"The tragedy of life is not death ... but what we let die inside of us while we still live."
Adalynn Stanton is accepted into one of the highest competitive schools in her state, the Greenhouse Academy. At first, all she thinks she will have to do...
"Did you lose what won't return? Did you love but never learn? The fire's out but still it burns And no one cares, there's no one there."
~ Flares by The Script
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"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?"
Adalynn jumped out of her skin, staring in shock at a large, bulky security guard who was approaching Jason.
"Oh, haha, exciting day, isn't it?" Jason plastered a fake smile on his face as he turned around. "Go NASA."
"This is a restricted area, sir," the security guard came to a stop near Jason and glowered down at him.
"Oh, of - of course. Um, hold on one sec," Jason dug around in his brief-case and produced a sheet of paper that he presented to the guard. "Here."
Adalynn frowned. What WAS that?
The guard took the paper and took one glance at it before responding, "You should take this to the guest area, only authorised personnel are allowed in there."
"I'm a VIP guest of Mr Brandon Evans, you - you can call him," Jason motioned to the radio attached to the guard's belt.
The guard frowned and glanced at him suspiciously as he unhooked the radio from his belt. At the same time he looked away, Jason seized the opportunity. Lunging forward, he ripped the keycard off of the chain hanging around the guard's neck. He hastily swiped it through a small machine situated next to the door. A light above it flashed green and the door opened.
"Oi!" the guard shouted, grabbing Jason's arm as he attempted to make a break for it. "What do you think you're doing?"
"This is unfair!" Jason shouted, hitting out at the guard. "I'm a VIP guest, I demand that I be allowed admittance ... NOW!"
"I'm gonna have to escort you back to the guest room," the guard told him flatly.
Jason struggled against the officer, but to no avail. The man dragged him over to the lift and pressed a button. The elevator doors opened and the guard and Jason disappeared inside. The lift doors closed with a BING.
Adalynn slowly straightened up from her crouched position, her gaze fixated on the now-open doorway leading towards the restricted area. Something was in there, something that Jason wanted to get too. He might not have been able to get in there, but she definitely could.
Slipping out from behind her hiding place, Adalynn sprinted over to the door and peered cautiously inside. A long dark hallway leading to a room cluttered with computers and machinery met her eyes. Glancing back over her shoulder, Adalynn silently took off, steering straight in the direction of the lighted-up room.
