When All Hope is Lost (Book 2)

Rays of Sunshine

I awoke in the pitch black cell that had long since become my home. Day or night, I couldn't tell anymore, unless the guards made any hints when they brought me food. The shadows around me replicated how my insides felt. Dark, empty. I shifted my weight around so I could stare at the ceiling. It was so high. Not that it being that high aided in the cramped bars of the cell. I sighed. There was nothing to do, except think about my choice, my choice that landed me here. The choice that got my friends- no, I had told myself to stop thinking like that a long time ago.

I had been in this cell for about six months, besides the occasional times they took me out for questioning. Although, for as far as I know, I could have been here for years. It feels like days, truly. My sickness has robbed me of many things, time is one of them.

A clomping sound jolted my senses to attention and I groaned out loud as I saw Kaya trotting down the hallway with my food, probably breakfast. Or was she bringing dinner? I don't know anymore.

Her dark auburn hair dangled in beautiful tresses, unlike my dirty red hair that dropped like wet rags on a clothesline. She had a wicked smile on her sharp face as she stopped in front of my prison.

Pure delight in my suffering glimmered across her eyes as she chimed, "Hello, dear sister. How are you enjoying sitting in this cell? By yourself?" she emphasized the last two words to purposely pierce my heart.

I grimaced, "I'm doing fine Kaya, now can I just have my food so you can go?" My voice didn't sound right, it was creaky and dry from a thousand tears. I pinched my arm as I scolded myself for talking so rudely to my own . . . dear sister. How would Adonai respond to this?

She laughed. "Sure." Then she dropped the tray right outside the bars. The food splattered my vest, and I groaned. "Whoops, my mistake," she said, smiling.

I glared at her, with fists clenched. Why, if she hadn't been almost a mirror image of myself, I would have accused the midwife of switching us at birth. Kaya leaned against the bars. "It's too bad I can't convince Father to get rid of you, it's getting to be such a pain bringing you meals." I rolled my eyes and crawled to the back of the cell. Or, at least, tried to. It was hard, because the cell was so tiny. If I ignored her then perhaps she would go away. She didn't.

"But he's convinced that Lord Malum will send for you, and you know how Father fears Lord Malum," she droned on, crouching to my height.

"Lucifer Malum is a manipulative man Kaya, he will only bring you and father to destruction." I proclaimed boldly, while wrapping my arms around my skeleton-like knees to keep warm.

"Well I don't see your Adonai doing anything better," she taunted. "He couldn't even save your dear friend Ezra."

I rushed forward, or rather, crawled forward, and grabbed Kaya's shirt collar, "Don't you dare talk about Ezra. Adonai still loves us, He still-," I felt my voice die away, it was becoming harder to believe my own words. How could Adonai love me after I disobeyed Him? I glanced away. Kaya took my vulnerability as a window, grabbed my hand, and twisted it until it was painfully behind my back.

She growled, "I can talk however I want and no matter what I say will change what has already happened." Unexpectedly, she swiftly punched me through the bars, and I landed straight in the puddle of food. "Furthermore, never touch me again." With that, she stomped out of the room, her curls bopping with each step. Once she was out of sight, I buckled over and began crying.

***

Hours later, I woke with a cold sweat. A cool breeze rippled off my clothes as I rubbed my hand over my face in an attempt to wake myself up. Another cruel dream, same as the last five, had plagued me once again. In my dreams I was with Ezra again. He told me he forgives me and that Adonai forgives me too. He would wrap me up in a warm embrace, and then cold reality would hit. Ezra and his sibling were gone, dead, never to be seen again. Adonai could never love me after what I had done, and then I would wake up. The same dream to be repeated over and over again is pure torture. And with nothing else to do but wish that I could go back in time, I laid on the ground and cried.

The iron door that shut us prisoners in, creaked open. I sat up and wiped my tears away with my tattered sleeve. This could mean many things. I hoped they weren't hauling me in for more questioning. Two guards and an ample woman traversed down the cold brick hall. I grasped the bars and watched them cautiously. The woman's arms were tied around her back but yet she was joking happily with the guards. The guards paid no attention to her. Finally they arrived at the cell next to mine. One of them unlocked it, and the woman, whose hands were now untied, trotted inside.

"Thanks," she said joyously before turning to look at me, "Hello!"

"Hi," I whispered, while taking a closer look at the woman. She had dirty blonde curls that were plastered in mud. They looked as though they hadn't been washed in a long time. She had sparkling blue eyes placed on a very round face. When she smiled it was almost as if she had taken some of the sun from outside and brought it into the darkness as a gift. She wore a long black dress with a brown vest, tied with a frayed rope. I watched as the strange woman ran her fingers along the brick and mumbled, "Old, gray, and made of clay," she tapped her bony finger on her chin, "I've surveyed this whole building and I do believe that it was built during the Li Dynasty."

"Excuse me?" I felt the words leave before I could stop them.

The woman glanced at me again and dropped to her knees, "Oh I feel silly, going on about building when I haven't introduced myself. My name is Demetria Mayain, but my friends call me Decoy."

"Decoy-?" I sputtered.

"Yup, my sister gave me that name three years ago."

"But why?" I asked.

She stood up and ran her hands over the brick again, "Because I make the best decoy out of our whole camp." I didn't know how to respond to that. Thankfully, Demetria continued talking, "So what's your name?"

I gulped, "Fae Cahira."

"Any nicknames?"

I froze, my dad had given me a nickname years ago but I didn't feel like embracing the sentiment since it was his fault I was here. "So Demetria-

"Decoy."

I paused, "Okay, Decoy. Why did they lock you up?" I asked, avoiding her nickname question.

Decoy's smile disappeared and she stopped rubbing the brick, "I'm an archaeologist and the government told us to destroy certain artifacts. Our group refused. Destroying part of our past will only condemn our future, you know? Well we've been secretly hiding thousands of artifacts, and after all of these years they finally caught on," her eyes glazed over, "Thankfully I was the only one caught, and everyone was able to escape."

"Do you know what your punishment is yet?" I asked, afraid for the answer.

She shook her head, "I don't know and I'm not going to wait to find out. But more on that later," Decoy smiled at me, "Why'd they lock you up?"

With this I felt my throat tighten, "I'm in here for protecting Zyanyn followers of Adonai."

Decoy cocked her head, "Were you the only one caught?"

I looked away towards the long hallway of empty cells, "No."

Decoy started to say something but then the realization of what I just said hit. She instead went back to the bricks. I expected silence for the rest from that moment onward but was surprised to find a warm hand resting on my knee. I turned to gaze into compassionate eyes. Her lips twitched, "I'm sorry for what I said. Just ask my husband. I speak before I think a lot of the time."

I offered a tiny smile, "It's okay," I took her hand, "Will you tell me more about your archeology work?" Decoy grinned and instantly began telling me many stories about their work. She had a soothing voice that helped me take my mind off my problems. I had never met anyone like Decoy, I liked her, so that was enough for me

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A/N:

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-Grace