The Orb And The Onslaught {COMPLETE}

Daylight Saving Time

     She braced herself when suddenly the door began to open, the light that poured in was different to the candlelight they usually saw. Was this the day? Was it finally time to be led to their end and ultimately their freedom? She could barely take it, she'd waited for what had to be years in the dark room, caged and suffering.

   Her eyes were trained on the doorway, awaiting the robed men and women who would take them away. The light grew so bright it hurt her eyes but she didn't stop watching the door nor the figures that had begun to enter. 

     To her shock and dismay there were only two of them, for a second she reverted to the thought it was just feeding time. But then she noticed the lack of robes, these figures were dressed strangely. Also, one of them was an oldster and she wept when she faced them. Why was she crying?

    The other figure was a youth, he was standing like he'd seen spirits in front of him. But she couldn't stop wondering what they were doing here, was she hallucinating? Had she finally lost her mind entirely? 

     She watched the figures walking further into the room and she looked behind them to see that nobody else was coming. Where were their captors? Had these people snuck by them? If so, they would be in a lot of trouble and it was likely the ritual would be delayed.

    Another thought was trying to manifest in her mind, but she was too scared to let it form into a fully fledged notion. She had hoped before, sadly it had always ended in her total and crushing disappointment. 

     But the seconds passed and the captors didn't come to stop these strangers. The room was tense as they began to talk quietly to each other, she couldn't catch their words at first. Her cage was set a little further back than the others, and now that she focused she could see the others properly for the first time.

    They were a mixed bag; men, women and children, different ages and skin colours, different sizes but all as thin as she was and all wearing the same threadbare gown. They were her fellow prisoners and the only ones who had shared the same ordeal. Were they feeling the same things she was? Or were they as crazed as they'd sounded in the darkness?

     Most of them had a similar expression of confusion, though some of them weren't in their right minds anymore and once more she questioned if she was. Could it be that they were actually being saved?

   Would they see the outside world again and avoid being sacrificed? Could that be happening? It seemed more and more likely when the oldster moved around the cages; she stopped in front of the two children's cages and she cried out as though in pain. 

     She felt the oldster's pain deep inside and she began to realise these people weren't there just to look at them. They'd found them and they didn't seem about to leave without them. They were going to be saved and as her hopes mounted, more figures came rushing through the door.

   They were also dressed strangely and they shared the same look of horror the other two had had. None of them were the captors however, she realised that a little late, they were the rescue party and she let herself believe it was all really happening. 

     She was going to be freed; she could be herself again, she could eat what she wanted and feel the sun on her face, she could listen to music and dance the way she used to. She could eventually be happy and though none of her thoughts showed in her outward appearance, internally she wanted to jump for joy.

   Her body certainly wouldn't manage such a feat but it was nice to think about as she watched the strangers intently. She was ready to comply with whatever they needed if it meant she would be able to leave the cage and the dark room behind forever.