It took many months for everything to go back to semi-normal. The mayor of the town mysteriously disappeared, and at once Collin took the position of mayor, ensuring that all FONS would be treated better than normal. All normal people that were involved with capturing or killing FONs were to be kept in prison, which included Vincent.

My parents and I returned to our home, this time with Desirae. Desirae and I were given lessons by Collin that every single FON had to watch and listen to. I only watched ten minutes of it before I left the room, not wanting to watch a video about how FONs were superior to normal people. Every day, as I promised, I visited Vincent, telling him about the videos. Every week that past, I noticed that Vincent grew weaker and skinnier. I feared that one day he would become too weak to move.

One day, I visited the prison, finding Vincent sitting at a table looking very weak. Immediately, I felt my emotions take over. I embraced him, feeling tears form in my eyes. "You look worse than last week," I said to him.

"This is what I get for hurting everyone," he replied, sounding reluctant to say those words.

I sat beside him and leaned into him. "You don't deserve this, Vincent." He looked away, but I touched his chin and he looked at me before I kissed him. "You don't need to starve yourself."

He hesitated. "I'm…not starving myself," he finally whispered when no one was around. "It's Collin…he's telling those running the prison to not feed me. They haven't given me anything in a month."

"What?" Vincent covered my mouth, quieting me.

"He's trying to…I think he said…'teach me a lesson' about falling in love with you. He's going to do something to you, too…I just don't know what, yet."

I stayed quiet as a guard came walking past. "…No wonder he's trying to put me through these strange videos…if he finds out I'm not watching them…"

"Are your parents or Desirae watching them?"

I had to think about it for a moment. "Only…only my mom and Desi…Dad thinks they're not worth watching…"

Vincent looked around, ensuring no one was eavesdropping. Then, he moved closer, hugging me before whispering, "Those videos are brainwashing them…they're getting all the FONs to follow his orders."

I stayed quiet, thinking about what the love of my life told me. I didn't want to believe it, but everything was making perfect sense. "Desirae has been very quiet around me…And Mom won't even look at me."

"They've been brainwashed…You've got to get through to them, Lucy."

I nodded, before I looked at the time and saw that I had to go home. Hating the fact that I had to leave Vincent, I leaned into him, saying, "I wish I didn't have to leave you…"

He didn't speak for a moment, letting me look at him. He brushed a strand of my hair away and kissed me. "I'll get out eventually…I hope…"

I left the prison, heading home as I thought of the videos Collin was requiring my family to watch. I've got to stop Desirae from watching those videos…Mom will never listen to me, but Desi will, I thought as I hurried home. Maybe Dad can help…

The moment I stepped into the room, I noticed my mother making her way towards me with a very stern look in her eyes. Immediately, I moved back. "Lucia, I forbid you to go see that boy," she said.

I heard every single one of Collin's words through my mother's voice. "Since when've you called me 'Lucia', Mom?" I never meant to have an attitude, but all I could think of was of Collin starving Vincent

"Don't speak to me like that, young lady. If I hear you're going to the prison to see him again, I'll ground you."

I moved toward the stairs to go to my room. "Vincent's not what you think, Mom…"

"He tried to kill you! He's killed all but one of your friends!"

"Vincent wasn't in the right state of mind." Seeing that I wasn't changing her mind, I moved away. "I'm not going to stop seeing Vincent. He needs to see someone outside of that prison."

I moved even further upstairs when my mother grabbed my arm, pulling me towards her. "Lucia Camford, you will not disobey me."

I tried to get out of her grip, but she didn't let go. My father came from the kitchen, hearing the commotion. "Sarah, let Lucy go," he said, distracting her.

Finally, I pulled away from my mother. "You're not my mother, anymore." Without waiting for a response, I hurried upstairs, going to my room to find it without Desirae. I sat down on my bed, thinking of everything Vincent told me and of how thin he had gotten.

After a while, I heard the door open, and I looked, seeing my father coming in. "Lucy, are you all right?"

I hesitated. "Vincent's told me what's been going on…Those videos Collin tried to make us watch, they're brainwashing everyone…"

He sat beside me. "I've noticed."

