Chapter 14: My Guilty Escape

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by Mel_Ami

by Mel_Ami

I had no time to mourn. I was constantly being dragged along to work.

I felt numb all over. I would have accepted any punishment except this much work; but I couldn't, for William's sake.

Each day dragged slowly on. My aching body and heart refused to stop working. I supposed the work and the pain kept my mind off of the loss of Colin.

Chad only became more disgusting and nidorous every time I saw him. His ever-growing evil grin could be seen from a mile away. His expanding stench filled the castle.

I was too sad to cry. Too depressed to think. Too tired to care.

I worked all day long. When the light had barely begun to shine, I worked. When the darkness began to coat the blue surface of Neptune, I worked. I worked until every branch on my broken body burned.

Chad made me work harder than every servant in the castle. I was up hours before everyone else. I would scrub empty, cold hallways in chilling silence far too early in the morning. I would mop endless rooms late at night.

Only one thing was on my mind. My precious baby boy. My darling William. My only joy. My last joy. I only got to see him very early in the morning and very late at night. I usually only saw him asleep. You don't know how much it hurt me to not wake him up. I needed to hear his voice. I needed to hug him as tight as I dared. I needed to gaze into his bright eyes. His father's eyes.

I never did get to see those eyes again for a long, long time.

It had been a busy day, like every day. I had washed thousands of dishes and changed hundreds of sheets when I finally saw my chance.

I was scuffling down a narrow hallway, mop in hand, when I saw it.

It was a small window, hardly the size of a Shishin. It was slightly cracked open, bright rays of radiant sunlight pouring through.

Bright rays of freedom.

Blinded by my sudden reckless thoughts, I dropped the mop and raced as fast as I could to the window. Then I skidded to a halt. Bill! What about my precious boy?

I couldn't leave. I wouldn't dare. Would I? Well, apparently I would. And I did. To this very day, I still regret that life-changing decision. I wanted so badly to race to the down the hall to the left, left, right, straight, right and into my room. I would snatch up my son and run back to the waiting window. But no, my plans were spoiled when I heard footsteps from around the corner. Not the regular shuffle-shuffle of the servants' padded slippers, but the heavy, taunting clomp of Chad's massive boots.

Uncontrollable tears filled my eyes as I swiftly ducked out the window, softly shutting it behind me.

Without looking back, I darted out into the field of numerous ships and pods. I ducked into one of the escape pods. I quickly typed in quick codes and tapped neon flashing buttons. A glass dome formed around me as several clicks and beeps were heard.

My heart pounding vigorously as I was shot into space; my destination, unknown.

I was free! After months and months of torture and labor! Free of prisons and pain! Free at last!

"Free!" I said to myself, the word strange and often un-used.

But one thing remained. One large thing. It clung to my thoughts. William.

I felt terrible. Absolutely horrible, and sick to my stomach too. My grin faded fast and I cried and cried.

How could I? How DARE I!? How could I do such a villainous act as this? Abandoning my own child? Words could never explain the guilt I felt. My body shook. My eyes grew wild. My heart throbbed. And that's only the beginning.

The rest of the flight was a blur. I cried myself to sleep and half-woke up now and then.

At last, I awoke with a start. My pod had crashed abruptly into an open field.

At first, I was dizzy. My head pounded and it took me a while to recover from the landing.

I finally got to look around. The sun was blindingly bright. I began to get quite hot as it shone on the metal ship, and I started to panic.

I got the pod open and gratefully accepted wonderful lungfuls of idolized air.

But not familiar air, if that makes sense. Unknown, new air. I breathed it again.

It was kinda gross now. I tasted smoke and garbage. But I was also intrigued, as I often am by new things.

I stood up, my legs barely supporting my weight, and took in my surroundings.

This section was written by Amity