Chapter VIII - Escape

Chapter VIII - Escape

Silence sweeps over the balcony. Callum and Aralyn are staring at me, waiting for a reply.

“Olivia?” Aralyn finally speaks up. 

“Just give me a second to think.” I pause. “I mean, I guess it makes sense. But how do I even get to the Lower-Flat-Lands?”

“Ada, the girl I just told you about, said that Elias escaped on one of three safe paths in Cultridia. There’s one right outside of Effgere. I assume that’s how Elias escaped.” Says Aralyn.

“Okay, this all makes a ton of sense. I totally agree that Liv should go find this Elias guy, but, why am I here?” Aks Callum.

“Well, I don’t want Liv wondering around the Lower-Flat lands all by herself.” I roll my eyes at Aralyn’s motherly ways. She continues. “So I was thinking you could go with her.”

“What? No. What if something happens to him?” I exclaim.

Aralyn retorts. “What if something happens to you? Liv, you’ll need someone to watch your back and so will Callum.”

I take a deep breath. “Okay. I guess I’m up for it if you are.” I look over at Callum. 

“Alright. When should we leave?” As soon as his words hit my ears I blackout and fall to the ground. I see flashes of things. Callum yelling my name, Aralyn running in a blood-stained wedding dress, and Elias, blood streaming down his face screaming.

“COME NOW! YOU HAVE TO HELP US! NOW!” My surroundings return to me. Callum is holding my hand and Aralyn is lifting my head.

“Now. We have to leave now.” I stand up.

“What did you see?” Callum asks.

“Horrible things. Terrifying things.” We exchange stares. “Look, it doesn’t matter. But, we have to go now!” Aralyn and Callum nod and I quickly unlock the door. 

“Uncle Berke will know something’s up. I’ll keep him distracted.” Aralyn says and we begin to shuffle back inside. As we walk she explains how to get to the safe path down the mountain, and precautions we should take.

“Okay, this is it.” Aralyn stops us at the bottom of the stairs. “You two be safe. Watch each other’s backs. I know you can do this.” She hugs both of us while holding back tears. “Now, you have to go.” Callum takes my wrist and pulls me away from her. A wall of fear builds up behind my pounding heart when I realize I may never see my sister again.

Callum and I split up after agreeing to meet at the back entrance of the house. I go to my room and begin removing pins from my hair as quickly as possible. I then slip out of my precious gown and put on a long white shirt that covers all of the necessary places. Callum will be bringing me a pair of trousers which, of course, I don’t own. I grab a shawl and lay it out on the bed. Inside I place an extra shirt, a sweater, a jacket and some socks. After tying up all four corners of the shawl and slinging it over my shoulder, I grab a pair of flat shoes and begin running towards the back entrance of the house.

I begin to worry when Callum doesn’t show. However, I am relieved when I hear the door open behind me.

“What took you so long?” I whisper sternly. 

“I ran back to Berke’s car to get food. Here are your trousers. They’re too small for me, so they should fit you” He says handing me a blue pair of pants. After I finish dressing, we take hands and begin running in the direction Aralyn told us to go. By the time we reach the incline the sun is rising into the sky.

“I see the path right over there.” Says Callum, beginning to move faster towards the path.

“Callum, can we stop here? I can’t go on much further.” I say in between breaths.

“Sure, of course.” He says then moves over to a nearby rock and takes a seat on it. I sit next to him. I recollect my last moments with Aralyn and I begin to cry. Callum puts his arms around me and I burry my face in his chest just as I did after his proposal.

“Yes.” I say.

“What?” Callum asks. His quivering voice tells me he is also crying.

“Yes. If we ever get the chance, I’ll marry you.” 

He smiles, kisses the top of my head and says “I’d be honored.”

“Olivia Netherly! Callum Cortallo!” Different voices yell our names in the distance.

“They know we left. We have to go. We have run!” He says but, I’m already gathering my things. I start to sprint down the path as fast as I can. Tree branches slap my face and bushes grab my bare ankles as I run. This all feels so familiar. The shouting of my name, the running down the hill. Where have I experienced this before? 

