Behind The Wall

Chapter Four: Sorren

I sat in the same place I had sat so many times over the years, gazing longingly at the stone wall. Or rather, what lay beyond it. I had packed my bags with the essentials, like food, water, and a change of clothes. I felt the perfect smoothness of the sand continually flowing beneath me. I gave one last sorrowful look at my home, and started my trek towards the Wall. 

My feet slipped and slid through the sand as I unsteadily walked against the wind. I finally approached it. My dream. My nightmare. The Wall.  I grabbed the rope I had taken from father and tied a short loop into it. You see, there were  large spikes on top of the Wall. We didn't know what they were for, but we had always assumed they were for keeping us safe, like the Government told us. But now they would aid in my escape. It took a few tries but I finally got my rope hooked around one. I started up the Wall, pushing my feet against it, trying to scramble up, but the wall was too smooth. It was also much taller than it looked from town or the hill. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.  You can do it.  I tried again, but this time pulling up on the rope more. I started to finally make some progress.

I was almost there! So close, yet so far. I took a short moment to look down, and immediately regretted it.  It was a long way down, and too late to turn back. My rope fluttered behind, like a flag whipping around in the wind.  The night seemed to be quickly fading, and I knew I had to hurry. I grimaced, my hands in pain from the constant slipping and sliding up and down the rope. I took a deep breath and continued on.

The sun was on the edge of the horizon, and people would be waking up soon. I was panicking because the Wall was much higher  than it looked, and it seemed it would still be hours 'till I got over. My knees gripped the rope tightly, desperately trying to hold on! With one hand still on the rope, and my knees helping, I managed to reach into the bag at my hip. I pulled out my pocket watch, a rare luxury in Solaris. 5:13 A.M, I had 17 minutes before my mom and dad came into my room to wake me up. I put the watch in my mouth, clenching my teeth around it so I would be able check the time frequently. As I went up, I looked at the watch. 5:17. 5:21. 5:23. 5:36. 5:28. 5:29... "Here! Hold on tighter!" I looked up to see I was still quite a ways away, but there was someone on top of the Wall! No, 2 people. And I felt myself being lifted up, no effort required. The were pulling me up, up, and... I was up. I was over the Wall. 

Or rather, on top of it.