The Golden Queen

Five

Five

FREEDOM! It was so close, but as Thutmosis' sonorous voice roared within the columned chamber, my liberation flickered like a tired flame. I hoped he would die. And then came the thundering of footsteps, storming after me as I frantically fled the court and dashed through the rows of palm trees that lined the yard. At the end I found a mud brick wall, and doom seemed to close around me, like the impending walls of the palace. The soldiers were gaining on me; they would catch me if I stopped now. I glared up at the wall and my eyes squeezed shut as they were greeted by the scornful sun. The top was nearly within my grasp. If I jumped, perhaps I could climb over...

The nearing guards gave me no time to think, their glinting spears coming after me in tightly clenched fists. I leaped for the wall and clung to the top as I used my shackled hands to pull the rest of my weight over. A cedar tree grew nearby, so I latched onto a branch which broke under my weight, and I plummeted to the street below. My ankle twisted painfully underneath me as I tried to catch myself. The streets, more crowded with business than before, made it nearly impossible to see the outer gates of Thebes, the only way out of the city.

I had to keep moving. I had to hide and reach safety somehow. Pain shot up my leg, but I forced myself onto my feet and kept moving. I picked a direction and ran. With so many people obscuring the street, it wouldn't be hard to lose the guards. I would have to hide well for the rest of the day, and try to escape Thebes tonight. With all the people bumping past me, I lost my bearings and merged with a sea of townsfolk, shifting one way and rolling to another. I didn't know where I was going, but the flaming red banners of Ahmose's palace flapped in the distance as I headed farther away from it.

I came to the edge of the street and dashed down a lone alley, passing under the shadows formed by the tall buildings, and slipped beneath one to catch my breath. From my distance, the loud gathering ceased to a murmur, and the pursuing guards were long lost in the crowd. I peeked around the building and watched as they passed the alley, scratching their heads, wondering where I disappeared to; a witch who could vanish into thin air. They would surely kill me if they ever caught up with me. I sighed and slid down the wall to rest against the cool ground. The adrenaline had numbed me, but now that I was no longer in danger, my brain processed the full capacity of my injury and agony wracked my body. I stretched my leg out to ease the throbbing.

A cat came from the corner and pounced upon an empty crate, turning it over and startling me. She sidled around the wooden frame, purring, peering at me with her jade green eyes. "You scared me, kitty," I breathed, swallowing my heart back down into my chest. She came to rub my calf with her soft head, and mewed as I scratched her hairy chin. Her thin body was orange with yellow stripes, like a miniature tiger, and her large eyes sparkled curiously. She meowed, grateful for the attention. I picked her up and cradled her in my arms, wanting to hold her since she was my only company, but a pair of children scurried by, and she scampered out of my arms and darted after them down the alleyway. I remained behind my corner, and secretly watched them go, envious of their carefree laughter.

I didn't know how long I sat there afterwards. I hid in the shadows, but as the afternoon sun sailed across the sky, the shade diminished, and I began to burn up. I emerged from the alleyway into a back street as many people fled to their homes for comfort from the heat. My sneakers were dirty as I trudged through the hot sand. My mind wandered; if this was a dream, how much longer till I awakened? But I began to feel so tired. I limped through the vacant back streets until I finally came to a shed, crawling inside the small space and collapsing on a heap of hay.

I glanced around the cool shed, finding only livestock who also sought refuge from the heat. The goat family residing in the next stall produced a foul odor that wafted through the tiny compartment. My nostrils burned, but I hardly registered it through my exhaustion. My eyes drifted to the ceiling, and my head drooped into the hay, giving out and surrendering entirely as my eyes fell closed. I intended to rest for only a moment.