“What do you want with me?” I ask, causing the guard to turn around. My blood runs cold as I see his face for the first time. There’s something familiar about him, and my mind races to remember where I know him.
“Whoa,” he says when his eyes catch the blade in my hands. “I’m trying to help you.”
“Drop your sword,” I say, my mind still wondering as to who he is. I watch him slowly unclip his sword and it falls to the ground by his feet.
“Adaline,” he begins, “It’s me. It’s Alexander.” My mind connects his name to the memories it had been searching for.
“Alexander?” my shaking voice questions. Before I was thrown in prison I used to be close friends with Alexander. He’s my age, and he was my only neighbor out in the valleys that surround our town.
His physical appearance is close to what I remember, except now he’s not a ten-year-old boy. He’s tall, tan with green eyes. His dirty blonde hair just long enough to cover the scar over his left eye that he got one day when we were out on an adventure, as we had called it. Climbing trees, running through the creeks in the forest, and exploring the different antique shops in town.
“I didn’t know you were a guard at the castle,” I say, still not believing it’s really him. Slowly I lower the sword back to the ground, but I keep my left hand on the grip.
“My father was assigned after you were taken and I followed five years later when I was fifteen.” He clears his throat, “Passed the test on the first try. Probably because I could find my way around the castle blindfolded. I basically grew up there.”
“Guess we still have something in common,” I say even though it’s a poor joke. “So, why’d you do it?”
“Do what?” his eyes narrow in confusion.
“Save me. It’s your job to kill any escaping prisoners. What do you want with me?” I ask again, returning to my original question.
“You think I would kill you?” Alexander asks, shocked.
“Well we haven’t seen each other in almost seven years,” I say, shrugging my shoulders, even though I know it’s an impossible thought. Alexander and I always felt like we had a connection from the very first moment I met him. I actually can’t even remember not knowing him, he was just always there. I think our parents already had our wedding planned out if I’m being honest.
“Well maybe we haven’t seen each other, but there wasn’t a day that went by I didn’t think about you. I mean, you’ve always been seconds away from me, how could I ever just forget you? There wasn’t any way I was going to lose my second in command again,” Alexander responds, using the titles we had given ourselves when we were little. He was the leader and I was his second. I let him humor himself with the idea of being in command when we both knew I was the real leader.
“Adaline,” he says gentler when he sees my face is still processing. “I was on duty outside of the maze last night. I heard a crash and found you unconscious.”
“So you picked me up and ran off with me?” I question him.
I watch him grab his bag and out of instinct, I tighten my grip on the sword. He notices and says, “I’m just pulling out a note that explains this.” He turns and digs through his bag, but I don’t loosen my tight grasp. As he had said he pulls out a thin piece of parchment. “Two years ago I woke up in my room and my father was gone, along with some other guards that were close with my father. For some reason, King Renon told Paylon to end the search for them. ‘They were getting too old to work. They wouldn’t make it far.’ Paylon had said. My father left this under his pillow.” He hands it to me and I scan over the words
Dear Alexander,
I never wanted to leave you, but I’m afraid I have to go. When the time is right we will meet again. I know that you are confused and scared. There is so much you don’t know, but I don’t have much time. I want you to know that I have the gift and I am a Future Holder. Soon you will meet Adaline face to face, and it is your job to save her. The two of you must flee the castle and hide in the woods. You will know when the time is right.
I love you, Alexander.
George Thompson
“Your dad has the gift?” I ask and Alexander nods his head. His father and my mother were both Future Holders, and I feel as though we have both been guided to this moment based on our parents’ visions. “You’ve just been waiting to save me for two years?” I ask him in a lighter tone and he laughs, taking the note back from me.
“So that’s why I picked you up and ran off with you,” Alexander concludes.
“So how long have I been out?” I ask. I look down at the ground and run my fingers through the soft mud, feeling the warmth of the earth that I have missed so much. My eyes scan up through the canopy of large palm trees hanging over us and I take note of the moving sun. My muted grey prison uniform feels so out of place in this forest of deep and vibrant
