Let Me Tell You a Secret

Chapter Fourteen

"Okay. Let's go before it gets too dark. Rachel, are you coming with us?"
 
Hiding her overwhelming distress, Arlene started to put her plan into action. The dirty blonde nodded her head in agreement to the question and the two children jumped to their feet, ready to set off.
 
The sky was growing darker by the second, there was no time to waste. Checking their surroundings, Arlene hurried the two children behind the large crate once positive the coast was clear.
 
Squeezing past the small bodies, she approached the hidden hole in the wall first, peeking out and using a finger to pull back the flag slightly. 
 
Good.
 
No one around.
 
Confirming they were safe, the children shimmied through the hole and the three dusted themselves off, Arlene grabbed their hands, dragging them towards the forest.
 
Staring into the thick mass of tree's, Arlene gulped and glanced at the brewing sky growing gloomier by the second.
 
They wouldn't have much time until it was dark.
 
"Come along then, sweethearts."
 
Tugging on their hands, Arlene pulled them into the forest.

As the sky gradually darkened, the forest became alive.
 
A sudden crunching of leaves, the sound of an owl in the branches above, the howling of a distant pack of wolves.
 
If the three weren't already on edge, they certainly were now.
 
"Do you two remember the way back?"
 
Arlene whispered to the two children, her fear heightened by the sudden noises in the dark, expecting the unexpected.
 
The blonde thought it was a stupid question really.
 
The moonlight beamed down on the forest, lighting their surroundings, however all they could see were tree's. How were they to know where they are? 
 
"Yes, mama."
 
Surprised, the blonde glanced at the brunette still hidden within his cloak. The first words he had spoken, confirming the impossible!
 
But, this was the brunette’s home. The forest he played in on a daily basis. Of course he would know it like the back of his hand.
 
The three continued their journey through the woods, growing ever closer to the little house hidden amongst the trees. 
 
"There, we're home."
 
A sigh of relief as the trees parted, opening up for their destination.
 
Suddenly, Arlene's grip tightened on the children's hands and she lunged behind a thick tree, clutching the children to her bosom and making sure they were hidden.
 
"Well, they don't seem to be here."
 
"Mmm, maybe that little Prince's information was wrong."
 
Arlene had fortunately heard an unusual noise from the house and, just as they hid behind the tree, the front door of the cottage opened wide and three strong looking men exited.
 
The realisation dawned on Arlene.
 
The bluenette had been taken home.
 
They had been found.
 
"Ma-!"
 
Peeping round the tree, Arlene clamped a hand over her son's mouth.
 
"Hm? Did you guys hear something?"
 
The three men had come to a stop in the yard and one of them perked his ears at the strange noise.
 
Heavy, ragged breaths tore from Arlene's throat as she prayed they wouldn't be found.
 
The man that had heard the noise started to walk in their direction, suspicious of whatever may be there.
 
The other two men laughed at him.
 
"Ah come on, you're just being paranoid."
 
"Yeah, we're in a forest, of course there would be noises. No need to be such a scaredy cat."
 
Their teasing seemed to do the trick and the suspicious man turned back to them, ready to give them the what for. 
 
A shaky, quiet breath of relief from Arlene, still clutching tightly at the blondes hand and clamping down on her son's mouth.
 
But then the blonde moved. 
 
Scared and nervous, unsure what was going on, she shuffled her feet, trying to get a look at what Arlene was spying on.
 
The crunch of the leaves, the snap of a twig.
 
The three men immediately sprang into defensive positions, drawing the swords hung at their waists.
 
An intimidating aura radiated from them as their swords reflected the moonlight.
 
"Who's there!"
 
They demanded.
 
Arlene closed her eyes and prayed. Her ears on high alert, her breathing unsteady and her grip tightening on the two children.
 
"It might be them! Let's go!"
 
An excited exclamation from one of the men and Arlene knew they were done for.
 
"Come! Run as fast as you can!"
 
Hissing at the children, she grabbed her son's hand and the three appeared from behind the tree.
 
Two cloaked figures and a scrawny figure fled through the forest.
 
