The Initiative (A Sleeping Beauty Remix)

BONUS - Eva

Evaline Markos (Age 17)

He'd held me hostage in my hotel room.

I'd gone to a concert out of town with my best friends Selena and Mark. It was an indie pop concert--one my momma hadn't wanted me to go to. But Darren Havart wasn't going to be on tour forever, and it might've been my last chance to see him.

We knew the event would go late, which was why we'd rented a cheap semi-sketchy hotel room not far from the venue.

A few other groups had the same idea. The hotel parking lot had numerous SUVs with sayings like Mrs. Future Darren Havart, or Darren Havart is my savior written in colorful window marker.

The concert ended at 11:30 pm. An hour later, we were back in the hotel room laughing and joking and still high on the after-concert adrenaline.

Pizza Palace, a 24-hour pizza place, was just around the corner. All the adrenaline made for some very hungry high school students. So we ordered one.

Twenty minutes later, there was a knock on the door.

I should've checked. But I'd been high on life and wasn't thinking. So I opened the door.

After the nob turned, he burst into the room. The doorknob jammed into my stomach as the door swung.

"Hands up!" He came in shouting.

A blink. A second. It couldn't have been more, and suddenly instead of warm pizza, I had a cold gun in my face.

The room went from relaxed and fun to chilled, with the sour taste of fear.

Selena and Mark put their hands up. I followed suit.

I was completely and totally out of body. As he ushered us all into a corner. As he had us put our phones on the bed. As he made us use our phone chargers to tie each other's hands.

When we were out of the way, he began pacing. "Come on, come on Tony."

"You don't have to do this," Mark said. His voice shook. "You can let us go. We didn't see anything."

Our captor glanced over and laughed. He couldn't be over 21. Young, he was so young. "Shut up."

"Please, let us go," Selena begged.

I sat there in silence, wondering if the numbness spreading through my limbs was normal.

Our pizza arrived five minutes later. The young gunman checked the peephole in the door--something I should've done. He didn't answer the door.

"Pizza!" The delivery guy called out. "Hello?"

He waited two minutes, then left.

Selena sobbed next to me. I pushed my shoulder into hers, trying to offer comfort.

"What's your name?" Mark asked. His whole frame shook.

The gunman didn't reply. Instead, he hummed, and continued pacing.

I don't know what song it was. Don't even know if it was a song. My ears picked up on it immediately.

And then the worst happened.

The lotus Acemark right above my right breast began a slow burn.

No, no, no, no. This would not be my mate. He would not be my Destined.

But the numbness disappeared, and my body came alive. Tears tracked down my cheeks.

Someone pounded at the door. Three distinct hits.

The gunman opened the door. "Where the hell were you?"

The man who stepped in was older--middle aged. He grunted and threw a black duffel on the bed. "Nevermind. You got the ride ready?"

"It's on its way."

Tony glanced at the clock. He hardly spared us any attention. "We have five minutes. I think the cops sniffed me out."

"And you trailed them here?"

"No, Greg, I'm not an idiot."

Greg. My mate's name was Greg. And he'd just done something illegal.

Three minutes later, Greg glanced at an old phone from his pocket. "Ride's here."

"Good." Now Tony looked at us. "I'm waiting outside. Get rid of them, Greg."

"No, no, no. Please!" Selena cried. Her mascara outlined her tears.

Mark groaned.

I could only laugh in disbelief. Momma told me not to go to this concert. And I didn't listen. She'd also told me sometimes Destined weren't what you wanted them to be.

The world would never be what I wanted it.

Now I would die because of it.

Greg came over. He was a giant compared to us sitting on the floor. He was big and powerful. We were helpless.

He raised the gun at Mark. Right at his forehead.

"Don't," Selena said, "Please."

The gun was so loud. One huge bang that made my ears ring. Mark slumped forward.

Then Greg moved to Selena. And she let out one more sob. Then another bang. Selena jerked.

My turn. I looked him right in the eye before he lined up the gun. If this was how I'd die, I'd go out defiant.

I leaned into the metal pressed into my forehead. And I began to sing.

In the distance, sirens wailed.

Seconds passed.

"Do it," I challenged. "Fucking do it."

He pulled the gun back.

The sirens were louder. From outside, Tony yelled him to hurry up.

Greg stared down at me. I'd never forget the anger and sadness and regret in his dark eyes.

He ran.