THE DOOR OPENED FROM the outside. Abigail was up and ready. With her new desire to live, she allowed herself to hope just this one last time.
“Daniel?” she called out in a whisper, knowing it was dangerous to do so but not giving much care.
“It’s me,” he answered as he came inside and closed the door.
“I have news.”
“You do? What news? Has Malachi come?”
“Yes. He did. Luna and Jonathan will be here at midnight. Malachi said to—”
“Midnight? That is only an hour away.”
Excitement rushed through her. In just over an hour, she would be saved. Free.
Don’t get excited. It might fall through.
“We better get this shackle off you.” He looked around the room as if he could actually find something in it that he could use. “I’ll be back.”
Daniel left the room and locked the door behind him. The sound of it clicking was something she hoped she never had to hear again. But for now, it would have to do. It would not do for someone to come by and find the door sitting wide open.
Fresh air. She couldn’t wait to get a whiff of it. It had been so long.
The lock clicked again, and the door opened. Each time that happened, Abigail shrank in fear. Just as she did when she’d heard someone coming before the vent had been boarded up. Each time she wondered if it would be her last time on the earth.
Daniel came through the door with what looked like a giant pair of awkward-looking scissors. “Bolt cutters,” he explained.
Abigail nodded. She had no idea what that meant, but she didn’t care. As long as she would be free. Daniel bent down and placed the sharp blades onto the chain link that connected to the cuff around her ankle. He pulled the two handles together with both hands. They didn’t budge. He let out a grunting sound as he pulled tighter.
He let go and rubbed his hands together. “That is strong.” Determined, he picked back up the cutters.
As he tried again to close them down on the link, it was no use. They did not budge. Fear flooded her. It was no good to have a key to the door if she was still chained to the pole.
“They will be here soon. I must try again.” Daniel put all his weight into it, but still, he’d done nothing more than create a small dent in the link.
“Need some help?” a voice called from the doorway.
“Malachi!” Abigail cried out. “Yes. He’s just not strong enough.”
“Sorry.” Daniel backed away. “That thing is very thick.”
“Let me give it a try.” Malachi stepped up and grabbed the cutters.
He placed them on the link and pulled at them. He managed to make a considerable dent but not enough to free her. Malachi tried again. This time, he heaved as hard as he could and almost fell on top of her when the link finally released. He dropped a hand to the ground before completely crushing her.
“You did it.” Daniel rushed to pull the link away. “Now how do we get this cuff off?”
“I must get out to the fence, where they said they would be. If we cannot get it off, it will have to wait. She is free.”
Abigail walked around the room. It felt so good to be free. Even if it was for only a short time.
“I will wait with her. You will come back soon?” Daniel asked.
“Yes. As soon as I can.” Malachi turned to leave.
“Malachi?” Daniel called out.
Malachi turned.
“I want to come with you.”
Chapter 42 ― Luna
With Jonathan at home in bed, his leg wrapped in a cast, and his body battered and bruised, Luna set out on her own. Jonathan had begged her not to go, but she refused to listen.
“They are counting on us to be there. At least one of us has to show or who knows what will happen to them? They will be killed if the High Prophet finds out what is going on.”
Reluctantly Jonathan had agreed, though he didn’t like it. She promised him she would be careful and headed out the door. She was now at the back of the community. She’d found the back road Malachi had told her the High Prophet used to leave through his private gate. She pulled up into the desert and out of sight just in case he had planned some kind of midnight rendezvous and walked the rest of the way to the fence carrying two shovels.
Malachi was there waiting for her when she arrived.
“Where is Jonathan?” he asked
“He had a bit of an accident. Got ran over by a psychopathic prophet.”
“What? Is he not well?”
Luna explained to Malachi how the High Prophet had stalked them at the market and ran him over. “He was trying for both of us but missed me and luckily he hadn’t gotten up enough speed to do too much damage to Jonathan either.” She dropped the shovels. “So, it’s just the two of us. How is Abigail?”
“Abigail is free of her chain. She is waiting in the room, but we have a problem.”
Luna wasn’t ready for any more problems. “What is it?”
“It is the son of the High Prophet. Daniel. He wants to come.”
Luna stared at Malachi in shock. The son of the high Prophet? Wants to leave? “But . . . He will be the leader himself someday. Why would he want to leave?”
It would be like a prince, not wanting to take the throne. Who would do that?
“He says his
