𝐃𝐀𝐖𝐍

𝑠𝑖𝑥

∘◦ ☆ ◦∘

𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐘 𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐃 up chaining Lucy, Eustace and I to the side of a sandstone building, next to other prisoners who were shackled further up the wall. The broad iron handcuffs dug into my wrists, rubbing them raw and turning the skin a slight shade of pink.

Sighing in defeat, I slid down the wall to a sitting position, with my knees held up to my chest. Lucy followed my example and soon after, so did Eustace, all of us gloomily watching the people around us muddle on with their day while we sat next to each other.

I watched as women with children walked past, the mothers guiding their kids away from us like we were disgusting, the scared looks from the children and the distasteful looks from the parents proved it so.

I followed a couple down the street with my eyes. Two kids were following behind them, one not having the same features as the rest of the family. A young girl and a boy about my age. I watched how they interacted with each other, the boy, very gently, pushed a piece of hair behind the girls' ear, which the girl reacted with a blush and a bright smile.

"They remind me of you and Edmund," Lucy spoke tenderly like she was remembering a meaningful memory, obviously noticing who I was watching.

Turning to Lucy I softly shook my head in humour, "I don't really know him like that."

There was a short pause before Lucy spoke again, gazing out at the couple, "He always talks about you when he comes home from school, how your accent is music to his ears, even though you've never really had a lengthy conversation," Turning to face me, she gave me a reassuring smile at my nervous look, "He wants to know you like that."

Looking down at my lap, I whispered, "I've always wanted to love someone."

There was another long pause before Lucy spoke again, looking at me with admiration, "I've always wanted someone to love me; to be pretty."

"Lucy, you're beautiful, I told you this before," I spoke softly, resting my hand on her knee, the handcuff chains clanking quietly, "You'll find someone perfect, just don't settle for someone less than what you deserve."

Leaning her head on my shoulder, she whispered, "I'm glad my brother chose you."

Suddenly a cart full of people trapped inside by metal bars came rushing through the street, a man with dark hair and a little girl chased after the cart, reaching out to a woman whose arm was extended towards them.

"Mummy! Mummy!"

The cart turned a corner and out of sight, the man and little girl slowing to a stop, sighed in defeat.

Moments later, the same people came back into sight, down by the dock, and were loaded onto a boat, being sent adrift towards the horizon. The sky darkened, slowly expanding towards the boat, a green mist swirling around them in tendrils until the boat could not be seen, the people inside cried in fear and held onto one another.

The sky lightened back to the bright sunlight of day, showing that the boat had vanished.

✧

After a while, when the sun was slowly hiding behind the buildings and it was starting to get cooler, a crowd started to form around a lifted podium, talking amongst themselves, almost in anticipation.

A man holding a large ring of keys advanced towards us, smiling a wicked grin directly at me. His key ring made noise as he walked, the brass hitting itself in almost a discrete warning.

Tapping Lucy on the shoulder, she looked up and saw the same man, grabbing onto my hand. When he finally made his way over, he forcefully gripped my arm to present the shackles, making me let go of Lucy's hand. He unhooked me from the wall quickly and yanked me to my feet so fast that I stumbled forward a little.