Chapter 1: Escape

Ren Connoly escapes the only place she's ever known.

The sun beat down, uncomfortably hot on the back of Ren’s neck. She set the hoe down and wiped her forehead, looking out across the field. Most of the others had just two rows done, so she leaned on the hoe’s edge and rested a moment. She could feel it in the air, the change. Running through her was the promise of new beginnings.

 

Ren took a breath and set back to work, leaning into the hoe to start her fourth row. It had been a long day, but the night was creeping closer and closer.

 

The bell sounded sooner than she expected, and the workers silently filed from the field. Once the gray building loomed close, though, the chatter started. Ren stood on her tiptoes to see over the kids, searching for Senna.

 

“Boo!” came a shout right by her ear.

 

She slowly turned. “Nice try,” she said with a smile.

 

Senna grinned. “Worth a shot.” The two made their way into the orphanage, getting quickly into the long dinner line. “How many rows did you get?”

 

“Four and a half, you?”

 

Senna groaned. “How are you so fast? I barely finished three.”

 

Ren shrugged and picked up a tray. “I’m talented,” she said, popping the tiny roll in her mouth.

 

“At least we’ll begin planting by the end of the week,” Senna said, and Ren felt a twinge of guilt begin to rise. They approached the four long tables, choosing their usual spot in the corner.

 

Senna looked with disgust at the unidentifiable brown chunks. “This is horrible.”

 

Ren mumbled agreement, chewing nervously on her lip.

 

Her friend sighed dramatically. “What’s the matter then?”

 

“Okay.” Ren set down her fork, ignoring the sick feeling in her stomach. “It’s tonight.”

 

“What?”

 

“It’s tonight. The train.”

 

Senna stared at her with wide eyes, slightly accusatory. Ren swallowed hard.

 

“You were serious.”

 

Ren nodded.

 

“All along. And I never believed it.” Senna sat back and took a breath. “You don’t need me to keep telling you how crazy this is, do you?”

 

Ren shook her head. “Please, Senna�"”

 

“No, actually, I think you do need me to bring you to your senses. You want to leave me alone here, and for what? We have two years left. Just two and we’re free! Why waste all the time you’ve spent here to go off who-knows-where?”

 

“You know where,” Ren said tightly. “We’ve gone through this already. I can’t wait to be of age. This time I’d hoped you’d come.”

 

Senna leaned back and brushed at her eyes. “To some school that’ll teach me things I would never want to know? I can’t. You know I can’t! Not when the Warden will practically kill us if we’re caught.”

 

Ren smiled bitterly. “Free labor and all that.”

 

The two looked at each other silently for a minute. Ren felt tears pricking at her eyes, but held her emotion back. She’d never been one to cry, not like Senna.

 

Her friend abruptly stood up. “Come one then,” she said to Ren’s bewildered look. “You’ll need to get ready.”

 

�'�'�'�'�'

 

Ren shushed Senna, pointing to the fourth stair. Senna nodded and stepped over it, only to stumble headlong into Ren. Their balance was quickly restored as the two smothered giggles.

 

She clutched her satchel tight; it contained everything she owned. And some things she did not.

 

It was a relief to be out of the orphanage uniform, and she felt no guilt about taking the loose clothes from the laundry room. It had been far easier than she’d expected, as was taking the money. The Warden’s assistant had left his coin purse right on top of his coat, and it had simply been too tempting to leave it. The man had subjected Ren to more punishments than she cared to count.

 

Plus, Senna approved. And if Senna approved, there was no need to feel guilty.

 

They approached the large bolted doors, looking at each other nervously. They’d planned for this, but there was no telling what would happen. Senna stopped before the doors and placed her hands on Ren’s shoulders.

 

“Ok,” she said. “Do you have everything?”

 

Ren nodded, holding back her tears.

 

“Money, clothes, food, water?”

 

Ren nodded again. “And the knife,” she added. Thank the gods for steak night. Actually, more like unchewable leather night.

 

“It’s time,” Senna said.

 

Ren stepped up to the doors and placed her hand on the lock. A tendril of wind gently reached into the mechanism, sliding the bolt out of place. The supposedly unopenable locks were apparently not prepared for magic. Then again, not many of the orphans had magic. Another wind current silently opened the heavy doors.

 

Senna looked at her for a moment. The two embraced tightly as Ren finally released her tears. “You’ll be able to look after yourself,” sniffed Senna.

 

“So would you,” Ren said, muffled in her friend’s shirt.

 

They pulled apart. “Not like you,” Senna said. She reached out with a cold hand and wiped the tears from Ren’s cheeks, ignoring her own.

 

“We’ll see each other again,” Ren said. “I’m sure of it.”

 

“Of course we will.” Senna looked at her with sad eyes, and motioned toward the opened doors. “Go on, then. Better get as big a head start as you can.”

 

Ren nodded slowly, and started out the doors. She looked back and waved half-heartedly, Senna’s crumpled figure standing still in the doorway.

Author's Note

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