No Greater Love

Chapter Ten

My breath quickened as my mind raced wondering who was he? A friend or foe? i knew I only had one option. Turning around I saw a hunched over elderly man whose smile revealed yellowed and crooked teeth. His fine and scraggly grey hair partly concealed his wrinkled face. I simply stood frozen in my tracks.

"I said," he wheezed, "are you looking for something?"

"Who are you?" I asked uneasily.

"Name's Barnabas." He answered holding out his thin shaking hand.

"Hello." I greeted briskly shaking his hand.

Suceeding this was a thunderous baning, "LET US IN THIS INSTANCE!" 

The old man hobbled away to a shelf, grabbing a jar and two small glasses. While doing this he asked, "What brings you to the cellar dearie, and why are these barbarians after you?" He, after pouring the jar' s contents into the two glasses handed me one.

"Why should I tell you?" I inquired.

After gulping his drink quite hastily he crawled to my side and leaned to my face whispering, "Because, I may be your only way of escape."

My eyes widened, "What do you know of escape?"

"Well, in my fourty years of servitude I know every nook and cranny of this dusty ol' place."

"Where is it?" I asked excitedly. "Please tell me!"

He cleared his throat and fell to his knees at a corner of the cellar. He tried mightly to blow off the dust but his weak lungs did not prevail. For the minute after he blew upon the stone floor, a terrible cough bereaved him of doing so. I laid my delicate yet dirty hand upon his shoulder and asked, "May I try?" 

Slightly hurt, he got up and nodded, "Oh, why yes. Yes of course."

I smiled sympathetically and gave the stone a strong blow. The dust scattered revealing the words, FIRE ESCAPE. After tracing the words, my fingers grabbed upon the rim of the stone and tore it from its dusty home. Below was a wide opening to a tunnel, enough for one human to crawl down. It was dark and murky. As I peered down the long tunnel Barnabas had acquired a match. Striking this against the stone he lit the halfway melted candle. 

"Here you are. " He croaked. 

"LET US IN" The gaurds barked loudly, "OR YOUR FRIEND WILL PAY."

This statement took my breath. "Alex." I breathed. 

"What about him? Go on, this is your chance."

"I can't leave him to die because of my own actions."

"Why not?"

"It's wrong!"

"You save your life or die. What's to choose?"

"I die, to save his."

Barnabas was speechless. I blew out the candle and walked to the door unbarracading the door. He laid his shaky hand upon my shoulder, "You can't do this."

I looked at him with my stone cold eyes, "I can and I will."

"You're a brave lass. I must go." He turned to go but stopped midway to embrace me. "Goodbye dear one."

"Goodbye." I stated with tears in my eyes. 

He ran to his hole. I moved the last chair.