Sara's POV

"...Setsuna?"

What the hell is he doing here? It's one in the morning. I can't help but feel glad though. I love Setsuna with everything that I am, but I fear for both of our lives if the Saints find out.

"So, you coming?"

Oh yeah. That's right. We planned to sneak out tonight and go past the border.

"Yeah."

I quickly throw on a pair of jeans over the shorts that I was sleeping in and some tennis shoes preparing for the long walk ahead of me.

We climbed out my bedroom window, and, after getting our footing, down the tree in the back yard. All the while, we prayed that mother wouldn't hear us.

As we snuck through the woods, we talked of the unimportant events that had occurred since a week ago which was the last time we saw each other. Sneaking out had become a normal routine on Friday nights. It used to be Saturdays until I accidentally fell asleep in church the next morning. Mother was so mad, and all the church gossipers stared at me when I woke up. I made the excuse that I was getting the flu and was tired from all the medications I took. I still found myself grounded for two weeks. It doesn't matter though. Nothing matters as long as I can be held in Setsuna's strong arms. Nothing matters just as long as this unholy secret is kept. Yes, Setsuna is not just my lover. He is also my brother. As much as we wish it were not the case, it is true. However, we seem to be the only ones for each other. That is, if there's even supposed to be such thing as "the one." Lord Sevothtarte took over this town about ten years ago. He supports everyone as long as we remain loyal to him. It's now illegal in St. Patronsville to be in love until marriage, which is of course arranged. Any crime that a person here is found guilty of when tried is punishable by torture, death, or both. As far as trials go, forget any juries or witnesses. Sevothtarte hears your story and then decides your fate. That's the bottom line.

Most of the older townspeople regret voting for him. He came to power through your average election. Everyone was so tired of our old mayor so they voted for him. The next thing we know, our town is bordered by thousands of feet of barbed wire fences, and all our roads were cut off. Lord Sevothtarte claimed to be the Voice of God who was sent from heaven to create one perfectly holy town amongst the evil of this world. So, therefore, anyone caught bringing any sort of impurity within the barbed wire-anything from buying secular music to committing a murder- suffers horribly. This is why my love for Setsuna must be kept a secret. Love before marriage is a bad enough crime, but incest is truly evil, even in the outside world.

After walking for an hour or so, Setsuna and I reach the border. Apparently, Setsuna had been working for quite a while to dig a hole under the massive stretch of fencing. We both crawled under quickly and ran through the woods until we saw the moonlit waters of the sea. We found a secluded area and lied down next to each other.

"Sara, let's leave here someday. We'll run away together and never come back."
"Setsuna, they'll hunt us down and kill us."
"I know. We'll have to find somewhere safe to hide until they give up looking for us. We'll change our names, our looks, everything. Kira can probably hook us up with some fake IDs."
"It's alright. It doesn't matter as long as I'm allowed to die with you."

We stayed there for a while and watched the stars. We must've fallen asleep because the next thing I heard was Setsuna's panicked voice.

"Sara, hurry, come on. We're running late."

We ran as fast as we could, for it was almost five o'clock and I had to be up and dressed for breakfast by seven.

I hastily climbed back through my window once again without anyone knowing. The eternal secret of my love for Setsuna is sometimes so hard to bear. I want to scream it to all the world, but I know I cannot. But then it all ends with his good-bye kiss as my hand leaves his cheek and our tongues separate. Another Friday night has gone by, and now I realize I must prepare for another week of emptiness as I see his angelic silhouette climbing out my window and am blinded by the glow of the rising sun.