" If you hear your name, come out and stand beside me!" Gad yelled again.
Gad read the names out in a hurry, so everyone had to listen carefully while he called the names.
" listen carefully to your names, I will not repeat it twice!" Gad had warned them earlier.
After calling the names, Sharmgar's name was not mentioned on the list, meaning he will be working on the valley.
About Twenty of them were to work in the valley today. On their way there, Warden Lucas stopped them.
" Dera!" He called. An old man amongst them came forward.
" You're free to go. Your punishment is over. Get your stuff and meet me in the gate." Warden Lucas left immediately after he spoked.
The old man stood rooted on a spot. He could not believe what he had heard a while ago. He was free to go after spending fifty years in this mountain. He had lost all hope of seeing his family again. He has a daughter, she was two years old when he left her and her mother. She must be a mother, or even a grand mother now. He had prayed and hoped to see his family again, but as the years went by, he lost hope of ever seeing them again. Freedom! He was free after fifty years of imprisonment.
" What was his crime? Shamgar asked a man standing by his side.
" Dera has been here ten years before me. I don't know in details but, rumors has it that he was charged for attempted murder. He never thought he would be set free one day. I'm so happy for him." The man by Sharmgar's side replied.
" What about you son, why are you here? What crime did you commit?" The man asked Shamgar. Shamgar looked at him for a while before he spoked.
" I'm here to serve my father's punishment. He stole and murdered two guards in an attempt to escape. After the incident, he disappeared into thin air." Shamgar replied with a sad expression on his face.
" I'm sorry son. You don't deserve any of this, your father should be here instead of you. Murder case is a serious one my child. You might spend your entire life in here." The man said, patting Sharmgar's shoulder as a form of encouragement. He felt pity for the youngster.
" What is your offense, Sir?" Shamgar asked.
" Call me Dan." He replied with a smile. Shamgar nods his head in agreement.
" like you, I'm here on behalf of my father. He is too old to be in a place like this. I had to substitute for him. My father was in charge of the King's stable. On a particular night, the King's favorite horse was stolen. My father was held responsible even when he was not the one who stole the house. They blamed it on him. He was charged with fifty years imprisonment in Topaz mountain. I have been here ever since then."
" I'm sorry Dan." Shamgar said.
" You don't have to feel sorry for me. In the next ten years I will be out of here, just like Dera. As long as you stick to the rules around here, you will survive." He replied with a warm smile on his face.
For some reason, Shamgar felt safe and secured around him.
" We should get going now, we don't want to annoy warden Lucas." He said casually. Shamgar nods in agreement, as they walked out of the hallway.