"And…and Collin's starving him…he's not letting Vincent eat…he hasn't had any food for a month…maybe even longer than that…"

"A month?" My father stayed silent before smiling at me. "I think it's time to get Vincent out of prison."

"How're we going to get him out, Dad?"

"You know the money we were given for surviving?" Every FON that survived the two-year-massacre got a $90,000 reward. "I figured we could combine ours to pay for his bail." After a moment, I smiled and embraced my father in my joy.

My father drove me to the prison and talked to the person in charge of bail. I went to Vincent to tell him the good news. Vincent was sitting in the cafeteria by himself without any food beside him. When he saw me, he stood in surprise as I hurried to his side and embraced him. "L-Lucy…?"

I smiled at him. "You're getting out of here, Vincent…Dad's paying your bail right now."

It took him a moment to understand what I had told him. He then smiled broadly and embraced me, as well. "I owe you and your dad big time for this."

My smile widened as my father came in with a guard who looked very reluctant on releasing Vincent. "Sir, are you sure about releasing him?"

"Yes, I'm very sure," my father replied. He looked and smiled at Vincent, seeing how happy I was with him. "Hey there, Vincent."

Vincent smiled very awkwardly, for the last time they saw each other, Vincent had shot someone. "H-hello, Mr. Camford…I…thank you…for this."

My father's smile widened and softened. "It's not a problem; c'mon, let's get you out of here."

We left the prison, and I sat with Vincent in the back of the car. The entire time, I kept my hand in his, and my smile never left my face. Whenever we came to a stop sign or light, my father would look at us, and I always saw his true smile on his face.

"The main thing to do right now is to get food in your stomach, Vincent," my father said. "Lucy's told me how you weren't fed at all, so you'll have to take it very easy for a while."

"Yes sir," Vincent replied. I smiled some more. "If there's any way I can repay you…"

"As long as Lucy's happy…that's all I want."

I looked at Vincent and smiled, leaning against him. "I'll always be happy with you, Vincent."

He looked at me and smiled, as well, but then something ran into the side of the car, causing my father to swerve off the side of the road. Vincent held onto me until the car came to a complete stop.

The three of us were breathing heavily out of shock and in relief that we were all okay. My father looked back at us and asked, "Are you both all right?"

I looked out the window as Vincent replied, "Y-yeah, I think we're fine." I saw a light gray wolf staring at the car and growling threateningly. I recognized the wolf at once, and my jaw dropped in shock. Vincent looked at me and said, "Lucy?"

"T-that's Desirae…"

My father looked at the wolf. "Collin must know that you're out, Vincent…Both of you stay in here."

He left the car and I did whatever I could to keep myself inside. Vincent held onto me still, knowing that I would be tempted to go out to help my father, but we both heard what sounded like wolves fighting; I was sure that Desirae had attacked my father. In my head, I prayed that no one, not even Desirae, would be hurt afterward.

All of a sudden, I heard a lion's roar, and at once I knew that Collin had arrived. "Become yourselves, both of you," his voice said. Vincent and I stayed quiet. I heard Collin growl. "Jason, what are you doing, releasing a criminal?"

"Vincent's no criminal," my father replied. "He's only a boy that loves my daughter. He doesn't deserve to be in that prison."

Collin growled again. "He's killed hundreds of our kind."

"Our kind? We're not a different species, Collin."

"We're not human, either." There was silence, before Collin commanded, "Make those two come out of the car."

Vincent and I hesitated to move. I then had an idea. "When we get the chance, I'll become a horse, and we'll all get away."

"Will it work?" he asked.

"Maybe…"

Collin growled again. "Come out, now!"

Again, we hesitated before obeying Collin's orders. I saw Desirae standing beside Collin, who had just become himself, and at once my heart ached to go to her. I stood where I was, however, for I knew that if I moved from Vincent, Collin would harm or kill him.

My father hurried to our side and stood in front of us. "Collin, don't…"

"Why not? You have traitors in your hands," the man replied. He looked at Desirae and said, "Get the girl."

