Ria
It didn't take me long to regret my decision to sleep on the floor.
The bedroom wasn't covered in moss like the cell and the hard and cold floor made it hard for me to sleep, not like I had much will to do that anyway.
With nothing better to do I stared at Arsheus as his chest went up and down.
Every now and then I could hear him snoring, in deep sleep.
This was my chance. I could run away now.
I got up as silently as I could, giving my past self an imaginary pat on the back. I had chosen the corner closest to the door, which made what I was going to do way easier.
Arsheus was stupid for letting me go unguarded. If I had a weapon I would've killed him, but since I didn't I would have to make do with running away.
Once I went outside I would have to find decent clothes and some magical artifacts to change my appearance. It wasn't just the demons that knew how I looked and had it out for me. The angels did too. Better not to get killed or thrown into a prison.
I was feeling happy for the first time in a while as I walked up to the door, a smile on my face. This was it. I had done it.
Even though I felt happy I couldn't help but feel uneasy, like this was way too easy.
I took my first step outside, waiting for some kind of disaster, bracing myself. Unlike what I had thought nothing happened. The ground stayed still and nothing pulled me back and pushed me to get inside.
I had made it. I had run away.
I gained momentum and run further away, moving as fast as I could as I picked dark passages at random.
I was so static that I didn't even feel fear as I walked down dark and narrow passages. I had won. I was going to get out. For the first time in my life it seemed like luck was looking after me.
It took me a while of wandering all over the place and going down almost every single passage but I managed to find the exit without running into Rin and Arsheus.
I knew it was the exit because I could see a faint line of light coming through the gate at the ceiling of the cave.
I had to get up there before Arsheus woke up and found me gone.
I shivered just thinking about it. He was going to be very pissed when he found out I had run away from him. I didn't want to know what he'd do if he caught me. Better to never see him again.
We would go our separate ways. He could try his world's domination shit and I would get my relatively normal life back.
It was a win-win. I didn't know why he was so obsessed with me and honestly I didn't want to find out either.
If I wanted to run away I had to find a way to get up, but how?
The gate was in the middle of the cave, so I couldn't climb the wall and get to the top.
I was fucked.
If only I could fly.
" There has to be a way" I pulled myself away from the dark memories trying to surface and looked around.
In the sides the wall seemed rocky enough to climb. I could probably climb that way. The problem was the ceiling.
I couldn't withstand the force of gravity.
I looked back at the dark passages and then at the gate. I had to try.
Knowing full well that I would regret it later when I was out in the snow I ripped my shirt on the sides and used the fabric to bandage my fists.
It was a bad idea to have little clothes in the winter, but it was an even worse idea to try and climb a rocky walk without anything to protect your hands. I had tried once when I was little and curious and had all but shredded my hands. I had needed months to recover. Months I didn't have. It was better to just sacrifice some fabric for the sake of my poor hands.
Once my fingers and palms were covered up by several layers and my clothes looked like shredded tatters I walked up to the wall and looked for a holding spot.
The wall was so filled with rocks that it didn't take me long to find one and then another and another.
I got high on the feeling that climbing brought me. It had been quite some time since I had been free enough to do as I wished. According to Illiana I had to be an example for the younger kids and that meant not climbing in dangerous places. I understood why I couldn't climb and had thought I was okay with it. Only now did I realize I had really missed it.
I couldn't nor did I try to hide the smile that spread across my lips as I climbed higher and higher until I reached the ceiling.
Now came the problem.
How to get to the gate?
I looked everywhere, but all I found was a rock protruding from the ceiling near the gate.
Could that work?
My mind run the escenarios for a second. If I missed the jump I would fall to the ground, but luckily it wasn't that far away. In the worse case I would just brake a few bones and in exchange I could run away from them.
I had to hurry.
I looked at the rock and calculated the strength I needed to make the jump. I could do this. I could jump and grab the rock and run away.
I took a deep breath and jumped.
I flied for a second before gravity begun pulling at me again.
I had done it. I was near the rock.
My hands brushed against the rock, barely able to hold onto it.
As I was dangling from it I could feel gravity pulling at me from my whole body, trying to take me down.
My hands begun slipping and my fingers begun hurting. I couldn't hold on for much longer. I had to jump.
With nothing under my feet to use as a lever and jump I swung myself, moving my body as I barely managed to keep my hands still, my whole body shaking violently from the effort.
I was going to fall.
I swung again and when the gate came the closest to me I closed my eyes and let go of the rock.
For a second my body soared through the air before my hands hit solid rock.
I begun slipping.
I could see the ground coming at me.
I used my right hand to hold with all my strength, regretting my life decisions.
Despite everything I managed to pull myself up little by little up the hole, using my back to push against one side of the wall and my hands on the other.
I could barely reach, but it was just enough. I was so thankful for my height. If I had been any shorter I would've fallen down.
After a few minutes of climbing I finally reached the gate.
I smiled as I pulled and opened it. Now that the gate was gone I could see the outside.
I pulled myself up as fast as I could and closed the gate back behind me.
The first thing I did when I was out was looking up.
If it wasn't night anymore I would have to hurry. Fortunately it was still night, the moon shining happy on the sky.
I laughed as I ran away from the hidden cave. I had done it. I was free.
I didn't know where I was going to go now or what I was going to do. It probably would've been safer if I had stayed with them, but I refused to be a slave. I wanted my freedom, even if that meant listening to the beast's howls from far away as they claimed for blood.
Once the high from escaping from the demons was gone the cold settled over along with the fear.
I was now lost in the middle of a forest brimming with creatures that wanted nothing more than to maim and kill me. Just great.
I had to keep moving.
I hugged myself to keep me warm and kept walking, stopping every few seconds to destroy my trail and look up at the sky.
Fortunately they hadn't woken up yet, but it wouldn't be long before they would and when they did I was going to be doomed. I had to be long gone by then.
In the night sky nothing called to me. I didn't even see the glass castle, so I took a direction at random and kept following it, not turning to change directions. If I turned I was sure that with my luck I would end up in the same place I had started. I had to avoid that at all cost.
As I walked I kept searching for some kind of refuge.
The temperature was dropping and I was really cold. The flimsy and tattered clothes I was wearing did nothing to keep the cold at bay, but at least I hadn't completely shredded my hands.
They weren't at their best, a few layers of clothes weren't good protection, but I could still use them. If I survived the night, that was.
A new set of howls sent me on edge.
That had sounded awfully close.
I didn't want to change directions, but I had no other choice. I also didn't want to get eaten by bloodthirsty beasts.
I changed directions and kept walking, my whole body shaking violently from the cold.
My running speed at the beginning had turned into a slow pace. I couldn't move faster even if I tried. It was taking my all just to stay awake and not drop to the snow.
I was tired, too tired.
I needed to stop for now. I'd continue running away once the sun was up.
Yes, that was a good plan.
I found a cozy spot between two trees and nestled myself there, making my body into a little ball. It was warmer this way.
I tried to keep my eyes open, but they didn't obey me. I was tired. Too tired.
From under my fluttering eyelids I could see the moon had been covered by clouds. While I looked up it begun snowing.
Fuck!
At this rate I was really going to die from frostbite and not even the demons would know where I died.
I had done it. I had run away from the demons.
I wouldn't have done it if I knew it would end up like this. It was better to live as a caged bird than to die free.
I should've stayed inside.
It was too late for regrets now.
My eyelids finally closed and I drifted off to sleep.
The last thing I heard and felt was a bark and something wet touching my skin.
So the beasts had found me.
Too late.
At least this way I wouldn't have to feel it as they killed me and ate me alive.
I waited for the pain but it never came and before I knew it I was out.