Imperfect

Part 8

We slept separately. Valencia slept next to Zorah on one bed leaving me alone on the other. As if this suffocating darkness didn't make me feel lonely enough.

I sat up, detaching my body from the rusty bed. I couldn't fall asleep. How could anyone manage sleep in this kind of situation? I just could not bring myself to believe that we would be saved by people we didn't even know.

I pondered on this for what seemed like hours. Thinking and re-thinking, trying to find any shred of hope in Valencia's words. But the only conclusion I could come to was that when the sun peaks it's head over the horizon, that is when we will be sent to our deaths. Nothing in my mind could over come this gruesome fact.

I sat with my knees pressed up agents my chest as my arms wrapped around them, holding them in place. The only thing I could hear was the slow breathing of my sisters, and the occasional thumps and creeks that raddled over head. Suddenly the faint sound of foot steps began to echo throw out the seller.

This was odd. No one was allowed to visit the seller until morning. "It can't be morning already...or is it?" I thought. The seller contained no windows which left us oblivious to the time of day.

The foot steps grew a bit louder in the distance. I slowly began to unbend my legs and place my feet softly on the ground. Making sure to not make a single creek. I stood and made my way to the bars of the seller so that I could listen even closer. The foot steps were becoming louder, then louder, then it seemed as if they were right in front of me. They stopped, and I could no longer here them. I peered off into the thick darkness when suddenly a lantern appeared right in front of me. The shock caused me to stumble backwards, but instead of landing on the ground it felt as if someone had caught me mid fall. It straddled me to where I was about to scream, but a hand quickly made its way over my mouth. "Stay quite." Valencia's voice whispered into my ear.I quickly retracted my scream and silenced my voice.

The lantern, ever so slowly began making its way upward. I could feel Valencia's hand tense around my mouth. The light stopped high above us, revealing a man's face. "The tall man from earlier!" I thought to myself.

Valencia released her grip over my mouth and stood straight up. "Have you come for us?" she said calmly. The man did not reply right away tho It looked as if he was closely examining us. Then the memories of his cold eyes looking threw me flooded back into my mind, sending shivers down my spine. "I said have you come for us?" Valencia repeated adding a bit more depth to her words. "I have." He said. His voice sounding deep and gruff.

"Fantastic!" Valencia cheered. I knew she wanted to glote about how right she was, but befor she could get another word out the tall man interrupted her glee. "We must move quickly and silently. There well not be much time until the guards come." Hes said as he raddled around with the lock.

The rusty door opened sending a soft echo throughout the seller. " Lest move" said the tall man now masked by darkness. I picked up the still sleeping Zorah, laying her head on my shoulder, and made my way with Valencia towards the lantern the tall man held.

How we would escape was still a mystery to me. Even so I strangely felt safe with this tall man. I couldn't understand why but I did. With the warmth of his light guiding our way we would soon break free from this darkness.