Imperfect

Part 9

I knew we had only been walking for a few minutes, but it felt like hours. Making sure not to make any loud noises as we walked, holding our breaths as to not release our voices when passing doors, latching on to one another to stick close in the darkness. All these little tedious acts sent my heart racing, only putting more fear inside me.

We finally came to a stop. Tho it was dark a small glimmer of light shined through the cracks above head. The tall man raised the lantern up to the cracks and switched it on, and off again. There where two soft knocks from above, followed by a flicker of light. "Stand back" The tall man said to us with an outstretched arm pushing us backwards.

When I looked up I could see the rocks above us beginning to be pulled up. The moon was now visible to me. How wonderful it was to finally feel the night's breeze and to smell fresh air again.

My joyous reunion was cut short when a dark figure jumped down the hole and in front of us.

The person was covered from head to toe in a long black cloak, therefore I could not see this person's face.

"Now, who will be first?" The tall man said hastily. Valencia stepped in front of me and raised her hand. "I'll go" she said to the tall man. The person in black moved Valencia under the hole and hoisted her up and out. "Next" the tall man said. I handed him Zorah as she continued to sleep. She was handed off to the person in black and hoisted up. I was next.

My nerves started to get worked up as I approached the person in black. I had expected him to support my feet the way he had done Valencia, but instead he grabbed me from my sides and picked me up. I could feel his strong hands gripping my sides as he raised me above him. My face started to burn a little.

After we all successfully made our way out of the hole we were instructed to follow the person in black. We silently sneaked against walls, but as I looked around me I could now see many small gray buildings with white pillars, and large statutes of Andacia's crest. A perfect circle with a crescent moon in the middle.

I looked down at left ankle and could see half of the same crest that was now lightly faded. Every so often I could still feel the excruciating pain I was made to endure at such a young age. The burning hot iron branding tool they used to mark me still causes me to cringe as I'm sure it dose us all.