I moved closer to Vincent, fearing that Desirae would distract me so that Vincent could be wide open. Also, I was never a fighter, so I feared of hurting my friend. Knowing my dilemma, my father said, "Lucy…do what you need to do. I'll keep Vincent safe."

I looked at Vincent; I still didn't want to move from his side. Instead of moving, I became a horse, as was my plan, and said to Vincent, "Hurry, get on."

As Vincent got on, Desirae became a wolf again and moved to attack. My father also became a wolf and stopped her, pinning her down. "Go, Lucy!"

After a moment's hesitation, I said to Vincent, "Hold on," and I ran off into the forest. Behind me, I heard Collin roar, and through both my fear and my determination to keep Vincent safe, I sped up, praying to find some sort of safe haven to prevent harm to either of us.

Not long after, I began to tire; I breathed heavily, and sweat was appearing as white foam on my body. Noticing, Vincent said, "Lucy, slow down."

Seeing that no one was around, I slowed down, stopping beside a large oak tree. My body shook as I stood there, giving Vincent a chance to get off. Once he was on the ground, I managed to ask, "A-are you all right?"

Vincent looked at me as I continued to breathe heavily, panting almost. "I'm fine. What about you?"

I became myself, but I found myself completely unbalanced. Vincent held me up before gently setting me on the ground. "I-I wasn't going to let them hurt you, Vincent," I said as I caught my breath.

Vincent gently touched my chin, getting me to look at him. He smiled and said, "Thanks, Lucy…" before kissing me.

After a moment, however, a wolf jumped out and attacked Vincent, pinning him to the ground. I jumped, and out of my longing to protect him, I became a wolf, and I pushed it off. The wolf growled at me, before I recognized it and backed closer toward Vincent.

"Leave Vincent alone, Mom," I said.

My mother growled, baring her teeth. "You disobeyed me, Lucia…I told you not to see him anymore!"

Again, I heard every single one of Collin's words through my mother's voice. "I'm not going to do that…" At once, my mother attacked me, and I unwillingly attacked back. However, my mother was much stronger, and she bit me hard, throwing me down to the ground.

"Lucy!" Vincent said as he stood, hurrying to my side. My mother, however, growled at him, getting him to stop.

"Stay away from my daughter," she demanded.

I stood and I quickly stood in between Vincent and my mother. "Vincent's not bad, Mom."

"How do you know? How do you know that he's not planning anything?"

"He's not!" Again, my mother attacked me, this time not giving me a chance to attack back. She bit me in more than one place, and she threw me to the ground again.

"No, Lucy!" Vincent cried again. Not caring about my mother's warning, he ran to my side, seeing that I was hurt. I couldn't get up; my mother had actually broken my leg when she threw me down. It throbbed in pain; nothing I did made it better.

My mother moved to attack Vincent, when another wolf appeared and moved her out of the way. Both wolves fought, before the new wolf pinned my mother down, saying, "Stop, Sarah!"

I looked, seeing that it was my father pinning my mother down. I heard my mother growl again and I struggled to get up, fearing that my mother would hurt him just as she did me.

My father looked at me before looking back at my mother. "Look at what you're doing, Sarah…You attacked your own daughter…You hurt Lucy…"

"She's not my daughter! She's a traitor!" my mother yelled. "Just as you are!"

She got up and ran off, leaving us alone at last. Once he knew it was safe, my father approached us. "Are you all right, Lucy?" he asked.

I tried to get up again. "M-my leg's broken…" I managed to reply.

Vincent looked at me worriedly before looking at my father. "M-Mr. Camford…I…I'm sorry, I…"

"Don't be sorry, Vincent." My father became himself and gently touched my head. "Lucy, can you become yourself?"

After a moment's hesitation, I became myself. It was painful, because of my injured leg, but the pain stopped once I was human. Vincent helped me stand, and once I was able to stand on my own, he embraced me. "Thank goodness," he sighed.

I knew Mom was wrong…Vincent would never plan anything against me, I thought.

My father looked around for any signs of someone following us. "We need to find some place safe. Let's go, before we're found."