KEEPERS OF THE WOODLANDS.

CHAPTER 32:THE BELLS

"I never asked you what you were doing at that place.how did they catch you?"I looked away and got up off him.i didn't want to play back to anything right now. I just wanted to forget ,to let it pass."umm I had ran away from home and...."he sensed the uncomfortability on my face and changed the question along with the mood."it's okay.you don't have to tell me more than you're comfortable talking about."he placed his hands under his head for support .looking at me."aren't you going to ask if I have someone back in the grasslands?"he said it with a laugh in his voice meant to annoy me.i smiled and looked at him .he looked comfortable over there lying on his back so I joined him.i thought about lying on his chest but no.it felt like a stretch.considering what i did last night pfft i was one to talk about stretches.so Instead I put a hand at the back of my neck for support.

"it doesn't really matter does it." But really, I wasn't sure i'd like the answer.

"well I don't have anyone back in the grasslands" he said more sad than normal as if he meant he completely had no one back home. not even a family. "listen there's something ....I don't think you'll handle it well ... but I have to because now you're in more danger than you think."I stiffened and turned toward him with concern. what was this all about.had he figured out I was the keeper?already?

"what?"I asked eagerly.we both sat up.he was looking down .he never looked down like that."there's something about me that I should have told you at the beginning but I didn't know whether or not I could trust you."

Ooo good at least it was about him and i don't know how i earned his trust but okay. this sounded serious.i couldn't guess what it was though.He turned toward me and held my hands and looked me in the eye slowly.it was getting intense.he was about to say something when I had bells ringing outside.the kind of bells that meant trouble.i jumped to my feet and looked out the window.scanning for anything suspicious"there's some fracas down there."my expression quickly changed dreading what I saw."they've found us."

He looked alarmed yet doubtful "are you sure its them.?"

"that huge scar on the left ear,it's them."i hid from sight as ideas ran across my mind how many exits were there from the keepers domain ?what if they had closed off most of them?how would we gain a head start.?i held my hair back up as i paced the room once then twice then my gaze brushed past daimakn,why wasnt he as concerned. he looked even more worried by another thing .i couldn't tell what it was.

"cas you have to run.i'll stay back and stall them.i won't tell them squat about you.promise on my life."he was holding my arms tightly.as if he was scared and needed to protect me.i thought that was a stupid idea .so I angrily shook off his hold and pulled him out the door.we had a narrow chance to escape and since the people were fewer we would easily get noticed."that's a dumb idea.here's a better one .we get disguises and escape as part of the people who had attended the ceremony yesterday." He was about to get stubborn when I stopped and shot him that look ."if you stay here ,i'm staying and then we die and no one gets help .do you understand?so, let's go."i tugged his arm, pulling his weight behind me.

I don't know how, but i'd convinced him. I was about to cry if he insisted on staying .i guess he picked that up and ran along with me out the room, down the stairs into the hallway ,borrowing some old clothes from some of the sellers and passersby .i slouched and started walking like an old lady.while daimakn dressed up like a really heavy old lady. it was funny how he sold that look.