Into the Pit

1 - Child's Play

"I know you're in here." his voice ricocheted off the old metal walls of the abandoned warehouse. "You know I am going to find you...." The footsteps halted for a brief moment before he spoke again, "I can hear you breathing."

The young girl clasped both hands over her mouth, trying to steady her breathing. She always had problems controlling her breathing after running, and she had just ran for 3 blocks, trying to get away. She squeezed her sky-blue eyes closed, her light brown brows nearly touching the tops of her cheeks.

The footsteps began to move around again, her pursuer's feet shuffling upon the thick layer of dirt that littered the ground. She bent her head, allowing her golden hair to fall over her pale face, in attempt to crouch lower behind the pile of wooden crates that separated her from her seeker.

The footsteps stopped right on the other side of the pile of crates, she knew he had paused, waiting to hear anything that might give way her position. She sucked in a big breath, painfully willing herself to hold it in attempt to silence her rapid breathing.

Her head began to spin from the lack of oxygen before his feet shuffled through the warehouse away from her hiding spot, fading until they ceased all together. She listened intently for any hint of sound before sucking in a deep but muted breath. She held one eye open, parting her hair to peer out. She waited, one minute... two... three... four.... Until she knew for a fact that she was alone in the abandoned warehouse.

Breathing, she let out a sigh of relief, standing and dusting off her yellow pleated skirt.

"HA!" Someone jumped down from an overhead shelf toward her, his arms outstretched, grabbing ahold of her narrow shoulders.

The young girl yelped in surprise, before falling over under his weight, her wide shocked eyes soon melted away into a fit of giggles.

"I told you I would find you Maddie." Her captor stated, his honey brown almond shaped eyes twinkled mischievously in the dim light.

"You cheated." Maddie retorted, once again standing up and dusting off her skirt once again.

"Did not!" the young boy stood, trying to smooth down his unruly dark brown hair, "I'm just that good."

"You always win." She smiled.

"Yeah," he smiled, "except against Travis Harper." He spat the name like he had just bitten into a bitter fruit.

"Yeah, but Travis REALLY cheats, I saw him. Don't worry about him Zach, cheaters never win when it counts."

Zach shrugged, "I guess."

"It's true! C'mon, let's get going."

Together they walked out the old building and into the cobble streets of Diafthoria.

Diafthoria was a quaint kingdom, small but powerful. The town ran like clockwork, there was a time and place for everything and strict rules that ensured this. The cobblestone streets were clean, lined neatly with modest stone homes and businesses. Everything had to meet the kingdom leaders' expectations at all times, even the tiniest thing out of place could result in disciplinary action.

The kingdom Leaders were strict, but fair. If you took care of them, they took care of you. Everyone knew this of the four leaders. Although no one knew their given names, or if they even had names, it was custom to call each of them "Leader".

The Eldest of the Leaders was a balding man, about the age of 60. The combination of his white hair and his stormy grey eyes made him a force to be reckoned with just from his steely looks alone.