I keep going, and going until I run right into some sort of invisible barrier that knocks me onto the ground.

“Olivia!” Callum shouts from behind. 

“Cal, there’s some sort of barrier!” I shout back. He helps me off the ground when he reaches me, then picks up a rock off the ground and throws it over the barrier.

“I think I can lift you over it.” He says, out of breath.

“What? No. What about you? I can’t leave you here.” I cry. “What if something happens? What if they catch you before you can get over?”

“Liv, I’ll be fine. I can make it” He reassures me.

“Are you sure?” I ask again. He takes my face in his hands and presses his lips onto mine. All the chaos around us seems to fade away for a few brief moments in the warmth of his kiss. He lets go and rests his forehead on mine.

“I’m sure.” He replies. “I’ll see you on the other side, okay?”

“Okay.” 

He cups his hands and I put my foot inside them.

“Okay, now put your hands on my shoulders and when I lift you into the air you’re gonna have to push off.” I nod and do as he says. The voices grow louder and I can see people running down the hill after us.

“Ready?” He pauses. “One, two, three!” He shoves me high into the air and I fall to the ground. Pain shoots up my arm as I hit the other side of the path. I lay there for a moment, embracing my pain, then sit up and wait for Callum. However, when I look at the barrier, I don’t see anything. I see trees and rocks leading up the mountain, but, all is silent. There is no yelling and there are no people running down the hill. But, worst of all, Callum is nowhere to be found.

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Chapter - VII Aralyn's Story

Chapter VII - Aralyn’s story

When I hear footsteps stumbling down the hall, I quickly fold the paper with the picture of the boy and shove it between the belts of my skirt.

“Good, you’re still here.” Rory says as he enters the room. 

“You did tell me to wait.” I smile, hoping that this erases any suspicion about what I might have been doing. “You said you wanted to show me something.”

Rory smiles back, then walks over to the desk and opens a large drawer with a golden handle, and pulls out a black satin box. “My father is going to present this to you at your party.” He opens the box revealing the most beautiful silver necklace I have ever seen. 

“This is gorgeous, but, why would your father give such a thing to me? I hardly know him.”  I ask, admiring the shining object before me.

“You mean, you don’t know?” He asks in return. I shake my head. “On every girl’s eighteenth birthday she is presented with a gift by the host of her party if not by her parents.” He continues. I shut the box, remembering that my parents hope to send me as far away as possible.

“Thank you for showing me.” I turn and head back to my room.

I turn my thoughts back to the picture of the boy. Why was his picture on the desk? Who is he? Who are the other people in those pictures? I wonder.

The next few days pass and I’m eighteen before I know it.

“Time to get up Apple Bomb. There is much to do before your party tonight. Oh, and happy birthday to you!” Says Uncle Berke peeking his head through the door in my room then exiting. I slowly climb out of bed and prepare myself for the day. Due to the fact that it’s my birthday, I am free from any of today’s meetings. The first half of the day walking around in the garden avoiding stressful thoughts. Then, I am called up to my room so that I can begin getting ready for my party. I sit at the vanity while Aralyn begins to fix my hair into multiple swirls on the back of my head. She then lines my eyes with black, brushes a plum color onto my lids, and coats my lips in a deep red color. After this, she walks over to the closet and pulls out a large silver box and places it on my bed with the implication that I should open it. I walk over and lift the lid. Inside is the most beautiful pale green, ball gown. After we are both dressed, we go down to the golden room.

The room has been thoroughly decorated for my party. I notice that a stone staircase has been added leading up to a balcony on the midway section of the giant room. 

“Hello girls. You two look lovely.” Says Uncle Berke as he moves over towards us. By his side is Callum, who I almost didn’t recognize. His brown hair is nicely combed to the side, and he is wearing a stunning blue-black suit complete with a light blue tie. “Don’t they look lovely, Callum?” Berke continues.

“Uh-well -uh- yeah.” He stutters, staring at me, catching flies. I smile.

The night continues on with dancing, laughing and countless birthday wishes from strangers. Unlike the past few weeks, however, I actually have fun.

