Forever Broken: Chronicles of Araxx

The cell floor was as hard and cold as ice.

Annaleah had sat on it for so long that she no longer felt the cold or the pain.

Rippled and worn, her clothes were too big for her. She was covered in grime from years of confinement, and her feet were bare.

The walls encompassing her were dark, the floor was dim, all that in Annaleah's cell was dim.

Red was the only bright color she ever saw.

Her matted, messed-up red hair was the first, even though the guards kept it short and cut it when it reached her shoulders. Blood was the other red thing she saw every day.

Annaleah could always count on seeing red every day, whether it was her own blood from the constant beatings or the blood of the many rats who entered her cell.

Her attention was drawn to a squeaking sound coming from the opposite side of her cell.

In an effort to locate the source of the sound, she stood up from her knees and looked around the room.

The floor was swept by a single rat. As it chased a large spider, it scratched the ground with its sharp claws. It got the room and gotten away from through a break in the wall, followed intently by the rodent, albeit the rodent didn't get past the hole as effectively as the bug did.

Annaleah had frequently attempted to help the insect and the rodent escape the prison.

Every effort had failed.

Now, even the rats didn't give the young girl a second thought.

Annaleah felt the chill in the air, and the hair on her arms stood on end as it moved across the room. Like dreams and freedom, the air smelled clean and cool.

Annaleah moved from her seated position to the far wall and got up. She looked up after placing her hand on the icy stone.

An opening for a window was on this wall.

a tiny window with bars high up against the wall. Annaleah had to stand on her tip-toes to look through it because it was so close to the ceiling of the cell that it was level with the ground outside.

The night sky was pitch black. From where she was standing, she could only make out a few stars, and there was no moon in the sky.

She was weak because it had been three days since they had given her any actual food.

In addition to the cycles of the sun and moon, the guards could also tell how long she had been in the cell. When they were outside guarding, they would occasionally converse. Annaleah would occasionally arrange a date or time. But to her, it was all pretty meaningless. When all she had to look forward to was her next meal, what was the point of the passage of time?

Outside her cell, loud footsteps could be heard in the passageway. Someone was walking down the corridor, Annaleah could hear.

She moved to the back wall, the one closest to the door, knowing the procedure by now. The guards would probably leave her alone if she stood at the back of the room with her head down. Naturally, that was entirely dependent on which guard was approaching. She wouldn't be able to escape without being beaten, whether it was Jacob or Kane.

She never bothered to remember the names of the others, but a few of them took pleasure in hitting her. She hoped it was one of the new guards who was passing through. She was left on her own. It appeared almost as though they were afraid of her. Typically, footsteps only indicated two things. either more food or another beating. Annaleah was hoping for the latter. Angrily, her stomach rumbled loudly. She had every confidence that it would be food.

Annaleah paid close attention to the footsteps. The corridor's stone floor reverberated with the sound of heavy boots in the silence. A blessing was that the footsteps did not sound familiar. Or so Annaleah had hoped.

Annaleah became proficient at identifying which guard's footsteps to be wary of and which guard's footsteps to follow because the new guards were always too afraid to approach her.

She heard the newcomer being greeted by the guard who was already guarding her door.

Her cell's echoing silence was broken by the loud sound of the heavy wooden door unlocking.

With a boisterous squeak, the entryway opened and the light from the passageway filled the hole, outlining the man in the entryway, the one who was bringing her food.

As soon as the door opened, she could smell it. Annaleah gave herself permission to smile briefly.

"Here you go, I don't know why Kane keeps you alive or why he keeps you fed." The food was thrown to the ground by the guard. When the plate hit the ground, it shattered and some of its contents fell out.

Annaleah remained still, unwilling to move, despite her stomach's complaints about the waste. She had no idea who this guard was, and she had no idea that one move could result in a beating or the removal of food. She didn't want to put that at risk.

Before lifting her head to collect her scraps, Annaleah waited until the guard left the room. There were bones from what appeared to be lamb chops and an old, stale bread bun. There was still some meat on them.

Annaleah ate eagerly, enjoying each significant piece, each taste as though it was the exact opposite thing she could at any point eat. It's possible that it will be someday.

