One Night

Chapter Twenty One

Alara

I need a break.

Just a single moment of escape where I'm not doing, or thinking, or fighting. To be able to breathe again, in a way I haven't in a long time.

Funny that I ask for a moment, while being trapped in a cage. Alone. I don't know what happened. One moment I'm falling asleep in Zayen's arms and the next I'm in a dark cell with nobody around.

I tried calling out—but I'm not sure if that was a good idea. What if another giant man comes to hurt me? What if worse comes? But I had to know if Zayen or Akilah or Nawaz are here.

There was no response.

At least I'm not in chains and my arms won't go numb. My body still aches from the hits that I took from that man-creature

I see now that when faced with impossibly messed up, inescapable and life-threatening situations, it is better to see the positive.

And not being in chains is just about the only thing I can think of.

In the damp coldness, I rise to my feet. My body aches with a tiredness that surpasses lack of sleep. My limbs are mostly numb as I walk across the five steps to the bars of the cage.

I really just want to bathe. It makes me miss the pathetic, cracked bucket that my mom and I used to dip cloths in to wipe ourselves with.

"Hello?" I call again, louder this time.

I can't stand being in here. Let the monsters come. I just need something to happen, to understand what situation I am in. For all I know, I could be waiting to be eaten by cannibals.

With the situations I have found myself in lately, I would not be that surprised.

A low growl, the sound like a tortured animal, vibrates through the dark empty hall in front of my cell.

"Who's there?" they ask, their voice rough and deep.

The sound unwillingly sends shivers through me. And then a rush of relief. "Zayen?"

"Sariq?"

I almost laugh. He's here. Maybe he will have answers that will fill in the gaps. "W-What is going on?"

An empty silence follows my question. Did he pass out or something? "I'm sorry," he finally says.

"Sorry? Did—Where are we? Are you okay?" He doesn't sound okay.

"I messed up. I'm sorry."

"You did this?"

"Well, technically no. I think Akilah did—"

"Akilah?" I knew it. With every step I took, I knew it and still I did nothing. What was I supposed to do? Call her out? Tell the prince? Tell the Hakeem? No ways.

I had to hope for the best. Which didn't work out in my favour, clearly. "Do you know where we are?" I ask.

"We were ambushed. I don't know who they are or what they want. Made us walk for hours and placed bags over our head to make sure we saw nothing—so in terms of where we are or what will happen, I have no idea."

My fingers wrap around the cold, oxidised bars that cage me in. I try to lean my head against my hands and look down the hallways for any other signs of life, but there are none.

"Hey, uh . . ." I don't want to say his name, in case. "Dude."

He chuckles. "Am I 'dude'?"

"You think anyone else is in here with us?" Listening.