Stars Of Our Lives

Now Would Be A Great Time To Be Anybody But Me

The darkness covered me like a wet cloth. 

The more I tried to move, the more I couldn't breathe.

There was shouting, but it sounded like thunder. No words, just noise and pain. I squeezed my eyes shut, fighting nausea and the weight my body had suddenly become. What just happened? Why was everything so dark?

My eyes peeled open, spots dancing in my vision before the view of the stars finally came through - and then a woman's face. Her thin, blonde brows were pulled together in concentration, as if trying to remember where she'd seen me before.

I rolled my head against the asphalt, looking for Krel. For anyone. I saw Steve and Eli first, sitting side by side against a tree with their hands and ankles cuffed. Krel was a few paces to their left, his hands held up as he lowered himself onto his knees. There was a man standing before them, keeping a large rifle pointed at all three boys.

"Who knew?" A woman's voice was going in and out of focus. But it wasn't the woman leaning over me. It was someone else. "We thought we might find a few stragglers, maybe even some runaways. But friends of the Trollhunters? You two will certainly fetch a pretty penny."

That voice . . .

Oh no.

"Speaking of pretty pennies," The woman above me said, making my ears pop. "Come look what I found."

Move! My mind screamed at me. Get up! Run!

But the second I tried, the darkness threatened to pull me back under.

A second woman's face appeared above me. Dark skin. Ginger hair. Red glasses.

"No . . ." I pleaded, writhing away from her. "Not you . . ."

"Oh, yes me," Kubritz laughed, gripping a fist-ful of my hair and yanking me to my feet. By some miracle they stayed under me. "I had a feeling I'd be seeing you again, mutt."

All three boys were staring at me. Whether with horror or shock I don't know.

"Why don't you introduce me to your new friends?" She snickered in my ear. "It's the least you can do after ruining all our fun."

"You . . ." Steve was winded with terror. "You know her?"

"Oh, of course," Kubritz laughed, yanking my hair and forcing my head back. "Who do you think gave her that pretty little beauty mark?"

I gritted my teeth, forcing my eyes to look anywhere but the boys. I had to be strong. I had to take whatever she could throw. Just like I have so many times before.

"You're the Colonel," Krel sounded like he was ready to spit fire.

"Newly promoted," She gave a proud lift of her shoulder, rattling me back and forth. "Thanks to how well I took care of this filthy mutt. Birdie, hold her!" With one move, I was thrown into the woman, her hands latching onto me before I could even fall.

Krel's eyes were seething. "Don't call her a -"

"Shut up!" The man barely gave a warning before slamming the butt of his gun into Krel's shoulder, forcing him flat on the asphalt with a small cry.

"Stop!" I threw myself forward, the woman's long nails digging into my arms like claws. "Stop - I - I'm the one you want. You can have me. I'll go easily, I won't give you trouble. Just let them go."

"Aja, no!" Krel screamed, but the man raised his gun again and he flinched away, falling silent.

Kubritz sauntered towards me, taking her time with each step. She knew I had no where to run. Raising a gloved hand, she brushed the back of her knuckles against my cheek, pushing them under my jaw and forcing me to lift my chin.