Ambush

Chapter 4: The Trial

I sat on the ground with my head in a sack. My eyes were open, but I could see nothing. I didn't make a sound, as I immersed myself in the noises around me. I could make out the dripping of water into an empty metal bucket directly behind me. I felt a 4 inch stick jabbing into my side, but I couldn't reach it. My hands were tightly bound to a pole behind me. My ears were filled with thousands of voices. People close to me were talking, chattering, and fighting. In the distance, I could hear hundreds of terrified screams. Something warm dripped down the side of my face, and my temple had begun to throb an hour ago. I'd been sitting on a rough concrete floor all day. My wrists were raw from trying to escape the overly tight restraints. They burned. Foul stench overwhelmed my nostrils. I ran my fingers along the floor in each direction as far as I could reach. There was nothing. I scraped my bare feet along the floor. It was like the bottom of a cave.

I'd decided not to call for Koda the moment I awoke. I needed to draw as little attention to myself as possible. The deep pit in my chest continued to grow up to my neck, taking with it all my ability to breathe and concentrate. I had to push it down or I'd lose myself entirely. I felt the grime on the ground and how it seeped under my fingernails. I focused on the coolness of the metal pole against my raw wrists and how it cooled my blood as it flowed through my veins. I had to get myself to safety, if not for my own survival, to protect my boys.

Using my feet, I felt the cobble ground as far to each side as I could. There was nothing within reach. I gently wiggled my arms to see how much leeway there was between me and the wrist restraints. Barely enough to move my elbows. My wrists were crossed over one another. I felt the restraints with my finger tips. They were plastic zip ties, not metal cuffs as I'd first thought. I was able to wedge my finger nail in between the plastic bits and yank on the ziptie. My fingernail became stuck in between the plastic pieces and partially ripped my nail from the nailbed. I pushed down, letting out a small yelp and yanked once again. The 1st one fell off, but I made no large movements. I recrossed my wrists in case someone saw my actions. There were people all around but I had no way of seeing who they were or what they were doing. I wedged the 1st ziptie in between the plastic pieces of the second ziptie and ripped. My hands were free. Daring to risk letting anyone know I was free, I lifted the bag off my head slowly and peeked around me. There were people lined up all around me in cages. They stuck their arms out toward me screaming. Some were hysterically injuring themselves against the cell bars at the sight of me. The whole cell block erupted into furious screeching as more people took notice of my actions.

Fearing the ruckus would attract the attention of whoever imprisoned the people, I folded the sack up and stuffed it in my pants, then ran down the corridor. My feet slapped against the cobblestone floor and puddles of mud splashed around my ankles. I ran as far as my feet would take me until I reached the end of the corridor. I could see through several gates in between prison cells. The corridor was a circle. There was no way out except through the gates that led to the screaming. Getting eerily close to the prisoners who lunged for me and reached for me through the cages, I peered through the gates. Rows upon rows of people lined the room in a circle all the way up to the ceiling. They were cheering and pounding their fists. Something colorful was running around in the center of the people on the ground, but I couldn't make out what it was. I turned to retreat, but women on either side of me grabbed my arms. The gate suddenly lifted and I was thrust out into the middle of a gargantuan arena. People surrounded me on all sides. A voice boomed through the arena.

"Welcome! Welcome! To the 1st annual televised bloody olympics! An ordinary person, no magic, no skills, no training..." He mumbled to someone off the microphone then continued "and I'm just getting reports that she's an orphan! Great so no one will miss her."

"Hey! Let's give her some credit. She may just very well surprise us." His partner interjected.

"So you like an underdog?"