Amorelli

Before Zinniah and I knew it, the end of the week had come. Maya, Zinniah and I met every night before this day and discussed everything, especially about the tunnel system. There was a point in time where a few of the guards almost caught us but we managed to get away. It was a terrifying but exhilarating experience. However, this was our last day of field slaves. The three of us got together last night and we discussed everything.

"So, you girls ready?" Maya said nervously.

"We think so." Zinniah answered for us. I'm so proud of her. She is very brave to be doing this. I am braver just because of the fact that she is doing this with me to help keep my head up, and I the same with her. We help each other in our times of need, and this was a huge one. I don't think I could have ever done this alone.

"Well then, tell me how to get through the tunnels, as a review."

"First, you crawl fifty yards and go through the black tunnel, or the left one. Then, crawl another twenty yards and go through the latch above the three tunnels. Then you make a right and about five yards after that you make a left. Then make another right and then go through the right tunnel. And then ten yards after that, we have successfully escaped."

"Good job girls. I'm proud of you. However, don't expect me to be able to help you girls. I have to set off the monthly alarm test anyways, so we have scheduled this perfectly. Once that alarm goes off, walk away with the others, but since there are so many of you slaves,  no one will notice you girls missing. Once everyone is being tallied up and they don't count you, then they will freak out and start a search. But by the time that happens you girls will already be in the tunnels, halfway to freedom."

"But won't guards want to watch this little area just in case?"

"No. It is strictly required that every guard and every slave cooperates during the test."

"Oh, okay."

"Alright then. I wish you girls luck. Please, I beg you both, don't let them hurt you. Once you escape never come back, not until you have notified every single country about the missing people. Then, come back and free everyone. I know I didn't say this over the past few nights, but as soon as you leave through the exit, your powers will be able to be used immediately. So do not hesitate to transform or do anything."

" Thank you. We'll free you as well. We promise."

"No. Do not save me. I want to die here knowing I died with my children." As Maya said these words, I started to tear up. She loved her children dearly and ended up losing both of them in the process. She didn't even get to say a proper goodbye.

"I know what you're thinking, that I never had a goodbye. But if you look at it this way, I'll get a proper hello." After she said this Zinniah and I hugged her and started crying.

"Believe me, Maya, you've felt like a mother to us both for the past week. So you are our family, but we understand what you want. Just let us get a proper goodbye."

"I promise I will let you girls get a goodbye."

After that, we went back to our cabin, consoled each other, and waited for that test.

"Amorelli?" Zinniah asked, getting me out of my dazed state.

"Yes, Zinniah?" I was currently helping her read and write some more before we left. Since the monthly test was today, all slaves had the day off. 

"I wrote my name perfectly this time!" I immediately shut my book and walked over to her. To my surprise, she had correctly spelled her name perfectly in cursive.

"Oh, Zinniah! I'm so proud of you!" I hugged her and we both laughed.

"Attention."

It was loud. The sound of the automated voice over the speaker that surrounded the entire place. It got me nervous hearing it, and I looked down at Zinniah and she looked scared as well. No one had ever tried to escape. And if they did they were shot and killed on the spot.

"We are having our monthly test in five minutes. Be prepared."

After that, the voice shut off and we all got into a single file line. Zinniah and I were in the back of the line, as usual, and waited for the test to begin.

"Alright everyone, get in line. This should be over shortly."

It was the longest five-minute wait of my life. I held Zinniah's hand for comfort and squeezed it. We looked at each other, smiled nervously and waited. As soon as that alarm went off we started walking out of the building. Soon after, we were surrounded by slaves and guards. The guards looked scary, and we saw Maya in the crowd. We slowly drifted away from our guard and made our way to the outer circle. We all had sneakers on, so we dropped to our knees and started to untie our shoes and retie them. The guards saw and they walked on without us. as we stood back up, we looked around and saw that everyone had already gone to the designated area for the drill. Zinniah and I ran towards the little meeting spot and stood outside the tunnels.

"Amorelli?"

"Yes, Zinniah?"

"Can you go first?"

"Of course little flower. Come on. Follow close behind."

"Thank you."

"No problem." I crawled into the tunnel first and she came in right behind me. As told, we started crawling the fifty yards. It took forever though. Fifty yards is 150 feet. That's a long way to crawl.

"Amorelli, I can barely see!"

"It's okay Zinniah, it's alright. I can see a small light up ahead, we'll be getting to the lit tunnels soon."

"Okay."

We remained silent until we both saw the tunnels.

"Alright, left."

We crawled left and crawled the next twenty yards or sixty feet.

We got to the tunnels when all of a sudden we heard something.

More like someone.

"In here! They must have gone this way! I saw them disappear into the tree line!"

I looked back to Zinniah and we gave a worried look, and we started crawling faster.

"Amorelli, I'm scared! They're going to catch up!"

"Not on my watch." After I said this, we came upon the other tunnels and I carefully opened the latch above us. I opened it and both Zinniah and I crawled into it and quickly shut the hatch.

"I saw them go down the tunnel! Come on, we cant lose them! She's too important. The weed though, we can kill her after this."

I got pissed and kept crawling after we made the right turn. We then crawled for another five yards and made a left. We made the next right and were so close to the other tunnels.

"Come on Zinniah, we're almost there." I whispered and she whimpered quietly.

"Come here, girls... We won't hurt you... Terribly." We heard the men chuckle and we crawled faster into the right tunnel. 

"Amorelli I'm scared!" 

"Hold on Zinniah, we're almost there!"

We reached the other tunnels, went right and started crawling towards the exit. I could see it. Light. I have never been happier to see the daylight. Usually, I hate mornings at times, especially when I was younger. I hated waking up early. I pushed open the door and crawled out. As soon as I was stable on the ground I pulled Zinniah out.

"Not so fast!" One of the men had grabbed Zinniah's foot causing her to scream.

"Let go of me!"

"Zinniah, remember what we practiced!" She looked at me and nodded quickly before turning around onto her back and kicked him in the face. He let go and held his face in pain. I pulled her out and shut the latch and saw that there was a lock on the outside. I quickly latched it and the man was banging on the latch.

"We'll get you, girls! And your mates too! We'll let you know what real pain feels like." He was laughing hysterically and we both started running. 

"Zinniah! Shape shift into something! Something that will get us away fast."

"Like what?"

"Like what Maya said, a Hypogriff."

"And that is?"

"It's pretty much the body of a horse and wings of a huge bird."

"Alright... I'll try."

She did try. And she was trying really hard. But nothing happened.

"Maybe we have to go out farther away from this place in order for something to happen." And with that, we started running again. We ran for about fifteen minutes before we both collapsed at the edge of a forest line.

"Where do you think we are?"

"No idea."

We entered the tree line and all of a sudden, I felt something inside me just... Click. I felt alive than ever. I felt all of these emotions hit me at once and it was a bit overwhelming. I looked over to Zinniah and she looked like she was going through the same thing.

"You feel that too?"

"Yes. I do."

And with that, we started walking, and soon enough we arrived at a little village. It was cute and small but looked cozy.

"Zinniah, remember, we can't trust everyone. Okay?"

"Okay."

And with that, we started walking over towards the village.