The Markings

THE MARKINGS: Chapter 2

Chapter 2

I don't know how much time passes before I finally let go of Titus's hand. It feels like one or two minutes but the stiff muscles in my legs tell me it's been longer. My tears have dried to my cheeks and my mind is finally starting to accept reality. My mother and brother are both dead. If I don't move soon I will likely face the same fate. Before I stand I gently cross Titus's arms and close his eyes. I hate the idea of leaving him here, but I know I have to.

Abruptly I stand and continue down the hall. I tell myself to move quickly because I know if I hesitate, even for a second, I'm not sure I'll get the courage to go again. I pick up my pace to a steady jog and then I hear two distant voices coming my way. I scan the hall, looking for somewhere to hide, but there's nowhere for me to go.

"Parting Day was a little boring," a man's exhausted voice says.

"I know, the group of prisoners they brought were lackluster at best," the second guard says and their voices grow louder.

Disgust starts to build up inside of me. The executions are just a form of entertainment for them. They never have to worry about facing that terrifying day. No one they love or care about will ever have to experience that. I think they must be making nightly rounds in the castle, but then I hear one of the guards add, "We're ditching tonight, right? Leave it to the newbie to handle. We really only need a single guard on duty outside the maze anyway."

"Couldn't have said it better myself." At that comment the two guards turn into the hall I'm standing in. They stop suddenly and I watch their eyes glance from me to the dead bodies and then back to me. My hatred for people like them, who see Parting Day as a form of entertainment, bubbles over. My eyes focus in on one of their swords. Without thinking I control it, and pull it into the air before slicing through one of their chests. It takes me a second to realize I have just murdered a human being. For the second time, I quickly realize. What have I just done? The disgust and anger that flowed through me steadied out my nerves and my gift, but now those have quickly vanished and I'm left empty and partially scared of myself.

The other guard starts back-peddling before disappearing around the corner of the hall. I hear him yell, "Gifted! An escaped gifted!" My original instinct to fight is overcome by a need to hide. I race to the end of the hall and take in my options. The hall branches off to my left and right, but I hear voices growing on both ends. In front of me is a staircase, and I take each step two at a time until I reach the top. Once I get to the top I'm overcome by numbness. There's only one old wooden door so I run through it and hope I'm not just running into a trap.

I slam the door shut behind me and slide the bolt to lock the door. It doesn't take long before I hear guards on the other side of the door trying to break it down. "Okay, how am I going to get out of here?" I say and try to slow my breathing.

For the first time, I scan the room to make out where I am, and a chill runs down my spine. It seems to be some sort of torture chamber. Along the left wall are two large cabinets holding who knows what, and on the right side there are chains hanging from the wall. There's an odd feeling in the air of the room. Cold and empty; sad really.

There's a small window on the far side of the room. I move to it and look outside through the bars on the window. It's on the front side of the castle and must be thirty or so feet up. I shouldn't have gone up the stairs, that was stupid. I was on the ground level. I should have been looking for a door or window to get out of. I glance out over the maze of hedges that circle the castle and can make out bits of light coming from lanterns in the city. Word of my attempted escape will have reached them before I get out of here so I know I can't go there. Everything outside seems to be so still though. Like a completely different world. The breeze from the cool night air lightly blows against my face.