-CHAPTER 10-

0 hours until escape.

I awoke just about on time, but not in the greatest of conditions. Sleepless and weary, I got dressed.

I slipped on my backpack, my purple cloak, and my only pair of shoes. I triple checked to make sure my watch was in my front coat pocket.

Hearing the rattling of the window, I readied my body and my mind to jump into the storm.

I was about to leave, when I decided to go back one last time.

I tip-toed into Mother's bedroom, opening the door trying not to make it creak. I observed Mother's sleeping face, and kneeled down by her bedside.

"Thank you. Your love for me was not in vain. I love you Mother."

Although she was unconscious, I observed a slight grin on her face.

I left the room, shut the door, and shed a small but important tear.

I aligned myself with the now fully agape bedroom window, and took one breath in, and one breath out. I leaped into the cold darkness, determined to never look back.

I searched for Keshet's home, and once found, I aided him out of the window.

"Are you still 1,000% positive you want to do this?" Keshet asked me. I nodded. "I'll take your word for it then."

"What about you?" I asked,

"I wouldn't have come this far if I wasn't committed."

"Who is there?" A stern voice echoed near us.

"Go!" I whispered ferociously at Keshet. We hid behind a building, looking for a gap in the area, where no soldiers were present. "Over there!" I pointed northwest. There was a seemingly unmanned part of the field.

"No." Keshet said, holding me back.

"What, are you scared again? We don't have much time, we have to go!"

"No, I just saw something move over there. It's a person, but definitely not a guard."

"Not a guard?"

"I don't know, but it's gone now. We should head directly north, then make a 90 degree turn and book it west. Then we can make it past them."

"Sounds like the best shot we've got."

Keshet and I stealthily snuck from one corner to another, dodging any sign of light. When the field was in sight, Keshet peered around and cleared the premises.

"You first." He said.

"Don't mind if I do." I responded.

"3, 2, 1, GO!" I chanted in my head.

I dashed across the 100 meter field with all the energy I could possibly muster. If this were a race, the people around me would have given up at the 50 meter mark.

Struggling, I made it across.

And so did Keshet.

"Yes!" I said, preparing for a high-five.

"Not just yet. Do you hear that?" I listened carefully. Somewhere far away, there was an ear shattering squealing noise. Panicked, I nodded. "I tripped over something back there. It sounds like it set off an alarm."

I buried my face in my palms,

"What are we going to do now?" I thought, then said aloud.

"Sitting there and groveling at the thought won't help, let's go!"

I followed Keshet into the smoggy forest. However, it was no use. Before long we could smell smoke. The smoke became light, and the light became guards. Keshet and I now knew that today, we would become naught.

Two soldiers came into view, and began speaking to us.

"Ngehehehe, looks like some kids ran off to where they shouldn't be!" The soldier cackled like a horse. "Didn't your parents teach you not to stick your nose where it doesn't belong?"

"There are two options," The other soldier picked up on where the first left off, "We can sent you back to Momma," He pointed to the village, "Or Daddy." The soldier tapped his weapon. "It's really up to you. I'll give you, say 45 seconds to decide because I'm such a nice person." The soldier began to count down.

I looked to Keshet, then back to the ground. I was stunned.

"I can't let it end now…

can I?"

"15, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10 seconds! 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1."

BANG.

A hard metal object struck both of the soldier's heads simultaneously. A figure stood above them.

My eyes slowly adjusted, and I began to make out who it was.

"Hi guys, mind if I join you?"

I was baffled.

"How did you know-"

"I have my secrets, but asking for money seemed a bit odd, and I sort of unraveled it from there. But anyways, now that I know, do you mind if I tag along?"

I looked to Keshet, who shrugged, and then back to Naomi.

I want to say no.

What if she got hurt? What if she wanted to turn back? What if she learned something she shouldn't?

What if she died?

But I don't really have a choice in the matter. Naomi just saved me, I owe my life to her, and so does Keshet.

"Fine. But don't die, okay? How could I possibly explain that to your mother if I ever come back?"

"Deal." Naomi responded, beaming.

"Alright, let's stop dilly-dallying, we've gotta run!" Keshet insisted.

