Shadow Moses [Fransykes]

Chapter 2

My eyes were swollen, my cheeks sticky from all the dried tears and my body was still slightly shaking. My heart was aching, I was barely breathing and I couldn't think. Was this feeling ever going to fade? I hope not because I deserve it. It should've been me.

Hannah was gone. They banished her and it was my fault.

I took a deep breath letting the smell of moisture and soil fill my nose as I leaned onto the cold dungeon wall behind me. Hannah wouldn't want me to think like this, I reminded myself whipping my eyes before a new wave of tears could race down my face. I already ruined my life the same way she ruined hers trying to save mine - by being a heroic bitch. The least I could do now is respect her last wish and find the proof I needed to destroy the government.

I wasn't free anymore, I was a slave. The President made sure to clarify that to me the second his men dragged me to their carriage. He ordered me to pull myself together once, and when I continued crying over my friend he forced me to drink a sedative then threw me into the dungeons as soon as we reached the famous house of the Franceschi's.

However, all the sedative has done was calm down my hysteric crying making me drift into a restless sleep throughout the night. When I woke up I was left numb what made me feel even worse. I wanted to cry, I wanted to scream, I wanted to let it all out until my throat was sore and until I didn't have any more tears to spill, but now I couldn't. It was as if all energy had fled my body leaving me exhausted. 

It wasn't the type of exhaustion I could cure by sleeping, it was the type I knew was here to stay for days, or months - or maybe even forever.

I sighed shutting my eyes and laying on the ground. Cold stone stung my burning cheek, but I didn't care, pain was only reminding me of how alive I was. I couldn't give up, I needed to fight, for Hannah if not for myself.

I forced myself to breath evenly as I waited. Minutes passed, maybe even hours and before I could let myself doze off, I detected a pair of footsteps echoing through the dungeons like a ticking clock in an empty room.

My muscles tensed and until this moment I wasn't even aware how terrified of this whole situation I actually was. The lives of slaves solely depended on their masters and everyone knew The President treated his slaves like dirt. 

My heartbeat sped up making my breathing fall irregular once again as the footsteps got closer to my dungeon. I stood up energy returning to my muscles following the rush of adrenaline I felt as I stared at the metal gratings before me anticipating The Night Assassin or even The President himself. 

However, I wasn't sure if it was a letdown or a relief when a girl shorter than me walked into my view. I stared at her completely caught off guard as she placed her hand on her hip tilting her head to the side glaring at me with a smile full of interest on her face and her thin eyebrows high. Her full cheeks curving into dimples as she smiled shaped her face round and her chocolate brown eyes were full of curiosity as they met mine. Her hair was umber brown and styled to fall over her left shoulder down to her hip while her clothes, although not even close to the glory of the rich folk, were still way too fancy for her to not have a status of some kind.

''What? You've never seen a girl before?'' She gave me a sardonic smile.

I shook my head snapping myself out of the trance. ''Who are you?''

''Wow, watch it. For all you know I could be your master.'' The girl's smile grew. 

''You don't look rich enough to own slaves, so cut the bullshit and tell me who you are.'' I said.

The girl looked down on herself as she chuckled. ''What's wrong with my look?''

I didn't answer her stupid question, I just crossed my arms waiting. My muscles were tense as my heart wildly pounded in my chest making me struggle to keep my breathing steady. I felt like pealing my own skin off my face, but then again I felt like doing it to this girl, The President and his entire family as well.