ERASED

The cost

Ezra's eyes locked with mine and I shifted my gaze to look at David. He had a soft smile on his face.

"I'm so glad" David pounced towards me and I involuntarily moved my face the other way, avoiding his kiss. He looked at me for a second and then looked down.
"I understand" He said with an almost inaudible voice, squeezing my hand for a moment before letting go.

"I'll get you out of here, baby. I will do it, if it's the last thing I do" He said, taking a step backwards. "Everything will be alright" He walked a few more steps before giving me one last look and turning around to leave.

I remained still, my back rigid and my teeth clenched until I heard the electric door being shut. My eyes shot up to Ezra, who was still looking at me with an intense gaze.

"I have to tell Aris" He said with a cold voice, one that could freeze the Sahara in an instant, I imagined.

"Why?" I asked.

"She ordered me to do it..." He trailed off and I understood. She couldn't know he was lucid, and I figured she would find out about David anyway. I nodded softly.

Ezra looked at me with expectant eyes for a long moment, I almost opened my mouth to ask him what was wrong when he simply turned on his heels and left me. No other words, no other glances and I remained there, trying to ignore the fact that I knew why.

• • • •

I was thinking about methods in which we could take food and supplies with us when the electric door sounded and I heard Ezra's heavy steps walking down the hallway.

"Hey! I was thinking we could make bags out of pillow cases so that we can store food and water. That is unless you can fetch some backpacks from the guards... but that will be risky and shady, they will know we're up to something if they see you, and pillow cases will work just fine. We could tie some ropes on each side and they would do... what do you think?" I started babbling like I was used to do when Ezra showed up. Ezra paced slowly, bringing food with him and placing it on the table.

He didn't say anything. I looked down on my notebook again.

"Oh! I was also gonna ask you if you were able to see which way we should go. Were you able to look out the window?"

I waited.

Silence.

I lifted my eyes towards Ezra, but he was just grabbing some pieces of paper I had left scattered on the table, then placing them neatly on one of the corners.

"Are you okay? Did something happen with Aris?"

"Nothing happened" He said cuttingly. I frowned a bit.

"So then what is it? You're not saying anything. Were you able to see through the wind-"

"What for?" He interrupted as his piercing green eyes rose and sinked on me.

I frowned. "Well, to know which way to go of course!" I said with a confused tone.

"I think it won't be necessary anymore" He said, not looking at me and moving his feet towards the hallway to leave. I stood up from the couch and eyed him.

"What does that even mean?" I asked. He looked at me.

"It means the plan is not necessary anymore" He said as a matter of fact.