Annaleah returned to her usual seat as the cell fell into silence once more.

As she sat on her stomach and stared out the window at the outside world, she chewed on the bone in her mouth.

Even though the meat was cold and had a greasy texture, it was the nicest thing she had eaten in a long time and the taste of it lifted her spirits.

She had spent so much time in the cell that she had almost forgotten about the outside world.

Annaleah concluded that she had been held captive for approximately nine years, the last four of which had been spent in this cell.

She would have been sixteen, if not nearly seventeen, had she not been taken from her home when she was seven.

She had few recollections of the moment she was taken. Fire, death, and waking up in this castle were all she could recall. Despite the fact that she had never seen it from the outside, she imagined it to be a castle. Despite the absence of a prince charming on his way to rescue her, the walls reminded her of castles she had seen in movies prior to her capture.

She had no idea why Annaleah had been taken and held captive. She didn't know why a man by the name of Kane had taken her away from her home.

Kane kept asking, "Where is it?" when he first saw her.

Annaleah had no idea what he was seeking.

She heard from Kane that her parents had hidden something, and it was his. Annaleah had to find it for him because he wanted it back, but he also didn't seem to know what he was looking for.

After being questioned for a few weeks, the beatings began. He became enraged when Annaleah failed to respond to Kane's inquiries. He hit her more frequently as her rage increased.

He eventually gave up and left her with his guards. For many years, they played with her as a toy. Annaleah was aware that they did nothing wrong when they abused, mocked, and beaten her.

The questioning had stopped for a number of years.

Since then, they would simply beat her until she was bloody and unconscious, lock her up, and repeat the process the following day.

When the beatings stopped happening as frequently, Annaleah was glad, but they didn't let her go.

Although it had been weeks since Kane had last returned, Annaleah would occasionally receive a horrifying beating.

She wished for freedom numerous times, but she never received it.

Annaleah had attempted numerous escape routes but was unable to locate any.

She gave up after years of wishing she was free and for her parents to return to save her. She simply began wishing that everything would soon come to an end. It never happened that a guard would strike her hard enough to kill her or that they would forget to feed her for a few weeks.

Annaleah eventually fell asleep on the hard, cold ground.

One of the younger guards who felt sorry for Annaleah and pitied her gave her an old dog bed. Although the dog bed was filthy and smelled old, it was better than sleeping on the hard, cold floor.

She curled up against the cold as soon as she found the most inviting spot on the dog bed. She began to think in the shadows.

That evening she laid down with a full midsection, as full as feasible for somebody caught in unending starvation.

Annaleah ended up in a home.

It was a wonderful house with old wooden pillars on the roof and lovely blocks encompassing an old chimney. The mantelpiece contained flowers in a vase and the walls were a warm cream color. The family that lived in this house was depicted in a painting above the fireplace.

The child's bright red hair suggested that Annaleah could recognize herself in this painting. Annaleah, who had once been a happy child, was beaming.

Despite the fact that she was unable to recall them clearly and their faces were not in focus, the other two people in the painting must have been her parents. It appeared as though the faces had been covered with paint.

As they held her in the picture, she could see their bodies. The man had short brown hair, and the woman, like her, had red hair that was long and straight.

Annaleah focused on them, but the more she concentrated, the more difficult it was to see them.

Annaleah turned to look out the window. The curtains were a light brown color and framed a big bay window. Outside, she could see trees and grass. The house looked like it was in a forest, or at least not in the city. It must have been sunset because the sky outside was also orange. Annaleah wanted nothing more than to play outside because the environment there looked so stunning.

A voice from behind her gave joy, in spite of the fact that she couldn't exactly make out what it was talking about. The voice was suppressed and seemed as if it was submerged. The woman who gave the voice quickly came up to her. Because of the color of her hair, Annaleah thought it was her mother. She grabbed her and held onto her tightly. Too snug. The grip her mother had on her felt familiar, though it hurt. It didn't matter if Annaleah was holding on too tightly because she remembered. A familiar odor filled her nostrils as she inhaled deeply. Oranges and roses were the aroma. It had the aroma of her mother's house. She felt dizzy and woozy from the smells.