"After them!"
 
The three men took off in hot pursuit of the three quickly fleeing figures.
 
Dashing through the forest, Arlene dragged the children with her. Her heart racing and her mind going numb, she felt extremely frustrated with herself as the blonde couldn't keep up with their speed, flailing and crying out every time she stumbled.
 
Her son, fortunately, was keeping up with her speed, yet the three men were hot on their tails and only getting closer to them. 
 
She needed a new plan.
 
They wouldn't be able to outrun the three men for much longer. Especially with the scrawny blonde slowing them down.
 
Arlene suddenly remembered a cave they had wandered past when they journeyed through the woods.
 
She harshly changed their direction, thankfully losing the men behind them, throwing them off course, though Arlene was well aware it wouldn't work for long.
 
They ran through the trees, quickly discovering the cave and huddling inside.
 
Gasping for air, Arlene pulled her son close to her chest, feeling his shoulders heaving as he struggled to catch his breath.
 
Arlene sniffed, tearing down her son's hood and burying her face into the top of his head. Scrunching her eyes shut, a knot formed in her throat and she squeezed her son extremely tight as she attempted to calm herself.
 
"M-mama?"
 
The boy's voice trembled as he held his mother, not quite sure of where their situation left them, why they were running or why his mother was desperately holding onto him.
 
Another sniff and Arlene pulled away, grasping at the brunette's shoulders and staring down at her son, her eyes glistening and lips trembling.
 
"Sweetheart, I want you to listen to me very carefully, okay?"
 
The boy's golden eyes widened at his mother's shaking voice, her fluttering grip and the obvious shine to her gaze. Arlene attempted a reassuring smile.
 
"Those men… they're bad men. And they are going to find us soon."
 
She explained their situation clearly to the boy.
 
"So, sweetheart, I'm going to need you to be brave. I want you…"
 
Arlene glanced at the dirty blonde still gasping and struggling, watching them from a few feet away, the moonlight from the caves entrance barely illuminating them.
 
A thought flashed across her mind.
 
If only I hadn't brought her with us…
 
Shaking the regret from her thoughts, she focused back on her son.
 
"I want you to take Rachel and go back to the city. You remember the way, don't you?"
 
The boy shook his head ferociously, a deep panic settling inside as he refuted his mother, denying what he most obviously knew, a horrid sense of understanding dawning on him.
 
"Mama, what about you?"
 
His hands turning to fists and clutching at his mother's robe, he didn't want to let go, he couldn't let go.
 
"Don't worry about me, sweetheart. I'm going to go out and distract the men."
 
The brunette’s body tensed in fear.
 
"No…"
 
"It's okay sweetie. I'll come find you later."
 
She attempted to reassure her son with a smiling face, then gulped before her features became serious once more.
 
"But if I don't, then you must promise me that you will stay in the city. You cannot come looking for me. It won't be safe."
 
The boy shook his head viciously, refusing to comply with his mother's wishes, his eyes tearing up.
 
"Son, you must promise me! You… you'll need to look after Rachel. You need to look after each other and survive."
 
A gentle curve of her trembling lips and the boy furrowed his brow. Why should he care about the filthy blonde? His mother was far more important than her!
 
Voices could suddenly be heard outside the cave, calling out to each other.
 
Arlene's grip tightened on her son and she spared a glance at the entrance to the cave.
 
Time was running out.
 
"Son, promise me. As soon as you can't hear us anymore, you must run."
 
The brunette couldn't speak, his throat felt dry and stuck, like he'd swallowed something that just wouldn't go down.
 
More muffled voices outside, this time they sounded closer.
 
Another glance at the entrance to the cave and Arlene turned her attention to the blonde.
 
"Take him. Make sure he doesn't come after me and… please… look after him."
 
A sad but pleading smile directed at the blonde who nodded her head. Her street wiles understanding their current circumstances.
 
Arlene turned back to her son for the final time. A tear escaping and silently falling as she gripped him close to her chest once more.
 
"Sweetheart, I'm sorry. But remember, I love you."