I woke to the sound of chains scraping against stone, mixed with the muffled sobs of children. My head throbbed, and for a moment, I wasn't sure if I was still dreaming or if the nightmare had become real. The stone floor beneath me was cold, my body stiff, and the air was thick, damp, suffocating.
The dungeon stretched endlessly, and the cries of the other children filled the space. But I could barely hear them over the pounding in my chest. Their eyes were sunken, faces pale and drawn, each one as broken as the next. Some lay motionless on the cold floor, others huddled in corners, staring at nothing. The hopelessness hung in the air like a heavy fog. But I wasn't like them. I couldn't be. I had to survive.
My thoughts immediately went to my parents, to the betrayal that had led me here. My father, the man who should have protected me, had sold me. The man who called me his son, who raised me, had abandoned me without a second thought. His cold grin, the one he gave to the nobleman, still burned in my mind.
I needed to escape. I needed to survive.
I scanned the room, taking in my surroundings. The cell door was locked, but the keys hung from the belt of a guard who passed just out of reach. My fingers twitched with the urge to act, but I forced myself to wait. Patience was key. It wouldn't be long. In the cell with me were three other children, two boys and a girl. They all looked miserable and weak. The boys lay on the floor, barely moving, while the girl sat in the corner, her condition slightly better than the others. She wouldn't be a threat to me.
I focused on the guard, studying his every movement. He was distracted, walking down the hall with his back turned. This was my moment. I moved quickly, reaching through the bars and grabbing the keys before he could even react. My heart hammered in my chest as I slid the key into the lock, the door creaking open with a soft groan.
But I didn't step out immediately.
The other children were watching me now, their eyes full of desperate hope. They whispered for me to help them, to escape together. I felt the weight of their gazes on me, but I pushed it away. Weakness wasn't something I could afford. They would only slow me down. I couldn't save them.
I looked at the first boy, a child not much younger than me. His wide eyes were filled with fear, but I also saw something else, a glimmer of hope. He wanted to trust me. But I wasn't here to make friends. I wasn't here to save anyone. The second boy tried to speak but couldn't. His malnourished body wouldn't allow him.
Then the girl stood up, surprisingly more composed than I had expected. She smiled, her voice rising with excitement.
"You have the key! We can escape together now!"
God knows how the guards hadn't noticed.
Escape? Together? I pity her. I could try to escape with her, but it would be too troublesome. The other two were out of the question.
"Stay here. I'll get help. We'll escape together,"I lied, my voice reassuring her as I stepped toward the door.
She looked so hopeful, so happy I almost felt bad. But I wasn't planning to return. I was escaping alone. And to do that, I needed her quiet, she would only be a nuisance if I had tried escaping with her. She couldn't know the truth.
I stepped out of the cell, glancing around once more. There were many cells, but fewer torches than I expected. From what I could see, the others were in such a pitiful state they couldn't even stand, let alone shout for help. At the end of the hallway, I saw the guard who I had stolen the keys from. He was napping. What a fool.
This time, I'd take his knife and his life with it.
I struck fast. My left hand drove his own knife into his throat, slicing through his vocal cords. Blood pooled on his chest, soaking the little armor he had. He bled out silently, collapsing without a sound. I felt nothing. Not for him, not for the life I had just taken. It was me or him. And I chose me.
The sheer size of these cells made it clear, this had to be a castle or some sort of fortress. I pressed myself against the wall, staying low as I peered down the hallway. Two guards stood to the left, engaged in conversation. They were better equipped in iron armor, fully alert, scanning their surroundings even now while deep in conversation. They looked like higher-ranking soldiers. Behind them, I spotted a door. My possible ticket out of here. But even if I managed to get past those two, what if that door led deeper into the dungeon instead of a way out?
Just as my thoughts finished, the guards moved down the hallway to the left, further into the section with more cells. This was my chance. I had to act fast, I knew damn well I couldn't fight them. I crept toward the door, which was made of iron and had some writing on it in black ink. But I couldn't make it out. My parents and I had barely enough to eat and drink, education was a luxury we couldn't afford. Most of the villagers couldn't read; only those who worked in the capital or larger cities could. The only lessons I'd received were from my father, who had taught me how to hunt and, more importantly, how not to trust anyone—no matter how close they were. That lesson was the last one he gave me and the lesson that I wont forgive.
How was I supposed to open this door, though? I could only hope it wasn't locked. I carefully gripped the handle-it turned, and to my relief, it wasn't locked. Still, I hesitated. I decided to take a quick peek inside.