The Lioness: Change

Tree's POV

written by yinqiisnotbasic

Unlawful imprisonment is strictly prohibited.

-- from Economic and Public Affairs

~*~

I stretched open my heavy eyelids.

And blinked.

Everything was so blurry...

I attempted to rub my eyes.

However, something was tied to my wrists.

I was dangling. My hands and legs were tied onto a large frame-like machine. The coarse rope was so tight that my hands and legs were starting to turn violet. I grunted as I struggled. The pain was piercing through my head. It was almost unbearable. A drop of blood rolled down my forehead and onto the silver-coloured floor. My head was bleeding.

I remembered that I tried to run away from Lawrence's 'boss' (I think?). Who's that? Professor Harris? However, his rough hands slapped me shoulder, just like when John Canty grabbed the arm of the prince. He placed his hands on my arms so hard that it aches so bad right now. Then, he carried me inside the palace-like mansion.

Inside were machines churning and trembling. Gooey liquids were bubbling inside test tubes and conical flasks. The cupboard of Bunsen burners looked quite astonishing. Then, I was taken into a small stuffy room.

Professor Harris stuffed an ink pen into my palm, then pulled a sheet of A4 paper from a printer near the desk.

"What do you want?" I trembled in fear, feeling like I wanted to faint.

"Write a letter to your dear friends," Harris replied. "Tell them that you will be studying abroad."

"What are you talking about?" I questioned, still pretending to be innocent, puzzled.

"I know eho you are, young lad, Dianne's friend, perhaps," Harris croaked, cunningly.

I had no way denying. Two things: I am Dianne's friend and he was Dianne's stepfather.

Dear Dianne,

I am sorry to tell you guys that I wil be studying abroed. Please tell the others about it, oK? Thank you. Please give my best ragards to Analisa, Thorin, Trafalgar, Francis and Gillian.

Yours,

Tree Alders.

At least that was what I remembered I had written, but I gave them a clue about where I was as I put a few spelling mistakes into the letter.

It spelled 'lake'.

Everything was so vague in my mind after that. I only remembered the Harris shoved some kinda 'fainting' medicine into my mouth and clasped his humongous palm over my lips. Then, I passed out. Everything turned pitch black.

I found a great clue. But I needed to get out of this place first.

No doubt, this is the secret Dianne is hiding from us. I just knew it!