Beyond The Walls (NOW ON AMAZON!!!)

Redemption

It was a few weeks later when Hadley and Jamila would get another chance to talk. The guard's partner came in all pepped up, whooping with excitement. Hadley stood up from her garland pose squat, shaking out her hips and stretching her calves before she sat on her cot to watch what was going on.

"It's brawling time babe!" the man yelled at the top of his lungs.

The guard laughed but shook her head. "I can't do this again my love. I need to stay here. To watch them. It's almost time to use them to find Fisher. If anything happens before that..."

"Honey," her partner cut her off. He gently cupped her face. "It's just like the Wedding! Nothing will happen. They're not going anywhere. And you can't say you don't absolutely love The Brawl!"

The guard was hesitant at first, but she eventually smiled.

"I'm going to put Rasmus on his ass this year!" she announced, her voice booming across the room.

"That's my girl!" her partner replied with the same energy.

They raced out of the cavern, leaving Hadley and Jamila alone.

Too rare a treat.

"What do you think that was about?" Jamila asked. "What's 'The Brawl'?"

"I have no idea," Hadley replied. "I'm just glad whatever it is exists because we finally get to be alone again."

"True," Jamila responded. "Hey, Lee?"

"Yeah, Jay?"

"How's the baby? Can you feel her move and kick yet?"

Hadley placed her hand on her stomach and felt for the little one. It had been five months since Conception Day. Her bump was barely visible, but she felt the life inside her.

"The cheeky little girl starts to party every time I'm trying to fall asleep" Hadley replied, chuckling.

"And you? Are you okay?"

"A few stress headaches, and my wrists keep tingling at night. The prodromal contractions are incredibly annoying, but they're quick. Axel's compression socks are helping with my legs, and my heartburn doesn't last that long," Hadley rattled away. "Although I have a feeling that the heartburn doesn't last thanks to my newfound healing powers. All the other symptoms aren't actual injuries – just my hormones acting up and the baby pushing things around."

Jamila sighed. "I really wish..."

She was cut off by a scuffling and a noise. Was the guard coming back already? That was a short reprieve. Hadley and Jamila stayed silent as they waited for the guard to walk into the cavern again. Except that she wasn't the one who did.

"Kade?" both Hadley and Jamila said at the same time.

"Time to go!" Kade announced, working on opening Hadley's cell door. Once he was done, he swung the door opened and ushered Hadley out then walked over to open Jamila's cell door.

"What are you doing, Kade?" Hadley asked, staying inside in her cell despite the open door.

"Exactly what it looks like, Hadley," he said, swinging Jamila's door open. "I'm breaking you two out! Let's go!"

Hadley closed the door, staying inside her cell. "We're not leaving, Kade. We're staying right here!"

Jamila was outside her cell, ready to follow Kade. She turned back to Hadley. "Hadley?"

"I did the impossible and escaped the Compound! You think that I hadn't already figured out at least eight ways to get out of here?" Hadley explained, slowly walking back to her cot, and lying down with her hands behind her head. "Jay, if we leave, the Council won't hesitate to make the lives of our friends a living hell. I can't let that happen. Besides, I finally found a home for my daughter – even though I might not be fully involved in her life. She deserves a stable, safe home to grow up in. I'm not leaving."