Prisoner

Chapter 20

John Hansson's Journal

I am no longer aware of the date, for all the days have passed in a blur since I have last written back in the inn in Darmsmoor. Even with this lack of knowledge, I feel it is especially important to write now more than ever. Tomorrow morning, Adaryn, Clev and I will begin our day-long journey to the battlefield in Linbridge. Our goal is to locate Captain Dumaine and pursuade him to get us access to King Nekros so we can kill him.

I REALLY don't see this happening. the Captain and the King are close, and he is held in high respect. Why in the world would Dumaine let us waltz into the castle and kill his boss? I do not think that I should even bother bringing this up to Adaryn or Clevius, because I know for a fact that they are not willing to listen to reason. Especially when reason involves us abandoning this hopeless quest and surviving the next few weeks.

More than ever, I think of my family. Of my son and wife, I mean. I can only assume that NASA and the goverment back on Earth have pronounced me dead. I wonder if they have had the funeral yet...

It's a scary thought to know you are seen as dead on your home planet...

Anyways, since I have last written, our little party has been abandoned and betrayed by Adonis, whom I used to think was one of the most devoted to our cause. None of us are sure why he left, or why he told the STINKING KING (we assume) of our quest, but I bet it/when we see him next Clev and Adaryn will have a little bone to pick with him.

Another think that has happened since we last left- Venia has died. Venia was Adaryn's wife. As anyone reading this (if anyone is reading this) could guess, Adaryn is absolutely devastated. But...I think it is taking more of a toll on him than he lets us see. Sure, we know he is sad, but just today Clev and I learned that Adaryn really has just stopped caring about anything. He is just fine with going back to prison and being executed. Clev took him into a room and talked to him for nearly half an hour. Now, he is a little with better. I believe that Clevius reminded Adaryn of the fact that he still has a little daughter out there somewhere (we have come to the conclusion that Adonis took her to the King).

If I could hope anything would happen in the next few days, it would be that Ada-

*

My writing was interrupted by a hardcovered book being chucked at the back of my head. I hissed and cupped the spot where it hit with one hand, then turned to see who had thrown it.

In the three-bed bedroom, which was more like a shack in the back of Stryker's house used for guests, Clevius slept across the room from me. Except now he wasn't sleeping. I saw his red eyes glaring at me through the darkness, which was being slightly illuminated from the soft glow of a candle on my side table.

"What was that for?" I half-shouted. Clev put a finger over his lips and motioned to Adaryn, who was curled up in a ball under the threadbare blankets on his bed between the two of ours. Adaryn shifted positions quietly, then fell soundly back asleep. I nodded, understanding, then asked again.

Clev groaned. "It is very late, John. You should be fast asleep by now, not writing, or whatever it is you are doing." He growled at me. I looked at my journal, then bookmarked my spot and closed it, making a note in my mind to continue later when I was not at risk of a concussion via book. I set the journal aside and climbed under the rough, itchy blankets, struggling to grow comfortable. Clev, satisfied, rolled over and soon fell asleep.

It took nearly two hours for me to fall asleep, but even in sleep I found no comfort. My dreams consisted of my family, especially my wife and young son, on the day I left for Uranus months ago.