- Alea -

"Allie, wake up!" (O)

Wh-what?

I open my eyes and notice that it's still dark.

"Owen? What is it? I want to sleep." (A)

"No sleeping! We need to escape! Now!!" (O)

Fighting through the haze of sleepiness, I notice that Owen looks seriously concerned.

"What is going on?" (A)

"Not so loud. Look out there." (O)

I do as he says and look through the gap between the planks of the wooden window in our sleeping hall through which the cold air always sweeps inside.

While doing so I see that some of the others do the same.

As I said, it's dark but there are clearly illuminated carriages in our yard.

The source of the light are several guards with torches.

This is confusing.

"You've seen enough? We need to get out of here!" (O)

"Huh? Why?" (A)

"Why do you think they are here? They want to take us!!" (O)

At this, some of those who are awake turn towards Owen.

"Why would they?" (A)

This is just a small orphanage.

There's no reason to do it like this.

And those are normal guards, while this is already a facility of the crown.

"You know what happened today! They plan to give us to those monsters!" (O)

"B-but they said no!" (A)

"That was back then. Now is now! Maybe they got a better offer, or they didn't want to disturb us. How else would you explain this?" (O)

He might be right.

Why else would they come in the middle of the night?

"Allie!! There is no time to waste! You have to move, now!" (O)

Without waiting for an answer he grabs my hand and drags me.

"Wait! How do you even intend to escape? They should have already blocked all the exits." (A)

"We're jumping." (O)

Jumping!?!

"Here, we only have to go down from the ledge past the window opposite from them." (O)

"I-I'm not sure if I can do this." (A)

It's one floor to the ground.

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Far too high for me.

Then I hear steps on the creaking stairs, leading to this room.

"There's no time left!" (O)

"Aaaahhh!!!"

The others start to panic, waking those who slept till now, and especially the younger ones promptly join their shouting.

Meanwhile, Owen pushes me through the window.

I'm hesitant but not against it, so I don't fight back.

Then the door opens and a guard enters.

"You won't get me!" (O)

I stare down at the ground and my empty stomach starts to turn around.

I try to crouch down to decrease the distance, but it's still so high.

But then I feel a push from behind.

Owen just shoved me!

"Plomp"

Ow-ow-ow-ow-ow!

I hurt my ankle!

Owen is next to me.

He first wants me to run but notices that I can't.

Instead, he supports my weight, and as fast as we can we head to the next field.

If we can make it to the forest behind we might shake them off.

Some of the others copy what we did and I hear quite the commotion from our room.

Our former room.

We cannot return here.

No, I have to focus on our escape now!

"Hey, you! Come back this instant!" (guard)

Seems like they finally noticed what we did.

Owen and I had a head start.

From the others I see Noah, and Sarah in the distance, but it's still so dark.

There are also guards coming after us, but for now, the other escapists distract them from us.

The grown field can ideally cover our retreat and hide our steps.

"Goddamnit! Can't you do anything right? Don't let them escape!" (Aaron)

I recognize the voice of the man from today but we won't stop.

We keep on moving and I do my best to ignore my hurting ankle.

They can't get me and feed me to the monsters!

Finally, we reach the forest.

When we got a bit further into it my strength leaves me.

"Owen, please. I need a break." (A)

My leg hurts so much!

"Okay, but not for too long. We need to move farther away as soon as you're able to." (O)

Owen appears suddenly far more capable than usual.

"And where do we go? We have nothing. No place to sleep, no food." (A)

I'm feeling quite weak right now.

My ankle isn't making things better.

I don't think it's too severe of an injury, but it hurts.

Suddenly there is a sound next to us.

Did the guards already catch up?

"You guys! Oh my god, oh my..." (S)

"Sarah?" (O)

"Did you see Noah? He was directly behind me." (S)

"No, sorry. We just focused on running." (A)

"Oh. I hope he is fine." (S)

"Scrrrrr"

"Ehm, do you hear that?" (S)

I do.

It sounds like snarling.

Is there a wild creature nearby?

But we're still so close to the settlement.

It should be somewhat safe here.

"Skriehk"

"Skreh"

That's not just one!

And the sounds come from all sides!

"Screeehhch"

Then the first creature jumps out of the forest.

"Aaaaahhhhh!" (S)

"No, no, no, no!" (A)

Monsters!

Small but terrifying, with sharp claws!

More and more separate from the darkness which bears one nightmare after the other.

We'll die, ripped apart by them!

Slowly they're coming closer.

"We, we need to get away." (O)

There's an open path, but I doubt we can outrun them.

Especially not me in my state.

Anyway, Owen takes me and we try to move.

What other choice do we have?

To my surprise, the monsters don't chase us but instead follow slowly behind us.

Sarah is already running in front of us.

I don't blame her.

I'm only slowing us down.

"Aahhgckh!" (S)

Sarah!!

That came from before us.

But we can't go anywhere else.

The monsters are there.

This is a trap!

Promptly I get grabbed from behind.

"Gotcha!" (guard 1)

Owen tries to hit the man, but an eleven-year-old has no chance against a grown man and a second one soon seizes his fists.

I also see that another man has taken hold of Sarah.

"Stop struggling!" (guard 2)

As if!

We know what you want to do with us!

But that doesn't matter right now.

Something else is more important.

"Watch out! There are monsters in the forest!" (A)

It doesn't matter what happens next if they rip all of us apart.

They're still visible.

Snarling and screeching in our direction.

"Damn, those things are creepy." (guard 1)

"And basically bloodhounds. Did you see how quickly they chased behind the kids?" (guard 3)

They... they're working with them?

No... It's over.

We can't escape.

We can't do anything at this point.

The monsters will just chase us down again even if we manage to run.

We have no place to go, and I can barely walk.

Soon they have us carried back to the orphanage.

"Sniff!" (A)

"Sob!" (S)

"God, this feels wrong." (guard 3)

"It's a royal decree. We don't have much choice here. Or do you want to take one of them in?" (guard 1)

"No, I already have three. My wife would skin me alive for bringing another one." (guard 3)

"Ugh. At least yours only whimper. That one here already kicked me eight times against the shin." (guard 2)

"Hey, don't forget, we're supposed to deliver them unharmed." (guard 1)

In the end, they put us on one of the carts with the others.

There's no hope.

Even if we can again run past them they will just reclaim us.

We were apparently among the last.

As far as I can see they got all of us.

Not even one could slip away.

The men for some reason unhitch the horses from the carts.

Then the scary four-legged monsters from yesterday come and move where the horses were before.

Soon the carts start to move.

"SCREEAK!"

At this, my heart almost stops only to hammer even harder.

The biggest monsters I ever saw come in our direction.

Blades for hands, walking on four sticks, and of massive build.

Even the guards look distressed but don't make an attempt to attack.

"Let's get this over with quickly." (A)

All of us cry or just quiver at this point.

This only gets worse when they lead the carts to the empty field and into the hole from yesterday, which is now much wider.

But we can't get out, as now the giant creatures block our way back.

It's so dark in this tunnel and past the edges of the area the torches light up I see movement.

I don't want to die.

I don't want to die.