The Fallen Angel And The Demon In Green

Chapter 2: Thunderstorm

The following days were quite hectic. There was going to be an event of some kind, and the boss had many messages for me to pass on, but I didn't put enough attention to understand specifically what they were talking about. The usual guard that escorted me to my duties had been coming earlier than usual, and by the end of the day I was led to my cell, exhausted. It was not that the tasks were tiring on themselves, but visiting different parts of the tower and seeing faces of people that I helped get locked up always took a toll on me. Most of the times, people on the cages would spit at me, or curse me when I walked by. Understandable, of course. To them, I'm as bad as the guards, if not worse. I deserve everything they throw at me and more, but I can't stop to apologise, as no words can make up for what I did to them. I can only continue with my work.

Saphir, in contrast, seemed to be in good health as I had not seen her lately; she had been working in the infirmary for days. I was aware that she often stayed up all night working there, yet I couldn't stop worrying. What if something else happened? What if Weird Eyes decided she'd made a mistake and took her to the dungeons? Those nights passed slowly and torturously, as I thought of the myriad of things that could have gone wrong. Near dawn, however, her tired face would appear behind the door, easing my worries away until the next absence.

I've never told her how much I miss her when she doesn't show up at night, or that her endless rambling about botanical medicine soothes me, despite my complaints. Just as she hasn't told me that, despite hating that I never make my bed in the morning, or the silly arguments we have all the time, she enjoys our chess games as much as I do. Gratefulness is not a feeling I typically dive into while here, but if anything, I'm happy to have her in my life.

It was probably around two in the morning, the chilling yet damp breeze hinting that a storm menaced to emerge in any moment. I was thinking about how much I missed feeling the rain on my face, when I heard the familiar rattle of chains and lift my head from the pillow. The candle lights barely illuminate the entrance, where Saphir greets me, an uncharacteristic ear-to-ear grin on her face.

"You're awake, great."

"Why so happy?" I say, confused.

Still smiling, she approaches my bed, "I've been working on a plan."

I raise a brown. The glint on her eyes sends a shiver down my spine.

She seems a bit irritated by my ignorance, though the excitement in her voice is still palpable, "To get out of here. To be free."

"You must have a temperature again." I belly laugh, expecting her to drop the silly act.

Yet...she seems impervious to my reaction.

"You are kidding right?" I try again, "What, you found the door with the exit letters above?"

Head lifted high, exposing the bit of her neck where feathers meet smooth, blue skin, Saphir's face gives me the usual brash raised brown as she sits on the side of my bed. "There is no door with exit letters, silly."

I roll my eyes at her stupidity, or mine for not foreseeing this outcome, as I rub my hands down my grey trousers.

Saphir continues, oblivious to my frustration, "Listen. You cannot resist this place for much longer, and to honest, neither can I-"

"You know what will happen if it goes wrong," a whisper escapes my lips. It had been almost automatic. It's the phrase that snaps me out of every plan I had devised these past years. I wouldn't get killed, thanks to whatever arrangement my father had made, maybe beaten a bit, but what about Saphir? I didn't have to worry about my friends being killed in other institutions, that was something new. And it paralysed me.