Escape Plan: The Guard

Seira ran as fast as she could, not minding the burning pain of her wounds. She glanced around to look for a place that could hide her but she found none. The distance between the trees was so large that she would be easily discovered. The rain had long stopped. She put her hands to her knees to breathe for a second.

All of sudden, breaking of twigs; rustle of leaves and faint footsteps can be heard in the deafening silence of the forest, coming from her back. She abruptly faced the path she just came from, looking around keenly while taking a step back.

Her steps halted when she hit a body. Her eyes widened; shifting her feet. Terror thundered down on her. A man with a large scar on his face, carrying a gun wearing a hideous smile on his face was casually standing on her way.

Seira shakily stepped back; faced the other way. Just as they were about to take a step forward, the man grabbed a full of her hair; shoving her to the side. Her head hit the charred bark of the tree. A low-pitched cry of pain came from her lips. Fighting the sudden dizziness, she saw the man advancing towards her. Her hand limply touched the ground. Without a second thought, she grabs a pile of muddy soil and throws it in the man's face resulting in the man stumbling while wiping his face. "YOU SLUT! I WILL KILL YOU!" he shouted.

She didn't waste time and ran with her heart pounding against her chest. But luck seems to have abandoned her tonight.

A thick vine appeared out of nowhere and coiled into her leg.

"Ah!" she shouted.

The vine was instantly pulled back causing her to stumble on the uneven surface; hands flailing as she fell. Her shoulders smashed against a rock in the ground and his body instantly convulsed in pain. She tried to move her feet, but it was stacked on the vine until the plant suddenly moved, dragging her off. Her back scraped over every pebble on the ground and her head was slammed with every stride. She is starting to lose consciousness but she forces herself to reach the vine. As she was just going to hold the plant, it was pulled upward and loose again for a second time.

"AHHH!" she cried as she heard a cracking sound in her arm followed by excruciating pain.

She tried to crawl but came to a halt in a second. Terror fluttered in her stomach upon noticing two pairs of shoes on the ground. She slowly looked up, Frank was blocking her way with a sadistic smirk on his face. Beside him was the guard who accused her of being a thief in Herstings, emerging from the dark with a glowing green circle above his palm.

No… No this is not happening.

The guard was wearing a black cloak. He slowly removed his hood that only covered his head. The glowing light from his hand made her fully make out the face of the guard. It is then she notices the deep, long hideous line of fresh scar on his neck and face; from the left part of his face to her right chin was diagonally imposed. It was unsightly and brought shudders to her as she stared at the line. It was gruesome and sickening to look at. Just what kind of man can do a horrendous thing like that?

Her heart is pounding; cold sweat beads in her forehead. Promptly, she turned to her side but a bulky man was standing on that spot. She turned around but the man she threw mud earlier was holding off her only way out. His face was contorted in anger.

"There's no use struggling Seira," said Frank, holding a tobacco in his right hand; walking in her direction.

Seira put her left elbow to the ground to push herself but before she could stand up, a hand gripped her hair and pushed her upward. She tried to pull out her hair but it was no use.

"It's good to see you again, you put me in a lot of trouble for the past four days" the chilly voice of the guard whispered closely to her ear. She briskly moved away from the man, gliding with her body facing the guard.

"J—just wha—what do you want from me? I didn't steal the necklace, please" she faintly mumbled to the man.

The man roughly pushed her to the ground. She stayed still for a few seconds before pushing herself up. Just as she was about to stand up, a hard and solid slap that made her fall to the ground for the umpteenth time came in contact with her already bruised cheeks. She gritted her teeth and looked up with hatred towards the man.

"Do you really think I care what is the truth or not?!" Arthur choked Seira who was grasping his hands.

"I was flagged 40 times because of you, slut!" he paused "And this ugly line in my face was all your fault!"

Arthur can clearly remember how that man slid his dagger on his face no matter how many times he pleaded. That man was a monster. The coachman he was with when the stealing of the necklace happened was barely breathing in the cell. He made a deal to bring the woman before dawn to save his life.

Adrenaline surges once again on Seira's body as she gasps for air. Using both of her hands, she tried to remove the grip of the man on her neck. She ignored the extreme pain of her right arm. 'Air, I need air' , the desperation to breathe is the only thing that plays on her mind.

The grip of the guard loosen slightly but he put it back in an instant. This time, he keeps a firm grasp on her neck, adding more pressure on her throat. A tight sensation erupts from her chest as it is more difficult to inhale and exhale every second. The feeling of needing to breathe more quickly is clouding her body. Tears escaped from Seira's eyes as she could feel her end. Her body is becoming numb inch by inch. 'Let me live this once please'.

"You will kill her at that" Frank chuckled; throwing her tobacco on the ground "You don't need your one last card to get back to the capital to be inanimate right?"

Arthur roughly shoved Seira's on the side; stooding up and caressing his hair. He needs to bring the woman alive in Arcadis before dawn. It is the time limit that man gave to him. He shudders remembering his words as he traces a dagger in his face and neck. That man was a monster.

"Tie her," he ordered.