These are chapters from an old manuscript, chapter one is available here. The chapter and my annotations are paywalled for people who actually love me and also love freedom and puppies. So. Time to prove some stuff.
Enjoy the first few paragraphs for free!
Chapter 27: The NetherFortress
The carriage landed with a jolt, waking Redd. He stirred and remembered the cords around his wrists, which had tightened in the night. Wherever they were, it was still dark
“Blindfold the prisoners and lock them in separate cells,” Dobkins told the driver.
“Where are we?” Redd demanded.
Dobkins ignored him. Mom and Moss were just waking up when a Korba soldier got in and pulled a black sack over Redd’s head.
“Hey! Let us go! You don’t even know who we are!” Redd said.
“You talk, I hit you,” the soldier growled.
“Reddington, don’t struggle. Not right now,” Mom murmured.
He obeyed, letting the soldier pull them out and march them…somewhere. It felt like they entered a vast building, and Redd had to climb a few flights of stairs.
When the bag and the bonds finally came off, Redd found himself in a stone cell with iron bars. Straw lined the floor, and the whole thing was about the size of a small closet. Faint moonlight illuminated the area from a high window, showing other cells across from his.
“Mom?”
“I’m here, Reddington.” Her cell must have been beside his. He couldn't see her.
“Me too,” Moss said.
“Amos, are you okay?” Mom asked.
“Head hurts,” he groaned. “I’ve had worse. Redd, you good?”
“I’m fine Moss. Anyone else here?”
Nobody replied.
“Get some rest,” Mom said through a yawn. “It’s all we can do.”
Hours passed. The sun came up. Redd woke up automatically, aching all over.
“Moss, wake up.”
“Badgers,” Moss mumbled. He blinked several times, waking from a dream. “Rust, we’re still here. Do we know where ‘here’ is?”
Redd shrugged. “Korbadell, I guess. Mom?”
“Here,” Mom said groggily.
“You guys wanna know a secret?” Moss sat up against the wall of his cell and palmed his eyes, yawning deep.
“Sure,” Mom said.
“I really hate Arnice Dobkins.”
In spite of it all, Redd laughed out loud.
“Moss, know any tricks for knocking out a guard?” he asked.
“Yes. Give me your pry bar.”
“I don’t have one.”
“I’m out of tricks,” Moss said.
“Be serious, man! Maybe we can grab the keys, or pull his head against the bars really fast?” Redd asked.
“Don’t be reckless, son,” Mom said. “That might work on an Andoran or a Fain, but the guards here are Korba.”
“We can’t give up,” Redd said, deflating a little.
Mom’s fingers came into view at the edge of his cell bars, reaching for him. Redd quickly took her hand and squeezed it.
“I’m not saying you should give up, Reddington. Just be realistic about the situation. We don’t know where we are or what’s around us. The best thing we can do is be patient and get some information. I wager it won’t be long before Dobkins sends for us,” she said.
“I want Dad,” Redd whimpered. He immediately felt far younger than his age.
“I do too, hon.”
The metal door creaked open at the end of the hallway. Heavy footfalls thumped against the stone floor, and Mom pulled back. Redd stood up and grabbed the bars to his cell. Two Korba soldiers came into view, and Redd instantly shrank back, getting his first good look at them without their helmets on.
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