Despite Annaleah's inability to clearly hear what the woman was saying, she could tell that she was speaking in fear and panic. With Annaleah in her arms, the woman moved quickly, but the fire moved faster.

Despite the orange glow filling the house, Annaleah had not previously noticed the fire that was raging around her. She began to cough as smoke filled the space above her head.

Out of the door and down the rocky path, the woman ran with her in her arms. She had a pleasant, sweet, and familiar scent, but it was quickly replaced by the smell of burning and smoke.

Through the tangle of red hair that hung down her mother's back, Annaleah caught a glimpse of the woman over her shoulder.

The house she had grown up in was on fire, she saw. Her house burned to the ground as the flames rose higher and shattered the windows. The thatched roof had quickly collapsed, leaving nothing behind. To put an end to the blaze, she extended her hand toward the structure, but nothing happened.

Annaleah was unable to comprehend. Why was her residence on fire? Why was this woman rushing after her while holding her? And who were all the strange people in their immediate vicinity?

She was so preoccupied with everything else that she hadn't noticed these people before. They appeared to have just entered the garden. The idea entered Annaleah's thoughts that individuals could have been there to assist with handling the burst, however the looks on their countenances altered her perspective. Their expressions were twisted into snarls of rage. They lacked humanity.

When Annaleah's mother, the woman who was running for her life with the tiny red-headed child version of Annaleah, tripped over something on the ground, she fell quickly and dropped Annaleah simultaneously. She instinctively reached out to save her daughter, but one of the men in their immediate vicinity grabbed her instead.

He grabbed her mother's throat.

The one and only word Annaleah was able to utter was "Mother!"

It was past the point of no return.

He tightened his grip on her throat even more.

Annaleah's mother fought back against the force, but the man was too strong, and as a result, she became weaker.

Annaleah got up from the ground, realizing that her legs were hurting, that her arm was burning, and that her tears were clouding her vision. Her burned right arm and scuffed knees were visible when she briefly glanced down at herself.

She concentrated and tried to confront the man who was strangling her mother, but before she could even reach them, someone picked her up like a rag doll.

Her mother's lifeless and cold body fell to the ground after the big man had sucked every last drop of life out of her.

There was something wrong as Annaleah stared into her mother's wide, dead eyes, which were still open and looking right at her. The face was twisted and no longer appeared human.

Annaleah screamed in fear, but her screams were muffled.

"What are our options for the child?" A loud voice questioned.

Annaleah was powerless to speak. She was too small and too young to do anything about the death of her mother. Another person said, "Boss wants her alive." The man appeared, obstructing Annaleah's mother's view. What is this? " As he held Annaleah's burned arm in his hand, he inquired.

"Appears as though she was scorched in the fire, Sir." The man holding her replied.

"Well. It appears that the boss did not mention that he would not harm her. He pressed on Annaleah's burnt arm.

She cried out because the pain was so unbearable.

"He wanted her only alive." The man raised his hand, packing it into a clench hand. He punched Annaleah in the face with all of his might.

She groaned in agony.

Awoken with a full breath and torment in her arm, Annaleah checked out her cell.

She was back in the present moment after the dream had ended.

It wasn't just a dream at all. It was a memory that was both hazy and crystal clear at the same time.

She peered down at her arm, the consume scar pulsated a bit. Although it would no longer hurt, it would forever serve as a reminder that the men who were now holding her prisoner had set her mother on fire.

This dream came to Annaleah nearly every time she dreamed.

It haunted her that she could never see her mother's or her father's face.

Why was it that she was unable to recall the names of the people who brought her up? Why was she unable to clearly hear her mother's voice? And why was she unaware of her father's whereabouts?

Annaleah was still surrounded by darkness, but she was far too awake to go back to sleep.

She got out of her improvised bed, massaged her aching back, and made her way to the bars on the wall that led outside.

She used the ledge to hold onto as she climbed the wall using only a few small footholds.

Annaleah was determined to finish the job, despite the strain on her arms to keep her there.

Annaleah had begun adjusting the bars in front of the tiny window a week earlier. There were six bars all together, and as of right now, four of them were loose enough to let go of the concrete slots in them.

