Escape Plan: The Betrayal and Death in the Forest

Seira's hand touched her neck impulsively the moment the man released her hold on her throat.

'Cough, Cough, Cough'

A loud intake of breath came from Seira with her mouth open. The air flows in her body at once, giving her body oxygen and she breathes out, feeling like the air leaves her body carrying tension and anxiety away with it. She was compelled to draw a breath before she could even finish her last exhale.

She put her left elbow to the ground to push herself while struggling to breathe normally. The pain in her right arm seems to double in every movement she does. A rough hand pulled her upward without any warning. She walked unsteadily as if she was about to fall any moment which is exactly what she is feeling. Her muscles are so sore that trying to move a little from her position makes her cry in pain while her right arm flails limply on her side. All of sudden, the man holding her pulled her to his side; trapping her neck using his arm.

"This woman is really something huh?"

A clunking sound of a metal came to her followed by a cold and sharp blade touching her neck. She gritted her teeth. These men are crazy and total lunatics.

"Then double money if you want to get this woman alive"

The guard narrowed his eyes.

"I SAID DOUBLE—" the man was cut off by a loud sound of a gun.

Frank snapped his fingers and without further ado, the man who was standing quietly in the back shot the man twice—in his head and chest who was shocked to even respond. Even she was dumbfounded. Blood spurts forth in scattered drops in Seira's face.

Blood mixes with dirt flowing from the unmoving body in the ground. She shudders when she realizes that the man has his eyes opened while blood is leaking from his head.

"What a fool" Frank smirked, walking beside the guard "I go along the deal"

'BANG'

Seira promptly glanced at her left. The man she encountered earlier shot the already dead man again. This time it's in the eyes. Blood flows past her worn-out boots. She shakily covered her mouth to suppress the queasy feeling in her stomach. The scene in front of her is too much to handle.

He kicks the dead man in his stomach so hard that it rolls on the other side. Blood splashed to her dress and arms. Her legs wobbled. She could feel nothing but blind terror. The image of the dead and ghastly man adds up to her trepidation.

Her heart lurched the moment the man moved towards her.

He grabs her chin "Be thankful that I already received the money in exchange for your head cause if not, I will kill you right here……. Seira Lacresia''

The man grabbed her hair, pulling her. It is painful that she felt her scalp was bleeding already but she was too terrified to even protest. She wanted to run away from the place and the men. Tears freed from her eyes. Everything came back to her at once where pain and darkness existed—her past. How could she forget that it is the reality?. Her head dropped, feeling defeated. No matter what she does, there is someone who will use others for their own greediness. How funny that after so many years she thought that she was fine and finally living like a normal person, fate has something in store for her to change it. To break her again and again. She wanted this to end. Just how much pain does she need to suffer before she can have a peaceful life?

Her arm was already swollen and the grip on it was making her silently cry. She bit her lower lip as hard as she could in an attempt to choke back her screams of pain. The man dragged her to where the goddess knew where.

Seira tried to walk at the same pace as the man to somewhat lessen the pain in her arms. Every late step she did, her arm was pulled with great force but her legs gave in on its accord resulting from her being dragged by her arms. It is painful that she feels like dying until her body becomes numb.

"HEY! STAND UP AND WALK!" shouted the man but she didn't understand anything.

A ringing sound erupts in her ears as her body falls limply in the loam soil.

"What is happening there Remus?!" a voice that she knows too well—Frank.

"This bitch collapsed. Damn it!" the man yelled back.

The man shakes her shoulder and taps his bruised cheek but there's no response from her, even the contortions of being in pain. She saw Frank and the guard saunter in her direction with an irritated expression.

She tried to roam her eyes and look at every man surrounding her, saving their image in her mind. Before darkness welcomed her, she took a glimpse of the guard with a smug expression on his face.

……

A splash of cold water woke Seira up. She glanced around and realized that she was inside a carriage.

"Don't you dare sleep! Make sure that you are awake for the rest of the ride or your wounds will be more severe than they already are" the guard shouted at her.

She didn't reply nor make an expression. She remained impassive. Her muscles are so sore that trying to move a little from her position makes her cry in pain while her arms and legs are stinging from grazing too much on twigs and fall out branches earlier.

She weakly leaned on the metal. Her body was throbbing in so much pain. She wanted to cry and scream but she could not find her voice or even open her mouth. Her tears are long gone.

Her head dropped as if she had accepted defeat without doing anymore rebellious actions. She looked at her red and blotched palm. How ironic that she can bring back a person from death but she can't even make herself stronger when she felt like she was about to die from the pain.

Soon after, the carriage stopped. A loud clanging of metal can be heard and collapsing, sinking toward the ground. She slides to the wall of the vehicle, trying to ease the dizziness and wait for the pain in her body to subside a bit.

A familiar shuffled noise from the outside made her halt her movements for a moment.

"Goddammit! What a piece of junk!" Arthur yelled; coming down from the horse. He strode to the back of the carriage; crouching down to check the vehicle. The leaf spring that provides support to the vehicle, attached to the body of the carriage is broken "Damn it!" He kicked the vehicle that he regretted in an instant; caressing his thigh "Arghh!"

Seira glanced at the door of the carriage. She was sure that there was a problem with the vehicle and based on the profanities she heard, the carriage might not operate or function anymore.