three ☼

Sedrick watched Finch carefully as he told his story. Finch couldn’t have been over 16 or 17, but time here had aged him. Dirt clung to his tan face and matted his dark brown hair. His eyes, probably a blue-grey, were watered out with a weak look in them. Bags under his eyes from lack of sleep and whenever he moved, Sedrick noticed a flash of pain on his face, even if he tried to keep it hidden.

“I have two siblings. My sister, Phoenix, and my brother, Elliot. He’s only 4. My mom died during his birth. I promised her I would find a way to support them, Phoenix and Elliot. So I went out and tried to find a job. I was only 12 then and I hadn’t even finished school. No education, money or experience. The only job available: The Secret Keeper.” Finch shook his head. “I knew too much. I know too much.” He hesitated, glancing at Sedrick. “I have a secret, one of many, which can being our whole city down. Miss Jackson wants to kill me. To protect her city.”

Sedrick nodded, sympathetically. “I know how it is to feel responsible for your siblings. I have four, one brother and two sisters. My ma left us after my dad died in a train accident a few years ago.” Sedrick shrugs. “I guess she was too upset to take care of us. My oldest sister, Auden, and I picked up the slack and took care of everyone else.”

Sedrick stared at Finch before he stopped himself, realizing he was freaking him out. “Sorry,” He mumbled. “So… have you seen.. Phoenix… since you came here?”

Finch shook his head. “Nah. She stays at home with Elliot… but now that I think about it, without my money… she must have gotten some kind of job…”

“Phoenix… Harrington,” Sedrick mumbled, racking his brain for any news of the most wanted dead criminal’s sister, he remembered something. “Phoenix works at the train station.”

“No,” Finch whispered. “Not the trains.”

Sedrick shrugs, feeling guilty for worrying Finch. “I could be wrong,” Sedrick hoped he was. Working on the trains as a kid meant fixing the rusting tracks before the train flew at them. Most children were injured, if not killed, from train collisions and other accidents. The pay was low, but one of the only jobs kids could get without an education.

“I have to get out,” Finch stood up quickly, flinching again.

“What?” Sedrick stood too, surprised. “How are you going to escape this… prison?”

“Listen, I have… things… I can use. I stole them when I was The Secret Keeper.”

Sedrick stared at him open mouthed.

“You can come with me, if you want,” Finch added impatiently.

When Sedrick doesn’t reply, Finch slips a small pouch out from under the pallet. Inside he takes out a small stone and places it in between Sedrick and his hand.

Cold as ice, Sedrick tries to withdraw his, but Finch grips tighter. “We’re going to be invisible. When the guards notice, they’ll open the door. We can slip out.” His voice drops to a whisper.

Just like Finch planned, a guard, realizing two prisoners weren’t in their cells, shuffled over and unlocked the door, opening it with a loud squeak from the un-oiled hinges.

“3...2…. 1. Go,” Finch muttered under his breath as they began to slip out of the cell. As soon as they mad into the prison hall, Sedrick just realized what they became.

More than supposed to be executed.

Fugitives. And they were on the run.     

one

two 

☼

hello.

life's been messier than usual. I would try to paint a picture, but I'm too tired. That writing [see above] has left me exhausted ;) 

Besides, I have math homework.

In other news, I have started another blog called Wildflower. It's going to be a daily posting of my life like this post starting 2016. Today I worked on my blog design a bit and I would like feedback!