My Lily Pad| V. Tewkesbury

04

[IV] A Train Escape

"I can't." The boy said, standing up from the floor. "I'm in hiding." He added while he fold his pocket knife and hide it in his blazer. He started to stand up. He took a seat besides Lily. She moved away from him as much as she can.

"Bit of a to-do. Bribed a porter to put me in this and get me onboard." He said. Lily just looked at him questioning why out of all people in train, she's the one who encountered this weird boy. The boy lets out a sharp inhale. "Very daring." He said, proudly at his sloppy plan.

"Get out of this carriage now." Lily said.

"You're a..." He trailed off, looking at Lily deeply. She can feel him judge how she looks in her attire. "a strange-looking gentleman."

"And you think you look normal?" Lily questioned, raising a brow at the boy in front of her.

He looked back and forth to Lily and the other person. "You're not a boy at all. You two aren't a boy." He concluded.

"I might be a boy." The other said.

"Who are you?" The boy asked.

"What are you?" Lily questioned.

"I'm Viscount Tewkesbury, the Marquess of Basilwether." He introdeces himself, lending his hand for both girls to shake.

Lily found the name familiar. She heard it somewhere at home, not sure when.

"You're a nincompoop." She mumbled, which the other repeated in a more clear manner.

Tewkesbury discards his hand, annoyed, because of the statement the girl made. "I'll have you know, I have just undertaken a particularly daring escape--"

"You have not escaped. There is a man in a brown bowler hat currently on this train searching for you, and once hr finds you, he will think we helped hide you, and we will be endangered by this." She informed him, cutting him off. "Therefore, I ask you to get out of this carriage." She added.

The boy was speechless at the girl's sudden outburst. "You remind me of my uncle." He said. Lily tried her best not to laugh, nor chuckle at his statement. "I've left him at the station... He's bossy too. Left them all: my mother, my grandmother." He said as he stands up from the seat. He put his bag on top of the shelf. "But I'm fine. I'm free."

"Good. Get out of the carriage, then." She said.

"A man in a brown bowler hat?" He said, before opening the door and going out.

The two let out a deep breath. Finally, the peace they had before the boy was restored. Lily went back into reading her book, while the other is looking outside the window.

The door suddenly opened. Lily was caught surprise by it. She closed her books, annoyed at the disturbance.

"He's coming!" He said, panicking.

"Of course." She said, nonchalantly.

"He's checking every carriage." He informed them.

Lily collected her stuffs. "Wonderful." She said, rolling her eyes.

"You have to help me." Tewkesbury said, looking at the two girls with pleading eyes. "He didn't see me." Trying to make the situation better.

"Of course, he did." Lily said, correcting the boy. She knew if she stay at the carriage she will be in trouble. Since, the boy is from a noble family, her cover will be blown and the consequences might be worse. "Therefore, we say good day to you, Viscount Tewkesbury, Marquess of Basilwether." I said before leaving the carriage.

Lily walked out of the carriage. The other girl was following her. Since, they've been together for a long amount of time, she thought it will be a good idea to start a conversation.

"Why are you running away from home?" She asked, slowing her pace.

The girl was caught off guard at Lily's question. "How... how do you know?" She asked back.

"We're basically doing the same. It's just a coincidence, really." She said.

The girl just let it go, not wanting to discuss it outside a private space. They're met with a man in a brown bowler hat, who is walking very fast, hitting the girls' shoulders along his way.

"Is that him?" Lily asked, whispering to the girl. The girl just nodded.

They tried to continue to walk away, but they heard a struggling grunts from inside the carriage. Hoping it will stop, the grunts just continue. The two looked at each other. The started going back to the carriage.

They saw the marquess hanging out of the window. Lily just look at the scene with wide eyes.

"You get the boy, I'll deal with the man." She said. Lily just nodded.

She put her stuffs on the floor before opening the door. She sneak the man's side quietly. The other girl hit the bowler man with a staff. Once he's down, Lily quickly grabbed the arm of the marquess.

The three started running. Lily can feel her heart ready to explode. If her brother finds out about this, he will be very concerned for her.

"Who is that? He was trying to kill me!" He exclaimed. "I'm not ready to die in a train."

"I'm not ready to die at all. I wasn't going to before I met you." She countered back.

"Where are we going?" He asked, panicking.

"I don't know yet. Let me think." She said, shushing the boy.

Soon, they are met with a dead zone. They're stuck, nowhere to go, except to jump off the train.

"Is this truly the best way to come?" He questioned, not liking the idea to jump off the train.

Lily was looking out for the bowler man. She saw him looking through carriages. "Can you think of a better way? He's right behind us." She said.

The three walked at the side of the train. Lily was scared, she die from what they're planning to do.

"Do you trust me?" She asked.

"No!" Tewkesbury said.

"Jesus! Just do it already!" Lily exclaimed.

Right before the man could get to them, Tewkesbury grabbed Lily's hand out of reflex and jumped off the train.

AUTHOR'S NOTE
I know, I have been inactive for the past days, but school is really tiring me out. Here's two chapters to make up for my loss.