Hide and Seek

I shivered in silence, breath exiting my lips slowly.

Can’t make a move. Can’t make a sound. I will never be found…

My stomach threatened to grumble, but I willed it to still. On the run for the past three days, I had very little food since my sentencing.

Out of habit, I felt my waist, but my belt was absent. I didn’t realize how naked I’d feel without my sword. I held no weapons and carried nothing but the thin clothes on my back. At least my black cloak could keep me hidden.

I will never be found… never be found…

Eyes long adapted to the near darkness, I slowly checked around the barrel, making sure I was still alone. I’d found this abandoned castle by accident and didn’t think twice about entering. The door’s gate was shut, latched, and locked, but I gained entry through a pane-less window along the side of the fortress.

I was running from the executioner. See, I killed a man. My sword to his heart. In a thoughtless act of rage, a man was dead. The duke’s son, no less. Many witnesses corroborated the truth. Even if they lied and I happened to be innocent, I knew deep down that I’d deserved to die for a long time. A long list of crimes and injustices came by my hand, but I ignored it, justified it.

I deserve this…I need that…Next thing I know, the man collapsed in my arms, his blood draining onto the city square.

The witnesses saw, and the accuser laughed.

In our town, the accuser watches everyone, and if anyone breaks any law, he brings them to The King’s Court. If the accused are found guilty, the accuser is awarded with the title of executioner, and he is tasked with the delivery of justice.

The executioner had killed many of my friends, and I told myself I wanted to stop him. Maybe, just maybe, if I become a nobleman, I can change our laws…

I now know all that was an excuse to gain power. A feeble attempt to justify my actions…but murder? I didn’t know I was capable of murder until it was too late.

The accuser had brought me to The King’s Court, and as expected, I was declared guilty. I ran, and the executioner hunted.

I hid in the forest, darting between trees, ducking in foliage. I will never be found…

I tried to sleep, I tried to eat, but I knew just out of sight the executioner would be closing in.

I realized, I don’t want to die. I know I deserve it, but I don’t want to die.

I found the castle, looked through many of the rooms, and made my way to the underground wine cellar, hiding behind some empty barrels. The intent was to rest my feet for a few minutes, but my initiative gave way to fatigue and fear.

He’s going to find me! I must stay hidden. But if I stay hidden, is he going to find me? No, I’ll wait until I know it’s safe. Then I’ll never be found. I’ll never be found…never be found…

Crash! Clatter, clatter, bang! Stomp, stomp, stomp, stomp…

That must’ve been the gate. Broken. The executioner’s here.

I held my breath and tried to listen to his movement above and trace his steps through the castle. A slam! echoed, louder than the other sounds, this one from the top of the stairs. I peeked around the barrels just long enough to catch a glimpse. He indeed was the executioner, a black crossbow in one hand, a torch in the other. The torch’s orange glow barely illuminated his figure as he stomped down the rock-hewn stairs towards the barrels and wine racks.

I curled into a ball and strained my ears. I will never be found…never be found…

After several minutes the executioner’s clattering and my silent breaths, the executioner’s steps sounded further away. I peeked to see him climbing the last few steps, his torchlight disappearing through the doorway.

I remained in my spot a few minutes longer and then ventured quietly up the stairs. My ear to the door, I could faintly hear him searching another room.

I’ll wait for him to climb the stair and I know I have a clear getaway. Then, I’ll dash to the back exit and get a head start back into the woods. It’ll take him hours to search this whole castle, but I’ll never be found. Never be found…

A few minutes later, I could hear his steps a story above me. I poked my head out the door. Sunlight poured in through multiple windows and illuminated the great hall. When my eyes adjusted, I slithered out of the shadows and tip-toed towards the exit I’d seen earlier.

I found it and reached for the wooden beam set in a cradle as a lock across the door. If I can only remove this quietly and open the door, I’ll be free to—

“Freeze!” a deep voice commanded. I turned around to see the executioner, ten yards in front of me, crossbow aimed for my heart.

I paused and tried to think of something, anything, I could do to escape.

The executioner proclaimed, “You’ve been accused. You’ve been tried. You’ve been declared guilty. You’ve been sentenced to death. Your execution awaits.”

I looked him in the eyes, ready—expecting pain to slash my heart, expecting death to swallow me whole.

Slash!

A golden blade poked through the executioner’s heart from behind. His face twisted as he dropped the crossbow. The blade slid out, and the executioner collapsed on the floor, dead.

Standing just behind where the executioner stood, wielding the golden blade, was the duke’s son. The man I’d killed. He chuckled and spoke.

“Found you."