“Olivia, can I steal you away for a moment?” Callum whispers in my ear as I take a sip of my drink. I nod, put down my drink and follow him up the stairs and through a door which opens up onto another balcony that looks out into the night sky. Aralyn is here too. Callum closes and locks the door behind us.

“What’s going on?” I ask. Aralyn looks at me and then at Callum.

“That’s just what I was wondering.” He says.

“I need to tell you two something. Olivia, I found this in your room while you were getting ready.” She pulls the paper with the Dark-haired-Boy on it out of her purse. Callum takes the paper.

“What is this?” He asks. I go on to tell him about my dreams and how the boy is in them.

“Is that all you wanted to tell us, Aralyn?”

“No.” She starts. “There’s more.” She takes a deep breath. “When I was eighteen, Mother and Father found me a husband. We met in secret at his house the first few times, just like every arrangement in Elatus. One day, I was walking home when I realized I left my hat. So, I went back. I knocked on the door, no one was home. So, I walked around to the back to see if I could get a response.” Tears start running down her cheeks. “But, when I got there, I saw a girl. Her eyes, hair and skin were dark just like that boy’s. She was no older than I was at the time. She only had one arm, and it wasn’t of much use. She barely had any meat on her body.” She lets out a sob. “She looked so afraid of me. I couldn’t even imagine how that could have happened to her.” By this point I am also crying and I can tell that Callum is fighting back his own tears. Aralyn continues. “She just stared at me with longing eyes. My first thought was to take her to the patch of forest where we live and maybe save her. She slept there for six days without wake, and when she did I brought her food. She became healthy, we became friends. One day, my husband-to-be followed me to her hiding place. I told her to wait while I went back to the house to get more food. I wasn’t half way there when I heard a scream. I immediately turned back. He was pointing a gun at her when I got there. He looked at me and said ‘You’ve caused a great deal of trouble for me, Aralyn Netherly. I can’t kill you for this, but I can kill her.’ He pulled the trigger before I could even try and stop him. She was dead, and he told everyone that I was a bothersome thief.” Aralyn pauses. “She wasn’t able to tell me much about how she reached her poor condition. She said it was safer that I didn’t know. However, she did tell me about her brother. She said his name is Elias and he escaped. Just like it says there on the paper.” She points at Callum’s hands. “She also said that there is a colony of their people living in the Lower-Flat-Lands. Olivia, I didn’t want to admit it before, but I think you’re having these dreams for a reason. I think you’re supposed to find Elias.”

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Chapter VI - The Picture

Chapter VI - The Picture

The next week is filled with many dinners and lunches of meeting bachelors who might offer their hands in marriage. They all seem quite boring to me, however, I think Aralyn has taken interest in one eighteen-year-old boy, and vice-versa. The weirdest thing about all of it is bumping into any of the other girls who have come here to look for husbands as well. On our second day in Wendra, Aralyn and I were on our way to a lunch meeting when we bumped into one girl. She must have been at least twenty-five. Her face was quite narrow and she had long, white-blonde hair giving her an odd sort of charm. However, I will never forget the melancholy look of desperation in her eyes. I could hardly believe that such a thing could happen to a woman with such unique beauty. 

On our last night at the house of Artrillious Cranks, I was putting my things back in my cases to prepare for the next day. When Aralyn skipped into the room looking as excited as a puppy rolling around in a bed of grass for the first time. I stare at her curiously.

“What?” She asked.

“This week was filled with some of the most boring and awkward moments of my life. What could you possible be so excited about?” 

Aralyn smiles. “Well, you know that guy, Fredrick?”

“Yes.” I replied in anticipation.

“Well, after dinner we took a walk in the garden. We talked for a long time and then he walked me back to our room. Then he said he wants to see me again and that he’ll be in Effgere for your eighteenth birthday.”

“That’s great Aralyn.” I sai but, didn’t actually mean. I was so glad to see Aralyn happy, however, the odds that my parents would choose Fredrick are slim. I would hate for her to loose him, but for now, she needs a few moments of happiness.

We leave right away the next morning and eat breakfast in the car. 

