Royal Blood

Chapter Twenty Six

The three of us decide to stay in the camp for another couple of weeks to see how much money we can save up between the three of us. If we can, the plan is then to get another ticket to the Eastern Zone but also still have enough money to buy food when we need it. The money is saving up quite nicely though so it looks like that will be able to happen.

Already it seems that the leaves are beginning to change colour here although it cannot be any later than the beginning of September. Normally, on The Island, it would take another couple of weeks for there to be a noticeable difference in the colour. While I watch the children throughout the day, they begin to play with the falling leaves, raking them into piles and jumping in when they have the chance. I wish I could join in with them.

Growing up in the palace, I never had the opportunity to jump into big piles of leaves and feel them engulf my body. Instead I would have to watch them fall quietly from my bedroom window. I wish I had had the opportunity to have done something like that when I was a child although, when I look at these children and the conditions that they are living in, I do realise how lucky I have been.

The air is cooler now, meaning that some of the money that I have managed to save up has to go towards warmer clothes. I have to be careful when I am getting changed around Katrina and Liliana because if my wig slips off then that could be the end of the game for me. Luckily my wig has remained on my head every time they have both been around but I am dying to take it off and wash my natural hair which has been hidden for so long now.

At the end of the week, we finally have the opportunity to leave the camp. I meet Jasper and Max in the queue to receive our money like I normally would do now and once we have collected it we decide to total up what we have altogether. There is enough for a train ticket each to the Eastern Zone, our last stop on this 'adventure'.

"When shall we go?" Jasper asks once we are out of earshot from everyone. Ever since I told them about where the money comes from, he and Max can't wait to get out of the camp.

"The sooner the better. What is actually keeping us here?" I question.

The next day, we tell Dimitri about the fact that we no longer wish to stay at the camp any longer which then leads to a lot of questions being asked.

"Where else will you go?" he asks us, looking genuinely concerned.

"We are going to get a train back to our original zone and visit some family. We realise that we should never have left them behind." I make up on the spot and hope that Jasper and Max go along with me.

"Hmm... and you miss them Callie?" he asks me.

"Of course I do... how could I not?" I reply back, thinking about the people I have left behind in the palace that I do care about, such as Louis and Crystal.

"Fine, the three of you may go but please remember that you will be welcomed back with open arms at any time." Dimitri says and then wraps his arms around the three of us.

As quickly as we can, we pull out of the hug and out of the camp, with our few belongings slung over our shoulders and the money we have earned in our pockets. It is a bittersweet taste of freedom. All throughout the walk to the train station, I cannot help but feel nervous, wondering if there will be guards checking for identification like they were when we were entering because if so, we still have not got any.

Luckily, when we reach the station, the security seems to be quite lack. There are still guards stood in certain places, watching how people are behaving but there are no identification checks. That works out well for us. Max goes to the ticket stand alone to buy the tickets that will get us to the Eastern Zone while Jasper and I pretend to be browsing through some magazines on a stand.