I race out of the woodshop in a panic.
Not Wind. They couldn't have taken her. If they did, I had to find her.

I'm shaking. I can't breath. I don't know what to do. If I don't find her I feel like I'll die.

I keep running. The clouds have covered the light so it's almost impossible to see.
I run past a small cluster of trees and stop.

A group of Enforcers are standing together a few feet away.

They're shouting at each other and are clearly furious. The wind has picked up and I can barely hear what they're saying.

Something grabs my arm. It pulls me into the trees. I fall onto the snow and struggle with whoever has my arm.

A hand covers my mouth. Another wraps around me pinning me down.

I freeze as an Enforcer comes by. He shines his flashlight and scans the trees.

The wind is blowing snow everywhere. He wouldn't be able to see me, or my captor.

I turn and glance at who it is and my stomach drops.

Wind.

She's bleeding from a wound on her cheek. Her hair is a tangled mess and her eyes are flooded with fear.

We wait as the Enforcer finishes his search and then leaves.
Wind releases me and I take her into my arms.

I want to ask her what happened, but I know that now is not the time.
I take her hand and pull her to her feet. I squeeze her hand.

"Are you ready?"
She squeezes back.
Yes.

I hold her hand tight.
We turn around and run.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Snow blinds us and flies through the air.
We can't see but I know where we are.

If we keep going straight we can reach the sea.
I still have my bag and Wind's hand. We don't stop running.

Then I hear a shout.
They found us.

A beam of light shines on us briefly. The sound of Enforcer's shouting fills me with terror.
We have to keep going. We're almost there.

More light floods the dark.
I catch a glimpse of the ice that covers the sea.

We can make it.

A loud bang fills the air. It startles me and I trip, bringing Wind down with me.

I realize that the noise was a gun.
They're shooting at us.

I pull Wind up and keep running. We don't have much time.
Another shot rings out.
They could hit us at any moment.

We make it down the hill and approach the sea. The ice getting closer and closer.

We reach it as another gun is fired.
We run onto the ice, which is covered in snow and easy to run on.

The Enforcers keep coming, one fires again.
I doubt that they'll come on the ice.

And I'm right. They don't follow.
I stop. They look over the ice for a moment, and then they leave.
I can't belive it. We made it. We're safe.

I turn and smile at Wind.
"We made it." I tell her.

She doesn't respond. She looks at me, her face pale.

Then I watch in horror as she falls to the ground. I race to her side and behold a terrible sight.

Blood is pouring out of her stomach. Her hand is clutched against it, trying to stop the flow.

She's been shot.