Alara

I need a break.

Just a single moment of escape where I'm not doing, or thinking, or fighting. To be able to breathe again, in a way I haven't in a long time.

Funny that I ask for a moment, while being trapped in a cage. Alone. I don't know what happened. One moment I'm falling asleep in Zayen's arms and the next I'm in a dark cell with nobody around.

I tried calling out—but I'm not sure if that was a good idea. What if another giant man comes to hurt me? What if worse comes? But I had to know if Zayen or Akilah or Nawaz are here.

There was no response.

At least I'm not in chains and my arms won't go numb. My body still aches from the hits that I took from that man-creature

I see now that when faced with impossibly messed up, inescapable and life-threatening situations, it is better to see the positive.

And not being in chains is just about the only thing I can think of.

In the damp coldness, I rise to my feet. My body aches with a tiredness that surpasses lack of sleep. My limbs are mostly numb as I walk across the five steps to the bars of the cage.

I really just want to bathe. It makes me miss the pathetic, cracked bucket that my mom and I used to dip cloths in to wipe ourselves with.

"Hello?" I call again, louder this time.

I can't stand being in here. Let the monsters come. I just need something to happen, to understand what situation I am in. For all I know, I could be waiting to be eaten by cannibals.

With the situations I have found myself in lately, I would not be that surprised.

A low growl, the sound like a tortured animal, vibrates through the dark empty hall in front of my cell.

"Who's there?" they ask, their voice rough and deep.

The sound unwillingly sends shivers through me. And then a rush of relief. "Zayen?"

"Sariq?"

I almost laugh. He's here. Maybe he will have answers that will fill in the gaps. "W-What is going on?"

An empty silence follows my question. Did he pass out or something? "I'm sorry," he finally says.

"Sorry? Did—Where are we? Are you okay?" He doesn't sound okay.

"I messed up. I'm sorry."

"You did this?"

"Well, technically no. I think Akilah did—"

"Akilah?" I knew it. With every step I took, I knew it and still I did nothing. What was I supposed to do? Call her out? Tell the prince? Tell the Hakeem? No ways.

I had to hope for the best. Which didn't work out in my favour, clearly. "Do you know where we are?" I ask.

"We were ambushed. I don't know who they are or what they want. Made us walk for hours and placed bags over our head to make sure we saw nothing—so in terms of where we are or what will happen, I have no idea."

My fingers wrap around the cold, oxidised bars that cage me in. I try to lean my head against my hands and look down the hallways for any other signs of life, but there are none.

"Hey, uh . . ." I don't want to say his name, in case. "Dude."

He chuckles. "Am I 'dude'?"

"You think anyone else is in here with us?" Listening.

"Probably. And I don't know where Nawaz is. I haven't seen him."

Oh, we are so screwed. My knees suddenly feel like jelly and I slide down to the floor, my heart caving in on itself.

The reason the stupid Hakeem even sent us on this stupid journey was to protect his stupid son. Now, my mother . . . Will I get to see her again? What if I don't get a chance to hug her?

"We can't assume he is dead," Zayen adds in, most likely knowing that I am having the same thoughts he would be. He must really love them. "Not many people would have the guts to do it, because it would mean war."

"This is your fault," I huff. I just want to be angry at someone. There is nobody else to direct this feeling to, and if I don't release it I will go crazy. I may just start banging my fists against the dark grey walls of my confines.

He is an easy target.

"At least I wasn't asleep the entire time," he grumbles. "If a war were to happen, I bet you'd sleep through it."

"If a war were to happen I bet you'd lose it." He's silent for longer than I expected. I thought he'd feel as frustrated as I do. I wouldn't mind being an outlet for him. Yet he doesn't insult me back. "I'm sorry."

"It's fine." His voice is deep and rough. It cuts through the air like a serrated knife.

I almost wish I was in his cell. All I want is to be hugged. I want is his big arms wrapped around me and that spicy oud that he wears to calm my senses. To help me feel like I will be okay.

I don't trust him, but I don't care. In a world like this, I can't trust anyone, but I need to be hugged. Just for a second.

Footsteps shuffle somewhere close by, followed by the soft jungle of keys. I immediately get to my feet and move into the darkest part of my cell, preparing to fight.

A gate swings open and a commotion sounds nearby. I want to call Zayen's name, to know that he is okay, but it feels as if I have swallowed cotton and it is stuck in my throat.

Barely able to breathe, I squeeze my fists together and hold them out in front of me. I can gather everything I have been feeling and take it out on the unlucky person who gets close to me.

A guard comes to my gate, barely even looking in my direction as he pushes the key into the lock.

One.

The gate whines as it swings, sounding like a child's high pitched cries.

Two.

The guard steps in. His body is covered from head to toe and he wears the checkered black and white keffiyeh on his head that Zayen has been wearing—the one he took when he got into that fight.

Three.

I jump forward, my fist coming into contact with his jaw. His head is thrown back. He grunts. The millisecond that I take, not knowing what move to make next, is a mistake.

He recovers instantly and grabs me. A sound of protest leaves my lips as I try to force myself away from the man, but there are more guards surrounding us already.

A black bag covers my head. It smells like chai spices. My body continues to wriggle until my feet are lifted up off the ground and I am carried out.

"Dude!" I call, hoping Zayen knows I'm referring to him. I don't want to give away his name. Any information could be dangerous in the hands of the wrong person.

"Fight!" he calls back, grunting. The sound of his voice is followed by a loud thump, that I hope was his fists against the guard's beloved body parts.

I kick out with my legs, knocking it into the knee of the man carrying me. Not giving him a second to recover, I kick a second and third time until his grip loosens.

My hand flies up to pull off the black bag covering my head and I find two more guards coming towards me. I panic, not knowing how to fight one man let alone two.

The one comes towards me and tries to get ahold of me, and I swing my fist up, hoping for the best. The guard doesn't try to injure me back, even as rage fills his eyes. Strange.

Someone grabs me from the back and I use every edge and hard part of my body, from my elbows to my feet, to fight back. My lack of experience is clear when I can't get out again, and they position themselves so I can't do much damage.

My head turns, looking for Zayen. His eyes land on me as he ducks away from another guard and sweeps his feet down in a rotation that takes the guard off balance. His training is has made each movement precise and I can't do anything but stare as he lands each hit like it is an art.

The guard holding me starts leading me away, realising that standing around is only going to get him injured.

I push myself forward but his grip on my upper arms is so tight that it begins to ache. "Stop." Fear trickles into my body. I try to use my previous tactic of flailing my body parts around, but it doesn't work this time.

As my body straightens, I find Zayen in front of me. Goosebumps rise on my skin. He is looking at the guard with a deep rage. An animalistic growl leaves his throat.

Before, I thought that he hated me as much as I hated him. But seeing the look in his eyes now . . . This is as if every deep, angry emotion has crawled to the surface.

"Aitrkha tadhhab." .اِتركها تَذهَب Let her go.

~~*~~

AHH I don't want to give away too much but my plan for what is coming is making me so excited.

T w i t t e r : xPineappleGirlx
I n s t a g r a m : laylaawrites
Y o u t u b e : xThePineappleGirlx

Lots of love and jelly tots - xThePineappleGirlx