The Games for Gaiathal (Part 3 of 'A Tale of People and Apples Trilogy')

Chapter 8: Eeva's Attempt of Escape

She had to get out.

As she watched Laplan's body hit the floor, and realized the demented Games which were unfolding below were more twisted than she had thought, she couldn't remain.

She couldn't watch any more of them die. She couldn't watch her friend Calysa die. And she couldn't watch Luka die, who was now sprinting towards Solan in desperation. She had to get out, and she had to find a way to escape. Escape and formulate a plan with whatever help she could get, to come back and hopefully free them from whatever hell they found themselves in. Wishful thinking, but during her captivity she learned to grasp on to any hint of hope she could.

She could find a way to deliver her baby safely and out of Solan's hands. And if she was too late, too late to save them from the fortress, at least she could regroup to fight Solan again and make him face true justice.

With her hands pressed to the blue wall of the mile long hallway, peering down below, watching Luka appear to bite his hand, the father of her child, she counted the number of Outlander guards in her peripheral vision. There were too many and too close to her. Even if she somehow unbound her hands and ankles, they would promptly chain her again.

She deliberated in her mind how to get out, back to the great lobby of the fortress and back to the outside.

She thought of just the way.

With a great fake yell, she fell to a knee, holding her belly and grunting in pain and gritting her teeth.

"The baby I... something's wrong," She said and writhed to her guards, who exchanged glances of confusion and worry.

"Solan said you're not due for a week... get up."

"Well Solan's wrong! It's coming," She said as she stood slowly, continuing to act. "Unless you want me to deliver right here and right now in front of your master, and throw him off his game, you better take me somewhere appropriate."

Eeva continued to fake her contractions as she listened to the guards deliberate to themselves beneath their armour.

"...his instructions were to keep her here and make her watch," One whispered.

"...We take her out, let her deliver the monster, bring her back in before Intermission is done, and let Solan kill the babe after he wins. I don't want to risk Solan losing because the girl gives birth right here, right in front of him and giving him even more to think of," Another whispered back. "He wants to kill the babe. Imagine what he'll do to us if it dies at birth. Birth complications run in her family, after all."

Eeva grit her teeth not from her great fake pain, but from the cruel insult the Outlander hurled regarding the death of her mother, Thaia.

The Outlanders seemed to come to some agreement, and Eeva sighed to herself in relief.

"C'mon, girl. It better be the quickest delivery in the history of Gaiathal."

Outlander Guards brought forth a stretcher and roughly rolled Eeva onto the cold metal, Eeva yelling and acting with every awkward movement they made her take.

"Let's go, quick," An Outlander said who held the front of Eeva's platform, as they rushed her back to the lobby of the fortress upon the stretcher and through the swarms of soldiers waiting in the lobby. They all looked on, confused at her wailing and writhing, many realizing the Six was about to give birth to a demon. Those that realized this averted their eyes from the monster's soon-to-be mother.

As they exited the lobby back to the outside air and greenery, more soldiers beneath their yellow and black suits paced with weapons and metal, looking upon Eeva and her stretcher and the two guards who shuttled her forth. The other guards remained on the outskirts of the fortress as Eeva and her two carriers hurried their pace.