Ver Las Lanchas Como Mariposas

6: Holding

The other truck cut through the green misty morning swiftly. As it rounded a corner, Hasia rushed to hide behind the other. It slowed to a stop as the driver saw the damage. The Mask hopped out of the front, rushing over to examine the scene.

"Q-102, do you copy? Q-102? Q-116, are you breathing? " The Mask called for the other two, making its way to the front of the truck. As it threw open the door, Hasia carefully slipped away, toward the other. He turned toward the back, hearing a rattling inside.

He took a breath and concentrated. Inside, illuminated by teal light, he saw a thin figure chained to the floor of the truck. Another prisoner. Soon, his vision was clouded with the light. The doors to the back of the vehicle were now smoky, revealing the prince.

"Prince Lunnas!" He called out quietly.

"Who is that? Where did that voice come from?" The prince responded in the same tone, "Reveal yourself!"

With that, Hasia reached through the smoke and slipped the prince through. The chain dripped away from his skin, freeing his arms. He cried out in surprise. Hasia pulled a hand up to the prince's mouth.

"Sh! Quiet! Prince Lunnas, don't panic. I'm here to help!" The prince squirmed away from Hasia's hand and swatted at the boy.

"Get your grubby hand away from me!" Lunnas shouted. Hasia noticed that the Mask had closed the door to the other truck and was now making its way back to its own.

"Lunnas! Stop! Do you want to be killed?"

"No! That's why I don't trust you, boy!"

"Listen to me!" Hasia grabbed the prince and ran behind a surrounding tree. Though Lunnas struggled, he followed. Hasia began to explain;

"Prince Lunnas, my name is Hasia Parlosa. I'm a citizen of Opal Crescent. I was there when these Masks kidnapped both of us. They..." He swallowed a lump in his throat. "I think they killed my abuela. I know they killed a lot of people. We can't be next, okay? I don't know where we are, but if you come with me, we can make it back to the city."

Lunnas looked at Hasia, then back to the truck.

"Fine. We need to get out of here. The Quaritian will probably call for backup. If we start running, they won't find us before we find shelter. The masks they wear have heat-sensing tech, though, so we've gotta be quick."

"Wait, they're Quaritian? Holy shit, Lunnas. We were about to be prisoners of war."

"About to be?" A voice rose from the other side of the tree. "I'd say there's still a pretty good chance."

Just then, the tree began to creak. The bark shifted and bubbled, and the whole tree came crashing down. Hasia pulled Lunnas out of the way and ran.

The Mask—-no, the Quaritian—-followed behind them, but its stocky frame slowed it down enough that the boys lost it. They found themselves at the edge of a large, greenish-brown pond. Hasia stopped, pulling Lunas to his side.

"He'll have to go around. Especially with all the tech in those masks and stuff. We don't," Hasia said in a panicked voice.

"You don't mean we're going to..." Lunnas responded, but before he could finish his sentence, Hasia was already removing his shoes and socks. He rolled his pants up to his thighs and started wading into the water.

"Come on, Prince Lunnas! He's going to catch up! The water isn't cold," He shouted as he went deeper.

"My clothes are far too expensive! I can just go around, can I not?"

"If you wanna get shot!"

Hesitantly, Lunnas pulled his shoes from his feet and tied the long robe around his waist. Although he wasn't used to his pale thighs against the air, he didn't mind. He slowly dipped a foot into the water, then the other. Soon, he was knee-deep in the pond.

The boys found a sort of fun in wading through the pond. They were literally running for their lives, but the water against their skin and the green air around them filled them with a sort of childlike nostalgia.

Hasia looked back at the prince, but something else caught his eye.

The Quaritian caught up, followed by the two who drove the other truck.

"Prince Lunnas! Hurry!" He shouted, then turned around to run through the water. Lunnas turned too, realizing the severity of the situation.

And the boys ran.