Excerpt of The Sixteen by Ali B.

I heard their thundering feet long before they reached my room. Someone blew a whistle. The sound stabbed my ears, and I had to force myself to keep still. My eyes were shut tight. I tried to relax them. I tried to relax all of me, but I couldn’t. I started to get a leg cramp. Lewis didn’t say a word, but I could feel him near me like a vibration. I swear I could hear him breathe. I rolled onto my stomach, hoping I’d have better luck holding still if I lay flat. And then they were there. The guards crashed into my room.

I wanted to run!

“She was trying to escape.” It was Lewis. “I heard a noise and came to check on her and found her trying to break the lock on the window.” I could feel them staring at me. Every muscle in my body was screaming to move, but I fought to keep each and every one absolutely still.