The Exiled Gem

The No-Entry Room

The man pushed around furniture and looked underneath chairs. His prime target was the furniture and in that case, staying under furniture wasn't such a good idea.

Alexandra crawled out from underneath the table. Rose's eyes fell on her. Alexandra pointed towards a room, then gestured frantically, waving her hands, and mouthing open that door!

Rose finally got the message. She looked at the armored man, then at Alexandra and then back at the man, 'Sir- you continue, I'll be right back.'

'No!' Said the man, 'Stay here!'

Rose glared at him, 'Why, may I ask?'

'No.' Said the man, now checking under the table. Alexandra crawled away. He got up, and looked around the house, then at the windows- they were big enough for humans to leave through.

'They're locked from inside, you can check.' Rose said, making a face at him. The man looked at her, sternly, then he walked over to check if they really were.

Rose waited for him to turn his back, then she gestured Alexandra to come on, who crawled on the hot stone floor. Rose pushed open a door, slightly, Alexandra crawled inside.

'This one is not locked!' Said the man, pointing at a lunchbox sized window, that was even above his reach.

'I'm sure you were looking for a woman and not a squirrel, Sir, because I have never seen a ten inched woman.' Rose replied, silently shutting the door behind her.

Alexandra was inside a dark, store room. Sacks of grains were splattered around- a perfect example of wealthy people in famines- the sacks were overflowing while outside there was nothing to eat for days at end.

'You just shut that door!' The man outside was saying,

'Yes, Sir, I did shut it,' Rose replied, rather calmly, 'Because I'm sure you don't want to check a lavatory.' she lied.

'Hmm,' The man said, 'No...'

Alexandra didn't need to hear anymore. Beyond the sacks was small window. Maybe, it could fit her. She piled a few sacks on top of each other, then climbed on top of them.

The look from the window at once shocked and gagged her.

About ten feet down, there was an open, flowing drainage. Throughout the dark, murky waters, floated bits of dirt of... nothing very likeable. The stink was intolerable. And it was not a few inches wide. It flew for about two feet straight.

Two choices: jump, or stay.

'I've checked your whole house, Lady Derk. And sadly, the only place that remains- is your... lavatory. I must check it.' Rang the man's voice.

Great, not even a free choice as Option two was eliminated.

One choice: jump.

So Alexandra pushed herself onto the widow sill, sat down on it, kicked the grain sacks down, so that it didn't leave a picture that somebody had piled them up under the window. She then turned around towards the sewer,

'Oh, you were talking about this room?' Rose's distant voice said, 'THIS IS A STORE-ROOM YOU ARE ABOUT TO CHECK,' she almost yelled, so that Alexandra could hear, then gave a feeble laugh, 'haha, go on, Sir- what can I say.'

Alexandra tore out her dress from down and tied it on her nose. Definitely, she was not inhaling that.

3... 2... 1...

And she jumped.

SPLASH!

Alexandra resurfaced, coughing and splashing, she spat out.