Young Writers Society

Adelram watched the fire, the wood crackle and collapse. Lewa comes from the shadows, she looks over at Asante whose curled up and seems asleep.

“I set the traps, also patrolled just to be safe they seem to be gone.” She says. “That small boat we used to get here won't be any help, they're going to guard the docks like hawks.”

“We shouldn't bring him.”, Adelram said softly. “Why is he with us?”, he asked.

“If you've been paying any attention his home was destroyed, he doesn't have many options.”, Lewa responded softly making sure not to wake Asante.

“You know what we do. He's going to slow us down.”

“Its her brother. Reneé's brother”, she stressed.

Lewa shows Adelram a note she found.

“What is that? There's nothing on there.”, he says.

“Follow me”, Lewa told him. The two left the camp fire and went to a moonlit spotlight amongst the trees.

“Hold it up.”, Lewa instructed.

Adelram held the paper up high in the sky. A white glowing writing shows up.

“What the-“, he says, confused.

“You see?”, Lewa asked

Adelram looked back Lewa and crumbled the paper and pushed it into Lewa's chest. Lewa was surprised by Adelram's reaction to the note.

“She left this for us.”, Lewa exclaimed.

“With her brother whom she never spoke off on the edge of the world?”, Adelram said angrily. “Lets face it, Reneé wasn't the smartest or else she wouldn't have got caught.”, Adelram says.

“Are you serious? She saved your ass at least ten times and you talk like that.”, Lewa said.

“We can't keep him.” Adelram says. “Its too dangerous with the Empures after us. We left sometime ago and they have already found us.”, Adelram said worryingly.

“So you suggest we give up, is that it?”, Lewa asked with her arms folded.

“No, I-“

“No. Good. Because I still believe in her.”, Lewa assured. “…You know your better thinking on your feet, that takes faith. So why don't you keep on doing that and show some.”, Lewa said. She walked back to camp, clutching a pendant. Adelram was a ways behind her.

When morning came Asante woke hoping to everything was a dream. Loud chirping birds, the hard ground he laid upon was indicator that last night was reality. His life had been turned around. He whipped his eyes and say someone towering over him.

“Your awake. Good.”, Lewa said.

“Ouch, why does my back hurt?”, Asante asked.

“You did sleep on the ground. You'll get used to it.” Lewa said, “Also I kicked you.”, Lewa chuckled.

Asante stood up as his bones cracked with every movement. The first thing on his mind was his sister, Reneé. Why did she leave, and what did she get herself into. Whatever it was it wasn't anything good. And why did she leave a note. She returned and didn't even say hello or goodbye. She left him once more and he didn't know. It took a stranger for this truth to come to life. What did that note say and mean? Why would Reneé leave a note knowing full well Asante would overthink it? These were questions possibly only she could answer, for now Asante kept his sights on the day ahead.

“Where is Adelram”, Asante asked.

“He's scouting. Were leaving.”, Lewa says as she crept out the forest and Asante followed.

“Leaving?”, A asked.

“Well we can't just stay here.”, Lewa says as she continues. She looks back at a timid Asante. She walks over to him and places her hands on his shoulders. “I know that your scared but I promise you'll be safer with us.”, Lewa assured.

“I don't have a choice do I?”

“No not much.”, Lewa responded.

“But I have a job, my horses, and I'm not brave, you guys seem really brave and all, I don’t do good with other people and-“, Lewa places her finger on Asante's mouth stopping him from speaking a mile a minute.

“The world is a scary place. But one way or another it brings itself to you, and now its here Asante”, she says, “What are you going to do?”, Lewa continued. “Follow me.”

“Okay.”, Asante said.

Asante and Lewa had made it to the village, guards were posted at the main entrance. And another patrolling the trail.

“Well we need another way in.”, Lewa says.

“Wait, where is my horse?”, Asante asked.

“Your thinking of a horse right now? We need a way out of here.”, Lewa said.

“Hey.”, Adelram says as he sneaked behind them. Asante almost screams out but Adelram covers his mouth.

“Relax.”, Adelram says.

“Sorry”, Asante says.

The guard patrolling the trail takes notice of a noise and approaches the woods with his sword drawn. Lewa takes Asante by the hand and guides him to a place to hide. They hide behind a bush and Adelram hides behind a tree.

