The True Sammy Clay

As the Yellow Line continued to roll on to the much anticipated Empire City, Sammy began to run over his sudden burst of fight during the encounter with Ebling. "That was so crazy, why am I now suddenly filled with this courage to fight for something?" thought Sammy as his thoughts raced over what had happened in the warehouse. "I've never gone off like that, where did i find this courage?" Sammy pondered as he soon realized that he fought for his right to be himself, something he had hid from for a long time. 'No more running, I'm gonna myself now, and I'm gonna do it now!"
Joe noticed now that Sammy seemed figity and wanted to say something, "What is it Sammy, you seem kind of on age." Sammy turned to Joe, with tears in his eyes and a nervous look on his face, "I've been living a lie Joe, Rosa, you really don't know me." Sammy said as he started to feel an all to familiar chill of fear and nervousness race down his spine. "I got to tell you all who I really am."

.......I'm Sammy Clay........and............I'm...........................gay.

Joe and Rosa were not sure how to react to this big peice of news. Joe was the first to break this truly akward silence, "Well Sammy, you are still my cousin, and I accept anything you decide for your life." Sammy then felt his fragile exterior crash as he began to weep with happiness, he was finally truthful, and unlike his previous fears, the people around him accepted him as he was. No more lies, no more secrets, only the end of the road, the road to Empire City.

Follow the Yellow Line

Following the information given to them by the strange, little man, the trio was finally back on their journey towards Empire City. Sammy, feeling strength from his defeat of Ebling, now walked with a new found air to his step, holding his chest high. Joe walked with certain quickness, troubled by the time lost due to the unexpected turn of events brought on by Ebling. Rosa had situated herself between the two, feeling comfort from being surrounded by her saviors. She especially enjoyed the closeness to Joe as the three walked together.

Finally, Joe, Sammy, and Rosa descended down the stairs into the subway station. Joe checked each map they passed; searching for a trace of Empire City, but it was nowhere to be found. Joe thought anxiously to himself, "What if Empire City doesn't exist? What if the key, the letter, and Rosa are all coincidences? What if this is all a waste of time, as my family waits, suffering, while I'm off on some wild-goose chase??" Joe's thoughts were interrupted when Sammy walked straight up to the ticket booth and hastily asked for three tickets to Empire City. The ticket man silently pulled three golden tickets from below the counter. Sammy accepted them and when he asked how much he owed, the ticket man replied, "free of charge".

Without hesitation, the three friends hopped on the subway labeled as the yellow line and took their seats. The subway train stopped and went; People boarded and people got off at their designated stops, but Empire City never appeared. Finally, the conductor called for last stop, but still, no Empire City. As the last of the passengers made their way off the subway car, Joe stood up in frustration, "What's going on?! Where's our stop?" With that, the subway train jutted forward, knocking Joe off balance. Over the loudspeaker they heard, "Next stop, Empire City."

An Unexpected Visitor

As I sit in my apartment reading over the paper, I notice that my mirror has suddenly gone blank. I am deeply puzzled and confused, how am I supposed to watch over my friends and make sure they make it here safely? I’ve already seen what has happened with Ebling, however, Sammy proved to be more courageous than he thought himself to be. He is growing faster than he even realizes! I begin to analyze the mirror. I have never had this problem before, and its funny how it stops working when I need it more than ever. 

Suddenly, I hear a knock at the door. Who could it be?  Maybe it is my friends, already! Maybe their subway ride took faster than expected. Oh, how exciting! I quickly walk over to the door; but as I peer through the peephole, I am surprised to see only one man standing there. I open the door slightly and stare out at the stranger. Why, he does look a little like Joe, except he shorter and maybe weighs a bit more than I imagined. Its not how he looked in my mirror; but Hell, that mirror has a tendency to be a tad unrealistic.

“Who are you and what are you here for?”

“My name is Joseph Kavalier! And you see, I found a golden key on the side of the road and someone told me that I was supposed to bring it here”

“I thought you had friends coming with you...?”

“Well...uhm... you see... they had other plans! Yeah, yeah that’s it. Other plans”

As he tells me this, I hear a noise from the other side of my room. Its my mirror! It turned back on again! What a relief. However, to my dismay, I turn to see Joe, Sammy, and Rosa on the screen boarding a subway train headed to my area. What the Hell? Then who is this man? I look him over again. He does look familiar... and that accent... And then it hits me like a ton of bricks. EBLING! I almost begin yelling at him, but then I think of a better idea. What if I just go along with his little game for a while and then defeat him once and for all? Sounds like a mission for the Escapist!

