Stay Right Here

xx

nothing beats a jailbreak

🌊 🌊 🌊 

The Amazon jail was at the top of a storage aisle, suspended high in the air.

Kinzie led them up three different ladders to a metal catwalk, then tied their hands loosely behind their backs and pushed them along the crates of jewelry.

Far in front of them, under the harsh glow of fluorescent lights, a row of chain-link cages hung suspended from cables. Percy and Frank were in two of the cages, talking to each other in hushed tones. Next to them on the catwalk, four bored-looking Amazons leaned against their spears at small tablets in their hands like they were reading.

"Get moving," Kinzie ordered, loud enough for the guards to hear. She prodded Hazel then Hadley in the back with her sword. 

Hazel walked slowly, trying to give herself time to come up with a plan. Hadley had to slow her stride significantly in order to stay next to the shorter girl. Hadley had no doubt they could take on the four guards but she knew how important this was for Hazel that she get it right.

They passed a pallet of crates marked 24-Carat Blue Topaz Rings, then another labeled Silver Friendship Bracelets. An electronic display next to the friendship bracelets read: People who bought this item also bought GARDEN GNOME SOLAR PATIO LIGHT and FLAMING SPEAR OF DEATH. Buy all three and save 12%!

Hazel froze in her tracks and Hadley turned her head just enough that she could still see the guards in front of them.

"Hazel?" Hadley questioned in a hushed tone.

"What is it?" Kinzie hissed. "Keep moving! They'll get suspicious."

"Make them come here," Hazel muttered over her shoulder.

"Why-"

"Please."

The guards frowned in their direction.

"What are you staring at?" Kinzie yelled at them. "Here's the other prisoners. Come get them."

The nearest guard put down her reading tablet. "Why can't you walk another thirty paces, Kinzie?"

"Um, because-"

"Oof!" Hazel fell to her knees and tried to put on her best seasick face. "I'm feeling nauseous! Can't... walk. Amazons... too... scary."

Hadley's eyes widened for a moment as she realized she had to play along. She stumbled to her knees next to Hazel and groaned. "They're too powerful! I can't... move."

"There you go," Kinzie told the guards. "Now, are you going to take the prisoners, or should I tell Queen Hylla you're not going to do your duty?"

The nearest guard rolled her eyes, motioned for another to come with her and they trudged over.

The first guard grabbed Hazel's arm. "Fine. We'll take custody of the prisoners. But if I were you, Kinzie, I wouldn't worry about Hylla. She won't be queen much longer."

The second guard snickered as she grabbed Hadley's arm. 

"We'll see, Doris." Kinzie turned to leave and Hadley listened as her footsteps got further away until they were gone. She hated sitting here, but she knew she had to wait for Hazel's signal.

The guard pulled on Hazel's arm. "Well? Come on."

"Not... feeling so good." She said.

"You are not throwing up on me," Doris growled. She tried to yank Hazel to her feet, but Hazel went limp.