“Anyone there?.”, The guard says. “Anyone. Show yourself.”, He says.

“Stay here.” Lewa says to Asante. He nods his head yes.

Lewa stands up from the bushes.

“You.”, the guard says. But before he can make another move Adelram quickly disarms him and kicks him in the back of the leg, dropping him to one knee. Adelram puts him in a chokehold. Then, with a quick thrust of strength, Adelram twists, the guard drops right to the ground.

“That was close.”, Adelram says.

“Good work. I got an idea.”, Lewa says. Asante comes from behind the bush and sees the guard flat on the ground.

“Is he dead?”, Asante asks.

“Yes.”, Adelram says bluntly. Lewa gives him a look. “Oh, I'm sorry he's sleeping.”, Adelram sarcastically says.

“No he's not”, Asante says.

“What? Of course bot he's dead.”, Adelram says.

“This is something we have to do.”

“Murder.”

“Yes, murder, rob, and live in hiding.”, Adelram explains

“It was either us or him and it can't be us.”, Lewa stresses. “Just trust us.”, she says.

As hard as it may have been to do so, Asante knew he had no choice. They knew were his sister was and he had questions that needed answers.

“Now we need a way out”, Lewa said.

“Well too said you have an idea.” Adelram replied.

“Yes but, Asante you talked about horses earlier, you’re a stable hand?”, she asked.

“Yeah I am.”, he confirmed.

“You work for that man? Sticky.”, Adelram asked as he took the guards armor off.

“Samir”, Asante corrected.

“I have a better idea.”, Lewa said.

“What is it?”

“Adelram get that amour off, tour wearing it.”, she told him.

“Why do I have to always wear the dead guy armor.”, Adelram complained.

“If there are horses on this island then there's some sort of transport.” Lewa explained, “Me and Asante can hide in the crates and we hop on a ship and we head for the East Mainland.”

“That plan sounds so boring, there's no violence at all.”, Adelram said.

“Its good enough for me.” Asante says.

Later, they arrive at the stable. Samir turns around and jumps when he sees Adelram.

“Hello, Stokey.”, Adelram quickly approaches Samir wearing the guard’s armor. He grabs Samir by the collar and pulls his fist. Lewa and Asante come in after him.

“Please, there he is. Take him, take the kid he's het sister please don't hurt me.”, Samir says begging for his safety.

“We got him already now we need a favor.”, Adelram says.

“He tells us you have a boat, used to transport horses.”, Lewa explains.

“I do, I do, yes.”, Samir says.

“We need it.”, Lewa says.

“You can have it.”, Sticky says.

“Well that was easy.”, Adelram says with a smile on his face.

They took three horses and put them in tall, wide crates. They filled them with moat of the straw Samir had in the stables. Asante was still down about his horse, Lamer being gone. He saw Adelram giving Mandi; the large beast that thwarted him last year a grooming.

“Be careful with her, she's dangerous.”, Asante warned.

“Dangerous. I like it”, Adelram smirked.

Asante looked on and there he was, his horse, the bronze horse he had quickly fell for. Though the separation brief the reunion was like two long lost friends had found each other. Asante rushed to Lamer and guided him to the crates and feed him as everyone prepared themselves for the worst.

“Asante, are you ready?”, Lewa asks.

“Yeah. Do I have to get in?”, Asante asks.

“Yes. Its to keep you safe. Once were gone we'll be okay.

“Its just I don't Mandi likes me very much.”, Asante explains.

Lewa laughs, “The horse? Which one?”, she asks.

“The black one.”, he says.

“She looks like a sweet thing.”, Lewa says. Lewa reaches her hand through the crates to rub Mandi's snout.

“She knocked me off last year, hurts really bad.”, Asante explained.

“You'll be fine.”, Lewa said as she smiled to Asante.

“You chose, Dalley”, Asante said. Dalley was a calm horse, she was tan with blonde hair and hand a orange-ish colored fur on her holves.

“Yeah. You named all the horses?”, she asked.

“Yeah… don't laugh but their kind've my friends.”, Asante said with a nervous chuckle.

“Well if they are a friend of my friend, then their friends of mine too.” Lewa said.