The Gathering (83 page)

The guard with the keys shook his head and moved into the darkness.
 
Coeli could hear the sound of his footsteps growing closer.
 
She moved through the dark, her fingers moving nimbly over the walls, as she felt the wet, rough stone against her skin, then suddenly her hands found wood.
 
She stopped and moved her fingers up until she felt metal.
 
It was a torch.
 
The top was made of steel and cut into sharp, diamond-shaped spearheads.
 
She slowly and quietly lifted it from the cradle and allowed her arms and body to become accustomed to the weight.
 
She looked at the ground and realized that more light was behind her.
 
She turned and saw that the Horde guard was lighting the torches as he moved towards her.
 
She moved the unlit torch behind her back and leaned against the wall.

The guard moved slowly around the corner and reached up, lighting another lamp.
 
He glanced down the corridor and Coeli stumbled out of the darkness, her hands behind her.
 
She looked up and saw him.
 
She let her eyes grow large and she shook her head.

The guard smiled and glanced behind him and then back at Coeli.
 
He lunged for her and she backed into the darkness.
 

"You wanna play, huh?"

Coeli waited, barely breathing, until she felt him in front of her.
 
She had moved the torch in front of her and was holding it, spear side out.
 

"There's nowhere to hide."

He was only inches from her now.

"I know."

Her voice caused him to spin around as Coeli pushed the torch forward and up.
 
She heard him gasp and then she felt the weight of him against her hands.
 
She pushed harder, until she couldn't move.
 
She let go of the torch handle and moved towards the light.
 
She glanced down the now brightly lit hallway and saw the other guard still eating.
 
She reached up and removed the lit torch, then walked several feet back in the other direction and saw the first guard.
 
He was almost dead.
 
The spears had caught him in the chest and neck.
 
His blood flowed quickly from his neck and his empty eyes stared endlessly into the darkness, his chest rising slower and slower until it stopped.
 
Coeli lifted the lit torch above her and placed it in the empty cradle.

She then leaned over the body and grabbed hold of the torch handle that was in the guard's chest.
 
She took a deep breath, placed her foot against his shoulder and pulled.
 
The torch came out and his body slumped over and fell to the side.

She looked at her hands, now covered in blood, but she felt nothing.
 
She looked back at the dead guard and saw the keys.
 
She took them off his belt and tied them to her dress.
 
Then she saw a cup that looked about the right size to extinguish the flames of the torches.
 
She took it and started to douse the light.

Every time she put out a light, she would move into the shadow.
 
The Horde guard who was eating never looked up.
 
She had two torches left when he finished.
 
She was about to douse the next light when he got up and looked down the hallway.
 
She pressed herself against the wet stone.
 

"Are you out there?"

His voice echoed against the empty walls.

"Typical, you fuck off and I have to stay here.
 
But that's fine with me, that Chink bitch has been dying for it."

Coeli gasped.
 
Molly!

The guard turned around and moved further into the room.
 
Coeli quickly doused the final two torches and quietly entered.
 
She could hear his footsteps going in the other direction.
 
She looked around the room and saw several swords and daggers against the far wall.
 
She moved swiftly and laid the bloodied torch down and grabbed two daggers.
 
She then moved in the direction she had heard the footsteps, and then she heard the yelling.

"Get the fuck away from her, You Bastard!!

"Don't you touch her!!"

She heard Molly.

"Get your hands off me you ugly Piece of Shit!!"

Coeli ran to the doorway and saw the guard.
 
Then she saw Molly.
 
Molly had her hands and feet tied.
 
She was hanging by her wrists from a hook on the ceiling and the guard was lifting her up and placing her on a table on her stomach.
 
She thrashed and struggled as best she could, while the soldier pulled out a knife and stared at her trousers, then cut away the cloth, exposing Molly's ass and legs.

"Son of a Bitch!!
 
When I get up from this table, you're dead!"

The Hordesman laughed and punched Molly in the back, just under her right shoulder blade.
 
He then grabbed her hair and pulled her head back.
 
He placed his mouth against her cheek and licked the side of her face.

"I just love Chinese!"

He had become so preoccupied with Molly that he hadn't seen Coeli slip into the room and under the table.
 
The soldiers were yelling at the guard.
 
