The Journey Begins

Sea water splashed into Sam's face, and he blinked at the stretch of water that extended out to the horizon. Beside him, Akhtar touched the worn strap of the backpack he wore, and his expression was a silent concern. He always looks at a glass half full and thus gesturing to the image on the horizon as the vague shadow of a ship. Behind them the city stretched up, a mosaic of steel and glass, while before them there was nothing.

"Surely there has to be a way out of here," Sam whispered to himself and speaking above the noise of the waves. If he was to be honest, the weight of their situation hit him like a ton of bricks. The chance that they would slip under the Authority's radar in this ever-entwined world of surveillance was less than that of finding a conversation in a thunderous downpour. Ever the realist, Akhtar laughed at it. "That's rather obvious, legally it's out of the question We're criminals now Sam, every police checkpoint, every surveillance camera they'll be waiting for us." There was tension that followed the conversation. The gulls flying above let out a laugh at their misery in a series of shrill screams. Arjun, who normally never ran out of plans, threw a stone at the shore. Finally, frustrated in tone, he spoke, "There has to be another way." 'Well one has to be getting out sometime,' Sam blinked brightly. He knew the stories that were passed from lips to ears; a secret chain regularized passage across the great seas. This was hope for the hopeless. 'The whispers…' he started off hoping that his words would be enough to pacify her; however, that did not happen. Saying the name of a clandestine network was something that was all the same a risk. For this, if one was caught, the implications were severe. He was anxious and reassured by the sudden insecurity in the boy, and Akhtar placed a calloused hand on Sam's shoulder. "We are both in this brother, whatever is on your mind, share it…".And with a deep deep breath, Sam went on to share the rumors he had heard of the underground movement sort of a speak. This last was a desperate move, a gamble, but it was the only way that they could think of to save themselves. His eyes shining with the first twinkle of hope, all Arjun could feel was that things would seek a better turn now. "Let's find a contact," he said, his voice regaining the normal upbeat pitch. Having an acquaintance who could help them arrange passage in one of his ships became their new goal. They went into the interior of the city, through dirty bars and alleys fraught with danger and suspense. They spilt days into nights full of tortuous tracks and spine-chilling looks. And at last, a rude-looking man who was lifting a heavy timber spoke to them with a strange-Calico look in his eyes gave them the last chance. He was paid perhaps a premium for his efforts in their interest of fixing them up with 'The Ferryman,' the smuggling organization's leader. There was one night in which they were to meet, and it was covered in dense fog that rolled off of the water. On that dock somewhere, an old fellow with bristling hairs of his beard and his eyes as cold as the sea appeared. It was involvement that sparked a mixture of anxiety and craftiness, as the balance of power was turning quite shaky. In the end, both sides agreed to work together but on one condition. It was still very early in the morning; while the first rays of the sun colored the sky pinkish-red, they boarded a rickety vessel, their hearts pounding, half with fear and half with anticipation. Although fraught with danger ahead, there was no reason to give up just yet—for once in a while the light at the end of the tunnel was visible. At least they had gotten away from the city if not completely free from the hold of Authority. Sam drew breath deeply into lungs filled with salty air, turning his face toward the horizon line, as if starting over again could be seen in him." The journey was still far."