Escape from Cirices Part 1

Chapter 4

Tension broke around the town. Children were told to sleep at night and parents took guard, hardly sleeping at daytime. Instantly, the shops had become very crowded and prices for everything; clothing, food, water had tripled. Even people with a lot of money came out empty handed. Now, it was the norm to see people carrying weapons. The forest was more forbidden than it ever was, though people took a big risk and still went there. As so, it went unnoticed when Abigail walked down the streets, carrying a knife, a full sheath and a loaded bow.

Generally, if someone would be seen carrying weapons through a street, the guards would come pelting at you and would tackle you to the ground. Your weapons would be confiscated and might be used against you. Afterwards, you would go to court and if you're found guilty, you would sit in jail for ten years and when you were finally released, you would have guards around you for almost the rest of your life.

"Abigail!"

Abigail jumped and turned around. Sara's father ran over to Abigail, his greying hair ruffled by the wind.

"Ah hello James. You gave me a fright. I thought the guards were coming!"

"Oh no. I didn't know you knew how to use weapons, Abigail".

"I do.", Abigail said tightly. "So, what's going on with Sara"?

"Oh well, as you can see, my family is very depressed about this. We found some food and water taken along with one of our best knives. But, sadly she has never been or survived in the wild before and if she doesn't die, incoming Meropian troops will kill her or worse, capture her. Even if she does find her way back to Cirices, she will be jailed or slaughtered".

Abigail took this in very slowly. She stared up at the tall man's face, his ruffled grey hair and hazel eyes. Hazel eyes exactly like Sara's.

"I feel very sorry for you and your family, James. I know what a disaster it is like for you. And, I also feel sorry for Sara."

"I appreciate that, Abigail. However, I don't think Sara was kidnapped. If anything, she ran away in fear of knowing that her home town was about to be attacked. She would rather die alone than watch her friends and family die before her".

Abigail couldn't talk long, so she said goodbye to James. Abigail was secretly hoping, emboldened by Sara's act that she could do the same thing. She knew how to survive more than a few days in the wilderness. She knew how to hunt, gather, protect herself and find water. The key elements to surviving. Abigail trudged home and dumped her weapons and food from the forest on the kitchen bench.

"Brought, the bow and arrows home, hmm", asked Abigail's mother.

"Yes. And some food to add to that".