Level Fourteen

Chapter Ten: Arkin

Arkin now paced his room; his emotions on a downward spiral. That wonderful, glorious idea he had come upon a few hours ago now seemed neither wonderful nor glorious. There were so many, too many flaws to his plan. It may work, it may not. He could die or he could survive. He could starve; be rejected and the list went on and on. But underneath it all; at the belly of the beast lay the one question: would he actually leave his only home he'd ever known?

Sinking onto his bed d barreling to keep the surge of emotions from boiling over; Arkin slowly watched the sun set. The seconds turned to minutes and the minutes to hours.

It was ten o'clock. This was his life. He Should choose his fate, no one else. What right did his father have to treat him like this? He should take matters into his own hands and live the way he chooses.

Eleven o'clock. He couldn't leave. His father was depending on him; counting on him. The whole Level was. He was their heir, born to be a ruler, branded at birth to be successful. Was he really going to throw all that away? He'd be a fool to.

Midnight. His life would depend on this decision. It was make or break time. Was leaving the fools choice? Or was it wise to follow his heart? Every fiber if his being told him to stay but reality screamed at him to stay. Sleep would not come and the time ticked by.

Then Arkin made his decision. It ha steady hand and willing heart he wrote a note and addressed it to his father. Slipping into the hall Arkin headed for his father's chambers.