Skeletons of the Past: Chapter 7

Collection: Ages of Youth, the Halleaux
Chronicled by Ghasty

​Lacea, Lukas, Mech, Xanthia, and the female doctor were escorted to a large building by the Authority Guards. Several guard towers were attached to the building. They entered the building and were split up. Lukas and Mech were escorted one way, and Lacea, Xanthia, and the doctor were escorted the other way. The three were lead to a gloomy cell.

The three were put and the cell and the door was locked by the guards. The guards left and three were left in the cell. The three surveyed the cell. The walls and floor were made of crude concrete with long cracks cracks of varying depths within it. Two blocks of concrete rose out of the floor along opposite sides of the room. The three guessed these were supposed to be beds. A small barred window was located at the very top of the wall opposite them. The doctor walked over to the block of concrete that was farther away from the cell door. She put her hands to her face and began to weep uncontrollably into them. Lacea moved to the other bench and sat down. Xanthia sat down next to her and they began a whispered dialogue.
“He must have meant a lot to her, that Macario guy,” Xanthia whispered.
“He must have,” Lacea responded in the same hushed volume.
“It feels horrible to have someone close die.”
“It’s even worse when you have to watch them die.”
“Who were you close to that died for you to know that?” Xanthia asked. Lacea didn’t answer for a few moments.
“My parents,” Lacea managed to finally get out.
“How did they die?” Xanthia asked.
“Our house was attacked by a mob when I was 7,” Lacea answered, “the mob surrounded the house and started to throw Molotov cocktails into our house. Eoin and I barely escaped with our lives. I looked back and I saw their burning figures in one of the upper windows.”
“That’s horrible,” Xanthia responded, “Why would anyone do that?”
“My parents, Eoin and I were Christians. The secret got out somehow, and a group of people who wanted to see us punished struck. It didn’t seem that they cared that the law would punish us anyways.”
Xanthia didn’t know how to respond to Lacea’s story, so she just sat in silence. The only sound to break the sound was the doctor’s sobbing. Lacea stood up.
“I’m gonna try to cheer her up,” Lacea said. Lacea walked slowly over to the doctor and sat down.
“Were you close to Macario?” Lacea asked. The doctor stopped sobbing for a moment and looked up at Lacea. She sniffled before responding.
“He was my husband,” she answered.
“What’s your name?” Lacea asked.
“Aileen Aiza, although I guess I’m back to being Aileen Eoichaidh.”
“Well, your husband died serving a good cause.”
“Even if my husband didn’t die for a good cause, he will not have died in vain. I will make sure the Authority pays, even if I die in the process.”
“Well, we’re gonna have to get out of here, otherwise your husband won’t be avenged.”
“Well I have a plan for that actually,” Xanthia interjected.
“Really?” Lacea asked in surprise. Xanthia reached for the sole of her boot and undid a tiny switch. A piece of the boot slid open to reveal a lock-picking kit and a small knife.
“How long have you had that?” Lacea asked.
“Mech constructed it a few months back, he figured it might come in handy, especially if I got into trouble. He made it so that whoever was searching my possessions would have to really know what they were looking for.” Xanthia took out the lock-picking kit an the knife and walked over to the cell door. Xanthia looked down the hall on either side and began to pick the lock. The lock clicked open with a click and Xanthia opened the cell door. Xanthia crept out of the cell and motioned for Aileen and Lacea to follow. The three crept through the halls silently, with Xanthia leading them, knife brandished in hand. The three went through the halls in the direction where Lukas and Mech had been taken. Most of the cells were empty, and the ones that weren’t housed sleeping habitants. The three almost passed the security office, had Aileen, at the back of the group, noticed the sleeping guard and their weapons. Lacea crept into the office while Xanthia and Aileen stood watch. Lacea handed Xanthia her crossbow, vials, and flasks. Lacea took her energy rifle and Lukas’ revolver, which she handed to Aileen. She took two rifles which happened to be sitting nearby also. The three continued on until they found Lukas and Mech’s cell. Xanthia quickly got to picking the lock while Aileen and Lacea stood watch. Lukas was surprised by the three rescuing them. Lukas walked over ti where Mech was sitting and helped him stand up. Lacea handed Mech a rifle which he then put to use as a crutch. Aileen handed Lukas his revolver and took the other rifle from Lacea. The five continued through the halls with Lacea leading the group, Aileen taking up the rear, Mech in the center, and Lukas and Xanthia helping Mech along. They came upon two guards in the halls. Lacea and Xanthia fired at them, using the aeon darts as not to harm them, but instead to temporarily freeze them in time. The group continued until the entrance. Lacea and Xanthia fired upon the two guards who kept watch from the towers and they carried on out of the building. An Authority vehicle sat outside of the building, which they used to their advantage. The five got in and they drove towards the outer gates of the city. The guards at the gate saw that the vehicle belonged to the Authority and waved them through without checking who they were, which would prove to be a costly mistake. Lacea, Mech, and Xanthia were finally Roanoke bound, though with two more people than intended.