She had previously been held in more than one cell. In fact, Annaleah was unable to recall the number of cells in which she had been imprisoned. By this time, it must have reached well into the double digits. She had been able to escape a few times before by taking advantage of cracks in the doors or getting around a new guard who hadn't been told about her, but this cell was harder to get out of.

Annaleah had to work on her strength for several months before she could lift her own body weight enough to work on the bars.

When the guards looked at her cell, she had been twirling, pulling, and pushing at the bars to free them from their fixings. After that, she would put the bars back where they belonged so that no one would ever suspect anything.

The guards kept a closer eye on her since she escaped the previous time by using a small drain in her cell that led to the sewers below. However, they assumed that the window's bars were too high to pose an escape threat. How erroneous would they be?

In the end, the bar Annaleah had been working on for about an hour opened up. So far, it had been the easiest. The other ones typically required several hours or more to free themselves from their concrete supports.

Annaleah murmured to herself, "It might be sufficient."

But she couldn't risk running away right now. There would be a shift of guard shortly as the sun began to peek above the horizon. After the guards changed once more, she had to wait until nightfall. She could guarantee that no one would check on her for a good few hours in this manner, giving her enough time to escape.

Annaleah took in the view of the land beyond her cell. About half a mile away, there was a distinct break in the tree line. She might have a chance if she could get there.

For the first time in a long time, she had a chance at hope.

She could hear the chirping of birds from someplace, but she couldn't tell where.

Annaleah gave in and let herself fall from the wall, landing softly on the ground. She quickly got over the impact, which sent shooting pains up her legs.

The approaching footsteps and voices indicated that a change in guard was necessary.

She quietly went to the door to find a better place to listen to what they were saying.

Annaleah could occasionally hear bits of useful information during the handover. She would learn about the outside world that she no longer remembered during these brief conversations, and she would also learn whether or not she would be questioned that day.

"Are you in bed? Boy, get on your feet! Ordered by the guard approaching.

It appeared as though Annaleah's night guard had fallen asleep on duty from the outside shuffle and noise.

He shook his head and firmly said, "Sorry Sir."

No need to apologize. The guard said, "I'm not going to tell anyone you fell asleep."

"Quiet night, shall I accept?"

Sleepy stated, "I didn't hear a sound from inside."

"She is usually quiet." It appeared that the new guard had placed something on the ground based on the sound of the metal clanging on the floor.

It probably sounded like a bowl.

Annaleah hoped that it would provide her with more food. She felt her stomach growl at the thought.

"May I ask you a question, Sir?"

"Pull out all the stops fellow."

"Why is the boss keeping her in jail? What use does she have for him?

It remained Annaleah's only unanswered question throughout all of that time.

The guard responded, "The truth is, I really don't know." The boss seems to be the only person who remembers why we kept her locked up for so long. Even though he insists on asking us where "it" is, neither of us nor she knows what it is. Before going on, he paused. Before you clock out, please be nice to me, lad.

"Yes, Mr.?"

"Keep this in mind for her. The supervisor will be in sometime in the afternoon. The youngster will require her solidarity."

Then Annaleah's cell entryway opened.

She moved back from it past the point of no return and taken a gander at the man remaining before her with a bowl of hot soup. Her stomach growled even louder than usual as the soup's aroma caused her mouth to start watering immediately. She looked at the man who was holding the bowl in panic and waited for him to put it down.

She was so close to him that he looked frightened, and he couldn't have been older than her.

Why would he have worried about her? She was a tiny, weak, and without muscle. Or at least that's what everybody thought. Even though she was underweight, she was strong for her size, and she was aware that her oversized, baggy clothes concealed a toned body.

Annaleah couldn't help but think of how simple it would be to subdue this man-not a boy-standing in front of her with visible shaking. He would probably drop the bowl and let her go if she rushed him.

She might have thought about it if the other guard in the corridor wasn't there. Annaleah, on the other hand, simply stood in her cell with her head bowed and eyes fixed on the door.

The young man shut the door once more and set the soup bowl on the ground.

Annaleah drank heavily as she lifted the bowl from the floor. After the previous night's stale bread and cold meat, the hot soup was a pleasant sensation.

