The Blind Games ✔

{36} Escape and Rescue

Bella Jones

After a good 30 minutes of sawing through my binds, the ropes had fallen limply to the ground. Smirking in victory, I leaned down to untie my legs. Whoever tied them wasn't very good at knots, because it only took me a few moments before that too was loosened. It was hard standing up, but I managed. I surveyed the room for potential weapons before my eyes landed on the syringe Leah had used on me earlier. Limping my way towards it, I gripped it with one hand and turned to the door. It was partially opened when I got there, so I slipped my way between the door and the wall.

On either side of me were halls,  and in front of me were cells. My eyes widened in disbelief at the sheer number of them. Dozens of pack prisoners were rotting away inside the containment area, some of them literally. Those who were still alive looked as though their spirit had died a long time ago. Children no older than 3-4 clutched onto their mothers, the bottom of the cells surely disease ridden. About a half inch of straw on top of earth was all they had to lay on, and animal bones were scattered all around. Tears welled in my eyes at the sight that greeted me, and I could feel the need to protect them kicking in. These were my pack, and I wasn't leaving without them.

A feeble hand grasped mine through the cage, and I observed a feeble, ancient grandma looking at me with sad stricken eyes.

"Please," She started, her voice raspy. "Get my grandson out of here!"

After promising to get everyone out alive, and that'd I'd be back with the key, I set out to search for the guards. To my astonishment, nobody of the likes was around. My mind was swarming with thoughts, trying to understand. The cogs moved slowly in my brain, and the mental clock in my head was ticking. If I didn't find the key soon, then we were all done for.

Arriving around a cobblestone pillar, I quickly slapped a hand above my mouth. In front of me were two guards, seemingly asleep. But they were stiff, rigged, and blood dripped from their mouths. It was obvious they had been poisoned, as the culprit was poured all over the floor after one had dropped their mug. Looking closely at the contents, I quickly distinguished the blood-red gleam mixed into their coffee. When wolfsbane and certain toxins are mixed together, the result is a red-tinted poison known as Wolf's Folly.

On the table lay a large key embezzled with rust atop a piece of parchment. Pulling the paper out from under the key, I quickly recognized the code Leah and I had come up with in fourth grade.

To anyone else, the writing would have looked just like childish sketches. To me, it read 'get them out of here, and don't die. I'm bringing Landon.'

I smiled sadly at the paper before dropping it to the floor and snatching the key from the wooden surface. I turned around, only to find myself face to face with two more rogues wearing ferocious snarls. The fur of one was almost completely gone, as though he'd been burned by oil, making it almost impossible to discern his color. The other was smaller and obviously younger, but still just as foreboding.

We stared at each other, each assessing the other as we made a complete circle around the room. I scrounged them for weaknesses, easily picking out some minor details. The Brute was massive but slow. He moved clumsily, and it appeared that an old wound has misshapen his back right paw. The younger seemed lither and less willing to engage in the battle head-on. He hung back, watching with caution and moving quickly around me in an attempt to blindside. His only visible weakness was a long and harrowing cut running straight down one eye and half his muzzle. The cut appeared fresh and sore.

Finally, the battle ensued. The Brute was the first to move, as I had predicted. The powerful wolf lunged forward, his bulk shadowing over me until the last second, where I dodged, diving away. The wolf landed awkwardly on his arse, skidding across the floor. Rogue Two was quick to follow, springing forward and aiming for my neck as I lay on the floor. In a few seconds, he was upon me, and I allowed him to clamp his jaws on my arm. Wincing with the pain, I flipped us over and punched him repeatedly in the face with my free arm while jamming my other arm further into his mouth. I kept at it until I was suddenly tackled from the left side, and was sent in a long tumble with Brute.

I emerged on top, and with the quickness that came with years of practice, drove my hand straight through his chest. It convexed with my strength, and Brute started gurgling on his own blood. I looked away as he released his last breath.

I turned around, ready to finish the next wolf when I found him on the ground in submission. Above him, Winfrey stood with his boot pressed against the wolf's throat. Winfrey was covered in blood from head to toe, though no visible injury was apparent. I thanked all the gods I could think of for that.

After the cunning wolf was finished, Winfrey immediately approached me. He looked me over several times before pulling me in for a hug, sighing in apparent relief.

"I thought you were dead, squirt. You can see?" He asked in astonishment and momentary grief.

"Yes, I'll explain later. And not quite. But these boys sure do know how to show a girl a good time," I joked, relieving myself of the embrace and stepping over the fresh bodies.

"Very funny, we need to get out of here right now. Landon's going to blow the whole place up after your safety is confirmed," Winfrey informed me, positioning himself at my side as I walked briskly down the halls. I was surprised they had found this place, wherever we were.

"I'm sorry, I can't leave yet. How's the battle going?" I admonished, picking up my pace into a lengthy trot. Winfrey snatched my arm, turning me to face him.

"Not good. They outnumber us times two, and we have no more fresh wolves to put to battle Bella. Dozens are dead on both sides already, we can't lose anyone else or there won't be a home to return to. We need to leave, now." He urged me, trying to bring me in the opposite direction.

"Gansey Eugene Winfrey, if you don't let me go this moment I'll single-handedly cut you into pieces and send you off to sea. There are people here, my people, that need our help. I intend to set them free. You said you needed fresh wolves right, then give me 10 minutes to get these people out of here," I snapped, staring at him intently after I finished before turning back to continue my walk.

Cursing under his breath, Winfrey followed me without any further questions. We arrived at the cells, and Winfrey gasped in horror. The conditions were horrifying, so it's understandable.

"These poor people," He whispered, rotating his head to look around the room.

"Help me get these cages open!" I cried, placing the key in the lock and pulling down. It popped off, and Winfrey came to his senses, kicking down the doors. We continued like this, and more people flooded the corridor. After every man, woman, and child was accounted for we ran outside to join the battle.

It was a bloodbath. Disconnected arms and legs lay scattered on the ground like ants for as far as I could see. Rogues were gaining on our men, and I immediately spotted Landon leading our charge. Behind me, 200 angry brethren, who'd been unlawfully held in bondage, beaten, and broken were ready to fight alongside me.  We spread like fire, some of us shifting, the rest charging against the opposing forces on two legs.

I fought against the throngs of wolves as Landon singlehandedly took down 3 giant rogues. I reached him quickly and watched in horror as a man rose from the ground. One of his arms was completely gone and blood splattered his face. In the other arm, a knife was clutched tightly.

By now, Landon was distracted, as he'd noticed my form and was trying in vain to reach me. But, what he didn't see was the knife descending towards his backside.

"No!" I screamed, screamed louder than humanly possible, and drove forward. I pushed past the rogues and threw myself against the knife before it had a chance to take Landon's life.

Hello, all fellow wattpadians. I am here to inform you that from here on out, this book will be written and finished fairly quickly. After this, we have one chapter and an epilogue left. Then I will begin plans for a sequel, which was already decided on. After that sequel is finished, I will probably begin a rewrite on this book. It's going to be a ride, but we'll get there.

I know my book is childish and has some plot holes, which is why I plan on creating a revised version of this once I finish. I hope you've enjoyed it so far! I can't believe there's going to be a whole 38 chapters! I'm amazed I made it this far.

Thank you guys so much for sticking with me until the end!