Mysteries of the Mountain

Part 1: Captured

TEN YEARS LATER

“Keep your friends close but keep your enemies even closer.” --- Anonymous

“Once you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.” --- Sherlock Holmes

“You can run. You can hide. But you can never truly escape who you are inside.” -- Anonymous

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I couldn't believe what was happening to me. Was he seriously forcing me to make this choice? What did he think I would say? No?! When my friend’s lives were at stake and the only way to save them was to... I couldn’t even say the words. They were tangled up on my tongue and I could barely force them out.

Looking at my friend’s frightened expressions from the cages where they were being held captive I turned back to Matthew Khoury to say the few words that would change my life forever.

“Okay. I...I’ll do it.” I said swallowing the fear and despair in my throat. I watched numbly as Matthew grinned at me with triumph but I honestly didn’t care anymore. This was the only way my friends could survive, even if it meant sacrificing my own happiness forever...