ESCAPE (Discontinued)

Rumors

The air smells like dust and rain. A terrible storm has hit our village and is ripping leaves apart from trees. Survival isn't easy these days, as it may seem... I wonder if the world outside the village is the same as here. It isn't easy living in these conditions. The poor are loitering around others' houses, searching for any type of edible items. I see a man covering a little girl- maybe his daughter- beneath him, his back and coat soaked with water. The king is the fault for this poverty. Each and every one of those homeless people used to work for him. Until they displeased him in a way.

"Can you get me a loaf of bread, dear Maximus?" Mother calls out from the counter. Tonight's dinner is chicken soup with bread. Just like everyday.

I walk towards the cupboard, and swing the handle. A cloud of dust welcomes me. It enters my nose and stings my eyes. I wheeze and gasp and rub my eyeballs, careful not to press too hard.

"We don't have any," I try to say in between sneezes and coughs.

"Would you go and fetch some?"

"On it."

I grab the small pouch filled with silver coins and head out of the door, ready for the rain. Coldness surrounds me as raindrops crash into me. The poor are staring at me with their begging eyes. I'm tempted to help, but I just can't. The castle of the king is visible from here. It stands looming above other busy houses, like it's the leader that controls each and every house. I pass the different stands. People call for me to buy some of their souvenirs. All I do is smile at them, and they look down in disapproval, ready to start yelling at someone different. I walk and walk until I finally reach the bakery. The scent of baked goods enters my nose, and I sniff it deeper gladly. I swing the door open and am welcomed by chatter and glances. Pushing my way into the front of the crowd, I notice the brown wooden floor is glistening. It must have been mopped recently.

"Three loaves of bread, if you may," I say to the employee behind the counter. I show my silver coins and he accepts them willingly, then makes gesturing movements with his hands to the baker by the kitchen. The heat of the ovens are helpful, and I feel warm already. I wait patiently as the bread is being brought to me. The man comes back with a look of pain on his face I realize is from the bread- it's hot. I quickly take hold of them and thank the man, then walk out of the bakery, ignoring the heat of the bread. My brown wool coat is not soaked yet, and I use it to cover the hot bread. I walk quickly this time, trying to avoid the poor and get home quickly. My plan didn't work though. I am stopped by a woman with ragged clothes and dirty hair. Her eyes are gleamy with tears. I notice her hand clutching at her stomach, telling me that starvation is taking over her without having to utter a word.

"Excuse me, miss," I say looking down. I do not like to stare into their eyes, for it makes me weak and tempts me even more to help them. Her sniffling forces me to look up, and I remember the loaves of bread I have hidden beneath my coat. I tear one in half with a single hand for the lady's sake and hand it to her, careful not to uncover it to the now-lessening rain. She smiles at me and I notice a few of her teeth are missing. I shake her hand goodbye and continue walking. All of a sudden she winces and I have to look back. Her hand is shielding part of her skin. My hand involuntarily moves her wrist away from her leg and what I see is something horrifying. Flesh and bone is what my eyes capture, and I try not to gag. Her eyes are glistening with tears again, and this time I can't help but aid her.

"Who did this to you?" I demand.

"The guards," she whispers. "One stabbed me with a spear, and another kicked it deeper." now she's weeping softly, and I feel sympathy.

"I'll be back." I sprint towards my little house a few yards away. Beads of sweat now mingle with the raindrops on my forehead and dive into my eyes. Mud and dirty water splat everywhere as I run. Tire takes over me, but I don't give up. I run just a little slower. After a few seconds, I reach the door to my house and push it open with my shoulder.

"I'm back Mother!" I say. I quickly lay the bread in front of her near the stove and smile, then run to a cupboard and grab a small bottle of alcohol and snatch a roll of bandages in my hand trying not to let her see the alcohol, for she might think I'm up to no good, and head out again.

By the time I get to the alley where I saw the poor lady, she's gone. I frown and look around me. Nothing. I stomp my foot lightly and turn, ready to go back home with an explanation of what I was doing. All this running was for nothing. Sighing, my right foot moves forward then stops abruptly when I see her right in front of my face. I can hear breaths and feel them on my cheek. I gasp slightly from fear, and motion for her to sit down in a corner near one of the stands. She does so and sticks her foot out to me on the ground when she sees my equipment.

"This is gonna burn. Be ready."

"I've been through worse," her voice is raspy, probably from the lack of drinkable water.

I slowly pour drops of alcohol on a small sheet of bandage and press it against her wound. She winces lightly but then smiles at me.

"Thank you young man." Her expression is thankful, grateful. I ask her to keep it pressed to her leg. I push myself up and start moving towards my house, but I am stopped by pointy fingernails.

"Are the rumors true?" the woman asks.

"Rumors?"

"The king is allowing only five to be sent out of this village!" she is grinning and her eyes are shiny.

Sent out of this place. Sent out? No one has tried to get out of the village. Except one person. The guards at the fences surrounding the village killed him- at least that's what I heard. All of a sudden I'm eager. And I'm running as fast as I possibly could towards my mother. Every citizen has been trapped in the area surrounded by fences, and I know I'm not the only one wondering what it is like outside those fences. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and I am desperate to get out. I'm ready to leave.