Escape of Traz

NcKayla ducked down in the dark bushes, her dark hair swinging behind her. She moved swiftly off the palace grounds, disregarding pearls and other jewelry along the way. She only kept on a gold bracelet encrusted in diamonds and a beautiful ring from her mother.

NcKayla hid behind the tall stone wall, her tan skin barely blending in with the dark of night. A trio of guards passed her, talking. NcKayla remained still until they turned the hedge and disappeared.

She ran toward the golden gates, and opened them. NcKayla slowly closed them behind her, looking around. No one must see her. She locked the gates and ran into the village below, taking only one look at the castle before she left.

NcKayla's black leather bag bounced off the denim shorts she had borrowed from Eleshia. The village was quiet, all the shops were closed. It was the first time NcKayla could actually take a good look at the town without being pushed to move on.

NcKayla advanced toward the old dirt road that had been used for trade all those years ago. She grabbed a mango, apple and a banana from an open fruit stand, and ran around the houses and to the open field near them, and untied a caramel horse tied to a gate.

"Here you go, girl," NcKayla spoke softly, giving an apple to the horse. She ate it as NcKayla tied rope to the horse's neck and hopped on it's back. "Vamanos, Ricitti!!!!"

The horse neighed loudly, and took off like a shot down the old trade road. NcKayla breathed, smiling slowly. It was hard to realize it, but they were free. Free from NcKayla's father, free from the slaughterhouse, free from Traz. The bitter breeze slapped NcKayla and Ricitti. NcKayla's braided hair and loose purple satin top flew backward with the wind. It was that spirited feeling, that she was on her own.

By twilight the next day, NcKayla and Ricitti had made it out of Traz and were about two towns away, having settled in a tool shed for the night. As NcKayla awoke, she left Ricitti to her rest and grabbed her bag before walking into the town.

There were brick buildings and many people, covered up on the sunny day. The ground was rocky and dark, and the people wanted nothing to do with anything.

NcKayla decided to save the mango for lunch, and went to a small produce market to find a pan and eggs. The people around her knew nothing of her, and were minding their own business. A man with a small child was yelling at the store's owner, who was sighing. NcKayla bumped into a few villagers, and picked out three eggs and another apple for Ricitti. As she payed the tired owner two gold coins, it occurred to her: she had gone, and wasn't going back.

NcKayla walked back to the abandoned shed. People finally began to notice her, and threw her odd looks. Why couldn't they? NcKayla was wearing shorts and an expensive top. Everyone else around her was in raggedy jeans and cloth clothing.

There was a lady o the street begging tor scraps. When she saw NcKayla, she grabbed her leg and wouldn't let go. NcKayla jerked around, and the women smiled at her with rotting teeth. "Money to spare, please?" she asked in Arabian. NcKayla bit her lip and hurridly searched though her bag before tossing the homeless women a small bronze coin. The women jumped up to catch it, and NcKayla waltzed away.

Ricitti was waiting for her, and the two wandered down the road and settled near a dying valley for lunch. As the wind crashed on NcKayla and Ricitti like a rough ocean, NcKayla pulled on a thin colorful shawl. So this is what it was like to be released into the wild. To be on your own.