AVA'S P.O.VA nagging feeling stabbed at me.Our escape was a little too....effortless. The short hairs on my nape prickled.Something felt wrong.The security level here was supposed to be incredibly high all the time, so how were we escaping so easily?I knew this wasn't a movie, this was real life, and we were balancing on a beam of life and death, but I couldn't help but recall the spy movies I'd seen when I was younger.Security was always someone on the ground, no matter how quiet the place was.Even Rapunzel couldn't escape from her isolated tower so easily. She was caught and almost paid the price.I glanced at Andia, biting my drying lip.No, no, I shook my head.She found the first blueprint so she knew more about the direction than I did. Besides, she wouldn't lead us to our own death.Duh.Pushing the negativity away, I crouched lower as we tiptoed behind a guard juggling a large gun.The entire compound was swathed in darkness save for the first floor, with little bursts of light embedded in the concrete.Slithering through a couple of fake shrubs and behind the other guards, we made it to the long barrier separating us from the rest of the world."Ava, I'll go up first."My feet felt slick in my sneakers, but I folded my fingers into a step stool, steeled my foot behind me, and bent over.Andia carefully stepped in my palms, and thankfully, due to her height and a hard push from me (probably the trepidation), she easily clutched onto the tip of the wall and hauled herself up, leaving one foot down so I could follow.I pulled on her leg and climbed up the cemented barrier on the tips of my toes. My forearms carried my weight as Andia retracted her leg and stumbled to her feet. I surveyed the level part. It was about 30 inches wide, and very solid.Hunching up on my shoulders, I gaped at the dark water surrounding the land.We were on an island. An isolated island.Civilization was probably miles and miles away. A surge of determination shot through my veins, reminding me of the torture of living in this hell.A soft breeze caressed my face. Is this what freedom felt like?I looked down and squinted at the dark waters. The waves swayed calmly, nothing moved beneath the surface, and the sun was still on the horizon.For now, it was as safe as we could get it.I racked my memory, trying to call back the strokes and slashes I'd learned in my swimming classes. Nope, nothing there. Zilch. Maybe if I fell in, I'd remember.Forget it; the most important thing right now was having my back to this wall.My fingers quivered as I gritted my teeth and heaved up on my palms till my waist rose above the wall.Suddenly, an alarm blew from under us, a red light hidden in a connected wood structure blinking at us. I started at the whiny ring, slightly losing my grip and almost slipping off. My elbows banged painfully on the sharp edge.With blood roaring in my ears, I shakily pushed my weight onto my palms to pull a leg over in haste, but a burn zipped down my fingers.My wrist was sprained.Sharp pain smothered my neck from how hard my heart was ruthlessly banging its way out of my chest. I paused to suck in the cool night air despite the sweat collecting under my armpits.Andia had moved forward, staring far off into the distance as I struggled up.Just as I'd managed to lift my knee on edge, Andia reared back, her arms flying back to gather momentum before she threw herself into the air. I gawked, horrified, as she jumped across the expanse. A piercing scream trailed after her as she plunged into the dark water with a distinctive splash.My eyes roved over the surface, hoping she hadn't drowned when she popped up shivering. The pressure on my chest lifted. She was okay. I pushed down again to regain my balance and stand when she called out."I'm s-so sorry Q," her arms moved swiftly as she struggled to stay afloat, her trembling voice almost drowned out by the alarm, "I kn-know how m-much you were looking f-forward to this, but I d-don't think two of-f-f us sh-should go, m-m-maybe one of us sh-sh-should s-stay."What?"I-I know I could help-p, but it'll t-turn out f-for the best, trust m-me."To say I was dumbstruck was an over-understatement. For a second, I couldn't understand her words. I couldn't tell if my mind was playing a trick on me or if I was caught in a haze, but her point became pretty clear when she inhaled a lung full of air and, to my terrified surprise, screamed with all her might.Instantly, the pounding of feet was all I could hear."I'll tr-try t-to c-come back f-for you," she promised before disappearing beneath the water.No.Oh, God.No.This wasn't happening!No!This couldn't be happening.What the hell was she saying?She'd come back for me? Meaning she was leaving me here? To do what? Die?"There she is!"The yell triggered my fight or flight. My chest expanded, struggling to hold onto the air rushing in and out of me.My wooden limbs moved everywhere, and I could barely think straight. Whipping my head around, I scanned the space, stretched one hand over the smooth surface, then hiked one foot high and hoisted up on the cement.I plastered my chest to the wall, and my heart pounded against my ribs so hard it felt like it was bouncing off the wall back into my chest.Adrenaline sharpened my senses, soaking me in a pool of dread yet spurring me on like failure wasn't in sight.I finally moved with precision and speed.It was either I made it over, or I died.Either way, I was well and truly screwed.With a tensed grunt, I pushed forward till my toes pressed right on the thick cement's edge.Then shots rang out.