"Yes sir." I responded.

We began the trek from there. It wasn't a short journey, and it was easy to get lost.

"Let's take a sharp left here. Then we'll be heading directly west." Keshet announced.

Keshet led us, since he held the lamp. We all huddled around it, trying to stay generally on some sort of path or clearing.

"Oop, sorry." I said, brushing Naomi's shoulder.

"Shh-" Keshet rudely declared, stopping in his tracks. "Do you hear that?"

I listened carefully. My heart dropped at the sound of clopping in the distance.

We remained dead silent, but dead wasn't good enough. The guards wanted us gone.

Shouting approached,

"I'm done with you useless people! Burn the whole g-d damn forest down if need be!"

Quickly, we crouched behind a large tree, hoping the low light would cover us sufficiently enough.

ClopClopClopClopClop.

My heart rate soared further and further beyond what I thought the limit could ever be. The guards got so close I could hear every breath they took. We almost got away with it.

"Boss, I don't think we'll have to burn the forest after all." A nervous guard's quivering finger pointed. Directly at us.

Completely illuminated, our cover was blown to 10,000 tiny little pieces.

I stood up. Naomi and Keshet followed. There were 9 guards on 6 horses. What looked like the captain had one all to himself.

"Hmph. These children aren't even worth sparing. I'll kill all 3 of these fools myself." The captain swore. I timidly spoke up.

"You can't kill us now. Not before I fulfill my dream." The captain snapped back,

"You fool. How many f*cking times do I have to tell you? Laosarch can't have dreams." The captain cocked his gun, "You first." He aimed directly for Naomi.

ClickBANG.

I did the only thing I thought was right.

Shoving Naomi out of the way, the bullet skimmed my right shoulder.

Because of my momentum, I rolled onto the ground.

I shouted nonsensically into the smoke-filled skies above.

"Bastard." The captain calmly readjusted his aim towards me, "Then you first."

Another shot,

"Sh*t!" I rolled out of the way barely. Dodging one more bullet, the captain exclaimed,

"You pesky little-" The captain took a deep breath. "All of you useless soldiers, give yourselves some purpose and raise your firearms at this one right here!"

All 9 soldiers pointed their weapons at me. However, I had noticed I dropped something. 99a's stopwatch had fallen from my pocket.

Sprawled out on the ground, it was just out of arm's reach.

"3," The captain shouted, "2,"

With all my force, I reached for the watch. My index finger was just above the metal tray on the watch, which had flung open. I looked at the droplet icon inside.

A bead of blood rolled off my finger, and landed inside the tray.

"1-" The captain was cut off.

A bright flash of blue covered the forest, with a loud booming sound.

"Eh?" I questioned aloud. I beheld a leaf, seemingly stuck in place. I stared down the barrel of the gun in front of me, but despite being out of time, I didn't die. Naomi, Keshet, the captain, this leaf, everything– had stopped. "This is my chance!" I shouted.

Getting up as quickly as possible, I moved towards Naomi and Keshet, where none of their weapons were pointed. It took me 3 seconds to do so. After one more second, things continued. 4 seconds total.

"Fire!" The captain shouted. Every soldier shot, but all of them missed. "How did you– None the matter. Reload and fire at him again quickly!"

I grasped the pocket watch. The droplet of blood that fell into the tray before had disappeared.

Before the soldiers could reload, another, larger glob of blood dripped into the tray.

BOOM. Another flash of blue. I took the opportunity, rushing towards the captain. I shoved him as hard as I could, and he fell right off the horse. I stole his weapon, and aimed it at his horse's hoof, pulling the trigger.

"I'm sorry, but he can't follow us." I left the weapon afloat, and quickly shoved others off their horses, and throwing their weapons far away.

After 25 seconds, I had disarmed all of the soldiers. I rushed back to Keshet and Naomi. I wanted another second or two, and time resumed.

The horse screamed in pain. All of the soldiers acted similarly.

The 3 of us, me, Keshet, and Naomi, made our escape; running far.

"What are you waiting for? Catch them!" I heard the captain shout from far away, but it was too late. We had done it.

We won.

We had escaped.