The Neutral Leader (Version 2)

Race For Freedom

I turn around and see slave traders slowly picking off part of the group behind me with guns and nets, I make sure my hood is still on it is thankfully I don't have a large target on my back. I turn to look in front of me to look at Jessie and tell him what I see.

"Jessie, the slave traders are already here."

As Jessie shouts I look back to see how many are left of us, I see the exhausted terror on their faces they are just about ready to give up.

"Hey, Jessie where do we go from here. Oh, hello princess."

"Just continue to go straight."

"Shut it."

"Too focused on running?"

"Yes, I just want to get out of here."

"Oh since I didn't tell my name -."

"Just say it."

He chuckles with a grin, content with my frustration. This dude must not have a sense of danger. Lots of people have been caught within a couple of minutes, and we are down to the wire. I can feel myself getting more and more tired and stressed, adrenaline come on keep me going.

"How much farther I don't think I can keep this up any longer."

For some reason, this dude really enjoys watching me struggle with things he is good at and it's making me mad. He is being really snarky and it isn't sitting right with me.

"Really princess I could keep going all day and the name is Luke, hope you remember me."

"Would you just give me a damn break?"

"Dear lord princess, you're ........"

"I'm what?"

"I'm not going to say it again."

We finally reach the wall, I show the guard my tag, and as jog past him he nods in approval. As soon as I make it slow down to a stop and I look behind me to see that there were even fewer that made it right after I did there are six of us including Jessie. There are a few others who aren't far behind them. I look around and see what seemed to be endless fields of grass on my left, which I haven't seen in a couple of years. Just to the right, I saw a lot of farmland, a few small houses, and a few families. I notice a cliff a few yards in front of me and I sat down on an edge of a cliff to take a break from all the jogging I wasn't used to, it was really pretty with the forest in the background.

"It's pretty isn't it?"

"Yeah."

I looked behind me and saw it was Luke behind me he wasn't being snarky this time he had a more somber look to him. Who is this, this isn't the Luke I know whos cheeky, and annoying. 

"To be honest I didn't think you would be able to make it, Astrara."

Excuse me, what?! Mildly offended, did he really just say that, well I mean I guess my legs were probably about to give out from underneath me. That reminds me how did he know my name? 

"How do you know my name?"

"I asked that Jessie guy."

I sigh damn it, Jessie now he knows my name. I was thinking of giving him a fake name, to be honest. I think I'm done talking to him for now I'm tired and need to rest, I lay down and cover my eyes with my left arm to block the sunlight. He sits on my left side, I wonder if he has that stupid goofy grin on his face or not.

"Are you tired?"

"mh."

I wonder what gave it away, not like I'm laying down or anything I let out a slight chuckle. A gust of wind had climbed the side of the cliff and chilled my sore legs it felt really nice. A new voice broke the silence, it was a familiar voice.