Clio and Thalia crept silently out of the girls dorm-room, dodging the well-
known 'creaky floorboard' at the end of the corridor. Clio walked ahead of
Thalia, in a partnership that they had trained to perfection in their years
of friendship. While she watched for obstacles up ahead, Thalia brought up
the rear, watching their backs.
Suddenly, Clio stopped, without warning and started backing up, in the same motion. Someone was coming!! Shoo-ing Thalia back, they listened to the approaching footsteps with baited breath, hoping to remain unseen in a nook, offset in the wall. They soon heard the steps receding, and gustily let out the breath that they had unconsciously been holding. They waited for a few more minutes, just to be sure, and then continued on their way.
It wasn't until it was too late to do anything, that they noticed they were no longer alone. Thalia stifled a scream, as a hand clasped itself over her mouth. "Thalia, it's me. Be quiet." Zeph slowly removed his hand, as Thalia whirled around to face him. "Zeph? What the hell do you think you're doing? Don't you ever make any noise?" she whispered, furiously, "You scared the life out of me!"
"What are you doing? And, why are you carrying bags? You're leaving, aren't you?"
"Gee, what was your first clue?" Thalia muttered, sarcastically.
"Ok, stay here for two minutes. I'll go get my bag," Zeph said, and before either of them could protest, he had raced, silently, around the corner to the boys dorms.
*How does he DO that* they both thought, simultaneously. They turned to face each other, and shrugged. Zeph had always been able to detect when they were up to something, they all knew each other *that* well. Zeph soon returned, and the three of them trooped off to find their fortunes.
With their duffle bags slung over their shoulders, the trio made several quick stopovers. Firstly, the storeroom, for matches, candles, blankets, and some of the oilskin cloaks, that the nurses wore when they were forced outside on stormy nights. This wasn't very often, so the cloaks weren't in very good condition. However, they still took the best three, and, as a second thought, some extra oil, to rub into them.
The next stop was the kitchens, thankfully empty of the nurses that made the meals. They grabbed a full water canteen each and as much food as they could carry, bread, cheese, a salami string, and, as they were running out of the back door, one of the hams that was hanging from the ceiling. Once outside, they trudged to the shed, taking bows, arrows, two quivers, snow gear, and repairing equipment for the weapons.
The nurses at the orphanage had forced them all to learn how to fend for themselves, getting some of the more gullible locals to give the children free lessons in archery, hunting and tracking. Clio also grabbed three small daggers and, after shoving hers into her belt, and motioned the others do the same. Thoughtfully, she grabbed another three, one that went to the small of her back, another into her left sleeve, and the other disappearing down the leg of her boot. She would not explain why, if the others had asked, but, trusting her fully, they didn't.
Finally, with their duffle bags considerably heavier than they had been at the beginning, they barged through the snow, strapped the bags to their backs, and, one after the other, scaled the fence to freedom. Clio breathed a sigh of relief when she reached the top and perched there for a minute or two. She was pleased that her plan had unfolded, without any major problems. Then with a quick glance back to her former prison, she dropped down the other side of the fence, and joined Thalia and Zeph, who waited patiently for her at the edge of the wood. "We're free," she said. And so they were.
Suddenly, Clio stopped, without warning and started backing up, in the same motion. Someone was coming!! Shoo-ing Thalia back, they listened to the approaching footsteps with baited breath, hoping to remain unseen in a nook, offset in the wall. They soon heard the steps receding, and gustily let out the breath that they had unconsciously been holding. They waited for a few more minutes, just to be sure, and then continued on their way.
It wasn't until it was too late to do anything, that they noticed they were no longer alone. Thalia stifled a scream, as a hand clasped itself over her mouth. "Thalia, it's me. Be quiet." Zeph slowly removed his hand, as Thalia whirled around to face him. "Zeph? What the hell do you think you're doing? Don't you ever make any noise?" she whispered, furiously, "You scared the life out of me!"
"What are you doing? And, why are you carrying bags? You're leaving, aren't you?"
"Gee, what was your first clue?" Thalia muttered, sarcastically.
"Ok, stay here for two minutes. I'll go get my bag," Zeph said, and before either of them could protest, he had raced, silently, around the corner to the boys dorms.
*How does he DO that* they both thought, simultaneously. They turned to face each other, and shrugged. Zeph had always been able to detect when they were up to something, they all knew each other *that* well. Zeph soon returned, and the three of them trooped off to find their fortunes.
With their duffle bags slung over their shoulders, the trio made several quick stopovers. Firstly, the storeroom, for matches, candles, blankets, and some of the oilskin cloaks, that the nurses wore when they were forced outside on stormy nights. This wasn't very often, so the cloaks weren't in very good condition. However, they still took the best three, and, as a second thought, some extra oil, to rub into them.
The next stop was the kitchens, thankfully empty of the nurses that made the meals. They grabbed a full water canteen each and as much food as they could carry, bread, cheese, a salami string, and, as they were running out of the back door, one of the hams that was hanging from the ceiling. Once outside, they trudged to the shed, taking bows, arrows, two quivers, snow gear, and repairing equipment for the weapons.
The nurses at the orphanage had forced them all to learn how to fend for themselves, getting some of the more gullible locals to give the children free lessons in archery, hunting and tracking. Clio also grabbed three small daggers and, after shoving hers into her belt, and motioned the others do the same. Thoughtfully, she grabbed another three, one that went to the small of her back, another into her left sleeve, and the other disappearing down the leg of her boot. She would not explain why, if the others had asked, but, trusting her fully, they didn't.
Finally, with their duffle bags considerably heavier than they had been at the beginning, they barged through the snow, strapped the bags to their backs, and, one after the other, scaled the fence to freedom. Clio breathed a sigh of relief when she reached the top and perched there for a minute or two. She was pleased that her plan had unfolded, without any major problems. Then with a quick glance back to her former prison, she dropped down the other side of the fence, and joined Thalia and Zeph, who waited patiently for her at the edge of the wood. "We're free," she said. And so they were.
