Identity

IV) To Evade Death

“Katherine,” whispered a voice in the darkness.

Startled, she looked around her prison. There wasn’t another soul bar her, and the regular rats. She thought it was her mind playing tricks on her after being bored to death for the past two days; no guards, nothing.

“Katherine, I’m over here!”

Cursing herself for her stupidity, her head snapped to the grille which imprisoned her. The face that greeted her made her wish she was still alone, however mind-numbingly boring it was – Robert. He had some nerve to confront her after how he betrayed them all. It still hurt although Katherine had tried not to dwell on it, since she would be dead soon and be done with it all.

“What do you want?” she asked, her voice laced with animosity.

“Are you hurt?” he quizzed her, ignoring her obvious hostility.

Katherine was sullenly silent as she turned her back on the man she was once so close to. His betrayal was rawer and nestled deeper than she realised. Seeing him again brought all the pain and the numbness back. It was truly unexpected that he’d visit her before her death. She imagined he’d be having a great time with his new best friend.

“I’m here to help you,” he continued, as patient as he always had been.

“I don’t see why it matters since I’m going to die anyway. Or does Ravana want to dress me up like a doll for my execution?” was her harsh answer.

The next action caused Katherine to falter in her onslaught of abuse. He produced a pin from his tunic pocket and started fiddling with the half-rusted lock. It didn’t take long until it clicked and the door swung open, creaking with age.

“We don’t have much time, Katherine. Come on,” said Robert, extending his hand to her.

In a daze, Katherine took his hand and he pulled her to her feet before half-dragging her out of the prison cell. She followed without protest, allowing her uncle to lead her along the rows and rows of dungeons, downtrodden and angry faces alternating, all of them looking at her. What on earth was happening? Her uncle had sworn his undying allegiance to Ravana and now he was sneaking her out of the dungeons. She wondered if this was a dream; a cruel, twisted dream.

“Wait!” she said, suddenly, digging her heels into the ground to halt her uncle.

“Katherine, the guards will soon wake up and realised they’ve been drugged. We must get out now,” he answered.

“What about everyone else? We can’t just abandon them!”

“There’s no time for this. I’ve already spoken to your mother. She told me to get you out and give you the best chance of safety. I promised her, Katherine. Now, come on. I can’t rescue everyone.”

Although confused by the situation, Katherine understood that they had to keep moving and she followed Robert down a narrow passage submerged in pitch blackness that she hadn’t even known existed. It was like a stone labyrinth as she was pulled down a myriad of passages; twisting and turning with no indication of where she was or where they were headed. Robert seemed to know them like the back of his hand and soon they came to another grille leading onto the back exit of the castle.

“Where are we going?” asked Katherine.

“The stables,” replied Robert as he fiddled with the lock “The boy, Peter, he said he’ll meet you there.”

“He’s still alive!”

“Yes, and he’s waiting for you. Your sisters are there as well.”