Annaleah listened until the guard change was over before deciding to rest but not sleep for the time being.

She would need to be awake if Kane came later.

She couldn't get out of the bars because they weren't ready, and the opening was too small for her.

Annaleah prayed that Kane was not on his way to see her and that the guards made a mistake.

In Annaleah's cell, nothing was moving anymore. She completed her vegetable soup then, at that point, put the bowl on the ground.

Annaleah did not leave anything, so a rat emerged from under the door to eat whatever she might have left behind. It was far too valuable to throw away and give the rats the food. In addition, she did not know them. The rodents possibly gave her consideration when she had food, and they were messy. She lacked the sanity of the rats.

Annaleah looked down at the years of dirt that had settled on her hands and nails. She would give anything to get out of the hellhole she was living in and take a nice, hot bath with soap.

It's possible that time will soon come.

She could never give up hope.

Annaleah noticed noises in the corridor outside her cell. To hear, she strained her ears.

Annaleah felt a little more energized than usual after having breakfast of soup for about two hours.

She was prepared for Kane's imminent approach.

Annaleah could hear noises that were distinct from Kane's usual approach as she prepared herself for the inevitable pain. She heard something new for the first time. It made a second, louder metallic bang, not unlike when a bowl was dropped on the floor. What might that be?

Annaleah moved toward the door in an effort to improve her hearing and learn more about the situation.

With her ear squeezed to the weighty entryway, Annaleah listened intently.

Strides ran down the hallway at incredible speed, and Annaleah heard a voice she perceived.

Keep her safe no matter what you do! Kane yelled.

Alarm filled her. Kane had arrived already.

Even though she wanted to leave so badly, she remained by the door and listened intently. To move as distant from Kane as could, yet she additionally expected to hear what was happening outside her entryway.

Who was Kane referring to when he said don't let them take her, and why was he so afraid?

Annaleah remained with her ear squeezed against the wooden entryway, her heart beat so clearly she contemplated whether Kane could hear it on the opposite side, yet he was unreasonably engrossed with what was happening in the hall.

"Sir, who are they?" Just a few hours ago, the guard who took over from sleepy asked.

Kane said, "Araxx."

Even though it was only a single word, Annaleah could tell from their responses that they were aware of its significance. Her palms started to perspire. She was even more concerned now because this Araxx could only be bad if Kane was afraid of it. Annaleah had never once observed Kane in fear.

The Araxx are doing what? Another security guard remarked, "I thought we'd stayed under their radar."

Annaleah could hear the voices of six gatekeepers outside her entryway, excluding Kane.

Kane acknowledged, "I thought we had to."

It sounded like he was worried to Annaleah. She was just as worried as this cold-hearted man was about something.

Annaleah jumped back when she heard his fist hitting the door and the power shaking the wood.

From the far end of the corridor, a voice yelled, "Get the girl."

Annaleah surveyed her cell.

She wasn't sure if she wanted to go with them because it sounded like "Araxx" was after her. They didn't sound like they were trying to save her. She needed to find a means of self-defense, but there was nothing in her empty cell.

Nothing but the door, the walls, and the intricate webs of spiders on the ceiling.

Except for her window.

Her panic got worse as the sounds got closer. This was unlike any other time she had experienced fear. She didn't want to stay around to find out who or what was coming for her or whether they were friends or enemies.

Annaleah hit herself on the head with a slap. She declared, "Idiot." She could get out through the window, so she didn't have to wait in her cell for "Araxx" to come after her.

She turned her attention to the window with the bars that opened onto the outside world. She had the chance here. This would be the day she got away from the jail she'd been hostage in for a large portion of her life.

She gave a small smile before catching herself.

She would need to get through the window first before she could celebrate her escape. All things considered, she couldn't say whether she was in any event, going to make it out, and as far as she might be aware, there could be individuals hanging tight outside for her, expecting a getaway.

She needed to hurry. Either she tried to get out through the window or she was taken again by someone she didn't know.

The yelling and other loud noises outside in the corridor grew increasingly audible.

Annaleah was aware that the "Araxx" would soon be Annaleah and that she would not have much time before it arrived at her door.