“Welcome back travelers. Sit tight and enjoy our ride to Eekul.” Says Driver when we get in the car. The ride to Eekul lasts three full days. We stop each night to rest. Apparently, the seats in the car pull out into beds. Now it is the third night of our journey and I can’t sleep. I decide to sit outside and stare at the black sky. The ground is soft, the night is cool, and the moons shine brightly in the dark space above. 

“Can’t sleep?” I hear Callum’s voice from behind. I shake my head in reply. “Me neither.” He continues as he walks over to sit next to me.

“Are you still mad at me?” I ask after moments of silence.

He shakes his head “No. I’m disappointed that you said ‘no’ but, I can’t stay mad at you forever.” Silence soars over our seating place. Callum looks out into the distance. I stare into his thinking eyes, as the various shades of blue move in a pattern that suggests deep thought. “And, I’m sorry.” He continues. “I shouldn’t have yelled at you. I know you didn’t mean to offend me.” His sapphire lamps shifted down and flashed into my emerald ones.

“Thank you.” I say laying my head on his chest and closing my eyes.

He puts his arm around my shoulder “You’re welcome.”

I open my eyes to the blinding light of the sun. Callum and I must have fallen asleep. I lift my head out from under his comforting hold and find his eyes still closed in peaceful rest. 

“Callum.” I whisper. “It’s morning. We fell asleep.” 

He opens his eyes and looks around. Then, Uncle Berke steps out of the car looking quite cheery.

“Good morning you two.” He says. “You look quite comfy.”

Callum smiles then we climb into the car. when the beds have been put away and we proceed with our journey. 

Eekul is even more boring than Wendra. Aside from the people being boring, the house was just one tall block painted entirely grey inside and out. Luckily, we only spend four days here and then move on to our next destination, Effgere. This city is even further away than Eekul, which means we have to spend a week traveling in the car. For some reason, Driver takes us on the most inconvenient routes possible. At one point during the week, Callum, Aralyn and I were so bored that we made a game involving apples.

The first person starts out holding the apple. Then, they say a color. All other players name an object of that color. The person with the apple passes it to the person who named the better object then it repeats. This keeps us busy for quite some time. When we arrive in Effgere, we are welcomed by a tall, lanky man named Hanson. Next to him was Artrillious Cranks who had trimmed his full beard to a more classy length still reaching from temple to temple. Uncle Berke, Artrillious, and Hanson went on with some pointless conversation lasting quite a few minutes. However, at this point I have reached my full capacity for the intake of dullness and completely zone out of the discussion until it reaches it’s end. 

I actually like my room in Effgere. The walls are painted with my favorite color, emerald, and the ceiling is tiled with glistening silver panels. The floor is covered in a plush, white carpet, and the silver bed is decorated with emerald curtains and a mint green blanket. 

After getting myself settled and putting my things away I decide to take a look around the house. The hallways are filled with odd metallic paintings which reflect light to every little corner. I go into one, large open room. The walls are made entirely of gold with sheer, white curtains dripping down from different areas, and the floor is made of a beautiful cream colored marble.

“Like what you see?” A red-haired boy asks from behind.

I smile “Yes. It’s an incredible room.”

“Good. This room was built specifically for large parties. The celebration of your birthday will be held here.” He says, now standing next to me. He is a strange looking boy. No older than twelve I assume.

I stare at him perplexedly. “I’m sorry. Do I know you?” I ask.

“Oh, forgive me. I’m Rory Glaad. My father owns this house. You’re Olivia Netherly, right?” he replies.

“Yes, but how-” I start.

“-It doesn’t matter. Come. I wanna show you something.” He grabs my hand and pulls me down a dark corridor, and into a white room with a large mahogany desk.

“Wait here.” He instructs me, then leaves the room. Quite distorted at the situation, I examine the room while I wait for his return. On the desk, there are piles of strange looking papers. I look around cautiously to see if anyone is coming, then rifle through them curiously. On the papers are words, and pictures. In the pictures are men, women, and children. I can’t help but feel like I recognize these people. Like I know them. I pick up one paper that says 

Elias. fifteen years old. Escapee. 

I look down at the picture. I know the face. Not generally, but specifically. It’s the boy from my dreams. the Dark-Haired boy.

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