Chapter XIV

The Fate Of Fugitives

We ran as fast as we could over the cold cobblestones of the Parisian streets. Under normal conditions, I would already have been vomiting from sheer exhaustion, because I didn't normally run this far at such a fast pace. But it is amazing what adrenaline does to you, because I was barely a few steps behind Esmeralda. I could hear the gentle sound of our bare feet splashing in the small puddles here and there. It had rained several hours earlier.

"Are they catching up to us yet?" Esmeralda asked, turning her head to look behind us.

We both stopped for a few moments to catch our breath, and to see what was going on. It seemed as though we had lost our pursuers. But then, the distant sound of clopping horse hooves, and the light from the carriage lanterns came.

"Keep going!" Esmeralda cried, breaking once more into a sprint. I didn't have to listen twice!

We continued to run, but as fast as we went, it seemed as though the cathedral was still as far away as ever. We hadn't even reached the island yet. Finally, the luminescent purple glow of Notre Dame's rose windows was seen in the distance.

"Keep going!" I urged Esmeralda, even though she was still several paces ahead of me and probably didn't need the advice. She knew even more than I did, what danger we were in if we didn't make it to the cathedral before we were caught.

Suddenly, my foot caught onto a small sharp object on the ground and I fell flat on my face. My foot throbbed with sudden pain, and when I looked down at it, I saw that a stream of blood was already pouring out of the wound. I had stepped on an old rusty fishing knife.

"Get up, or they'll catch us!" Esmeralda shrieked in panic.

"My foot!" I wailed. "What's this stupid knife doing in the middle of the street anyway, don't people know better than to leave sharp objects in way?"

"Well, we are near the river, perhaps it was one of the fishermen's. But look, we don't have time to worry about that now, you've got to get up. Listen! I can already hear that they're gaining on us, and we haven't even reached the island yet!"

I knew that Esmeralda was right, and I felt ashamed for making such a big deal about the whole thing. But my foot was literally gushing out blood! If I didn't get it treated soon enough, I could die of blood loss or infection!

"Come on, get up!" Esmeralda urged as she grabbed me by the arm and pulled me to my feet. I could feel all the blood in my legs rushing to the wound in my foot, draining my body of the red liquid.

"It hurts so bad!" I moaned. Esmeralda tried to ignore this, and set off running again. But when I tried to follow after her, I collapsed to the floor! I couldn't walk! My foot was in that much pain!

Stumbling, I tried to push myself upright and dragged myself along. By now I could hear the neighing of the horses as the soldiers approached in hot pursuit.

This is it. Our plan's failed and Esmeralda and I are going to be sent to the palace of justice, all because of this damn fishing knife!

The panic in my mind turned to rage. Rage that everything had gone wrong, rage that Esmeralda had been framed for murdering Phoebus, rage that we weren't going to make it to the sanctuary in Notre Dame.

Speaking of which, where was Esmeralda? Had she already gotten so far ahead that I could no longer see her? No, she wouldn't have abandoned me…would she have? And then suddenly, I felt two hands grab my shoulders. I jolted from surprise, but then realized that they weren't the big steel grip hands of the soldiers; these ones were gentle, and though they were strong, they weren't rough.

I turned to see that it was Esmeralda! She grabbed me in her arms and began to run. I was surprised! She was much stronger than I would have ever suspected, after all, she was running while at the same time, holding me!

And just in the nick of time. The soldiers on their horses were gaining on us ever more than before. Finally, we turned around a bend, across an avenue, and there was the island. Esmeralda raced over to the bridge. But by now, we could see the horses behind us.

"Ok, this is drastic, but desperate times call for desperate measures," Esmeralda said. "We're going to have to jump off the bridge."

"What!?"

Esmeralda didn't bother to respond, and before the idea had registered, I suddenly felt a strange sensation that I couldn't quite place. I soon realized it was the sensation of falling. Esmeralda had done it, jumped off the bridge. And suddenly the cold splash of water covered me as we hit the river.

For a few moments, I just lay there in the water, confused, panicked and strangely paralyzed. I couldn't do anything! Then the shock wore off and I realized I had to come up for air. I fought my way through the dark water up to the surface, gasping for air. I was so panicked that I temporarily forgot about the throbbing pain in my foot, though I could feel the blood draining out into the river water.

