Another Choice

Chapter 1- You'll always have another choice

Haneul was running across the trees in the full darkness, not seeing anything. Sometimes she bumped into a tree, or nearly fell in a root, but nothing was enough to make her stop. Her lungs fet heavy and it burned with every breath she took, and her legs felt numb. Between her fingers, Haneul was holding the necklace she get from her mother when she's dying of the plague. She also remembered her mother's dying wish to always take care of his younger brother, no matter what. Now, she was in Yuan, running from soldiers and at this point she wasn't even sure that she can kept her promoise to take care of her mother.

The light of their torches were coming closer and closer with every passing oment, and panic went through her small body. She was shaking with fear, with the fear of getting caught, or killed, or tortured. She was so scared that tears escaped her eyes, and ran down on her face uncontrollably.

A branch hit her face, causing her to groaning out of pain and shock. Haneul felt something warm on her cold skin, and the realisation that it was blood made her cry even more.She just wanted it to over, to go home and met her little brother. Even though, both of her parent were dead at least her brother survived. He is the only one that kept her alive till now. She wanted her life to be peaceful, but hearng the shouting of the Yuan soldiers behind her made the little girl feel she wont have a chance to see her little brother again.

Suddenly, the forest trees dissapeard, and she found herself under the dark, star-spotted sky. The little light of them was blurred, watching them through tears. Not only the trees disssapeared, but the ground too. Haneul was standing at the edge of a cliff, and as shee looked down, she saw a wide and ddark river in the depth, flowing with rage towards the great mountains.

It was over. There were no way out, she couldn't run further from the soldiers.

They arrived sooner, stepping out of the wood with their burning torches, and glistening swords in their hands, and for a moment everybody was in silence. She was still panting after the long run.

She was counting her choices. There were not much.

Giving up would have meant her death, most likely, after long days, or even weeks of torture and she might get her brother in danger. She clearly remember when the rebels'general threaten her with her brother's life if she failed in doing this mission. But, at this point, if she get caught, she wasn't sure about how much pain she could take, without betraying the members of the rebellion, or the plan.

There was another chance. She looked down from the cliff, her eyes deepened into the dark water of the river, Its surface was sparkling from the stars and the moonlight. She could have jumped down. It would have ended her life, but in this way maybe the general will have mercy to spare her brother's life if she doesn't at least blow up their identities.

Tears flowed from her eyes again, and this time, she was sure that she can't see his littl brother again. She can't hug them or kiss them one more time, before leaving this world behind. She can only hope and pray that her brother's life would be better than hers.

The general of the soldiers stepped a little closer to her, but not close enogh to reach her body. He pointed his swords towars her, and spoke up so calmly, like nothing was wrong.

"Come to me! You have no other choice!"

His deep voice made Haneul shiver, her body were shaking with panic and fear, and her heart felt like it could shatter into pieces at any tim. She pressed th necklace tightly, wishing that would give her enough strength to do what she must. She was wrong. Getting killed was not the way she would end her life.

"You are wrong!'she whispered, mainly to herself, but in the deep silence everybody could hear her."We always have another choice!"

Haneul closed her eyes, and jumped down from the cliff. She didn't opern her eyes, didn't want to see anything, as she was falling through the darkness. The wind made her long hair flow in the air, and it moved just like the flames in the torches.

As she reached the water, coldness and a moment of pain welcomed her. Her body felt numb and she felt that her world fade away.

Up in the cliff, Tal Tal was watching the water, breathing fast, and his hands shaking with anger. He was furious as he never think that this little girl would be bold enough to killed herself. He didn't consider it an option blaming himself that this was his fault.

"Go down!' he ordered the soldiers.'Search for her, look everywhere !"

"General, she is dead! There is no way she could survive this!"said his men, but Tal Tal didn't care.

"If I order you, do as I said!She is dead when I see her body, do you understand?"

"Yes general"'shouted every soldier at the same time, and they quickly dissapeard. Tal Tal looked up to the starry sky, and the emory of Haneul's voice made his heart ache. He didn't know what to wish for...for her be alive, meaning that he has to torture her for the information, or for her to be already dead?