18 ~17~

Dolion took Prim's hand and lead them up a flight of stairs he noticed when they were searching for Prim before.

"Up here"

They took the stairs two, three at a time.

"Give. Me . The girl!" The girls voice rang through the house making the walls around them tremble and shake. "Hurry you guys!" Benjamin said glancing back over his shoulder.

When Prim looked back the girl was right on their heals. Her face was misshaped and it gave Prim a sickening feeling just looking at it.

"Here it is" Dolion said pushing up a loose ceiling panel and helping Prim up into it.

The air was colder up here. It made Prim's teeth chatter ferociously.

She watched as Dolion pulled himself up onto the roof, then the two of them made sure the girl wouldn't pull him back down again. But she never did. "Do you see her?" Dolion asked Benjamin once he was safely on the roof.

Benjamin looked back down and shook his head.

"But I see you"

Dolion and Benjamin were already blocking Prim before she had even turned around.

"Why won't you just leave us alone?" Benjamin asked.

"Your trying to kill me"

"Well we wouldn't be if you would just leave our world be"

"No one tells me what to do!" The girl growled as she began sprinting toward them.

"Move!" Dolion yelled. But it was too late. The girl's arms were already around Prim's neck strong as iron.

"I gave you a choice dear one" The girl seethed.

"There is always another choice!!" Prim yelled as she tried to brake free. But it was no use.

Eventually she gave up. She was exhausted, in so many ways.

"Partners first..." She whispered.

"No!" Benjamin cried. "Don't you dare!"

"Friends next..."

"What's going on?" Dolion asked.

"And family always" She finished as a single tear fell.

She began using all of her weight to push the girl backward.

Benjamin cursed.

Prim was so close now. She was terrified of falling; But she wasn't scared now. In fact, she was happy. This would mean Benjamin could go home and Dolion could-

Prim gasped as the girl was ripped away from her. When she turned around her blood ran cold and her eyes clouded over with more tears.

The girl was falling...

But so was Benjamin.

He was looking back at her as he fell.

Prim couldn't watched. Two arms held her as she shut her eyes.

But when she opened them again the world was tinted blue. Everyone was frozen in time except for her and Dolion.

When she looked back over the edge Benjamin was frozen in midair.

She was overcome by so many emotions. Shock, sadness, anger...But most of all, guilt.

She felt Dolion's hand on her shoulder.

"Prim...It's not going to save him"

Prim bit her lip to hold back the tears. But it wasn't working.

"I know...But I can't...I just..."

Dolion pulled her to her feet and held her close again. "Do it Prim" He whispered to her.

She began to sob as she loosened her grip on time, She could feel it coming back.

Dolion stroked her hair. "It's ok" He said as he lead her back down into the house. "It's gonna be alright"

But It wasn't alright. Benjamin was the only family she had. And now he was gone. All because of her.

But before they reached the hole people she didn't recognize began climbing out of it. The last of them...The girl.

Prim could tell this was the real girl, there was no mistaking it.

She paused one she saw them. "We saw what had happened" She said. "Prim. I am so sorry"

This made Prim cry even harder. It was as if talking about it made it real. And she couldn't handle the thought of it being real.

"Let's get you home" Said the girl as she drew a silver ring on the ground in front of her.

When Prim turned to Dolion she could see the sadness etched into his features.

He took her hands and pulled her into a tight embrace.

"I'm going to miss you" He whispered against her hair.

"Me too"

Then she turned to the girl, who was still waiting.

"After you" She said.

Prim sighed and took one last look at the world around her. She'd miss it, yes. But she was glad to be going home now.

She stepped into the ring and slowly sank into the grey cobble stone.

And when she opened her eyes she was back in her bedroom. Safe and sound.