✔ WHEN FISH FLY (OpenNovellaContest2021)

ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝕤𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕟𝕥𝕖𝕖𝕟

Walking out of the underground prison I try to smooth my face out as much as I possibly can, making sure not to give away my thoughts.

"So Black Demon beat up Amber? And then they recruited her?" Chief asks from behind me, "I didn't understand half of your conversation,".

In the beginning, neither had Amber, but as I deliberately asked questions relating to her state, to being tested, asking if Lilac Royalty had ever injected her with any liquids, my friend - well, I am not sure she sees me as a friend after what I have done - started understanding, shifting to show me the state of her body without making it obvious. It seemed she had figured out I was there to see if what Gold had said was true.

Stepping away from the painting I wait for Chief to come through, the image of a dedicated employee in my mind as I hold out my hand to help her out, "Black Demon is hidden up on level twelve, and Amber was supposed to tell me which house... I'll focus on the rest of the members of Lilac Royalty, see if I can get anything out of them," I spit.

She swats my hand away, "Okay. I'll try and get more information out of the girl downstairs then,".

I try to hide my cringe - there were stories of Chief being quite an accomplished torturer, although it is illegal in Venice so I hope that isn't the method she is planning on using.

"I'll go then. Good luck!".

I need to get out of here. Loathing sizzles under my skin, the anger I have towards my Chief, towards all of the lying policemen almost getting the better of me as I try to smile while saying goodbye. Almost, but I manage.

The image of Amber is branded in my brain. Her hands and legs had been tied up with metal cords bent by one of the Metallum Lorem in the prison. At first glance I couldn't see anything out of the ordinary, but as the minutes passed I noticed the bruises hidden under her white dress, the small wounds on her arms and legs from needles and the burnt skin on her leg that I only got a glance of when she got up, and went out of the door as I stared after her.

How could I have ever believed in the Imperium Police Force? How could I have sent someone I care for to a place like this?

Knowing they were going to be kept behind bars for a few years was bad enough, but knowing they are being tormented and experimented on is a whole other level.

Guilt - that's what I am feeling. Guilt and fear and hatred and horror.

I need to get to the rest of the members of Lilac Royalty and let them know what I have seen, tell them the truth. They will hate me, but for the well-being of their friend they will put up with me until she is safe. And then - then I will have to disappear, try and forget them and find something else to do. I will never put more Lorem into this place.

I might have to work in a bar after all - I think ironically as I walk back towards the lift, continuing towards the cement wall and focusing on it, my magic clicking the lock so that I can enter.

"I'm back!" I shout into the darkness, my voice becoming softer, "And I have to tell you something. You will probably hate-" I stop once I enter the room, all of the girls staring at me with distrust as I stand still, debating what to do.

Hemlock and Vulcan seem ready to kill, Diamond and Gold look too hurt to do anything and Eagle - who I haven't seen since she told me her name - is looking at me with so much despair, her usual light blue eyes a dark storm, one where the waves crash into anything and everything and leave nothing behind.

"What did you do?" Diamond asks carefully, none of them moving from their defensive positions.

I am hurt, but then again, I deserve this. It is my fault they have lost one of their members, it is my fault all those innocent Lorem are locked away. I deserve their hatred, their anger - I deserve it all.

Taking a deep breath, I throw myself to the wolves, deciding it is best to come clean before anything worse happens, "I'm a policewoman," I say sadly, my admission eanling a snarl from Hemlock, "and I was trained to be an undercover agent and to infiltrate vigilante groups with the objective of learning their - well, your - real names and turning you in. I didn't know what happened to the people I turned in, but I always... I thought they were released. The law states that the penalty is between a week and four years but I never thought that prison," I spit, "could exist. I'm sorry. I know how to get Amber out-".

Diamond nods towards Hemlock who quickly moves towards me, her hand grabbing my bare forearm. I am about to ask what is happening when I feel it - feel her - inside my brain, pricking at the edge of my thoughts as her plants enter my veins, exploring my everything, finding every hidden secret there is to find, even those masked from myself. I can't move, I am frozen in my spot, unable to do anything as Hemlock takes in all my anger, my fears, my dreams and hopes, disregarding my struggle to reconquer my own body and control what is happening to me.

"So?" Eagle asks. She seems concerned when I glance at her, my eyes glazed with fear as I take her in. But her concern can't be for me.

I deserve this. They are probably going to find the information they need and end me. I deserve this.

The intrusion suddenly stops, the arm Hem is holding snapping back as I move away from her, gasping for air. I never really stopped to think what sort of power Hemlock has, always imagining she could grow a few flowers and kill a few trees with a thought. But she isn't a normal Plantae Lorem; she can also read people's mind with her strong Amino Flexuram.

"She is telling the truth," Hemlock states, looking at me with a new light. Now that she knows everything about me, I guess she understands my motives, too.

Gold sighs, "What should we do then? Can we trust her?".

Hemlock stares at me for a few seconds, my breathing still uneven, "Yes. She was only a police officer because she feared failing her father - but deep down she has always known there are better ways to save the city. She will fight for what is right, even when she knows that it means her end - all her information is stored in the online files of the police department she works at,".

It had only taken her a few seconds to get all that information, to go through my mind and read my everything.

Diamond points towards a chair, "Sit, and spill what you have planned,".

So I tell them, because it is my fault, because I got them here and because I care.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN WORD COUNT: 1225

The next chapter should be the last! Are you ready? I might do an epilogue, what do you think? Please leave a vote and comment your thoughts (both good and bad) it will really help me improve! Thank you in advance!

Question: What's your favourite celebration?

I think mine is Saint George (Sant Jordi) because it's when we celebrate reading and roses - the tradition is to get a book for your boyfriend/husband and a rose for your girlfriend/wife although nowadays everyone buys a bit of everything for all their loved ones. The streets are filled with makeshift book shops, the corners smell of roses... It's beautiful. Sadly this year is going to be different because of covid and I have an exam on the same day, so not sure I will get to celebrate it much.