Escape

"Is he dead?" 

"Maybe, I don't know."

"Slap him awake!"

"Wake up brat!"

"Urgh!" I woke up in a stupor, my cheeks throbbing in pain. As I opened my groggy eyes, an ugly face loomed over me. "What happened..."

My eyes snapped wide open as a flood of memories rushed through my mind—memories of another world, a peaceful place called Earth, where I was a 'student,' and something had gone terribly wrong.

"Wake the heck up!" The man seized my clothes, lifting me and hurling me against the wall.

The wind was knocked out of my lungs, and I coughed in response. Raising my gaze, I shot a cold glare at him.

"What's with that gaze!" He punched my face, tilting my head to the side.

"Thank goodness he's alive. I wouldn't know how to explain it to that guy!" someone nearby remarked.

"I know, right? Take him; he's waiting."

With a handful of my long, dark hair, he dragged me outside the room.

How did I end up here?

I had been hungry and resorted to stealing some bread. They caught me and planned to sell me. Alongside other children, who had already been sold, I was the last one reserved for someone else.

After passing through a series of doors, he threw me to the ground.

"Here you have the child you asked for. Ten years old, no names, no illnesses. Very good condition," he reported to the old, fat man seated in front of me.

The man, adorned with gold, clearly wealthy, leered at me with a gaze that seemed to undress my entire being.

"What a beauty, even at just ten. A few more years, and she would become..." He drooled as he observed me.

"I'm a boy," I spat disgustedly.

He wasn't the first man to mistake me for a girl due to my peculiar features and long hair, but it was starting to get on my nerves.

A direct slap followed my correction. "You brat. You are a girl now. His girl. You will do everything he asks, understood?!"

I stared up at him emotionlessly. "Burn in hell."

"What did you say?!"

"Stop!" The fat man intervened as that guy prepared to strike me again, glaring at him. "She's mine now! No touching! I will be the first to touch... slurp! Her!"

What the hell?

I'd rather die right now than endure that.

"Then give the ten gold as asked," the other man said with a smile.

"I'll give you 20 if you hand her over to me right now!" The fat man stood up, but his stomach throbbed weirdly, forcing him to sit down immediately.

"Then she's yours."

"I'm not a freaking girl, you bunch of assholes," I grunted, freeing myself from his grip and rushing straight for the door, kicking it down.

"Boss, I caught a very good girl! A noble young and…Ugh!" The door slammed open. 

Someone in front me groaned, falling to the ground and clutching his bleeding nose. Ignoring him, I leaped over him, preparing to run away from this dilapidated house.

"Catch him!"

"I know!"

To slow them down, I closed the door behind me and toppled a shelf. However, as I was about to exit the house, something in the corner of my eye caught my attention.

A girl, around my age, was bound tightly with ropes—her hands, legs, and mouth all tightly restrained. Her striking magenta hair framed a pair of frightened eyes of the same color. When she saw me, she mumbled something incomprehensible, likely asking for help. I initially deemed her a burden and had no intention of getting involved.

"HMM!"

Another step to leave, and I heard her muffled voice, desperate and pleading.

Why did I stop?

Something was off with me.

I shouldn't care about her, but that guy—Nathan.

He wouldn't leave that child alone.

What morals?

This isn't this peaceful world!

Despite yelling that to myself, I rushed toward the girl, untied her legs and hands, and forcibly made her run with me.

We found ourselves in a dark street filled with thugs. Both of us attracted attention, their predatory gazes fixed on us, but fortunately, they didn't move. Taking the next corner, I ran a bit farther before hiding behind an abandoned well.

I glanced at the girl. She removed her gag, looking around with horrified eyes, gasping for breath and unable to utter a single word. Annoyingly, she clung to my clothes, slowing us down.

When I heard the voices of the two men, I swiftly lowered the girl's head, covering her mouth with my hand.

This won't do.

At this rate, I would die too.

I stared down at the girl hugging me and made a decision.

Fuck you.

I muttered inwardly to Nathan—to myself.

Putting the gag back in her mouth and tying it securely, I instructed the girl, "Stay and don't move, don't speak either." Placing her inside the not-so-deep well, I left her fate to chance.

Now, I could try to run away and divert their attention. With a slim chance of success, I might escape and seek help for the girl.

Stealthily moving away from the well, climbing a small muddy hill, I revealed myself.

"He's here!"

"Where's the girl?!"

"Catch this bastard first!"

Sliding down the hill from behind, I broke into a run, but the man quickly caught up. He seemed faster, utilizing some sort of spell.

Diving to my right, I narrowly evaded his hand, but he seized my clothes and thrust me to the ground.

"Aha!" I coughed up blood and attempted to crawl away, but he stomped his foot on my back, kicking me repeatedly.

"Little scum!"

I covered my face as he continued to pummel my stomach, venting his frustration.

"Stop right there!"

At that time, several people in armor appeared above the small hill.

"Shit!" Cursing, the man who was kicking me, ran away in a hurry leaving me groaning in pain.

"Follow him and help this child!"

I gasped slightly before closing my eyes.