katie, seeing her black shirt that shows a large portion of her bra straps, and her loose-fitted purple plaid pants. I have to say, that everyone together, we look like we just came from a sleepover and one of our older brothers (Scott) decided to drive us to get pizza or something.
Finally getting the feeling back in my feet, I run after Katie, now right behind her.
"Who are you, people?" One of the guards asks us. Looking up at them, I feel like a little elf, making me feel not really scared, but very wary of every move they make.
"I am Katelan Aubrey Maxwell, a fifteen-year-old girl from Ohio," Katie says, looking up at them as if their largeness doesn't faze her.
One of the guards scoffs at her, his surprisingly young-looking face looking at her, his eyes going up and down her body that makes me uncomfortable, making me want so badly to kick him in the- "Ok, why does that matter?" He asks, his mucky brown eyes looking behind us to everyone else. "We don't want to know who you people are. We just need you to leave."
"Because I know what happens. I've read the books." She says.
The other guard laughs, his chubby cheeks turning red, "The books? You are a real idiot now are you, little girl!" That makes both of them laugh.
Finding my voice I say, "Hey, listen to her!" At first, they don't listen, but when Katie knees one in the groin, their attention is on us, except for the one that fell on their knees in pain.
Watching Katie, I see her jump up and grab the other guard's ear, she hisses, "Let me in now! I don't feel like waiting on you knuckleheads to finally realize that the world isn't doing so hot. Now, which one of you will finally be a good kind gentleman and let us in?" She asks.
Finally, the taller one opens the door, letting us in, making me scared thinking that if they let a fifteen-year-old girl in...who else would they let in? "Thank you." She says, stepping around the guard moaning on the ground.
Just as I think we're good, right as we enter the building, I already hear someone gasping. "Who the he-"
"What in the world is going on?" A loud voice asks, and as my eyes focus on the bright lighting, I see a short man with jet black hair making his way toward us, a scowl on his small wrinkled face, and behind him, some young guys around our age follow his every step.
I watch as the man gets close to Katie, standing several inches below her, "I am Katelan Maxwell."
"And...?" The short man asks, having zero interest in what she just said.
She gives him a confused look, "And what?"
Frustrated the man yells, "And what the hell do you think you are doing? The only people allowed in this building are-"
"I've read the books," Katie says, interrupting him. I take a step closer to her, feeling my arm touch hers, "I am Katelan Maxwell, and those books that you idiots have found months ago that you haven't been able to read, I've read them."
"The books...what books?!" The man, once again yells, his pale face turning so red now, I watch warily as he stares down Katie, looking as though he's ready to rip her head off "What type of idiot girl! What are you talking about?"
"Uh, sir?" A soft voice says behind the short man, my eyes making their way there, they land on a tall guy looking at the top man with a bit of surprise in his eyes, "I think I know what she's talking about." He says, his eyes scanning all of us. I make eye contact with him as he looks at me, then goes to Katie.
"And what is that, Zane?"
"Remember those books that were found a while ago that you were trying to read, but found nothing important?"
"Yes, that's because those stupid books have zero words in it."
"I've read the books," Katie says.
The short man looks at her with his dark eyes, "How girl? Did you hear me just say that there were no words in those books?" He looks around the room, "Where's Tony? He'll know what to do. He has read the books."
"Wait, someone else has read the books?" Katie asks, looking confused.
"Yes, his name's Tony. But he would never tell us anything from the books, always saying it wasn't important." Zane says.
"Well, obviously it is important if there's a little girl coming in here, assaulting our guards!" The short man yells
"They assaulted me!" Katie yells back. "Anyway, obviously this Tony dude did lie to you because first off, everything in those books is important. Second...um I don't have a second." I let out a giggle, feeling my whole face turn red.
"I never lied about anything!" A voice says. Startled, I look up and see a tall, very handsome man walking down the stairs, his whole attention on Katie, looking very angry.
