Draco's Predicament ✔️

Chapter 18 - Realism is Short-Lived

It's nighttime by the time I'm finished talking.

Or I think it's night time... I couldn't tell.

The cells seem to get colder the longer I sit here in my cage. My left arm was pushed through the bars of the cell, reaching towards Rainbows... my sisters cage, where he own arm was connected to mine.

There was shouting upstairs earlier, and loud thumping noises that echoed on the roof of the dungeon. I could only pray for Draco's safety.

"Draco...?" Rainbow whispers, squeezing my fingers. I glance over to her, humming to show that I was listening. I was weak still, so I was trying to save as much energy as I could.

"Draco, do you think they are coming for us? Do you think..." She shivers, probably at the thought of Lady Jane.

Lady Jane! I never liked her, no one did really (well, except for Rainbow...) but I don't think anyone expected this betrayal. How long had she been planning this?

I rest my head on the bars, my fluffy hair a mess. Streaked with mud, water and maybe even a little blood.

"Rainbow..." I whispered, her glossy eyes turning over to look into mine. "Rainbow they are coming for you. Maybe not for me, but they are coming for you. I might not even make it out of here, that pleb seems to have more up her ripped sleeves."

"But I want you to know that I'm sorry Rainbow. For everything I've done, for everything I might do." I can't help the fact that small droplets of water were forming in the corner of my eyes. Rainbows grip grew tighter around my fingers.

"I'm not going to leave you behind."

"What if I want you to."

"You're my brother, you're coming with me like it or not. Besides, you being here just makes the battle harder..."

For the first time in what seems like weeks, months, at this point maybe even years, I manage to crack a genuine smile.

I had my sister.

I had my voice.

I had my memories.

But what was probably the best thing out of everything?

I had my will.

。。。

It seems like the middle of the night when I open my eyes again. I didn't realize I had them closed.

Rainbows grip was loose now, but her soft snores could be heard echoing around the dungeon. Rosemary was still tucked away sleeping, and I felt a pang of guilt. I would have to come back for them.

I hoisted myself up and stood up as much as I could in my cell before smashing my body into the side. It crumbled to the floor, the stone bars cracking immensely. Rainbow woke up in a blind panic.

"Draco?" She muttered, somehow managing to be quiet and loud and panicked all at the same time.

I rolled myself over and slammed into the side again. And again. And again. Rainbows loud murmuring was getting louder and louder, but the cracks were growing bigger and bigger as well.

Then they shattered.

The hole they made between the bars was barely enough space for me to wiggle through, but I managed to do so with relative ease. I could hear Rainbows praises and soft congratulations from behind me.

I grabbed one of the broken bars from my cage from the floor, and started swinging at Rainbows cage. Hers seemed to be tougher, and when my beating stick broke, I grumbled and restored to  kicking it. Rainbow helped, but being cramped up in such a tiny space? She couldn't do much.

I remember when I finally managed to get her out. It was as if a huge tidal wave of relief had crashed over me, pulling my fear away as it returned to the ocean. Rainbow squeezed out, and threw her arms around me with no hesitance.

I quickly returned the favour.

"Welcome home Draco." She whispered.

"I'm home." 

Rainbow let go and I quickly started leading her to the stairs of the dungeon. "We need to get out of here. Or at least into the woods before anyone can find us. There's gonna be... creatures... patrolling around so we need to be careful." Rainbow nods.

"Thanks for coming back."  She whispers again as we approach the door to leave. I smile. "Thanks for bringing me back."

The door was locked but thanks to a broken stone bit from the cages that we broke down to size and my okay-ish lock picking skills the door finally gave in and opened.

A cat, one made of the pitch black, sits in front of us down the hall. It turns its yellow eyes to meet mine, flicking its tail. The cat seemed to be smoking, or emitting fog. Rainbow let out a small squeak and tugged my sleeve. The cat, on the other hand, simply blinked, stood up and walked through the wall to the left of it.

I grabbed Rainbows hand.

"We need to get out now." I hear her whisper, her cotton candy hair bouncing as she starts to pull me down the hall. I can hear voices everywhere, and I can pick Philips out from the mess. My heart drops when I could practically see the pain dripping out of his voice.

Oh Philip, what did they... what did she do to you?"

My freedom was still new, I wasn't used to not being manipulated. I liked it, I was now always feeling lighter, it was easier to move, and even breathe.

Fwimp.

The floor came past, along with the pain in my leg. I could hear someone screaming (Rainbow?) before a loud cracking noise. The screaming stopped after that.

A dark shadowy figure was leaning over me now, one heel digging into my back and the other stepping on my left hand. I wiggle, but can't do much more then hiss in pain.

My mouth is forced open, and something is tipped inside. It's a cold liquid, tasting faintly of charcoal and caramel. It immediately starts to burn my insides, and I whimper in a pathetic attempt to make it stop.

"Rainbow? Rainbow!"

"Draco I'm right here-"

There's a loud thud, as if she was thrown against something. She stops speaking and a strange satisfaction washes over my body at the idea of her being dead.

The weight is shifted off me, and I blink. My eyes starts to wander around the now crowded hallway of monsters, before they land on the window.

In front of the canopy of trees, black sky and the grand castle that no longer interested me in the way it did prior, in front of the walls now built surrounding the place was me.

With a set of ruby-coloured eyes.