The Tens, Vanessa Jones [i like reading books .TXT] 📗

definitely believe it. And I'm next on their hit list, I would suspect. Do you think they... with Alex?'

'I don't know. He might have genuinely gone into hiding. It's all possible.'

'Would they hurt you, Abigail?'

'I don't know. They haven't so far. Unless you count the times they've admonished me for not following along and doing what I'm supposed to. There was a time when I was ordered to kill some birds by snapping their necks with my hands and I just couldn't! How could they ask me to do such a thing? Take a fragile life with my bare hands like it was as simple as picking up a stone. I thought they didn't want to hurt you either but it doesn't seem to be working.'

'What doesn't seem to be working? Why am I here Abigail?'

Abigail looked pained. She looked to the door and then towards the ceiling, which felt darker and lower than when they first came in. 'You have to take me with you,' she suddenly declared. 'We have to bust out of here. I want to come to the city with you. You can't leave me here.'

Ignoring her please, Sophie’s voice dropped low. 'Abigail, why me?'

'Tell me you'll take me first.'

'Okay, okay, tell me and then we'll try and get out of here. Somehow.' Sophie wasn't lying, she couldn't leave this precious soul here to face the nature of this cruelness. Even if the city was going to be far too cruel for her anyway. A choice between two cruelties; what else could she do?

'You are chosen.'

Sophie couldn't help herself and she let out a laugh. 'Oh yeah, a regular Jesus I am.'

'You have the inherent alchemy that they need and they want to mine from you. To complete their plan.'

'I'm sorry but that's just absolutely absurd. I'm no more magical than a glass of water.'

'Sophie, you can't see it because you've been drugged and cast spells upon and gaslighted to believe that you are less than ordinary. But we've been taught from birth that you are the missing link. The alchemy cross mark.'

A fresh wave of pity rose up through her. This unkind group had brainwashed poor Abigail to not only believe in magic and spells and stuff of childhood fantasies but that Sophie was something special.

Abigail seemed to be waiting for Sophie to take it all in.

'We really do have to get out of here. They are probably going to kill us, Abigail.'

She nodded silently whilst Sophie pushed herself up and doddered over to the shelves. Picking up a small box, she upended the twigs of rosemary to the floor and stepped over them with her good leg which was returning to almost full function, whilst her other leg took its time catching up. Lifting up the box in both hands she brought it down hard on the shed door latch, smashing it furiously in the hope it would release and let them out. But all it achieved was noise.

'Stop! Stop it. You'll make them come and tell us off,' Abigail was visibly afraid. Sophie discarded the box with a toss to the side. It skittered across the cement floor and stopped against one wall.

'But how are we going to get out of here, Abigail? We probably don't have much time.'

Abigail had sought out one of the rusty brown books from the shelf which made Sophie laugh with antipathy. 'You're not seriously suggesting that the book will help us in a time like this? The book— and the irrational idiots that believe in its tales— are the reason we are in here. Quick, flip to the page about being held hostage in a shed!' Sophie's derision was bordering on mean.

But Abigail ignored her and kept thumbing through the pages determinedly. 'There WILL be something in here to help us, there WILL. I just know it.'

Sophie shrugged at her and continued to explore the contents of the shed to aid in their escape. She shook her head in frustration at the useless herbs and picked up a small ornate metal pouch-shaped object, mainly for its beauty. It was made of brass or copper and eye-catching patterns and an image had been pressed into the object. Sophie ran her finger over the resting dog, which was shrouded by a garland and small birds, like those helpful animated ones that dressed Cinderella and were every kid's fantasy emblem of being a princess. There were several of the same objects and then nothing but more fresh and dried herbs on the shelf before her.

'Any luck?' turning back to Abigail, she said.

'Well, nothing specific but it's not always about specificity. Grab one of the books and help me look through. There has to be some kind of magic that can help us out here.'

'Hmm. I don't really think the book is going to save us, Abigail. But let me think about things a bit,' she plonked herself down and watched over Abigail’s shoulder as she methodically turned and scanned the pages with her finger. The writing did have a magnetic quality which lulled Sophie into a small daze to the point where she almost forgot that she was in danger.

'I am absolutely exhausted, I just realised. I have nothing left in me. Maybe it's just better if we beg to be let out?' Sophie questioned.

'And then what?'

'Well, then if successful, I'll go back into my tent and I'll try to escape from there.'

'And then what will happen to me?'

'I'll come back for you.'

Abigail looked horrified. 'No! You mustn't leave without me. You won't come back for me and it won't be long before they do something wicked to me anyway. I don't follow protocol and I'm an outcast here. They are dying for an excuse to get rid of the deadwood that is me. Please don't leave me here. We have to get out of this shed and sneak away. Together.'

Sophie knew she was right and couldn't leave her to