OPEN NOVELLA CONTEST - LONG LISTED
Safety was never an option.
She has nowhere to run. Nowhere to hide. Nowhere safe to reside. No matter how far she runs or how quiet she hides, they always find her. She will never be free of her hunters. Theresa k...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
"Hey, Thesa, come help me with this!" Meline's voice carries over the noise, cutting through like a blade.
She whips around, hair flying away from her neck, allowing the coldness to climb down her spine. Theresa is quick to spot Meline, her blonde hair tied back in a braid. She's wearing pearls, for some reason, but she doesn't question it as she approaches her.
"I just need help taking these boxes to the stables," Meline says, nodding down to a box, her own hands full of two. She peers around the side. "Do you reckon you'll be good with it?"
Valhaven hasn't stopped moving for the past eight hours. The moon hangs in the sky, pulling on the clouds. It's amazing how much can happen in a short amount of time. Tents have fallen, their pegs all tied together. The sound of music is gone, no laughter either. The pavilion looks empty too.
Theresa nods, coming forward. She focuses on drawing the curse away from her hands as she reaches down. Using Erasmus's breathing techniques, she picks up the box, smiling to herself as she does so. Meline grins at her, turning on her heels, beckoning her to follow. Theresa focuses all of her energy into keeping the box safe. The box is safe. The box isn't an enemy. We're being helpful. The box is important. The box is kept safe. The box is fine in her arms. The box will not—
"Hey, look at you go!"
The box drops from her hands. For a moment, her heart pounds so harshly in her chest, she can't tell if the curse has consumed her hands. But her skin is still pale. There is no sign of the curse.
Meline laughs. "Sorry, guess I startled you there."
Theresa's heart thunders against her ribcage. She swallows the lump in her throat. Looking at Meline, she forces a smile before shakily reaching down to pick the box back up again. Breathe, she repeats to herself, staring at her fingertips as she leans down. She can't even see the brown of the box, as her skin stays pale enough to reflect the sun. Bile rises in her throat, pushing down on her lungs. Is she still breathing?
The cardboard is in her hands now, and it's not falling apart. A shaky breath hisses between her teeth and she straightens herself, bringing herself back to the position she was before she dropped it.
Meline sends an encouraging smile and continues towards the stables. Every hour, a different horse and carriage disappears with boxes, equipment and a few people bundled together in the tight space, never to be seen again. As Valhaven continues to fall, the people don't seem to fall with it. They just... disappear. Run away. The familiarity itches at Theresa's hands as she walks. Everyone is running again. Will there ever be a time where she isn't running anymore?
Yes, she thinks to herself. When they reach the Motherland. When Mother Creo opens her arms to her, Leela, Nyko, Erasmus, the Naturian children. To everyone. That's when she can finally rest. For now, she's stuck halfway. The safety of Valhaven has evaporated with Laurence's cries, but the safety she feels with her people, with Meline and... and Arthur, it's still there.
