Skyfall

Chapter 5: A Miracle

Zora

By the time night had fallen, they had thrown me into the only secure place in the camp: my own cabin. Stockgrove had been built to blend into the forest. Most of our homes and buildings were tucked into the trees, connected by wooden bridges and corkscrew stairs. My home was in the tallest tree of our encampment. The only ways to escape would be to jump or take out six armed guards who stood at attention near the exits. To put it simply, I was absolutely screwed.

I paced the floor of my bedroom, bidding the sunrise to wait just a few hours more. My ginger hair was oily from how often my hands had run through it-a nervous habit of mine- and my chest ached with worry. How could my own people do this to me?

I poked my head out the slightly open window. However, before I could make out anything useful, a large hand met my cheek with force. I glared out the window at the guard in front of me, forcing my hand to stay at my side instead of rubbing the sting out of my cheek. Then, without a word, I turned and strode into my closet. I shut the door behind me if these really were to be my last hours I wanted to spend them in peace. After a few minutes, I jumped as one of the floorboards popped up. I held back a gasp as a hand rose through the gap.

Hesitantly, I kneeled over the hole, looking straight down into Areis' face. He grinned at me and I couldn't help but smile back. He was an idiot with no concern for his own life, but I couldn't be mad at him... not for this. Together, we quietly removed a few more floorboards. Not daring to speak, Areis motioned for me to climb down onto the branch he stood on. I nodded and made quick work of joining him. Areis was brilliant, the guards were all waiting on the balconies outside of the cabin. Below us, the stairs leading to the ground were empty. We would give up our cover as soon as we reached them, but we would have the advantage. Focusing on keeping my balance. I gave Areis the closest thing I could to a hug.

"You're brilliant," I whispered in his ear.

"Save your breath for the run down," He breathed back, smiling.

"I'm ready when you are," I motioned to the stairs, Areis nodded and we both dropped.

The chase was on.

I hurtled down the steps, taking them two at a time. Areis was right at my heels. Voices began to shout, soon I could hear footsteps pounding in pursuit. I refused to look back. However, looking forward wasn't very promising either. Even with our advantage, the ground seemed too far away. I knew that we wouldn't make it. I looked over the railing and spotted a rope used for hanging laundry. 

"I have a crazy, suicidal idea but it just might work," I said to Areis, "Do you trust me?"

"Um.. yeah?"

"Good." Without another word, I jumped over the railing of the stairs. Then, with a sudden appreciation for the cold weather, I pulled off my cloak and bunched one of its ends in my right hand, which was outstretched above my head. I looked down at the laundry cable that was growing closer and closer, then when my head had passed under it, I tossed the other end of my cloak into my left hand. The two sides formed a makeshift parachute, which would get caught on the cable, catching me. I flinched as the fabric met the rope, my muscles went taught as I struggled to hold on. My arms strained as I jolted to a halt. I looked up to see Areis following my lead. He must've watched before jumping to see what I would do. Knowing the cable couldn't hold both of us, I grabbed the rope and dropped my cloak, quickly swinging hand over hand to the roof of the nearest building. I had just pulled myself up when Areis collided with the cable. His face was deathly pale and his eyes were watery.

"Zora Artemis Stone, I am going to kill you after we escape," He promised, breathlessly. 

I smiled, looking up at the guards who were still making their way down the stairs. Because we were brave, we would escape. That was all that mattered. I grabbed Areis' shaking hand and we scaled down the side of the building, taking off for the woods.

We ran for about two miles before we allowed ourselves a break. Areis leaned against a tree, panting. I sat down on a boulder in silence, trying and failing to comprehend the series of events that had occurred in the last four days.

"Tyri and Cayra are waiting for us in a cave about five miles from here," Areis said hoarsely. His platinum hair was plastered to his forehead with sweat.

"Why are they waiting for us?" I asked him.

"Because we're all coming with you." I bit my lip as worry seeped through me. My friends had risked enough by helping me escape, I couldn't let them follow me when there was a safe place for them in Stockgrove.

"Absolutely not."

Areis sighed and pulled me to my feet. "It's not up to me. I'm banished too, remember? I'm all for Cayra staying where she's safe. So if you want to convince someone then talk to them," I pinched the bridge of my nose, wondering what on earth we all did to deserve any of this. We were all children when the purge began. Who knew what we would've become if it had never happened? We certainly wouldn't be scrambling for our lives through the Estulian forest. 

"Fine. Let's go. What direction are we headed?" I asked, trying to take my mind off of everything we had just lost.

"Northwest, towards the Blackcap Mountains."