Hooked

Chapter Eighteen

I was scrubbing away at the same stain for the past thirty minutes, and it seemed to only grow in size.

I huffed and threw the sponge to the side. This wouldn't do, if I wanted my head still on my shoulders by the end of the day. No, I had to earn that privilege.

I looked at the other servants who were scrubbing away with a measly, dirty sponge.

"Hey, Lillian," I whispered.

A girl (that was no younger than I) with blonde hair in a ponytail looked up at me with her sparkling, green orbs. "Yes, Madeline?"

I smiled curtly, "Would you be a doll and..."

She sighed, interrupting me, "I guess. But that means I get your dinner roll today."

I nodded as a response, and she scrubbed away the stain I was tackling. She wiped away a trickle of sweat on her forehead when she was done.

"Thanks," I smiled.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm holding you to that dinner roll, though."

"I know..." I said in a disappointed tone.

"Hey, you two!" I heard Rebecca - a girl with raven black hair, bright red, small lips, and stunning red/brown eyes - snap.

We both looked up to see her, paused over another stain.

"Stop chatting your mouths off and get to work!"

We both shut up and obeyed her oh-so-polite suggestion.

When work was done for the day, a bell resounded throughout the whole kingdom, signaling dinner.

We threw our towels over our backs and hefted our pails of water over to the window. We emptied the brown water, and rushed to the dining hall, wanting to fill our deflated stomachs with the inadequate sustenances.

We all stood next to our designated seats and, when the dinner bell rang, we all sat down. Unfortunately, one of the guards that lined the walls thought that someone stepped forward a little too early.

They grabbed her arm and led her away. She didn't fight against them. There was no use. Fighting only made it worse.

I turned back to my food - a black, burnt dinner roll, and plain, cold chicken that was hardly done.

I passed my roll underneath the table to Lillian. She gave a satisfied smile as she felt the brick-hard bread. I left it in her grasp and wiped my hands on my napkin. Then I dug into the chicken ravenously.

I heard the gong sound through the dining hall, ending our pitiful excuse for a meal. I noticed that Lillian snuck my dinner roll into the pocket in her dress.

She was so daring. I would never have the courage to steal anyone's food. Correction - I would never have the stealth or skill to steal food off of another plate.

But Lillian was so different than I. She knew how to be smart while stealing or hiding. She thought ahead. Of all of the possible ways she could be found out. Of all the ways to act like she didn't know what she was doing. But she's never been found out. She's cunning and sneaky and probably my best hope of escaping.

...

Thanks, everyone, for voting and reading! You guys are amazing!
How about this time - as a challenge - you guys get 15 votes on this chapter, and then I will publish the next chapter.
Please leave a comment too, if you want! I absolutely love comments!
~ StarrySkies7