The Time to Run

Chapter XXXV

Slowly, vision returned to Avon. At first, all she could see were blobs. Patches of grey and blue slowly became cold, stones walls and metal bars.
The side of Avon's face was still covered in dirt. She brushed it off with ease, as it was now dry. Her clothes were still soiled as well.
The ground was damp and cold. The air was stale. She was underground, in a dungeon.
Avon filled with energy and jumped up. She stumbled to the bars of her cell, still feeling light-headed. Uselessly, she tried to pull them apart but, of course, nothing happened.
"Now, now. You're awake."
Avon looked over and saw a girl sitting in the cell next to her with legs crossed. The girl had dark, amber eyes, looking almost brown, one covered by a dark red eyepatch. Her espresso coloured hair reached down to her shoulders. She was wearing a white shirt, slightly too big, tied at the waist with a small belt. She had cotton trousers and large, black boots.
"You've been out for a while." She said, "My name's Paula, and you're Avon, right?"
"Yeah."
"You're quite a celebrity round here!" She laughed.
"Am I?"
"Yeah, everyone's talking about you. I was a thief too, ya know."
"That's... uh.... not what happened."
Paula's face fell, then, she smiled again, a glimmer of curiosity in her eyes.
"Then what did happen?"
Avon sat down and explained. Paula listened intently, her mouth wide open by the end.
"Well, that's very interesting!"
"Yeah, I know... Anyway, what happened to you? It must have been bad for you to end up here."
"Hmm," Paula said, considering whether or not to say anything. "You won't believe me. I was caught stealing quite a rare dragon."
Avon frowned. She, herself, could never imagine stealing a living creature.
"Wait! I'm not done. It's really not what you think." Paula continued. "I was walking along and I had a backpack. The dragon, kind of, jumped in. I tried to explain, but no one listened."
"Hmm, understandable." Avon was still doubtful, but she chose to believe her. The look on Paula's face told her she was speaking the truth.
"Anyway, tell me more bout yourself. We're gonna be stuck here for a few days, so we should get to-"
Paula was cut off by the creaking of a door. Avon looked towards the corridor as footsteps sounded, getting closer and closer. A girl appeared, one in a wine purple dress. She was flanked by several guards. The door was opened by of them, and the girl walked in. The Queen knelt down and said, "Well, look what you've gotten yourself into. You're not getting out of this one, are you?"