SEVENTEEN years to Live

19 ●○► THE CHALLENGE

CHAPTER NINETEEN

●○► THE CHALLENGE 

Sephred leads us to the elevator not far from the place we meet him. We walk a little faster because the screams turn more terrible and it pierces our ears like knives. Finally, we reach the elevator. Sephred presses the “Up” button then we wait. In less than ten seconds, the doors open and we immediately step inside to escape the noise. The doors close as Sephred presses the last button on the wall of the elevator. We begin to rise.

Six seconds. That’s how long it takes then the doors open again. The screaming people are still there, but at the sixth floor, it is not as loud as it is at the ground floor.

“Here is where we prisoners stay,” Sephred tells us as we step out. “But we are not allowed to go out of our cell unless we are near to be freed.”

“Wait! You’re a prisoner here?” I ask.

“Yes, I am,” he replies.

“And that means that—”

“That I’m going to be freed very soon.” He cuts me off so I didn’t continue my conclusion. He smiles at me quickly then looks away. Even if he’s no longer facing me, I can still see him smiling in my mind. I see the glee in his eyes, the excitement in his lips. I know by the look in his face that he wants to go home already.

We follow Sephred in every direction he goes. I don’t know if he’s telling the truth that he knows Beth. The three of us don’t know the Criminals Chamber, so we have no idea where we’re heading to. On our left and right are prison cells. Every prison cell has more than ten persons inside. All of them wear gray shirts and gray pants. Some are crying. But most of the prisoners look completely devastated. The sight of them makes me feel sympathetic.

“How much further?” Janine asks. I sense the excitement in her voice.

“Hmm,” Sephred mutters. “Not that far now,” he says.

“How many minutes more to get there?” It’s Bryan.

“Maybe three.”

Everyone feel so happy about that. There’s only three minutes left then we’ll finally see Beth. I’m wondering if she’s fine. I can’t stop thinking whether she’s been treated well or not. I hope she’s okay. I wish nothing bad has happened to her.

Excitement begins to rule my body. My hands feel so cold, and my body shudders uncontrollably in nervousness. I count my heartbeat so I know how long it is taking. Right now, I’m thinking of what I’m going to do when I see Beth. I’ll cry, maybe.

Sephred turns to a corridor and we follow him. We are walking in two minutes and thirty seconds now so I guess that this is already the corridor where Beth is. Well, I hope it is. I don’t want it take any longer. I want to see her now.

Finally we come into a sudden halt. We stand in front of a cell that is as wide as the floor/bed of our little house. Inside are four girls, sleeping and using their hands as pillows. They sleep on the cold tiled floor. I’m wondering how cold they feel while they’re sleeping at night.

“There she is,” says Sephred, gesturing a hand toward the girl who sleeps beside the right wall.

I follow the direction of Sephred’s hand. Then I see Beth open her eyes when I gasp.

***

“Beth?”

Her name escapes my mouth so suddenly. It takes more than five seconds before tears start running down my cheeks. I can’t believe that she’s finally there; she’s just a few meters in front of me now.