TARGET FOR DEMISE

59

59

"Blake?"

"hmm."

"Good you are awake," Jordan whispered, "we need to move, its dawn."

Blake grunted reluctantly getting up and wincing. Jordan grabbed him to steady him.

"Hold on until we reach some place safe," he told him. Jordan continued to hold his bruised friend. It was normal after the first shift for the human part of the bopdy to be sore and bruised for a few days. But even the first shift was not a forced one. Blake's body appeared battered like he had gone through torture far worse than traitors. He could barely talk and was always wincing. At the time of escape, he would forget who was with and attack Jordan to defend himself. His mind was no longer stable either.

"This is all my fault," Jordan cursed, "I should never have let you follow me."

He looked back to the direction he came and a tear rolled down his cheek remembering.

"B-B-Blake?" Jake called from the opposite cell. His voice hoarse.

"B-Blake, please talk to me," he begged, "Let me know you are okay in there."

And there was no response.

"Blake?"

"BLAKE??"

"FOR CRYSTAL'S SAKE PLEASEEE!!!"

Still nothing. Jordan kicked the tray that had his food for the day. The sudden movement had one of the sweet potatoes rolling away. Between the two of them, Blake was the one with the opportunity at that point in time. There was a hole the size of a baby elephant gaping wide open in between his cell bars. The chaos outside was by far the best distraction they could have prayed for and if it wasn't a blessing that they were left un guarded, then there was nothing else Jordan could call it.

"Blake, come on, please," Jordan pleaded again, "Pull yourself together." He asked, "and get us out of here."

There were small barely audible footsteps echoing in the halls that Jordan refused to pay attention too. He didn't acknowledge whoever it was until he heard the lock of his cell door jingle as someone attempted to open his cell door. The door made a loud creak but whoever it was walked in.

He barely got the chance to look up before a bun of bread was shove dinto his mouth and a bottle of water in his hands. He was able to hear the faint heart beat of the person as he or she got him to his feet and out of the cell before slumping him on the floor. It had been a while before he ate anything so it all took time for him to fully register what was happening.

The little foot steps continued on to the cell opposite him. Blake's cell. He heard Blake whine away from contact before somehow was forced to his feet and placed beside Jordan. At that time after he swallowed the bun, a bit of his energy had come back so he looked up. The colours were not all there yet. It was like everything was in black and white.

He saw long hair and a dress moving frantically from side to side. The woman or girl froze before crouching down to their level. She turned in time to catch Jordan's gaze and his eyes widened. It was Crystal.

And not the dull magic controlled girl he had seen. It was the real Crystal, the alive Crystal. There were tears in her eyes and panic but she grabbed onto his arm and pulled him to his feet and did the same to Blake. Blake resisted or tried to in his weakened state but Crystal held onto his waist stopping him. Her hands secured Jordan's and with immense difficulty she moved with them as fast as her body would allow her.

The entrance was unguarded and the route she took to get outside the mansion was clear as well. It was a clear path all the way to the woods. It wasn't easy getting there. Jordan or Blake fell over more than once. Crystal was in tears at every one of those points but kept pulling them back up praying under her breathe that she was not caught. When she was far enough from the mansion to consider it safe she placed them under a tree with immense difficulty and sighed in relief.

"C-Crystal?" Jordan whispered and her eyes flashed toward him shaking her head desperately. She pointed to the woods in a specific direction nodding toward them. She turned to leave when Jordan grabbed hold of her wrist.

"D-don't," he begged, "D-don't."

She shook her head and reached into her pocket taking out about three more buns. She stuffed his mouth and did the same to Blake before disappearing into the trees.

He still hadn't understood how and what happened. Was it really Crystal or was it all a hallucination.

Blake grunted again.

"Almost there," He encouraged, "Keep walking."

Blake and Jordan kept walking until the sun was over head and decided to take a break. The tree they sat under shielded them from the scalding rays of the sun. His throat ached with thirst and he regretted not taking hold of that bottle that he saw in his dream. Maybe it would have materialised into the real world.

Blake hummed.

Jordan turned to find him gulping down a bottle of water. He sat straight and looked around. There was a picnic basket on the other side of the tree that he had not noticed before with a note taped on it.

You have to survive. xA.

He didn't know who this A person was but they packed food and water and... ammunition along with hand guns. He laughed at the mystery of it all. He watched Blake down the water as if it was the last he would have for a long time.

The bruised on his hands started to disappear and his skin started to get back its color. Jordan took a whiff of the bottle and smiled. It wasn't water, it was a potion and by the looks of it. It was a healing potion. He downed his own bottle and felt re-energized standing to his feet with new found courage.

This A person was right.

He- Blake and him had to survive.

"You better be ready for a lot of explaining," He told a re-energized Blake, "We have a long walk a head of us."

Blake grunted again and this time, he got on to his feet all on his own.