Secrets in The Ashes

Chapter 6

After being flown to our 'special' prison, our cuffs are removed. We are threatened that if we miss behave we will have them back on. Our collars have been made stronger so they give a stronger shock. Our clothes are old and basically rags. The girls have a ratty dark brown dress with a lighter apron over the top. The boys have 3 quauter length black pants and a cream top. Suspenders hold up their too big pants.

We sit in our small cell in silence. I can feel that everyone is either angry or sad. Usually a mixture of both. I sigh. No one says anything for a long time.

'Close your eyes, close them tight...' Issy sings. Everyone cocks their head and she blushes and stops. I know her song, though. It is her drug.'And tell your fears, good night' I finish, smiling weakly. Issy jerks up with tears in her eyes, a smile covering her face. We continue the rest together;'Dream of far away landsWhere a handsome prince, might take your handsAnd dream that your wishes will come trueAnd always remember, I love you...' We sing. Will comes up behind and wraps his hands around my waist and rocks me. I sigh and lean into him.

In the morning we are let out of our cell. Gunmen surrond us and take us to breakfast. It is a small bowl of sloppy porrige. I refuse to eat anything apart from the berries on the top. Then we are dragged out into a large forest. When we get there I realise that Cleo and Matep are missing, but I don't say anything just in case.

'Chop down trees. The green girl cried so she and her boyfriend are cooking in the kitchen.' a gunmen barks. We nod and are given special axes, which also shock you if you try to power up or if an officer makes it. We split off and I walk into the woods. Soon I see an electrified fence that goes up to the sky. I sigh and decide on tree thick enough for firewood but thin enough for me to chop down by myself.

I swing the axe and it sinks deep into the wood, sending jolts up my arm. I swear and try to dislodge it. When I have, I sigh. I know that it will take ages. After a few more swings I feel as though I am covered in sweat, and decide to have a break. Some tiny birds are singing their pretty songs in the trees. I smile and decide to join them. I whistle a small tune. High, high, low, high, lowwwwwwww. The birds stop and fly aay. I frown and look into the trees, to find two bright green eyes staring back.

It steps forward and I see a red dragon staring back. I am not suprised. It is almost as though Iknew it would come. To my suprise, it talks, in a low rumbling voice.'Young Fire Princess, you have summond me, the Dragon of the Volcanic Flame. I am yours to summon whenever to sing such a song. What do you need, young Princess?' he rumbles, and I am not afraid. Instead, I walk towards his scaled head. He has 2 large horns and 2 smaller ones in between. A frill sprouts from his cheeks and down his back, which leads to a long, winding tail. His large wings and closed up against his back. I crouch down to meet his gaze, and rest my hand on his snout. Smoke pours out and he purrs.'What would you like me to do Fire Princess?' he asks. Princess? Me? Shit. I'm fabulous. Anyway, I think. I don't want to escape without my friends and I don't think I could anyway. My fingers find their way up to my collar.

'Please, Dragon of the Volcanic Flame, disable this. Do not take it off me, just disable it.' I whisper. He nods and takes a step towards me. He opens his wide jaws and I see row after row of sharp, flesh shredding teeth. He jerks forward and closes his mouth around my neck. I don't dare to breath. But in less then a second he backs away.

'It is done.' He rumbles and then dissapers into the woods. I feel safer now that I know that he is protecting me. I let the axe rest in the hole I have cut in the tree, and raise my hands. I grin as I watch them ignite. But I stop the flames at my hands, I don't dare go further. I put out my flames and go back to cutting down the tree. It seems easier. I decide to play along with my collar still being on, but tell the rest of the group what happened.
It is nearly sunset when I am approached by gunmen. The tree falls down as they approach. I suppose that I chose too big a tree. One gunman nods and 5 take the tree while another three escort me. I am taken back to the prison then back to my cell. Once I am inside the door is slammed and I hear them walk off. The collars and thick doors give them confidence that we won't escape. Everyone is already in the cell when I arrive. Will rises and hugs me.

'Geez, you took a while to find.' he smiles. I shrug.

'I just went in deep.' I whisper before we break apart. 'Hey guys, look at this.' I call and they all look over. I beckon them closer and wrap my hands around each other. Then I break them apart and a flame sits in my hand. They each gasp.

'How....?' Cleo gasps. I tell them the story of me summoning the Dragon of the Volcanic Flame. 

'The thing I asked him to do was disable this. I didn't want to escape without you guys.' I smile and they grin.

'Now we know what to do in spare time. How did you know it was that tune?' Mateo grins. I shrug.

'It felt right.' I say. 

The next day, we are sent off in partners because we didn't fell enough trees. I am paired with Issy because water and fire don't mix. I take her to were I was last time and we pick a small tree. We have a two people saw, but we soon tire and decide to take a break. Once again, there are birds singing their songs. But these are different birds. I don't like their songs.

'Aren't they such beautiful singers?' Issy sighs.

'No.' I answer. She looks at me with raised eyebrows.

'But doesn't it just make you want to...' she trails off her eyes wide, 'Sing.' Issy stands and sings a three note tune. It is high pitched and long notes. Soon, water starts spilling into our little patch. Something slithers below the surface. It is a serpent, greyish be with purple fins, large teeth hanging out of his mouth.

'Greetings young Water Princess. I am the Serpent of Drowned Souls and I do as you bid. What do you desire?'