Chapter 8: Prisoner

Kaico opened her eyes next in a familiar room. It was in fact the very room she had run from. It was the same as she had left it. The bookshelf had a gap where she had pulled her book from. She rolled over and pulled herself up. First, she went to the door, but it was now grey and shiny and iron. She knew there was no getting through it without tools, and it seemed Tanner had taken all hers. Her book was missing also.

More desperately she checked the windows but they were also covered now.

There was no escape from the small room.

She slid down the wall and put her head in her hands. Then she wondered if Enderly had thought she had abandoned them.

Tears sprung from her eyes when she thought of her new friend discovering she was missing. She wished she could somehow tell them what had happened. Maybe they could have helped her escape. She walked to the window and gazed out at the plains, she thought she saw movement, but it was probably her imagination.

Then she heard someone at the door.

"Kaico? Are you up?"

It was her mom.

Kaico didn't say anything.

"I'm coming in Kaico."

The door swung open and then shut again. Kaico's mom was still the same tall figure with a roundish face. Kaico, feeling slightly childish, turned her head.

"This all went a bit array." She said, "I never imagined that Tanner would have to use that potion on you, we sent them to find you because we were worried about you Kaico. We just want you to be home with us, safe and sound."

"I was happy out there on my own mom." Kaico told her, "you didn't need to send my brothers there to drag me back here."

"Look at me Kaico," her mom told her.

Finally, Kaico turned her head slightly.

There was something in her mother's eyes that made Kaico feel slightly bad. Her mother's face was softer than she had seen it in a while. The edges from rearing up all her brothers seemed to disappear.

"We care about you Kaico."

"Where is my book," Kaico said.

"Your book?"

"I had a book with me," Kaico said shortly, "where is all my other stuff."

"We will keep it safe," her mother told her.

"Safe from me?"

"Safe until you've seen some reason."

She looked into her mother's eyes and stayed there, saying "I have seen reason."

Her mother shook her head, "running off on your own like that."

"I was fine, I was happy out there." Kaico told her again, "I want my book back."

"You'll get it back when you see reason."

"You're holding me prisoner!" Kaico burst out.

Kaico's mom's eyes hardened again.

"I will be back again to speak to you later." She said shortly.

Then the door shut. Kaico heard steps in the hall, she crept to the door and pressed her ear to it.

Outside she heard her mom and dad speaking.

"I don't know why you were so insistent about returning her here."

"She's a child still."

"She's trouble, I've told you before and I will tell you again."

"We'll have to move from here to somewhere else."

Their voices lowered now and Kaico could no longer hear them. Her father was definitely frustrated.

"Fine, we will move again as soon as we pack up, I suppose we've mostly run this area dry of ores anyway, further south I bet there will be more."

Then they were gone.

Kaico pressed her head to the door and breathed in and out until she felt calmer. Then she started thinking.

Enderly would be out there somewhere, if she could escape then she was sure she'd find them. Together they'd be able to make a run for it. First, though she needed to get out of this room. She looked around it, all she'd need was some kind of tool. The house its self was stone bricks, if she could make a wooden pickaxe then she'd be able to get out. Her other option was to try to convince someone to open her door temporarily, then she could knock them out of the way.

Although they had bared in her from the windows and door. They hadn't replaced the floors or walls. The only problem being her room was actually over top of the kitchen and dining space, meaning they were bound to hear her doing anything. She also needed to get her book.

Escape would be difficult but she knew she had to before they picked her up and moved again. If they moved she'd never find Enderly.