Escape From Antoria

Escape From Antoria part 9

Okies part 9 of Antoria hope you like it.

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Chapter 8

Nate and I rode to the outskirts of the town on Nate's horse, me clutching onto Nate for dear life as we rode into the forest just as Blake had told us. What can I say I've never been on a horse before! The light was beginning to fade as the sun lowered behind the horizon so that the forest began to look dark and ominous as the trees cast oddly shaped shadows that taunted me as we rode past. Can anyone say creepy?

After about half an hour we began to hear people talking and laughing.

"I think we're nearly there. Keep a look out for their guards so we can magic it up, I'd rather not be killed." Nate whispered. What and he thinks I do ?

Nate made the horse slow down so that we were barely moving at all but we must have passed their early warning barrier because a high pitched wail spread throughout the forest and made me clutch my hands over my ears so that I was no longer holding on to Nathan. Bad idea. The horse bucked causing me to topple off backwards onto the damp earth with a thud but Nate being the experienced horseman he is managed to stay on and settle her down. "Shh buttercup" he cooed. Can't believe he more worried about the horse than me, I did just fall very hard and now I have a very sore butt. Jerk.

The sounds of laughter and chatter had disappeared. They were now replaced with panicked cries of men and women. Some men were barking orders and there was the sound of branches snapping as I'm guessing their guards rushed towards us.

"Nate we need to go all mystics Meg now 'cos they're coming and I'd rather not be killed before I lose my virginity so stop saying sweet nothings to the bloody horse and do something 'cos I have no idea how I did it last time!!!" I screeched at Nate. He just shrugged his shoulders like it was nothing and slid of the horse to stand next to me. He held out his hand to me and as I clasped it he pulled me up. I felt a jolt of something, something I've never felt before as his hand wrapped around mine. I felt my mouth drop open in an 'O'. Okay what the hell was that?

The bushes in front of us began to spill out men, 5 men. They all looked at us with anger and hatred in their eyes. One of the taller and burlier men stepped forward and glared at us. "What are you doing here? I f you wish to keep your lives turn around and never come back."

I turned my head to look at Nate. We caught each other's eye and nodded. I then faced the others and repeated the same motions I did when I had created the fire before. I rubbed my hands together and blew through my hands wishing the twigs on the floor between me and Nate and the 5 men would catch on fire. Luckily it seemed to work and the branches immediately set on fire which illuminated the trees around us. The men all looked on with shock which only strengthened when Nate raised his hand and the flaming twigs elevated steadily in the air. I then concentrated on the twigs and willed the fire to die down so that only one small branch was aflame and I grasped the end that had been untouched by fire.

"So you're like us then?" One of the men finally spoke. He was tall about 6 ft 3 and had a slight muscular frame. I raised the branch to get a look at his face. NO WAY!

"Oh My God you're Ryan Carter!" I squealed like a little girl jumping up and down on the spot.

The man looked at me with complete shock and his face visibly paled in the soft glow of the fire.

"How do you know my name?" He asked with a slight shake to his voice.

"I saw you on TV dummy. Soo glad you're alive by the way, when you disappeared from the screens I assumed your character died off. Well that's before I knew it was real and then stupid Blake bring me here and then whaddya know, here you are alive and well." I took a deep breath and smiled brightly at him. His face showed nothing but confusion.

"TV? But how? They don't have TV's in Antoria and everyone else I've met so far has been Antorian. And how would you see me on TV anyways?" I glanced at him to check he wasn't kidding and then my lips formed an 'O'. I forgot he's one of the originals, one of the only surviving member s of the original 'cast'.

I looked around at the trees and saw a camera lodged half way up but facing the opposite direction. I walked up to the tree. "Nate give me a boost." I ordered.

"Why?"

"Just do it." He grudgingly lifted me up so that I was almost level with the tree. I held my hand next to the camera and thought about fire melting the plastic ties that secured it to the tree. God they are such cheap skates couldn't even afford metal. About 10 seconds later the camera fell from the tree into my hands a small antenna sticking out from the back. "Okay you can put me down now."

Nate dropped me unceremoniously onto the floor so that I stumbled a bit. Jerk. "Okay this is what I mean by TV. Ryan you're in another dimension, not another country. And to make it worse ever since you've been here they have filmed every second of it and aired it as a reality TV show back in England except no one knows it's a reality show they think it's all special effects, the magic and stuff." His jaw dropped.

"What a bit like I'm a celebrity and Big Brother?"

"Exactly like that. I mean over one million people saw you kiss Amanda." I said raising my eyebrow. Ryan just blushed and looked sheepishly. "Hey don't worry about it. It was nearly two years ago and she left with that other group remember? Oh and just so you know she was a bit of a bitch and a slut, slept with 5 guys in the other group in the space of a week and then she even got pregnant. Not the best idea for someone on the run."

"What? Amanda a slut?...Pregnant?" He stammered.

"Yea she had a little girl called Rachel or something. Don't worry it's not yours." I then looked at the other 4 men who looked completely lost which matched the expression on Nate's face.

"Okay. Let me simplify this for you all. Back where Ryan and I are from we have this thing called a TV. It's a box that plays moving images and sounds. It's almost like you have people in the box and on every Wednesday at 9 Pm you all appear on this little screen and whatever you have been doing for the past week, is shown to the world. Any questions?"

They all just looked at me dumbstruck. God this is why I never explain anything I just make it worse. "Look we don't have time for this if you haven't noticed we are in a forest and judging by the area and lack of light I'd say that the guards from the King's army will be passing through this area of the forest in about an hour. So please can we move?"At this they all snapped to attention.

The burly leader stepped forward. "Fine but if you try anything you won't live to see the sun rise." God what got his panties in a twist?

About 5 minutes later we came to an edge of a lit clearing. As we emerged from the trees 10 sets of eyes snapped towards us and began to glare at Nate and I. Oh great I feel like I've just been fed to the wolves. Thanks a lot Blake, thanks a lot!

© Katherine Pocock 2009