Venture - Part 2 - Freedom, Fake or Not
#2 of Dreams Tell a Story
Smoke stung her eyes, the smell of death filling her nostrils. Her wrists were bound by rope, painfully rubbing against her skin. Susan looked about at the other prisoners- rebels -who still had their lives, but were about to lose them, if they were to lose a trial. The feline felt oh, so alone with the thought.
Then she heard a hiss behind her.
"Hello," a musky voice spilled out, and Susan looked at who had emitted it. A rather tall, lanky raccoon smiled, tipping his head to the side. He wore old boots, with baggy pants, and a browning shirt, sleeves rolled up. Atop his head was a hat she never saw before, which was beige and had a ribbon of grey attached to the base. Smiling, the other whispered, "My, why is such a lovely lady in ropes? Certainly I can help in any way."
Nervous of the stranger but indeed wanting help, Susan hesitantly rasped, "Oh, if you could, do help me. I do not wish to be burned alive today!" Looking down at her constraints, the opposite chuckled.
"Wait for me. When you hear a shot ring out, run to the wood piles. There, I will wait for you." "A shot? How do you know-"but before Susan could finish her question, the line the raccoon stood moved on ahead, and as he walked on, he called back, "My name is Justin. Don't forget."
So the wait began for a shot that may never come began.
Susan's line walked forward every few minutes. One by one, lives were being taken before her very eyes. She saw young, old, and even children stand at before the higher-ups. The commander of the troops and Balkings, the ruler of the town, judged whether they were innocent or not. Very few left alive.
She continued the wait.
Tired of seeing the bodies fall one-by-one, she looked to the sky. Oh, how lucky the birds were, to fly away before they were caught- it was a miracle Balkings never thought of acquiring birds for his army, but of course, they were people of justice, righteousness and mostly, freedom.
As Susan dreamed of the skies and the stars, a bang rang out. Balkings and the commander stood and looked around. As people started screaming, more shots rang, and before she could see any bullets hit anybody, she ran for the wood piles as she was told to.
The cat skimmed through the crowds, soldiers racing past as if she were invisible, villagers bumping into her as they scurried for escape and safety. When Susan reached the area, Justin stood, scowling.
"You took quite some time, I was just thinking of leaving you," he countered, leaving the feline appalled, for she was there in the nick of a minute or so. As she thought this, the raccoon grabbed to her paw, tugging it quickly. "We have no time to dilly-dally now, darling- let's go and get out!"
The duo rushed quickly around the village to the entrance. It was wide open, and the two made a mad dash for it. So they continued on, and on, and on, before Susan slowed to a stop, and sat upon a rock to the side of the road.
Wiping her forehead with her handkerchief, she sighed. "How far, how far did we go?" "All that matters now is that we are out of there." Justin replied, who didn't show any sign of being tired at all. Susan did not think of it, for she thought that he was just more physically fit than she. Looking up, nightfall was at a standstill, stars and moon dulled by the clouds above.
Realizing how tired she was, she looked timidly at Justin. "Um... would it be alright if we took rest here? I'm rather beat for now..." "Sure, sure. I'll keep watch. Go sleep behind the tree if you can, darling," the raccoon reassured quietly, obviously in thought. Susan stood, and walked to the spot she was told to sleep, and sat. Looking at the stars through the leaves above, she drifted off to sleep.
X
Justin looked down at the slumbering feline, sitting on the rock she sat before. As he did so, he thought.
That was her problem. She seems to have listened to him, twice, rather. How could she be so obedient to a stranger she had met in a few minute's time?
Smirking at this, he slumped off the rock, and looked out to the road.