Bottle of the Ocean #4 by: Maggie Yang and Abby Hulek

Previously in Bottle of the Ocean #3........ Kayla is trying to escape, but The Order of Horror knows she’s trying to escape and are running back to get her. She finds out that her mother has also been captured by The Order of Horror. She has to surrender in three seconds, or else her mother dies. What does she decide to do? Save her mother? Or save herself? Read Bottle of the Ocean #4 to find out what happens next..........

My heart hammered against my chest. Sweat beaded on my forehead. The weight of the choice I would have to make felt as heavy as a 200 pound weight. What do I do? What about my mom? I have to save her!

“2 SECONDS!” The shadow screeched. Her comrades laughed and get their weapons ready. I couldn’t bare to cause my mother’s death! I forgot about everything that I had to do and I tried to surrender. My soul moved to the edge of the tunnel, but my body stayed put. I took that as a good omen meant to save me. I scrambled through the tunnel as fast as I could, trying not to make a sound.

“1 SECOND!” Someone from the Order Of Horror yelled her anger rising. I braced myself for the upcoming disaster. I crawled through the tunnel as fast as I could manage, tripping and falling over my own hands. A smash was heard- It was a mixture of glass shattering, things smashing to the floor, and chains clattering.

“Order of Horror- TO HER MOM!” Voices screeched in the distant and get farther away as time goes on. I curled up into a ball and cried, tears sliding down my cheeks like rain on a window pane. After what seemed like hours, I wiped my tears away and calmed myself down. My brain finally regained control and I started to realize the situation that I was stuck in. My mom is going to die because of me! I’m stuck in a vent! Where am I going? What do I do now?

“Hello?” I asked gently. My voice echoed through the tunnels. I kept crawling, and the top of the tunnel opened up to a higher ceiling. I was able to stand up, though my legs wobbled and threatened to collapse. My only light source had long ago disappeared, so I was trapped with darkness on all sides.

“Hello?” I asked, slightly louder. I listened to my echo, travelling through the tunnel. I started to grow desperate after I realized that I was lost. I sat down, ready to cry again.

“Hello?” A scratchy voice sped through the tunnel toward me. My heart lifted. Was it another shadow? Why did it sound like one?

“Can you hear me?” I asked, afraid that I had only heard a late echo. I smiled when the same voice returned my question.

“Yes! Please help me!” I scrambled back to my feet, hoping to follow the voice.

“Talk to me? I’m coming!” I listened silently.

“Okay! Hi! Hi! Hi! Hi!” I ran toward the sound, using the “Hi!”s as my guide. My hands flew across the walls, helping me feel my way. The voice got louder and louder until it seemed like I was next to it. My eyes were adjusting to the darkness, so I was starting to be able to tell where I was going.

The tunnel stopped at a hard stone wall. To the right, another vent looked into another cell. Except this cell was even more like a prison. It was stone gray and just being in the room drained all your happiness. Not like I was happy or anything. Two boards hung from one wall with straps that connected to the wall. Peeking through the vent was another shadow. This shadow was scrawny and her cloak was torn and ripped in every place imaginable. The shadow had cuts and scars all over her face. Ashes covered her hair making it look gray.

“AAAAHHHHH!” I yelped. “DON’T KILL ME! PLEASE!”

To be continued............