Chapter 4

Arika and Nayt run into a snag; Ky meets a new friend...

Nayt and Arika crept down the hallways as it reached just past midnight. The guards change postitions at midnight, this would give a five minute break for them to get to the A-Block. However, they had a two minute delay because Arika insisted on wrapping Nayt's arm.

"Are we ready now?" Nayt asked annoyingly.

Arika grunted and walked on ahead of Nayt, hitting him with her bag as she turned down the corridor. He trudged along behind her.

~~~

"One minute left and we're only at the B-Block. Hurry it up will you?!" Nayt whispered loudly to Arika. The dust and grime was something she wasn't used to.

'Disgusting...' Arika thought to herself. She quickened her pace and hitched up her bag on her shoulder, but only after giving a grimmace to Nayt's back. 

"You see that light up there?" Nayt pointed to a small red dot close to the ceiling. "It's a security camera--"

"I know what a camera is." Arika snapped back.

"Alright alright, but still, make sure you follow my path. There shouldn't be anyone watching it just yet but its still better to be safe." Nayt chuckled then shuffled across to the other side. He motioned for Arika to follow, but just as she moved her foot, a siren went off. 

~~~

The siren was ear-piercingly loud, especially so in the corner where the sound reverberated into Ky's cell. 

'Arika, I hope you made it inside, but does this mean they found you?' Ky stood up and walked towards the bars when he heard footsteps, it sounded like they were running.

A group of ten soldiers ran by his cell, the bars made the noise ring around his cell causing him to loose balance. He scooted to the back of the cell when he heard a voice.

"Are you okay mister?" It sounded like a small child. 

"I think so, where are you?" Ky replied looking around.

 

"Across the hall. See?" The little girl walked up to her cell door and waved. She was wearing a grey, hooded dress with black stockings, and grey boots.

  Ky was surprised, "How old are you?" 

"Eight, sir." She replied.

"Eight? And they have you in a prison?! That's terrible!" Ky was furious. His monk ideals were kicking in.

"Oh it's not terrible, sir. It's quite normal for someone like me to be put in here. I'm part of the undesirables you see?" She pulled down her hood, her hair was green. She moved her hair behind her ears and pointed. "See? I'm one of the infected they say." Her ear was pointed at the tip, like the elves of stories long forgotten. 

"Infected? How so?" Ky was intrieged. 

"Well, some people believe it's because of leaked radiation from the plasma sites, others say it's a genetic problem. Either way, some people in Safe-Zones have odd traits, like me. The people of the outside world can't handle it so they just throw us down here where they can't see us. It's quite a sad story but we understand. They're just not ready to accept us into society yet." She sat down.

'Quite the intellect this one.' Ky thought. "I see, that's horrible but...I suppose you're right. Ah, where are my manners? My name is Ky, traveling monk, and yours is?" He smiled.

"I haven't got a name, sir. My parents never named me before they gave me up." She didn't change expressions. 

"Ah, I see. Well, how about I give you one?" Ky said. 

The girl lit up, her eyes were bright, "Really?! That'd be wonderful!" She clapped her hands together anxiously. 

"Let's see here..." Ky thought for a moment. "How about Lily? I think it suites you quite well." Ky looked for approval. 

"I love it! Thank you, Ky!" She smiled for the first time since he saw her. 

~~~

"Run!" Nayt yelled at Arika. He turned around and grabbed her hand, pulling her along with him. Arika could feel her face getting hot, she was glad the corridor was dark.

"What are we going to do?!" Arika asked. 

"Let's just get to some place safe for now, okay?" He didn't look at her, his thoughts were busy. 'Don't let anything happen to her parents before she gets to see them.'  

The two reached a set of large metal doors with bold, white A's on them. Nayt turned to Arika, she nodded her head. Nayt slowly pushed on the right door and peaked around the corner. 

"Coast is clear. This door is right near their cell thankfully." Nayt whispered to Arika.

Arika crawled along behind Nayt. He looked around the corner of the nearest cell, checking for guards. There were no guards at the moment so he took his chance. He grabbed Arika's hand and bolted for her parent's cell. 

"10...11...12! Here. Mister and Misses Speer? It's Nayt, I'm coming in, and I have a gift for you." Nayt unhinged the door and slipped inside, Arika followed. They stood in the cell. Alone. 

"No..." Nayt whispered, he turned around and kicked the door with all the strength he could gather without thinking, the sound was enough to wake the entire block. 

"Nayt!" Arika yelled, shocked by the sound. Nayt's eyes were open wide.

"I-I didn't think. I just-- we have to get out here. Fast." Nayt said. He turned around towards the door and saw a pair of eyes staring at him. 

"I see you managed to get out of your cell. Got yourself a girlfriend too? Well, we'll just have to bring her with us as well." Said the guard who arrested Nayt earlier. 

"She's not my girlfriend.Even so, you will not touch her." Nayt growled. He stepped in front of Arika, his hand touching hers.

 Arika felt her stomach drop,'Did I want him to say yes?' she thought as she grabbed onto his shirt, staring at the man from behind Nayt. 

"So she is your girlfriend. How cute. Grab 'em." the guard said. The cell door swung open and four guards rushed in, two for Nayt and two for Arika. 

"Let go of her! Arika, run!" Nayt yelled, struggling against the guards. But just as he did that he felt a sharp pain on his head and heard a scream from Arika. 

~~~

"Did you hear something?" Ky perked up, Lily leaned against her cell bars. 

"A scream? Yes, I heard it." Lily replied. "Whoever it was, they're coming this way it sounds. And there's others with them." 

Ky could hear the faint sound of footsteps, 'Her ears must give her better hearing.'

Slowly the footsteps got louder and Ky could see the guards and two prisoners with 

bags over their heads. He recognized the outfit of one of the prisoners and could see the

pink hair hanging down out of the bag. 'Oh no...Arika.'

The guard who took Arika and Nayt stared at Ky through the bars, then at Lily, his 

bright red pony-tail swinging over his shoulder.

"You two. You're getting guests." The guard stated. He opened

Ky's cell and tossed Nayt in. Another guard threw Arika into Lily's cell.

"Captain Frocca, her bag, what do we do with it? It just has clothing in it." One of the

guards asked.

"Give it here." He grabbed the bag and threw it onto Arika, knocking her back down

with a grunt. Nayt gritted his teeth. "I'll be back next month with your sentences." The

captain said as he walked off.

"Arika! Arika are you alright?!" Nayt and Ky said at the same time. They just looked at

each other.

"Don't worry, she's still alive. I think she's just knocked out though." Lily replied from

across the hall.

"This is all my fault...I shouldn't have let her go in here by herself." Ky said quietly.

Nayt remained quiet.

Then came a voice from the neighboring cell. "Arika's here?"