Grant Turner looked away and as he did he saw Coeli move under the table.
 
He gripped Jones, who was standing next to him.
 
Arthur Jones looked at Grant and then in the direction of the table.
 
Jones nodded and turned back towards Molly.

"It's a good thing her ankles are tied up, Coward.
 
If her legs were free, she could break your back."

The guard sneered in the direction of the cell.

"Yeah, I guess it is a good thing then, huh?"

Coeli looked over at Jones who saw her and nodded.
 
Coeli looked at the dagger and then the ropes around Molly's ankles as they dangled in front of her.
 
She moved forward and slipped the blade between Molly's legs and began to cut.

Molly felt the tension change around her ankles and looked over at Jones.
 
He nodded at her and held up his hand, crossing and then uncrossing his fingers.
 
Molly smiled and started to laugh.

The Hordesman had just dropped his pants then frowned and looked at the back of Molly's head.
 
He again pulled her hair, forcing her head back.

"You won't be laughing in a second, Bitch, when my dick is inside your ass!!"

Molly laughed even louder and then before the guard could react, she pushed her body back and wrapped her now free legs around his torso and squeezed.
 
Her legs interlocked and she pressed all her weight against him.

He yelled as she gritted her teeth and then there was a snap and he fell back.
 
She let go of him as he fell and then she pushed herself back and landed on her feet, spinning around and falling on top of him.
 
He tried to grab her still-tied arms, but she was too quick and she pressed her thumbs into his eye sockets.
 
He screamed as she crushed the life out of his head.

Then she turned and looked under the table to see Coeli staring at her.

"Are you ok?"
 
Coeli asked.

Molly smiled and held out her wrists.
 
Coeli scrambled out from the table and cut the ropes as Molly grabbed Coeli into an embrace.
 
Coeli welcomed the familiar warmth and let her tears fall again.

"Aren't you a sight for sore eyes?"

Molly smiled and then let the smile falter as she took note of Coeli's clothes.
 
Coeli looked down.

"I'm ok."

Molly frowned and softly touched Coeli's face.
 
Coeli smiled back through her tears.

"I'm really ok, but Mom and Tanner and Sam are upstairs alone.
 
They need your help."

Molly nodded.

"We need the keys."

Coeli looked at her dress.

"Oh, I forgot…here."

Molly took the keys and started to unlock the cells as the soldiers rushed out.
 
Coeli pointed towards the front room.

"There are weapons up there, just follow the corridor to the stairs and then follow the noise.
 
They're in the throne room…please hurry."

Myron raced out of his cage and grabbed Coeli.

"Oh, I thought you were dead, Girl!!"

Coeli smiled as he squeezed her and kissed her cheek.
 
He then touched her face.

"I'm ok," she said.

He nodded and watched the troops head towards the weapons.
 
Then he winked and ran after them.
 
Grant and Jones were then let out.
 
Jones took off his shirt and gave it to Molly.
 
She smiled and took it.
 
He didn't say anything, but Molly nodded.

"I'm fine, really…really."

Jones nodded and frowned as he moved to join the others, but made an effort to walk over the corpse of the guard, stepping especially hard on what was left of his manhood.
 
Grant grabbed and held Coeli against him.
 
He lifted her face.

"Where's Hannah, Shay?
 

"And Chelsea?
 
Where are they?"

Larry Hearst was now standing next to them.
 
Coeli looked at the ground and shook her head.

"I don't know.
 
I haven't found them yet."

Grant nodded.

"But you will, Sweetheart.
 
Right?"

Coeli nodded and threw herself into Grant's arms again.
 
Larry touched her head.

"I will, I promise."

Grant held her, until Myron walked back in.

"I'm sorry, President Turner, President Hearst, we need you."

Grant and Larry nodded and kissed Coeli on the forehead and then Larry walked to the doorway.

"You find the other girls and then get the hell out of here…you get back to the Fail, ok?"

Coeli nodded and let a tear fall as she felt Grant's hand slip out of hers.
 
The dungeon was quiet and still.
 
Coeli saw the key ring hanging from an open cell door.
 
She reached over and took it out of the hole and tied it to her skirt again.
 

Then she moved back into the dark corridor, determined to find her friends.