Oh the possiblities

I woke up to find myself lying on the dusty ground, covered in blood. I had no recollection of the events that had just happened. Why was I lying on the ground? Why were there ropes and and knives lying around on the ground? A couple of men that work for me came rushing through the door in a panic. "Sir, they got away," one of the men replied. "What happened, I have no memory of what went on?", I questioned. "Sir, remember you were trying to hold Rosa for ransom to distract Joe Kavalier from the Escapist. Well, when you brought her back here, Joe and Sam came as planned to rescue her. But, that fairy Sam tackled you out of nowhere. You were knocked out for quite some time, and we were waiting for you to wake up to ask you for a back up plan," uttered his worker. I was quite stunned that I could have been outsmarted, especially by such people. I went from a feeling of confusion to uncontrollable anger. Chairs starting flying across the room and books were being kicked everywhere.
That's when I realized that I really needed to step up my game. If those fools actually made it the Escapist, the Nazi's would be stopped, and I would have no one of that. That is when I got the perfect idea! I obviously cannot take all of them, because there are too many to fight compared to just one of me. But, maybe I can outsmart them. The Escapist sent Joe the Golden Key, and is expecting a visit from him any day. Maybe, just maybe, I could beat them there and pose as Joe Kavalier. Then, I would have my very own wish and oh the possibilities. "Don't worry about it, you did your job. I will take care of it from here men," I softly said to the men. I lit up a cigarette and took a deep inhale. "Oh the possibilities...," I smirked.

Rosa and Joe

When Joe and Sam untied me I gave them both huge hugs. I was scared and frightened. I saw Sammy tackle Ebling from the other room. I didn't know who one until about one minute later when Sammy stood up to free Joe. Both of them came over to me to untie me. I gave Sam a hug first and then went over to Joe. And when I hugged Joe I felt warm, warmer than I ever was. I felt as though my heart was melting. "What is this feeling?" I thought. When I realized that we had been standing there and hugging for quite some time I quickly stepped back. Sam starred at us as if to say, "What the heck was that all about?" I'm not even sure what "that" was about. Whatever it was I haven't felt anything similar to that since I was painting. I don't think I would mind feeling that again. How i would like to feel warm again!

Sammy's Finds Some Courage

As Joe and Sammy regained consciousness, they already knew that they were in trouble. They suddenly found themselves surrounded by a group of men, all sporting identical uniforms with the familiar swastika image seen on the German Nazi uniform, with an American flag behind it. These men identified themselves as members of the Aryan-American League, "Ebling's followers" thought Joe as the men seized them and leave them in an abanoned warehouse. Inside Joe and Sammy find a small room where they see Ebling holding a small blade to Rosa'a throat. "Let her go Ebling" yelled Joe angrily. "Oh I don't think that is possible Mr. Kavalier" sneered Ebling as he began to snicker with fanatic ecstacy. "You see, with her death, I know you'll never go to see the Escapist, and with you out of the way, I can make this country in my image, or should I say the Fuhrers."

Joe and Sammy are now just as confused as Rosa was, who is this Escapist that Ebling keeps ranting about, and Sammy himself is horrified as it dawns on him what Ebling's desires are, to eradicate anyone not thought of as "perfect Aryans". He has heard of those choice few that meet the requirements of Germany's perfect race. "If Ebling succeeds, then I will never be safe or exist as a man", thinks Sammy as a strange feeling erupts in his chest, "but what can I do, Im only Sammy Clay, no I can take this guy" Sammy says to himself as he feels a swell of courage erupt throughout his person. Joe is still to nervous about any harm coming to Rosa to notice Samyy's reaction, he is knocked out of his daze as he feels Sammy rush past him to tackle Ebling to the ground. With Ebling knocked out unconscious, The duo proceed to untie Rosa and continue their trip to this much sought out Empire City, maybe this Escapist fella will know how to help them stop Ebling for good.

Where am I?!

What is this place? What happened to me? I'm tied up to some pole in a dirty old building. Oh no! Wheres Joe and Sammy?! Someone help!!!!

As Rosa just starts to wake up a little bit more she begins to remember what had happened. She remembers Ebling; the ugly man. She remembers him trying to grab her and Joe pulling her the opposite way. Then she faintly remembers them walking or was it running away? And then something about getting very tired and then lights out. Now Rosa is here, in this rickety old building scared and cold. She hears a noise from far away. She stands as still as possible. Another noise comes from somewhere else in the building. Now Rosa is terrified. Who or what could it be? Then she hears foot steps coming her way. A face appears and she screams. Its Ebling!

"Hello my dear. How are you? I see you're a little tied up right now." He chuckles to himself. Rosa just stares at him with anger and disgust. "What do you want from me!" Rosa yells. "What do I want! I want Joe and Sammy to be miserable for the rest of their lives! I must stop them from reaching the Escapist!" "Who is the Escapist?" Rosa asks, quivering. "The Escapist? You don't know who the Escapist is?! He is the one you've been looking for is it not?" "I suppose." Rosa says "We weren't sure who we were looking for. We knew our direction. That was about it." "Well now Joe and Sammy are on a different direction trying to find you! They care more about you then their happiness I guess. But they'll realize very quickly that that was the wrong choice. My followers we'll meet up with them any moment and bring them to me. And then I will have the key! And then the Escapist will no longer have any power! I will have it all!! ahhaa!"

Rosa becomes very worried for Joe and Sammy. What will happen to them? What will happen to the Escapist if Ebling has is power?