SEASICK

63- Run.

Kazumi did not move nor answer right away, he seemed to ponder her question, rather the reason she asked.

"Yes." He finally spoke plainly, gently placing his glass on the table.

"Then... do you... maybe know- have an idea, when you might- I might... not be?" Alana's words were so jumbled from her nerves she barely understood what she meant, but Kazumi understood too well.

His heart dropped, though his countenance did not show it, he felt the same nervous twisting in his gut as she did.

"You're asking when you will be able to leave," Kazumi repeated her question more clearly, but as a statement, and at a much louder volume.

This caused all eyes to land on Kazumi, then quickly shift over to Alana, who nervously chewed the inside of her cheek.

With a shy nod, she confirmed their most dreaded thought.

She wants to leave.

"What?!" Leven snapped, leaning forward to see around Leopoldo more clearly.

"Why, dear?" Leopoldo followed up, sounding heartbroken.

"What would ever make you say something like that, Little Dove?" Ivo's voice was panicky, his smile contradicting his tone.

"No-nothing is making me," She defended quickly. "I just, you know, surely I can't be on this ship forever," Alana said so confidently that she did not imagine the looks on their faces to disprove her almost immediately.

"Why not?!" Leven asked as if it were only natural.

Alana's brows furrowed deeply, she did not think that they would be ecstatic for her to go, but she also didn't think that they would put up an argument such as her staying on the ship forever.

This is not going as planned... Alana thought, quickly wiping her sweaty palms against her shorts.

"Well, I have a life, a family... I think- I feel like I served my time as a stowaway." Alana tried to coat her words with firmness towards the end, but it fell flat.

"Family?" Leven almost scoffed. "Anubis? A brother you never speak of and made no effort to stay with when you found him?"

"A family you never mention, we assumed you had none, that perhaps they died, or at least in your heart they did," Leopoldo added to his brother's argument.

"You claim to have a life but from what you've said it was pathetic, pitiful. aren't we much better than whatever stifling home you lived in?" Ivo's smile was wavering with every word, his heart beginning to race and his blood warming into a boil.

His words not only stunned her, but they also cut Alana deep. To her it was insulting, she did not expect judgment from him.

"I- I don't mention anything because none of you ask," She countered with partial lies. "My parents are alive, and I am sure they would be worried."

"Do you mean "they are" worried? You do not sound so sure." Kazumi pointed out, seeing right through her.

After she failed to respond quickly enough for him, he continued.

"I told you before, your imprisonment is indefinite, which includes definite as a possibility."

Her heart was thrashing against her breastbone, regretting her decision to even inquire the possibility of leaving without having to go any great extents. Though she realized her error, the idea that they never planned to release her settling in the front of her mind made her uneasy- upset, even. Kazumi really could not be thinking of keeping until I die.