been carrying. Alecia noticed that he had torn away a strip of his shirt and wrapped it around the raw flesh of his arm. She felt a pang of guilt knowing she was the cause of his pain but pushed it aside, she had offered to help and he had refused, right now it was as simple as that. If they made it out, if they lived long enough, then she could feel guilt, shame, gratitude, relief and whatever other assortment of emotion there was welled up inside of her.
But not right now.
Right now their main concern was survival.
She really hoped one of them knew the way out.
Chapter 7
He was silent as he led them through the prison, using the key card, which thankfully seemed to access all of the doors they came across. She didn’t know if he knew the way or if he was just guessing but she didn’t question his direction. If it had been left to her they’d probably have ended up getting themselves deeper into the maze of corridors and cells and end up horribly lost only to be recaptured.
He kept a grip on her arm as they moved and she was forced to trot along beside him to keep up with his stride. She figured it helped with the illusion that he was a guard and she his prisoner.
Beriael trailed along behind as though distracted. He occasionally stopped to study the words that were printed on some of the walls. Alecia had no idea what they said, learning to read had never seemed important, it still didn’t. She could recognise a few of the symbols and knew they formed words that some people, apparently Beriael was one of them, could read, but she had no interest in them.
Twice they passed other people. The first time an unsuited man walked past them without a second glance.
She itched to set him on fire.
He could only be wandering freely if he were one of them and not a prisoner. They had clearly reached a part of the compound where Firebugs were not an issue and guards did not require protective clothing. The man she had put her faith into to get her out of this place must’ve sensed the aching desire in her and he squeezed her arm. Not roughly, more as though he were offering strength by reminding her that she was not alone, urging her not to do anything that would draw suspicion onto them.
The guard paid them no attention; he simply walked to the other end of the corridor and disappeared around the corner. Alecia let out her breath without realising she’d been holding it and after that a good deal of her tension eased. If they had fooled one man they could perhaps fool them all.
The second time, two fully flame resistant suited guards ran by them, barely even registering that there were other people in their way, they barged past the three escapees.
They were in a hurry, seemed panicked.
‘They’ve found the guard. Won’t be long before word gets out that his suit is gone and then we’re in trouble. We need to move faster. The exit isn’t too far away but we might have problems once we get outside.’
She didn’t ask how he knew all of this, questions like that could wait for later, for when they were safe. There was no longer an if, not in her mind, she was certain he would lead her to safety.
The two of them reached the next door before a voice halted them and they turned to see that the Clone was not with them.
‘Wait.’ He had paused at one of the walls and was studying the letters on it.
‘We need to go this way.’ He motioned towards a separate hallway that led off from the one they were in and without waiting for them he disappeared down it.
The man holding her arm cursed quietly and released her, running after Beriael. Alecia followed and when they caught up she stood quietly, her fear of being caught returning with each wasted moment.
‘I know the way out, Clone. You need to stick with me if you want out of
But not right now.
Right now their main concern was survival.
She really hoped one of them knew the way out.
Chapter 7
He was silent as he led them through the prison, using the key card, which thankfully seemed to access all of the doors they came across. She didn’t know if he knew the way or if he was just guessing but she didn’t question his direction. If it had been left to her they’d probably have ended up getting themselves deeper into the maze of corridors and cells and end up horribly lost only to be recaptured.
He kept a grip on her arm as they moved and she was forced to trot along beside him to keep up with his stride. She figured it helped with the illusion that he was a guard and she his prisoner.
Beriael trailed along behind as though distracted. He occasionally stopped to study the words that were printed on some of the walls. Alecia had no idea what they said, learning to read had never seemed important, it still didn’t. She could recognise a few of the symbols and knew they formed words that some people, apparently Beriael was one of them, could read, but she had no interest in them.
Twice they passed other people. The first time an unsuited man walked past them without a second glance.
She itched to set him on fire.
He could only be wandering freely if he were one of them and not a prisoner. They had clearly reached a part of the compound where Firebugs were not an issue and guards did not require protective clothing. The man she had put her faith into to get her out of this place must’ve sensed the aching desire in her and he squeezed her arm. Not roughly, more as though he were offering strength by reminding her that she was not alone, urging her not to do anything that would draw suspicion onto them.
The guard paid them no attention; he simply walked to the other end of the corridor and disappeared around the corner. Alecia let out her breath without realising she’d been holding it and after that a good deal of her tension eased. If they had fooled one man they could perhaps fool them all.
The second time, two fully flame resistant suited guards ran by them, barely even registering that there were other people in their way, they barged past the three escapees.
They were in a hurry, seemed panicked.
‘They’ve found the guard. Won’t be long before word gets out that his suit is gone and then we’re in trouble. We need to move faster. The exit isn’t too far away but we might have problems once we get outside.’
She didn’t ask how he knew all of this, questions like that could wait for later, for when they were safe. There was no longer an if, not in her mind, she was certain he would lead her to safety.
The two of them reached the next door before a voice halted them and they turned to see that the Clone was not with them.
‘Wait.’ He had paused at one of the walls and was studying the letters on it.
‘We need to go this way.’ He motioned towards a separate hallway that led off from the one they were in and without waiting for them he disappeared down it.
The man holding her arm cursed quietly and released her, running after Beriael. Alecia followed and when they caught up she stood quietly, her fear of being caught returning with each wasted moment.
‘I know the way out, Clone. You need to stick with me if you want out of
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