Reality or An Illusion?

Tiffany

We came to a darker part of the palace that led underground by the looks of it. Without hesitation we headed down and soon found the prison cells and my jaw dropped. You could see cell after cell and it smelt like rotten food or dead animals mixed with body odor and a slight stench of death. Did people die here?!

The three of us headed further down and soon I wish this was a bad dream, all you could see was half decade bodies and they looked so thin, they must have been left down here for years, my heart suddenly stopped as I looked into one cell and there inside were kids ages from 5 to 12 and it was boys and girls who were inside but they looked miserable and they had suck soft and sweet angelic features. Who could do such a terrible thing?!

Some of them looked like they were actually dead, what was worse was the boys looked so ill and looked like they just wanted to die, the girls were wearing rags and some had dirt and mud on them and they looked like prisoners of war and seemed to be treated like it.

One of the children, who seemed to be a little boy about 7 who came over and looked up with such big eyes that had dark vibrant pink/purple slits that were more rounded who asked in a shy yet soft tone "Who are you? Are you here to free us?" He looked so sweet and innocent and I just couldn't look away. I crouched down and shortly said in a kind voice "Yes we are, don't worry you all will be safe soon, I promise you that."

The boy smiled and it showed his sharp shark-like teeth minus having multiple rows and it was the most adorable thing in the world. I felt tears start to fall down as I looked at them helplessly, Lucy had gone ahead as had Raf but I stayed before I suddenly heard a small sweet voice "U aren't like us, are you really here to save us? Also you look so pretty. Mama used to tell stories about how our kind used to be friends and used to live in harmony before the mean king took over. Never thought I would meet the Lightest in real life."

It was from a girl who looked no older than 11 or 12 who had curly dark purple hair with a slightly pale appearance to the freckles on his cheeks. She was sweet and adorable. "I'm here to save a friend but it seems there are more who need saving but that aside, you are the sweetest and cutest little dumpling to exist actually all of you are adorable." I booped her nose in which she giggled but soon went silent as if someone would hear her.

She soon nodded and went back to the others, she tossed in some bread that they found at the house and the kids rather than dig in actually tore it apart enough for everyone to get a bit of food, now that it was the cutest yet most perfect show of caring and sharing. I shortly found the others and was going to speak until a kind and motherly voice spoke "Lucy what're you doing here dear? Don't you know you'll get in trouble staying here?!" She asked, looking at Lucy with worry in her eyes.

Lucy soon responded "Don't worry, we're here to save you, also do you have any idea what's going on? I mean why is the king going crazy?" Lucy looked determined right now. The older woman who had shirt yet straight hair but her slight wrinkles had a slightly lighter appearance. "I don't know the full story but my son has betrayed his own people by joining the army and has been brainwashed into thinking that the king's ideas are right, he never used to be for the king but now he is willing to have his own killed rather than actually give a care."

She had a bitter tone to her voice, getting this far was hard enough but getting her out is something else on top of that I have to tell them about the kids. But I decided to wait until we had everything else official before asking. It's clear we had a bigger problem, that was getting out of here. We soon realized we had to go find the keys as that was something they needed, Rafael decided he would do it and left the two of us here and I felt that I should say my piece now.

"Lucy...I want to ask you something.." She turned to look at me and I took a deep breath and exhaled before I continued "I'm' sorry for how I once treated you and I know we're saving Betty but I saw some kids in a cell and their around 5 and 12 and their in poor confinement, I feel we should get them out too as their innocent and deserve to live like the rest of us." I had been holding breath without realizing, after what felt like minutes she sighed and finally spoke.

"I plan on saving as many people as I can, I don't want them to grow up thinking this is all that life offers, no one deserves to be held in a cell just because of one person who is dangerous, I mean if he were a real king he would protect his people and kingdom but he is nothing more than a disgrace and I think he should learn a thing or two about how to treat people.

I promise to save those that I can, you can count on that." She spoke with determination and made it believable. "Thank you Lucy, you are the kindest and most thoughtful." After a while Raphael manages to get back without any guards chasing him which was a good thing. "You didn't get caught, nice one" Lucy said, giving him slight praise. I couldn't help but admire him, he was a sweet guy who is actually a friendly giant who visits children's hospitals who were sick and entertained or just read or sang to them.

He was the prince charming you would want, even if he isn't the most attractive guy his personality made up for it, any girl would be lucky to date him. I was suddenly snapped out of my thoughts as the cell door swung open letting Betty out and she was more beautiful. "I owe you so much Lucy, thank you my dear, thank you for everything." Betty hugged Lucy who returned it in kind before the older woman walked over to me and Raf.

"And I want to thank you two, for helping my dear friend Lucy and thank you for your kindness, it's much appreciated. I do ask that you all get home safely, you aren't here completely but you can still enter this world through dreams." We looked at her, I spoke up before Lucy "By that you mean?" I asked curiously, she smiled and said "You kids aren't here physically, you children unintentionally wished to be somewhere else and you woke up here." I just smiled and nodded.

I was still a little confused but said nothing and decided it was better not to as I most likely wouldn't understand. Once we made sure things were clear the now four of us headed for the kids' cells and it seems only a few kids and Betty were alive and the others must've been her for years. I felt fear creep up on me but felt a strong arm around my shoulders, relaxing as I knew who it was and he was my best friend Raf.

I stayed close to him. We all headed to the cell with the kids I saw before and opened the cell door and the 4 that were alive, which was 3 boys and 2 girls, ran to me and hugged me and started crying and thanking me. I felt so honored.

Once we made sure we had everyone we started to move and got out of the cell block but we suddenly froze at a masculine but underlying cold voice speak. "Well it seems we have intruders, James take them to my courtyard" the other person nodded "Yes sir, as you wish" Suddenly everything went black and soon woke or though it felt I never left.

What an odd dream.

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Thanks for reading.

Have a good week.

Ceya.

Xxxx