Frozen

Chapter 31

I open my eyes and and inhale all the air I can as I shoot out of bed. I'm starting to hyperventilate as tears rush down my face. I place both my hands behind my neck and put my arms beside my ears. I bend my legs towards me and duck my head in between them.

I can hear screaming and cries for help outside the door. There are people shooting their guns right now. I can't defend myself. I'm going to die right now. Someone in all black is going to walk in and shoot me. 

They probably already killed Dominic and Grayson. They are bleeding out somewhere in this building. 

I need to hide. I can hide under this bed. Quickly, I jump off and slide under the bed. I curl up and place my hands on my ears to block out the screaming happening outside my door. I shut my eyes and try to control my breathing. 

I'm going to die here. 

I can hear someone quietly calling out my name. 

"Danielle.... Danielle... Danielle," someone says. The sound of gun shots over power that person's voice. I remain in my curled position. 

"Danielle!" The person shakes me.

I gasp and look up. I see Ethan lying next to me beside the bed. Everything goes silent. 

"Shooting," I whisper. 

"What?" He responds. 

"There was a shooting. It just stopped," I say looking around the sides of the bed from where I am lying. "You need to hide." 

"There is no shooting Danielle," he says back. 

I look at him with wide eyes and anger. 

"Did you not hear all those gun shots," I whisper. "There were people screaming and-"

"Danielle," he says softly cutting me off. "I think you're hallucinating." 

I continue to look at him but now with confusion. How could I imagine all of that? 

"Grayson had a nightmare too," Ethan says. "It was probably just as bad as yours." 

"He is going to die," I whisper to Ethan looking him dead in the eye. "They are all dead because of me and Grayson is next." 

"He is alive Danielle. I visited him yesterday." 

"It doesn't matter if he is breathing, H.O.P.E will get him and kill him next."

"You just had a nightmare and you need to remember where you are. Here, let me help you up." 

Ethan sticks his hand out to me and I look at it.  He is working for H.O.P.E, how can I trust him? I tug away from Ethan and stay under the bed.

"I know you trust Grayson," he whispers to me. "You told me yesterday that Grayson loves me which means he must have told me some things about myself. From what he told you, you have to trust me.... at least a little bit." 

He sticks his hand out again. I do remember Grayson worrying about Ethan and he did care for him. They are twins, Ethan can't harm his twin. 

I look at Ethan's hand. I stick mine out to grab his... 

... but my hand goes through his. 

I look at Ethan's eyes, but he is gone. 

He was never here. 

I hallucinated the gun shots, the screaming, and Ethan.

I pull myself out of the bottom of my bed and sit up. I take a few breathers. My heart is beating so fast but I can't let this stop me. I pull myself up onto my feet and look over at the clock. 

4:00am 

It's only 4 am? How? 

I walk over to the door and open it. I walk onto the hall and no one is walking around. Everyone must be sleeping, living properly, not worrying about anything. 

I can't fall back asleep. I won't allow myself to. 

If everyone is sleeping I can go back to Grayson. This time no one will be able to stop me since everyone has to be off duty. 

I have a chance this time.