One of the guards' final scream was audible to her.

Annaleah could now clearly hear the invaders' screams as they got even louder.

She overheard one of them say, "Our orders are to take Kane and the girl alive."

She was pushed to the window by that alone.

Annaleah had hoped she could wait until night because she knew it would be risky to flee during the day, but now she had no choice.

She moved quickly toward the window and jumped up to grab the ledge with all of her strength. Under her weight, it crumbled a little, but it held. After that, Annaleah continued to push and twist at her window's loose bars. She was successful in getting them out, and as they fell from her hand, they clanged on the steel floor.

excluding the final one.

This one was unmoving despite the fact that she had not yet worked on it. Pushing and prodding on the bar caused her fingers to ache quickly, and her weight-bearing arm began to shake.

From outside the door, there were more loud bangs and screams of pain. The corridor was filled with the sound of a punch landing, followed by a retaliatory bang.

Annaleah didn't know how long she had to get away. She pulled and twisted the last bar faster in an attempt to free it from the concrete in order to escape, but it was stubborn.

Annaleah yelled through gritted teeth, "Come on."

Her palms slipped around the bar, causing her hand to begin to bleed as she twisted it, and it then moved slightly but was still far from being free.

A loud voice broke through the wood after something slammed hard on her cell door. Kane, I take it she is there. It inquired

"You scumbag, you murdered all my men!" Kane yelled. He seemed to have his face pressed against something, probably the door, from what it sounded like.

Annaleah allowed herself to imagine his attractive face pressed against the wood, wrinkled and unsightly as a result of the pressure, with his messed-up blonde hair.

"Yes, we killed your soldiers, but you will survive." The man stated, "I require you." He told them to "open the door."

Annaleah frantically pulled at the bar, but despite her efforts, it did not move.

While shaking, the door did not open.

One of the men carrying the Araxx stated, "It's locked."

The man's gruff voice said, "Of course it would be locked." The key is where?

Kane laughed right away. As if I were about to tell you... He sounded like he had been hit in the stomach by a punch, losing all ability to breathe.

"Cut it down!"

The command was followed by a steady barrage of doorknocks, bangs, and pushes until the wood creaked under the increased pressure.

At that point, Annaleah was aware that she would not be able to release the bar before the door gave way.

She, on the other hand, decided to take a different approach, and she began to lift herself through the gap that she had already created. She had two options, though it didn't appear to be big enough: either escape through the gap or be taken in by this "Araxx," and the latter option was preferable.

After pulling herself up and putting as much of her body as she could on the ledge, she put her right arm, shoulder, and head through the opening.

She glanced at the door for a split second when she heard Kane laughing once more. They had not yet succeeded.

Before the doors opened, she was able to get in up to her waist, and she heard it crash to the floor, shaking the walls of her cell.

"Quick! Before she leaves! The stern-voiced individual yelled.

"Idiots!" Kane contacted

When he found out she had escaped, Annaleah knew he would be furious. She pulled her legs and bare feet through the gap as she turned around.

At that point, she saw the silver weapon held by one of the guards. Even though it didn't look like much, the guard who was holding it seemed to be capable of using it.

Through the shattered doorway, she saw Kane briefly. He had crumpled his face and had smashed his cheek into the door, spilling blood on it. He appeared enraged.

Annaleah just couldn't help herself, the expression all over was simply too great to even think about squandering. Before turning and sprinting as quickly as she could, she gave him a direct look, smiled, and extended her middle finger.

Soft grass covered the ground beneath her feet.

She recalled the sensation of nothing more pleasant than grass between her toes, the dew from the morning actually wet and cold on her skin, and it was the most delightful idea she had in years.

Since she could remember, this was the first time she had left the cell on her own.

Although they were too far away for it to matter, she could hear shouting from behind her.

She was quickly brought back to the present and focused solely on getting to the forest on the opposite side of the field she was running through after a few gunshots flew past her.

The shouts started to fade into the distance as the trees got closer and closer to each other.

Annaleah reflected on the place where she had spent the majority of her life imprisoned. Beautiful was the building. The only thing that could be said about it was that it looked like a castle, like the ones in the fairy tales she used to read as a child, but it was dark and decaying.

