Wow, I actually managed to write a bit more. Yey!
I can't believe it's been more than a year since I last posted on this. Pre-reg went faster than I realised.
Okay, so it's short. :P *grumps*
Edit: *puts the tabs in*
-----
The servants walkways of the visitor’s wing were just as oppressively dark as the rest of the Arena buildings; the lights along the walls were small and dirty, dribbling out a pathetic pool of brightness that just seemed to make the hulking shadows deeper. Jan scuttled along between the two Industrials, in the vain hope that his dingy grey-green skin would blend in with the dingy grey-green stone walls, wondering how much further they’d get before one Night Patrol team or another discovered them and mowed them down where they ran, because it felt inevitable.
“What are we going to do when we find her?” Jan asked, quietly. “We can’t very well run for it, they’d hunt us down in days.”
Lar didn’t even spare him a backward glance. “We already ‘booked’ a flight on a Skimmer,” he explained. “That is, Mister Keff bought some security codes off of a sympathetic lad up in Guard Tower one. By the time they work out what we’s up to, we’ll be gone.”
“You’ll pardon me when I say it doesn’t sound too safe, slig.”
Lar clucked a dry laugh. “Spice of life, and all that,” he agreed. “We’re hoping it won’ be too important, if they spot us gone or not. We left Parink some little presents to distract his attention if’n he does see us.”
Jan blinked and didn’t pursue the line of questioning. He didn’t think he’d like to try and find out what’d happen if things went wrong and they got caught.
The walls had gradually changed from rough stone to whitewashed plaster as they’d run, and the lights had got brighter, crisper, cleaner… they’d obviously left the servants tunnels and were now in a more public area, and Jan silently hoped that wouldn’t mean more guards.
“Do we know where she is?” he hissed, softly, leaning closer as the slig checked around the corner and beckoned that it was clear.
“Got a fair idea,” Lar hissed back, loping away and leaving it to the other pair to catch him up.
He’d halted by a door, when they finally found him. Lar gestured to them that they should stay back against the wall, then leaned slightly forwards and peeked through the narrow opening in the doorway. The light inside was subdued, a brooding, dirty yellow hue, and it was quiet – a dull, grinding silence that put Jan on edge.
“What’s-” he started, faintly, but Lar waved his rifle irritatedly in a vaguely shushing motion and Jan decided it was best he didn’t push his luck, especially since he could see the safety was off.
“You two stay here,” Lar hissed, at last. “I’ll go deal wi’ these two little disgraces.”
|