Ryan finished explaining to Violet how to navigate the tunnels, and the two of them prepared the group to leave.

“What you’re doing,” Violet said, holding back tears she didn’t want Ryan to see, “it’s more than likely a one-way mission. I…”

“I’ll do my best to make sure it isn’t.”

Violet nodded as he pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her. She desperately wanted to tell him how glad she was to have known him, even if it was for just a short time. But she couldn’t find the words. So she just stayed there in his arms until he pulled away.

He mouthed the word “Goodbye” as he walked back to the stairwell.

Violet took and deep breath and turned to the group. “Tunnel’s this way. Follow me.”

The tunnel was dark and damp, and their progress was slow, due to how many were injured and barely conscious. The stronger ones helped the others as they made their way through the twisting underpass.

We have to be getting close, she thought just before she saw it: the ladder that would bring them to the surface. Violet went up first, opened the grate, and checked their surroundings.

All clear. She helped the others up the ladder and closed the grate behind them.

They were on the outskirts of the base. In the distance, she could see the lights from the power plant and the surrounding buildings. Behind her was the hill she and Ryan had descended on their way in.

Looking in the direction of the base, Violet saw sporadic flashes of green light. Ryan was putting up quite a fight. That was her cue. When all the guards were distracted with Ryan, they would have a straight shot to escape.

“Please be careful,” she whispered. Then to the group she shouted, “Okay everyone, run as fast as you can to that hill, and don’t quit until you reach the top.”

[hr]

For the month of October, I’ve joined a writing challenge called Writober. Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, we write something and send it to the entire group.For Writober, I’ll be continuing the series I’ve started about a tough pyro named, Violet Blair.

Need to catch up on the story? You can read earlier Writober posts, or you can read Violet Blair’s entire story.

Violet stared, jaw dropped and eyes wide. On the computer screen were dozens of faces she recognized from her school and neighborhood. They were all operatives sent undercover to watch her.

“You know these people?” Ryan asked.

“Yes, you?”

“Yes. I’ve seen each person at some point. They are everywhere. Their reach seems to be without end.”

“But what do they want?”

Ryan’s fingers flew across the keys. “Look at this. It’s a breakdown of their energy usage. This whole compound is completely self sufficient.”

“Through what? Solar power?”

“No. Fire.”

“I don’t understand. Are they burning wood?”

“We need to go.”

“Where?”

“Down below. Where… where I was held.”

Ryan grabbed her hand and they ran from the room, down the hall, and into a stairwell.

“Do you have this whole placed mapped in your brain?” Violet said.

“Once I determined that I needed to come back one day, I hacked my way into the official blueprints and memorized the layout.”

“We’re not taking the elevators?”

“No, they can stop them. But to save time…”

With the stairs spiraling around the outer edges of the room, it left the entire middle clear. Ryan hopped the rail and sailed through the air, landing gently on his feet at the bottom level. Violet followed right behind him, exhilarated by the free-fall.

The stairwell exit led them to a series of dark hallways lined on either side with double-paned glass windows. Each looked into a small concrete cell, but what was inside sent chills through Violet’s body. Each room held a person, chained by their hands and feet. But their eyes… They were distant and unfeeling, as if there was no one left inside.

As they walked, one cell held a girl about Violet’s age. Orange fire ignited at her hands and quickly spread, covering her body. One she was fully engulfed in flames, she began to scream, louder and louder. The fire started to rise to the ceiling, as if it were being sucked through a vent. When Violet thought she could take no more of the poor girl’s wailing, the screaming stopped with a chilling echo, the fire vanished, and the girl slumped to the floor.

[hr]

For the month of October, I’ve joined a writing challenge called Writober. Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, we write something and send it to the entire group.For Writober, I’ll be continuing the series I’ve started about a tough pyro named, Violet Blair.

Need to catch up on the story? You can read earlier Writober posts, or you can read Violet Blair’s entire story.

Violet readjusted her position on the concrete floor and looked over at Ryan, who didn’t seem nearly as uncomfortable, or as worried, as she was. They were inside a dark, chain cage, under constant surveillance by the guard who found them.

“Why didn’t we use our power when he took us?” Violet whispered. “Then we wouldn’t be trapped in here.”

“We could have. But then he would have alerted the whole base to our presence, everyone would be looking for us, and we’d have to go on the run instead of gathering information.”

“We’re not doing that anyway. We’re stuck.”

“We’re not stuck. Just biding our time.”

“Why are you so at ease?”

“Because there’s nothing to be worried about.”

Violet thought for a moment. “You’ve been here before, haven’t you?”

There was a long pause, and when Ryan finally spoke, he was looking at the ground. “Once, a while back. They had captured me and ran all sorts of tests. They never told me what they were looking for or what would become of me after. The tests were…horrendous… I finally got a lucky break and was able to overpower a guard while he was distracted.

“So I ran. Ran faster than I’ve ever run in my life. That was when they sent the Hunter after me. He was supposed to bring me back, and he almost did. But the trick is to never let him close enough to use his ability on you. I figure he has about a ten foot radius, maybe fifteen. I committed myself to pursuing them, like you. But unlike you, I knew I needed help. That I couldn’t take them down on my own. So I searched for others like me, and that’s when I found you.”

Violet nodded. “I’m sorry you had to go through all that.”

“Yeah…but hey, I got to meet you, so something good came out of it.” He smiled at her and Violet smiled back.

“I’m glad I met you too. Thanks for saving me, by the way.”

“Of course.” Ryan looked past her at the guard sitting outside their cell. “Violet, do you trust me?”

“Yes.”

“Okay, good. Get ready.”

[hr]

For the month of October, I’ve joined a writing challenge called Writober. Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, we write something and send it to the entire group.For Writober, I’ll be continuing the series I’ve started about a tough pyro named, Violet Blair.

Need to catch up on the story? You can read earlier Writober posts, or you can read Violet Blair’s entire story.

The Hunter woke in the middle of the road with the sun shining in his eyes. The girl was gone, but the car was still there with both front doors wide open.

He got to his feet, brushed off his pants, and replaced his hat. Closing his eyes, he inhaled, letting the various aromas fill his nostrils. One of the pyros had used their ability nearby. He could smell it. But unfortunately he would not be able to see the embers until night.

No matter. He didn’t mind waiting. He could track them easily enough, even with their head start. So he walked to the edge of the nearby trees, leaving the car in the road, and waited patiently. While on a hunt, he required neither food nor water. Survival in extreme conditions was apart of his ability. That’s why they called him, The Hunter. A true predator allowed nothing to deter him from his prey.

Except night. Nothing he could do about that.

Dark. He loved the dark. Thrived in it. He could actually see better at night. As darkness spread across the woods, he scoured the area, until finally locating the boy’s embers. Small, green, glowing flecks—like remnants of a dying campfire—were sprinkled along the ground and trees.

And not far ahead, he found both green and indigo. They had been there alright. They went—

Wait.

He sniffed. “Did they really think they could trick me so easily?”

Standing still, he closed his eyes, breathed deep, and did an about face.

They’re fools if they think embers are my only means of tracking.

[hr]

For the month of October, I’ve joined a writing challenge called Writober. Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, we write something and send it to the entire group.For Writober, I’ll be continuing the series I’ve started about a tough pyro named, Violet Blair.

Need to catch up on the story? You can read earlier Writober posts, or you can read Violet Blair’s entire story.