Phia's Fragile and Fantastic Fingers || ONC 2023

I'm Right

I'm right. I know I'm right.

But someone tugs my arm. Then someone else. Melissa takes my tablet and looks at it, but doesn't tell me I'm right. She doesn't give me a ship or flight credentials. I'm tugged and badgered until I'm off the table and someone scoops an arm around my shoulders.

I flinch when I realize it's John. I don't want him. I twist and shove and then I'm gone. Out the door. I can't stay there any longer. I gave them the information. Melissa will figure out I'm right and she'll come and get me.

John follows me down the hall. I shake with adrenalin. I found Penelope. I found Penelope. I found Penelope. Over and over again. My fingers scream and fight to be heard. I don't look back and I try not to feel the burning of anger at the leaders, and I try not to feel a creeping sense of shame. 

I couldn't convince them, and I made such a scene. I hate me.

I hate being me. I hate feeling like every inch of my skin is prickling. I hate it all.

I can't out walk John forever. I should go back to the dorms, but Mercy will be there. I have nowhere to escape to. I could leave. I could go out the front doors and walk forever, but there aren't helicopters or jets outside of YEPP that can take me to Penelope. So maybe I should just disappear. 

No. I should save Penelope.

There are jets in the hangar bay.

I'm banned from there.

I head that way anyway.

Save Penelope

                 It's up to you.

        Just beyond those doors.

Save her        You know the coordinates

                                          You are the one.

Save her.                 Save the team.

          Save Penelope.

Savepenelope.savetheteam.

I punch a code into the keypad that I know won't work, then run my card over it, and then I run it over again when it chirps and blinks red. I punch it. Type in my number again. Red. I might rip it off the wall. I have to rip it off the wall.

Save Penelope. My fingers chatter. Loud and certain. I know where Penelope is. I'm going to find her. My fingernails dig into the concrete between the wall and the number panel. I don't care if my fingers start to bleed. I will get into the hangar bay.

I scan my card again. Again. Again. My insides churn with rage. I rip at the wall. I feel heat rising on my cheeks. Worse than everything else, I can feel John coming up behind me and dammit I can feel the tears threatening to spill out of my eyes. He's going to drag me away. I'll never get to Penelope.

Have to get to Penelope.

Save her.Savetheteam. Save penelope.

         You can save her

John reaches past me. I think about shoving him away, but then he runs his card over the scanner.

Beep

Green

My fingers twitch with excitement. I'm frozen in place, cold and numb and elated as the door slides open.

"C'mon," John says gently. He taps my elbow and walks into the hangar bay.

He let me in. . .

There are giant jets, and helicopters, and small two man stealth ships, and it's connected to another outdoor hanger with more planes and more jets and more ways I can get to Penelope.