Sephonia: The Stolen Children

The Sacrifice

Nearly a month passed. Dom had spent several nights going down to the chamber, providing even the smallest bit of food for the girls. Each night he was slipping them a new note, each one with more instructions and ways to get around the camp.

"Okay, I've somehow worked my magic and got the chief to agree to seeing you again. Just like last month. Just don't try to run away again," Dom whispered as he jumped down from the ladder. "This is when our plan needs to take action and you need to be careful. If even the slightest thing goes wrong, we all will...probably die."

Mak nodded at him with wide eyes. She hadn't heard the voices in days now and she was feeling much much better as sleep had come to her once more. "Do you think this will work?" She asked nervously.

Dom shrugged. "It all depends on how sneaky you are!" He smiled, blooping her nose. Mia smiled, seeing her sister happy made her feel better. "So when do we go to him?" Mia questioned. She was confident that this would work and she was eager to start the whole operation.

"He wants to see you tomorrow night after the bonfire," Dom answered her. "Oh yeah, forgot to mention that you're invited to that bonfire....for some odd reason."

The three of them continued planning all throughout the night, chatting and eating cheese and crackers. They were grateful for his friendship and loyalty.

Around midnight, Dom checked his watch, going wide eyed. "Look at the time, got to go!" He shouted, jumping to his feet. "I'll see you then!" He climbed up and out of the hole and just like that, he was gone just as fast as he had come. He was always in a rush, understandably. If he got caught helping them, he'd be killed.

The next night, A man, who was not Dom, came to get them. The shrill creaking of the grate woke the girls up out of a deep sleep. Most of the time they had no idea if it was night or day, no concept of time at all. They just slept when they needed to.

They could hear shouting and screaming and it did not sound good. Mak looked up to realize that Dom was MIA and stared at Mia, terrified. "You're fine. Just go with it." Mia whispered. The man wasn't nearly as nice as their faithful friend. "Get out. Hurry up, immediately," He shouted. His booming voice was enough to spring them into action. They climbed up the ladder, feeling the night air hit their pale faces. Mia looked around, skimming the area for Dom until their eyes fell upon a crowd, screaming and yelling. Both of their stomachs became nauseous.

Dom was on the ground, with blood coming out of every crevice of his face. They were going to beat him to death. He screamed out for mercy as multiple pairs of boots slammed into his body. They shouted, enjoying torturing the man. "Traitor!" One bandit yelled, pummeling him.

The girls could do nothing but watch, paralyzed in fear, as their friend's body went limp and lifeless. The men were completely distracted, all their attention on their dead comrade. The girls knew then that the plan had to work, no matter what.

Mia grabbed Mak's hand, pulling her down to the ground into a crouching position. "We have to do it. We can't wait Mak, we just can't. If we do, we'll die," She cried. Her heart was pounding and her hands trembled as they clasped her sister's. Mak nodded, trying to tear her eyes away from Dom's bleeding body. "You know the plan. So let's go," Mia said eagerly.