“April! Stop! Meloney! Wake up!”

Panicked rustling and nudging woke a restless April. She reluctantly opened her gleaming crystal eyes and slowly rose in an irritated contempt.

“Did you call me by my real name?” She asked begrudgingly.

“… You wouldn’t stop.” March replied.

“Stop what?”

March gestured to the single small window in the tiny room they had managed to stay in for the night. April climbed out of the heavy blankets and peered out into the town streets. Her sights were bombarded with a flurries of rainfall.

Monsoons drenched the town, forming streams that ran between

the tall European buildings. 

“When did it start?” She asked March.

“Sometime in the middle of the night I suppose; the sound woke me.”

“I better let it die down slowly; otherwise, a sudden change might alert any followers.”

“Good idea.”

Storm clouds hanging over the town began to slowly fade, as the rainfall decreased into a light shower. 

In a flock of confusion, the townsfolk crept out of their respective houses and shelters to populate the inner walkways once more. Returning to the market square, the residents were met with a sight they had never witnessed before.

Spread across the town’s skyline was a massive articulate rainbow that stretched from the far corners of the bordering edge.

“Well, I’m up.” April exclaimed in astonishment. “Shall we go enjoy the town Marchy?”

- - - 

On the far end of a tree-line, approximately 60 miles north of the town where March and April branched off towards, three members peeled off from the group and sprinted far into the woodlands.

It had been a day since they had all managed to escape. While the Spring duo were stationed in the first town, the Summer trio would run towards the distant countryside, located in the Southern Canyons.

As the three Summers ran off into the deeper part of the forest, the other members of the group proceeded into the bordering territory of the Northern Sea markets.

“Try not to burn down the trees!” Warned a delicate, doting voice from the group.

“Yeah, yeah.” July called back.

“We could create a diversion or a signal in any case.” Suggested an optimistic June.

“Whatever, let’s go!” Urged August, annoyed and tired.

“Oh Augy, so grumpy.” Teased July.

“Shut it!” He grumbled.

The three ran into the thick brush, as the forest only continued to grow more dense with each mile. 

- - - 

Scurrying, with her head low and leading her body, angled parallel to the canopy floor, July gracefully jolted between each mass of closely grouped redwood trees. Her steps were light and springy, as she spent years of suppressed energy jumping and bouncing off her cell walls. Enjoying each second of her new found freedom, July ran unapologetically as fast as she could, inhaling the minted scent of morning dew.

Looking over her shoulder, she ensured that June and August were still within view. July was by far the fastest of the twelve children and 17 years in a cage hadn’t changed that.

On the other hand, June was less adept in agility and her stamina was subpar. After a nonstop day of running, the effects of fatigue started to take its tole. June began to drop behind the other two, unable to call-out to the others. She would’ve been left stumbling to a crawl if August didn’t catch sight of her.

Pivoting towards her, August propelled his momentum to backtrack through a new set of broken branches. Snapping the fallen foliage with his heavy footsteps, August created an orchestra of rustling leafs.

“Hey, you got to keep up.” August hunched down to help June.

“I- I need to quick break.” June panted in-between labored breathing.

“Okay… okay.”

August was typically jaded and cynical; much of his trust was tarnished on the day that his parents willingly traded him for a satchel of gold coins and a dozen chickens. He felt that there was a fine-line of kinship and he often held a heart of contempt; however, when it came to his two sisters, nothing mattered more to him.

August felt a wave of warm-blooded anxiety flood his veins. It was the first time, since the escape, that he took a minute to collect his mental.

He was worried- not quite scared, but rather concerned with the underlying uncertainty that fell upon his sisters and the rest of the group. This feeling roared in his mind like a raging typhoon; it was haunting.

“Juney, you can do this.” He knelt down to meet her kind, round eyes.

“If we take another turn, through the grove, then we’ll be near the canyon by tomorrow morning.” June calculated through her exhaustion. “Can we rest just a little longer?”

“Yeah, okay.” August replied, “Let’s find a better place to rest.”

August looked around for an area with more tree coverage. It was then that he realized that July was nowhere to be seen.

“Jules?!”

- - - 

Caught-up in the fresh breeze of liberation, July continued to sprint through the forest-opening where the surrounding space melted into a soup of earthy green tones.

Descending deeper into the southern forest brim, the trees spread into more open patches of clearance. Crowned portions of tall grass occupied the space; high enough to meet July’s shoulders and slow her pace.

Coming to a halt, July droned about at the front of the tall grass, carefully inspecting the environment. The field was compact, allowing no room between each stock. Dense and hearty, the grass lingered with an unnerving presence. July couldn’t hear the wind anymore. The segment of woods she found herself in was dead with silence. Not even the cadences of nocturnal bugs and birds could be heard.

It was at that moment that July realized that June and August were not behind her any longer. July tried to retrace the path, but the route she took seemingly disappeared into the void.

As July stood and stared, zeroing-in on the area where she ran, a streak of lighting suddenly sizzled by her blushed cheek, nearly striking her. It was so quick that the following rush of wind furled her black, curly hair.

There wasn’t any time to panic, nor any time to think; July chose immediately to react.

Within a split second, she dug her toes into the loose soil and began running into the tall grass. Using her environment was the best way for her to buy some time- time which she needed to make an actual plan.

Much to her displeasure, the tall blades of grass were all damp; housing the sparse moisture after a recent rainfall. Droplets of collected rain clung onto the thistle and scattered bushwhack, instantly evaporating as July brushed by the fauna. She quickly darted her eyes, trying to grasp for any spot to run and hide. The tree trunks were seasoned and large; nearly three-times the width of her body frame.

It was enough for now.

Leaping out of the tall grass, July plunged forward and anchored her body behind the closest tree trunk. Clinging to its base, her fingers wrapped around the exposed roots, protruding from the dirt.

More flashes of light zipped by, breaking down sections of trees that it collided with.

July bared her teeth. Only a couple of options came to mind.

One: She could continue running through the forest.

~ Only thing was, she had no idea how long the woods went on before reaching the next marker. June was the only one who knew the Southern layout and July couldn’t locate her through the lethal storm of projectiles.

There was option two: She could turn herself in.

It would guarantee her life be spared and they might even go easy on her with punishment. Surely the others wouldn’t choose that option; Hell, they wouldn’t even consider the idea of submitting. They’d rather die. Going out in a blaze of glory. Even May, the most gentle of them all, would refuse to give up.

Needless to say, option two was off the table.

At that moment, the flurry of molten lightning blasts came to a halting stop. The silence was deafening. July’s nerves began to twist and her heartbeat livened. Steam started to stream from her fingertips singed the bark of the tree that she held onto.

Option three: Fight.

Surely that’s what August and March would have done without any hesitation.

July hadn’t heard from or seen her siblings, June and August for an hour. It was one of the few times they were separated. The three didn’t part ways much, but it wasn’t the first. July had always felt the underlying desire to chase after her own independence from her brother and sister; however, now that she was alone, she was scared.

She was cornered and insecure, but she needed to come out on top. She refused to lose, but more than anything else, she refused to live as a coward.

As July knelt, leaning back to the tree, she closed her eyes and took a slight breath. Finding balance between fiery energy and tranquility, she slowly lifted her head and listened.

The air was now paper thin, the space was motionless; void of any sound or movement. The feeling of tension grew rapidly and July burrowed deep within her essence, pulling any strings of aura she could.

Silence was cut short by footsteps approaching.