She was cornered. No way to escape now. She knew she should have taken the risk earlier, but she let the moment slip right out of her grasp. "You got me, guys. I surrender."

           "Don't you know Jackson Grant shows no mercy?" one of them said looking down at her with his arms crossed.

           "Guys can we just call it a game? I'm getting hungry. And BTW that was a sorry comeback Jack." she replied plainly.

           "We really need to stop playing paintball every weekend. It's getting boring. How about once a month?" Jonathan suggested. The lights in the arena brightened until everyone was in view.  

           "It was all Julie's idea anyway, and she hasn't got a single win!" Jack implied.

           "Well maybe if you didn't play boys against girls! I get Me, Myself, and I. No one else!"

           "You two stop bickering and let's get some lunch." Michael, Jack's older brother, demanded. Finally, Julie and Jack decided to stop one of their never-ending arguments and they all headed to the Mess Hall for lunch.

           After lunch, Julie, Jack, Michael, and Jonathan parted ways for the day. Tomorrow was finals and they hadn't studied all weekend long. The four of them were known to be procrastinators since they were five years old and always got away with it. Now it was starting to affect them.

           The Academy of Advanced Science was the number one school for all high school students around the world with an average 2014 college education. Their students averaged around a 140 IQ score in the year 2034. Julie was held in high places. Her average was 157- an almost perfect IQ score. She was also the only female in the entire program, and the head aerospace student technician. A lot of responsibility. Other than that she was your average teenage girl. She hung out with her friends every weekend and wore her hair in a messy bun during the week. A totally normal, fifteen-year-old girl.

           Recently Julie had nightmares and endless flashbacks about her family before she got taken away. It had almost been a year, she was starting to get used to the restless nights without her little sister right by her side. The Advanced Science students weren't allowed to have any contact with the outside world, Julie's world now was just a jumbled up mess of confusion and frustration. Thankfully she had three good friends helping her through it; they were going through the same breakdowns that she was, and it helped to know that they understood her. Despite all the comfort and reassurance, Julie somehow knew something was wrong and her family was in danger.

           Studying that night was hard without looking at the small picture she hid of her family every five minutes. She snuck it in when they first got there. At curfew (which was usually when Julie went to sleep) Julie couldn't catch a wink of sleep. It may have been the insecure feeling she got every time she laid down on her hard bed that was cut into the wall, or it was the thought of her parents and little sister being harmed.

            Her Quarters were practically her home. She hadn't been in a real bedroom in ages. It was, quite frankly, the latest model, but it smelt like crayons and it stayed around 140° Celsius. What made it ten times worse was it was all white, everything painted white, even her desk. There was a window on the eastern wall. It over-looked everything in Commons- everywhere that students could go, that is. It wasn't much of a view, and Julie wished she could see the real world again- the parks, the normal people, even the busy streets.

           The next morning was rough- Finals. Thankfully Julie got an exceptional score for herself- an over-average score for the school, but that was normal for Julie. Michael stopped Julie on their way out of sixth period, "What happened back there, Julie? You haven't been yourself lately, and it's gotten worse since last night." She had always looked up to him like a big brother. He had broken up countless fights that she and Jack got into, and he had her back ever since all four of them stepped out of the government bus and onto Advanced Science grounds.

           "Nothing. It's nothing. I'm fine." she replied desperate to get rid of him.

           "I've known you since your parents brought you home from the hospital. You never act like this unless something is seriously wrong. You can talk to me. I'm like the big brother you never had. Just start talking, easy," His point was made and it was right. She couldn't fight back now. She looked down at her hands and was silent for what seemed like an eternity. She just wanted him to go away, but she knew he wouldn't. Then he made things worse, "Fine, we'll settle this later, with everyone else. I'm getting everyone together at six tonight, and you are coming. End of discussion." And with that, he walked away and Julie was left alone in the middle of Commons.

           She felt so empty, just like the empty paths of Commons. All the professors were long gone, and everyone else was already back in their Quarters, or at the Mess Hall. Usually, when she was in Commons all she heard was the busy murmuring of students, and the hypnotic sound of their feet hitting the smooth white floor and echoing around the beautiful glass dome that covered the entire facility. Julie had always looked up and dreamt about leaving the wretched place, but it was impossible. The dome wasn't just a dome. It was an electrical field. A deadly electrical field. There was no way of getting out without being fried.

           Great, it's six o'clock. Time to go. No, I can't. I can't let them know that I'm being a baby again. But then again, they've always been at my side. I couldn't let them down now. Ok, I'll go. But just for them.  Julie walked up to the door and stood staring at the bare, gray door trying to decide to open it.

           "You ok Julie?" Jonathan opened the door and startled Julie.

          "Oh, yeah. I'm fine. Just staring at your beautiful, gray door." That was the touch of sarcasm Julie always had when she was stressed.

          "Well whatever is bothering you, you may want to come in." He replied pulling her in by the arm.

          "Hey guys. I'm here, just like you asked me to be Michael. And I'm beginning to regret it more and more every moment." Julie walked into the small room, which was Jack and Michael's Quarters. They were allowed to share because they were brothers.

           Their Quarters were much like Julie's, but there were two beds- one on each side of the room. And the desk was wider in order to fit both of them on one desk. Other than that the room was pretty much identical to Julie's; everything was white, the beds were cut into the wall, and there was a window just like hers.

            A faint siren went off. "What was that?" Julie asked.

           "Shhhhh!!" Jack went over to the window, "Everyone get down!" He yelled and we all huddled together getting ready to brace the impact of whatever was about to hit us.

            There was a long, silent pause, and then an explosion that shook the entire Academy and everyone in it. Everyone passed out within seconds from a gas released when the object hit the dome.

            Julie, Jack, and Michael all woke up tied to separate poles suspended over a deep pit. "Three minutes till elimination." It was a time, and if they didn't find a way to get out, they would be dropped into a never-ending abyss.

            "I'm so sorry guys. I've been so rude lately and I'll never forgive myself," Julie started to cry, "I've been worried about my family, and it looks like I was right." Julie pointed to six pictures on the wall; It was Julie, Opal (Julie's little sister), Julie's parents, Jack, and Michael. "Where's Jonathan? He's not here!"

            "That stupid backstabbing idiot!" Jack yelled and made Julie jump practically out of the ropes that tied her there. She got her arms loose.

            "That's it! Ok, Michael, Jack, slowly pull your arm out of the rope. Now you need to hold the portion of the pole above your head. Get a good grip. Ok, now push out with your shoulders and legs outwards. Yes, it worked!!!" They all got out and swung to the ledge. The got out, but there was no telling where Julie's family was. That was one of the mysteries and heartaches Julie would have to live with for a while.