The Lessers

Prologue Part 2

Well shit. I was in an Upper Society shed, with guards outside probably still searching for me, and the girl who had saved my life was unconscious in my arms.

Talk about a complicated situation.

Her head was in my lap, so I checked her pulse. It was fine. Her breathing was fine too. Healing me had probably drained the energy from her and she'd fallen into deep sleep. I tried to shake her awake but she didn't even come close to waking up.

Not knowing what to do, I propped her up against the wall next to me and leaned back. Sitting, waiting.

After what felt like hours, I tried my luck again, shaking her. This time her eyes fluttered open and she gasped. I could see the alarm and the confusion in her eyes, but in a few seconds she seemed to remember where she was.

"Thanks for waking me up", she said. She looked up at me. "I'm sorry I couldn't fully heal you... I'm not very good with my powers".

"You did pretty good. It doesn't even hurt anymore, just a dull ache."

She nodded. "Stay here. I'm going to go inside and see if anyone's home. I'll try to bring you back some food".

She got up and brushed the dirt off of herself. Shuffling through one of the boxes, she brandished a thick blue plaid blanket. She tossed it to me, and I mumbled a grateful thank you.

Carefully and making sure not to make any noise, she started to make her way out of the shed.

"Wait." I rasped.

She turned around.

"Whats your name?"

"Alessandra". She replied, softly. "You?"

I studied her. "Seth." I said.

Giving me a curt nod, she opened the door and tried to leave the shed without anyone on the outside noticing.

~~~~~~~~~

A few hours later, I heard footsteps approaching the shed. Hoping against all odds it was Alessandra, I huddled on the floor under the blanket she had given me. When her figure appeared in the doorway, relief flooded over me.

She was dressed differently. Her hair was in a braid and she wore sweats and an oversized hoodie.

"Sorry, I only brought granola bars, a banana, and some beef jerky. Those are the only things I could get without anyone noticing they're gone."

I flashed her a smile. "It's more than enough, trust me. I haven't eaten in days."

Guilt filled her face at not bringing more food.

"Seriously", I touched her arm." This is great."

While I wolfed down the beef jerky, we began to talk.

"So why are you a runaway? What did you do that had the guards chasing you like that?" She said quietly.

"Nothing." I grunted. When I saw the look on her face, I elaborated further. "Alessandra, when you're a Lesser, your supposed to basically be a slave and serve Upper families. But some of us have managed to escape and live apart from the Upper Society. I didn't do anything, except exactly what you just said. Run away."

"Oh."

She looked at me, her big green eyes wide. "I'm sorry. For- For what they did to you. For how it is." She breathed out.

I looked at her, surprised, never having heard an Upper apologize before. "It's not your fault, Alessandra. I owe you, for saving me. You saved my life. I still don't understand why.. But thank you."

We stared at each other for a moment. "Don't thank me yet. Your far from the forest. You should leave tonight so they don't catch you." After a moment, she added, "And call me Lyssa, my friends call me Lyssa."

I grinned at her. "Alright then, friend". The word felt foreign to my tongue and I contemplated the idea of my first friend being an Upper.

She laughed quietly.

We sat there in comfortable silence for a minute, enjoying each other's presence without feeling the need to fill it with words.

Finally, the dreaded moment came.

"I have to get going. What time is it?", I rasped.

"It was 11pm when I left the house. Go. No one should be out at this time, but be careful, just in case".

I nodded, getting up.

"Here", she said, taking off her hoodie. "It's way too big for me, so it should fit you. It'll keep you warm".

I was hesitant, but knowing how cold it would be outside of the cozy shed, and how far I was from the forest and the Lesser refugee camps, I took it. I shrugged it on. "Thank you. For everything", I said to her. "I owe you my life".

She looked down at her feet. "Goodbye, Seth. I hope you make it."

Looking at her face, trying to memorize it, to immortalize this girl in his memories, I spoke my last words to her. "Goodbye, Lyssa".

And then we parted our seperate ways.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hope you liked it!

Love, Ali