"Don't make any sounds," Esmeralda whispered. She was treading water a few arm lengths away from me. "And tread water like me instead of thrashing around like that. We don't want them to know we're down here."

I did as she said, and held my breath as the sound of horse hooves thundered above us from the bridge. Finally, after a few moments, all the soldiers and horses had passed.

"That was close," I breathed. "You saved us both."
Esmeralda shrugged, or at least made an attempt to as she floated in the water. "What else was I supposed to do, leave you behind to be taken away?"

"All the same, I'm grateful for what you did."

"Well then, you're welcome." She smiled slightly.

After waiting for a few moments, to make sure that the coast was clear, we swam to the river bank, and climbed up onto the island. I could hear bells ringing nearby…Notre Dame! We'd almost made it there! Just a little longer.

Unfortunately, now that the adrenaline had begun to wear off, the pain in my foot began to return, and I began to limp.

Esmeralda looked at me pitifully, and sighed. "Look, I know it's probably embarrassing for you, but do you want me to carry you again? It's really no trouble."

I was about to say no, to keep my dignity but then thought the better of it.

"Sure," I replied quietly.

Finally, we arrived at the cathedral. The bell towers rose high above our heads, and the purple windows illuminated the gargoyles that jutted out of the stone architecture. Esmeralda put me down and walked over to one of the large wooden doors. There, she knocked.

After a few moments, a short fat man in a white robe, who was balding answered us. I assumed he must be one of the priests.

"Please help us," Esmeralda begged him. "My friend and I have come to claim sanctuary." She pointed to me, and indicated my wounded foot.

The priest eyed us both over and then nodded, as if he knew exactly what had happened. "Come with me."

We followed him inside the cathedral, and he closed the door behind us. I limped along as he led me and Esmeralda. I'd never actually been inside the cathedral until now, and it seemed more spectacular and enormous on the inside than on the outside! It felt as though we were in a giant palace of God. Then again, that was part of the point of cathedrals.

"Quasimodo sleeps up in the bell towers," the priest told us. "Would you two mind sharing a room with him?"

"Not at all," Esmeralda answered.

I nodded that I didn't mind either.

"Ok, then follow me this way," the priest said as he led us up a narrow winding staircase lit only by torches. Finally, we came to the top.

I was impressed. The bell towers were enormous! High above our heads were the gigantic bells, hanging by ropes attached to the wooden planks and rafters. I heard snoring and looked to see the shape of the hunchback sleeping on a bead of straw in the corner.

"He's practically deaf," the priest told us, "so he probably won't hear you. It's because he rings the bells every day and night you see, that his ear drums finally burst."

I nodded in sympathy. It must be awful to lose your hearing.

"Now, why exactly have you come here?" the priest asked us. "What is your need for sanctuary."

"I was framed for a murder," Esmeralda told him. "I didn't do it, but the soldiers didn't believe me, nor Julian here, so we came here until we can get a fair trial."

"Ah, well you'll be safe here," the priest told us.

"Yes," said a familiar voice. A voice that we had heard not too long ago either. Frollo!

"But should you take one step outside the cathedral, and you are at the mercy of the law. You see, Notre Dame may be a sanctuary, but it is also a prison. You can't leave or else you will be taken to the Palace of Justice. You've chosen a fine prison, but it is a prison none the less."

"Anyway," the priest muttered, "I'll come to see how you are doing in the morning."

With that, he left us alone, with Claude Frollo's glaring eyes staring at us from the shadows. "Remember, this is your prison for now. That is the fate of fugitives here." He gave a little laugh at that, one that was creepy and almost diabolical.

"Ignore him," Esmeralda suggested. "We'll think of something in the morning. For now, we have sanctuary and there's nothing anyone can do to us."

Well, hope you enjoyed! This chapter was fun to write because I tried to combine a little of the movie scene, but at the same time make it different. I hope you enjoyed this version. Anyways, please review and look for the next update! I'll try to update ASAP! Until then, au'voire. (not sure if that's spelled correctly)