The Midnight Flare

Planning Ahead

I bolt upwards as I return to my body. It's already night again (I can tell from the window in the cell). I get up and look at the others. All are asleep except for one. Rei. She's sitting up, staring at the wall. She's mumbling words as if talking to someone.

"Hey, if you're gonna talk to the voices in your head, do it in your head please," I say with a sarcastic tone. "I know some get pretty talkative, but they're on the inside. Keep them there." She stands at the last part and turns to me. Then I see what she's doing. She's holding a dagger made of ice. It's bloody. And so are both her wrists.

"Leave me alone, or my blood won't be the only blood on this ice," She says with an evil smile. She turns back around, sits down, and starts mumbling to herself again. I lay back down and close my eyes. I eventually fall asleep.

- - - -

I open my eyes to a dream. I'm back on the rooftops, on the night I was caught. Demi is running beside me. Only she's different. There are marks on her face where tears have streamed down. She has a burnt bandanna on. In fact, all her clothes are singed. Parts of her clothes are falling off, and there are scratch marks underneath. Her left hand is wrapped in bandages. In her right hand, she holds a silver dagger.

"Save me. And yourself. Before it's too late." Her voice is raspy and forced. After she finishes talking, she darts forward. Right into a fireball that consumes her.

- - - -

I bolt awake, for the second time. It's day again. Everyone is sleeping. I stand up and walk to the door. There's a root beer in between two of the bars. I grab it and drink it, crushing the can and throwing it outside.

After about two hours of sitting in silence, a guard walks by. He slips a note under the door. It reads:

Queen Serena is visiting the prison the day after tomorrow. If you want to escape, do it before then. Just a warning.

-Wolfe

I reread the letter about five times before thinking of my options. Flameblooded royalty will be here tomorrow. They hate anything to do with me and my cellmates. So if I leave, I need to do it tomorrow. So, I need a plan to get out. And possibly get these guys out too. A plan hatches in my mind. I quickly wake up the others so I can tell them. Michael is the only one who complains.

"What is the reason for you to wake me up out a very nice dream of freedom? What could you possibly want?" Michael asks, obviously very annoyed.

"True freedom, you ignorant little prick. Why else?" I say. "Unless you want to stay here and be observed by the queen of Silmthyr, I suggest you listen." That shut him up quicker than I expected.

"Please continue," Blake said.

"Okay. If we're going to get out of here, we need to go up. And I'm talking way up"

"Wait, what do ya mean?" Blake says. "Isn't the entrance on this floor? All we gotta do is bolt, right?"

"Everywhere has multiple exits. You just gotta consider your own abilities. Besides, this floor is the most heavily guarded floor. If we leave through there, we're sure to just get thrown right back in this hell hole."

"Fair point."

"Anyways, we need to go up as high as possible. Now before you ask, there's a reason. We're in the middle of a mountain range, right? And unless you guys aren't aware, ice can do a lot. If we can get out of the top, we can use the slope to our advantage. Easy escape!"

"Yeah, but how're we gonna get up there, kid?" Jacob asks.

I walk over to him and whisper into his ear. "Call me kid again and the only way you'll be in the plan is as a dead meat shield," I walk back, making sure to give the most insane look I can pull off. "Now, I have a question for you all. You aren't afraid of heights, right?"

They all shake their heads.

"Good. Because the stairs aren't an option."