Leaving the End (Caitlin)

The rescue came as a shock to me. Ordinarily, I would have had a meltdown or refused to do anything, but I was finally free. I had no idea where I was going, but I was finally free. Steve found the portal and, as I followed him, I hesitated.
         "Are you coming?" He waited for me at the portal. The portal was made of End stone and an unidentifiable cyan material. Eyes of Ender lay in each slot and a starry night in the center led to the horrible realm.  I was told that if I were to step through I would disintegrate. Not knowing if that was true, I tried to voice my concerns, but it came out like this:
         "I'm scared."  I began to cry out of fear and frustration. Steve reached his hand out, but I pushed it away. It felt like an attack, though I was almost certain he had no intentions to harm me. I looked around at the desolate landscape of white stone and obsidian. I desperately wanted to leave this place, yet it was the only "home" I ever knew.
         "Don't be." Steve reached out his hand. I grasped it and, as if he were transferring his courage to me, I felt a surge of bravery. I stepped through the portal with him. Portal travel feels like stepping through a thin layer of air into another realm.

We emerged in a stronghold. It was a large stone room with iron bars for windows. Some of the stone cracked and leaked. Water dripped on my head like little bullets. It hurt. Steve didn't seem to mind. He carried the dragon's egg like a trophy. Upon exiting, we emerged in a desert. While some would see this as the happy ending, it was only the beginning of a longer, more treacherous journey.