Life between two worlds

3

In the children jail, a cacophony resonates from every direction. Some children pace up and down in the corridors and run everywhere. The others, at the bottom of their cells, watch them run with desperately empty eyes.

In this incredible crowd, an eight-year-old boy, a wrought iron necklace around the neck, with black hair like ebony and eyes as perse as them of the goddess of war, is moping around, seated on the cold and tough floor.

Suddenly, he hears a stick noise which hits the bars of the cell. The young boy jumps.

"So, rascal ! Stand up ! Go and look for mature berries for me !"

These words move on to a demonic laugh which can chill your blood.

Ilios is not impressed. He approaches.

"And what if I refuse ?"

The furious prison guard, grabs the boy to the arm.

"Do not play that game with me. If you refuse, you perfectly know what will happen. The procedure will be much faster for your case. As soon as you entered into my fortress, I felt a magic energy floating around you. You swallowed the potion, like all the others, but you resist me because you seem to have some powers. That is why I keep you until the end ; your comrades are just an entertainment. When everyone will pass away, the projects I elaborated for you will be concrete.

- You want to keep me with the aim of destroy the world, do not you ?"

The man's smile gets bigger, revealing his yellow teeth.

"You are a very clever boy ! Indeed, I will capture all the children of the world, they will become my slaves and they will follow me in my last plan !

- I will never let you do that !"

The prison guard giggles.

"Really ? And what is your plan to stop me ?

- I will not tell you, otherwise it will not be a plan anymore !"

The man's face suddenly darkens.

"Stop that ridiculous game ! You make me tired ! Go and look for berries !"

He opens the cell, grasps Ilios'tatter's collar and throws the little boy in the corridor.

The young boy wanders longs and never-ending corridors of the jail.

Once outside, Ilios looks for food. He is about to turn left to go to the market when two hands grip his wrists.

The child tries to escape, panicked.

"Let me go ! Leave me alone ! Help !"

Nobody rescues him. Ilios is alone, face to these two kidnappers.

Then, in a last effort, the little boy tries something else.

He kicks his kidnappers, which scream.

Ilios stops.

"I...I recognize these voices..."

He turns around.

The two adults, disguised into farmers, reveal their identity lowering their hood.

The young boy gulps and drops a hiccup of surprise.

"Mu...Mum ! Da...Daddy !

- Ilios !" his parents scream together.

The little boy, in tears, falls on his parents' neck.

"How have you found me ?

- Thanks to your brother and...some objects.

- I am so happy to see you again !

- So we are, sweet heart ! How did you get here ?

- Well...I was reading and...just before I went to sleep, a whirlwind surrounded me. I closed my eyes, and I woke up in front of this jail. Before I could ask questions to myself, two children caught my wrists and brought me inside of this gloomy building.

- I see. It is enough sudden, indeed. Well, let us go back home !

- No, wait ! We have to save these poor children from that horrible monster !

- You are right, fortunately, I got a dagger !

- Here is the plan : Ilios, take your teddy bear and your book, and find a safe place. Send us a message, like you did for Louan, to tell us where you are. We will pick you up when we have finished.

- All right ! Good luck !

- Thank you, sweet heart !"

The little boy runs and hides into a barrel.

Théoléo et Evanjelina walks to the terrible man's fortress...