Mirror, Mirror {#Wattys2016}

Chapter 10- Freedom

Cassandra ran for another quarter hour before making herself stop. She hadn't let herself look back once.

Liam padded up beside her. "Whew, that was intense. I can't believe we made it."

Cassandra nodded but she couldn't have cared less about his words. She could only think of his eyes.

They were two identical electric blue pools. Reflected in them were dedication, loyalty and honesty. Cassandra felt as if she were being swallowed whole by their purity. The already grey world filled even more in mere comparison to them.

"You okay?" Liam's face was etched with worry.

"I'm fine, I just need a minute to adjust to freedom." It was partly the truth. Being free did seem surreal after what felt like weeks of imprisonment.

But what will we do now?

It was a question that Cassandra hadn't thought of before. What would life be like on the run? There was no way Queen Pandora would just let them escape. Judging by how far they had run, Sector D was probably a short walk away. Was that far enough from the palace?

"Um, Liam? What are we going to do now?"

If Cassandra was expecting his face to droop at the question, she was disappointed. Instead, he looked cheerful as always when he replied, "We'll go to the nearest sector and figure it out from there."

So they set off, twigs and leaves crunching under Cassandra's feet as they went. After a few minutes, Sector D loomed ahead of them.

They were covered in dust from the vent and were in desperate need of a bath, but nobody paid attention as Cassandra and Liam strolled into the Sector.

Two kids raced around the street in a game of tag. Their high pitched shrieks filled the air with joy that had been absent in the palace.

But the giddy screams were lost as the market drew nearer. It was packed with people ready to receive rations for the week and buy things with ration points.

"Fresh apples! Nice, ripe apples for sale!"

Cassandra's stomach rumbled. She hadn't eaten anything since the night before.

"Can we get one?" Cassandra nudged Liam in the apple cart's direction.

He nodded and they paid for two apples. Cassandra's apple was bruised and overripe, but it was one of the best things she had ever tasted.

"We interrupt your daily activities for a mandatory viewing," droned a familiar voice.

The screens obediently lit up to show Queen Pandora in all her false beauty. This time however, she seemed flustered underneath her mask of serenity.

"Dearest citizens. Early this morning two savage criminals escaped from their prison cells. They had been placed there under my supreme authority and should have remained until I released them. Consider them as unstable and a threat to our society." She paused and let the words sink in. "If you see them, contact a local peace guardian immediately."

Cassandra and Liam's faces filled the screen Queen Pandora had occupied moments ago. Countless heads turned around as people made the connection.

"Run," Cassandra whispered.

So once again Liam and Cassandra found themselves pounding over terrain on a run for their lives. Only this time, nowhere was safe.