Looking back at the short man, I see someone staring at me behind him. Looking there, I see Zane, a slight smile on his face when we make eye contact. I can feel a blush rising to my cheeks, and when I think he's going to look away, he continues to look at me.
"Jenna, you look like you're about to pee yourself," Gabby whispers to me, making me jump.
"Don't startle me like that!" I say, playfully hitting her shoulder.
"What? You were staring at him, and you don't even know the guy!"
"Ok, whatever."
Focusing back on what's going on, I now see the guy who was yelling at Katie from the stairs now stand right in front of her, looking like he's about to beat her.
"You must be the Empress." He hisses at her, his blue eyes glowing.
She holds his gaze, her looking like she's about to do the same thing she did to the guard to him, "Oh, you must be Tony!" She says, grinning.
He towers over her, and everyone else in the room, looking just as intimidating as the guards, but honestly more attractive. "Yeah, I'm Tony. And, these girls must be your squad coming to save the day, eh?"
"Yes, me and my friends are here to save the day because it seems that you chose not to tell people what happens in the books and keep it a secret from your country. So, Tony, why don't you tell us why you chose not to help your country?"
"I couldn't tell them. Trust me, I tried to tell people about what happens in the books, but whenever I'd do that it ends up sounding like a toddler speaking."
"Oh, so now we're insulting innocent toddlers?" Katie screams, hitting Tonys chest.
Seeing Tony's face turn bright red before Katie could hit him again, I take her arms, backing her away from him. "Yeah, let your friend drag you off, little girl. I think the books were wrong. I don't think you should have been the Empress. You're so inexperienced that you can't even handle yourself!" He yells at her.
Now, feeling Katie about to break loose of my hold, I wrap my arms around her shoulders, keeping her in one place. "Butthole! eff you! Eff all of you, you perverted slugs!" She screams, shaking.
Looking up, I can feel her shaking even more against me, feeling like she's about to break down and start sobbing. Finding my voice I ask, "Is there a bathroom we can take her, or somewhere? She isn't feeling well." I say.
In just a second, Zane walks over to us, taking Katie from my arms, "Here, follow me, I know a place." He says.
"No, let me go! I don't want you infected butthole touching me or even laying a frickin finger on me! JENNA!" Katie screams. I look at Zane's surprised face, and take her from his arms, wrapping an arm around her as we begin walking, following Zane.
I help her up the stairs, and through multiple hallways, till we come to a stop.
"Ok, I'll wait for you here, she can wash up in there." He says, pointing towards a room. "Or, both of you guys can wash up, hopefully, there are some clothes in there that might fit, but I'll get rooms for your other friends too. I'll be right back." He says, walking away.
Sighing, I open the door, half dragging Katie in the room, also found another door that leads to the bathroom. "Ok, Katie can you like walk on your own? Please?"
"Yeah." She says, getting up and going to the bathroom, as though the past five minutes didn't happen.
"What...you're just suddenly ok now?" I ask.
"Uh, yeah. I needed to get out of that situation. Tony was about to like...kill me, and I must say I was planning on kneeing him like I did the guard."
I give her a frown, "Gosh, just go wash up. While you're doing that, I'll change."
"Ok." She says, walking into the bathroom.
Going straight for the wardrobe, I look through it, finding plain T-shirts, tank tops, short and jeans.
Finding something in my size, I stair putting on a white tank top with black shorts, hearing the water from the bathroom stop, and Katie walks out, looking a little better than she did before.
"Those are the ugliest clothes I've ever seen." She says, looking through the dresser.
Sighing I walk out of the room, letting her change. When I'm almost out the door, I gasp when I see Zane standing there, about to knock on the door. "Oh, hi." He says, smiling.
I smile back, "Uh, hi." I say, staring into his dark eyes.
I don't know how long it's been, but I feel Katie's hand on my shoulder, "Are you two lovebirds gonna let me change?" She asks.
I look down and let out a cough. "Uh, sorry," Zane says, his British accent very noticeable.
I smile, following Zane back into the hallway, and jumping when Katie slams the door.