Annaleah's ran until her lungs began to consume and she could perceive her legs would have been sore, yet she was free. the sole thing that was important.

She looked over her shoulder when she stopped running, and the dim building was no longer visible. She needed to choose a course of action. She needed to locate a safe haven and some food. She didn't even know where she was, but those were her new priorities.

Annaleah could not have imagined anything more beautiful than the forest. The majority of the ground was covered in lush green grass that was sprinkled with flowers of various hues. She couldn't remember the last time she saw so much color. Pink, purple, yellow, and blue flowers were present. The warm breeze gently swayed them. A butterfly danced with another butterfly after hovering in the sky.

She twirled and stretched her arms out, allowing herself a brief moment of happiness, and she looked up at the canopy of green and blue above her. As the world continued to spin around her, she quickly became dizzy and fell to the ground.

Annaleah felt very small as the tall trees loomed over her. Inhaling deeply, she inhaled the numerous scents of the outside. Up above, between the parts of the tall trees, she could see white, fleecy mists drifting in a purplish blue sky. Annaleah wished she could capture an image with her eyes and preserve it forever.

Her cheek was stained with porcelain-white freckles as a trace of a small tear fell.

Annaleah simply smiled, overwhelmed by the beauty of the outside world, and let the tear fall to the ground without wiping it away.

Because she had forgotten what happiness was like before she was kidnapped and witnessed her mother's death in front of her, she had never cried with joy before.

Annaleah came across a sign after wandering through the forest for perhaps half an hour. She hadn't read in so long, but when she was younger, she was a good reader. The wooden sign read, 'Nature Trail'.

Annaleah made the decision to follow the sign because she believed it might take her to a village or town where she could inquire about the location of the nearest city.

The best place to go would undoubtedly be a city, and there would be less of a chance that Kane or "Araxx" would locate her there.

Annaleah was able to discover civilization quickly. From what it resembled, a humble community was simply past a huge structure before her.

Annaleah left the Nature Trail and ventured out from the backwoods and ended up at a little store. There were individuals around, and every one of them gazed at her. They even whispered and pointed at her from time to time. Keeping her head down, Annaleah quickly passed them until she reached the building's back. After years in prison, she knew how awful she looked. She was filthy, barefoot, and dressed in clothes that didn't fit. It wasn't surprising that people were staring.

One of the large bins to her side had pieces of fabric sticking out of a hole near the top, and she noticed that. She read the words as she walked over to the green trash can: Donations to the Salvage Army

Annaleah looked inside the bin while standing on her toes. She was delighted to see clothing, and even better, shoes.

She looked around in the clothes until she found some that she thought would fit her and enough to wear.

. She then made her way to the safety of the forest, where she could once more hide, and packed all of her desired clothes into a rucksack that she also found.

A door to her side opened, and the scent of freshly baked bread wafted out as she took a step toward the trees.

Annaleah took a deep breath in.

It had a divine, heaven-like scent.

She couldn't make out anyone as she got closer to the door. She could see the bread, hot steam ascending from it, simply sitting as an afterthought.

Annaleah gave in to the temptation because it was too much.

Once more, she immediately glanced around, ensuring nobody was around to see her and captured a portion. She quickly tossed the hot bread into her backpack before swinging it onto her back and retreating into the forest.

Annaleah sat down to eat the bread while dressed in the clothes she had taken. Even though they were a little bit tighter than she was used to, the clothes were comfortable and pleasant to wear. A pair of wearable black jeans that were ripped at the knee, a black vest that she tucked into, a baggy green jumper, the rucksack, and grey military-style lace-up boots in her size had been found. After so much time, putting on shoes felt strange.

Annaleah also found a long, dark green coat, which would come in handy at night. She was glad to be warm and almost presentable despite the odd scent of the clothes, which were a world away from what she wore.

She could not do anything about the dirt that was on her skin or in her hair, but she was warm, she had food, and the best part was that she was finally free.

Annaleah exhaled as she dug into the freshly baked bread and declared, "I've done it."

The bread was just what she needed, soft and reassuring.