A Game of Colours

Chapter 10: The Price of a Life

QUICK RECAP

Then I realized. It was his twin Isaac pulling me. Together we made our way upward. The light was getting closer. The relief was enough to get me out and I let out a huge gasp of air. We clung to a large nearby rock, both panting heavily.

"You saved me," I whispered.

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"Don't count yourself lucky yet, princess. Look." he responded

And I did, to see two white men in a boat, peddling towards us. They had guns, I noticed.

"RUN!" I yelled to Abby and Mary Lou. Even if we were caught, I wouldn't let them be caught too.

They hesitated for only a second before they dissappeared into the trees with one last fleeting glance.

"STOP, or we shoot!" 

"Don't move" whispered Isaac, "it's too late."

The boat rowed towards us, carried swiftly by the river that seemed to be leading fate right to us.

The men snatched us from the water soon enough, and pushed us into the boat roughly. Our hands were bound tightly by rope. 

"Now where might two young niggers such as yourselves be off to?"

"To freedom, until you so rudely interrupted us. I thought you white folk were the well-mannered ones." I said happily.

Isaac suppressed a grin, but I promptly received a slap. 

"Who the hell do you think you are?"

I give only a smile as a response.

The man growled. "I'll ask one more time, you cheeky bitch. Where did you come from?"

"You know, it's not the time to get personal. If you wanted to talk, you didn't have to tie me in ropes. You can't be that boring that'd I'd try to leave."

"Oh, just shut up Arty. We'll let Don deal with them." yelled the other fisherman

"You'll talk soon enough" the man sneered, tightening my ropes so they would rub against my wrists.

Sure, I put on a brave face and talked back to them. In reality, I was terrified. I just hoped if we appeared stronger then we were, they wouldn't use us as much. 

They both sat in the front and rowed, us only sitting in silence now. I kept looking to the trees, hoping for one glance of Mary Lou and Abby, but they were long gone and I knew they wouldn't dare follow us. 

What if I never saw any of them again?

"I'm scared", I whispered.

"I know, you won't let go of my hand."

I blushed and dropped it, but he grabbed it to confirm it was okay.

"Thank you. For..you know. Saving my life."

"I guess it would've been better if I'd just let you die" he says. 

I look at him, searching for some sign that he's joking, but his face is solemn again.

He breaks into a grin when he sees my worried face.

"We'll get out of this. We always do."

I'm not so sure of that. It was our first day without guidance, and we failed. Seperated and captured by the first sunrise. Even if we do get out of THIS mess, will we able to get out of others?