It was now or never.

  Slowly approaching the parked wagon, I kept my breathing as even as possible. Although a few moments ago, back before I had left the safety and cover of the thick trees and bushes, my heart had been thumping like crazy it was now steady and normal. I didn’t even felt like I was sweating anymore.

  The caravan had stopped before dusk. They had pulled off the road and set up camp inside a small opening in the forest. Luckily for me though, the forest had grown far denser, and although they had camped closely with each other thanks to how dense the trees were the wagons were separated enough to make a difference. The wagon Lujic had been tied to, and that had been carrying Ginny, was sitting with just one other wagon. One of the ones that had been carrying cargo, not people. The rest of the wagons, and thanks to that the majority of the humans, were many dozens of feet away all gathered in a larger opening. The largest group of people were currently surrounding a large fire, eating and drinking.

  Not all of them were doing normal stuff, though. Not far past the nearby cluster of trees were a few hastily made tents. Right now there were heart-wrenching sounds coming from them.

  This wagon of slaves had been emptied. So that the slaves could sleep. But most of the women were gone. A few of the men too.

  It was one of the reasons I had to hurry. Not only would at any moment these barbaric humans bring back the slaves they had taken for their own amusement, there was now a chance that someone might interest themselves in Lujic or Ginny.

  I felt horrible using others misfortune as an opportunity, but I had no other choice. I had hurried ahead a little before they had made camp, and not far out of this forest was a village. One close enough that made me actually a little surprised that they had stopped in the first place.

  The sad reality is they had likely done it on purpose. As to enjoy their spoils one last time.

  Rounding a small bush, I crept ever closer to the wagons and the people sitting around them. The knights, or whatever they were, had tied all of the captured people up by their legs. Every person had a thick rope tied around their ankle, which was then connected to another person. Eventually that rope connected with either a tree, or one of the wagons.

  I wasn’t really sure yet why rope on a leg was enough to make dozens of people resist fighting back, or try to escape, but so far it had worked. Not a single person had resisted as they had been tied together and bunched up near the wagons. Not a one. Not even when some of them had been taken.

  How come humans didn’t fight back when under such duress? Even a wild animal did… at least… sometimes. Until it was exhausted, at least.

  Pausing a moment, I lowered my head and ears as my eyes were drawn to the sound of someone approaching. Through the trees, over towards the other group, I saw a man walking my way. Towards these wagons.

  My heartbeat began to thump wildly again, but it quickly became clear he hadn’t seen me… and that he had no plans to actually come over here. He stopped at a tree and went to relieving himself, all the while yawning.

  Daring a look away from him, I glanced back to the wagons. Just past the wagon in front of me, right behind it, was Lujic and Ginny. From here I could only see their legs. They were sitting next to each other near the wagon’s large wheel, resting up against it. I could hear Ginny’s soft sniffles and whimpers, but hers weren’t the only ones. Several of the people tied up were similarly crying.

  I looked away from my destination just in time to see the man stop pissing on the tree and turn away. He sluggishly headed back from whence he came, back towards the makeshift tents.

  Glaring at the man for a moment, I returned my focus on my task.

  I needed to save the kids. Now.

  Ok. Now or never. Really.

  Standing up a little, I hardened my heart as I hurried over to the wagon. I rounded the edge of it, and came to a stop upon seeing the kids.

  Ginny and Lujic were sitting against each other. It looked like Ginny was clinging to the boy’s shirt, and he had a sullen look on his face. Other than their obvious distress, and the ropes attached to their feet, they didn’t look too bad. I saw no wounds, at least.

  Before getting their attention I looked around at the rest of the people. Like the kids, everyone here was sitting or lying down. Some people were outright sleeping, as if without a care, while others were curled up together and weeping.

  Most were older. I didn’t see anyone who looked outright as young as Lujic and Ginny, but a few were close. Another scrawny boy was nearby, curled up near a pair of older women. He didn’t look like he was with them, since he wasn’t touching them or sitting too close.

  Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

  Sliding my knife out from its sheath, I ignored the way my heart leapt into my throat. I scanned the people, and very quickly found the spots most useful to cut.

  I needed to free Lujic and Ginny, of course, but I needed more than that. Or at least, I felt as if I had to do more than that. The thought of actually being able to save everyone here was a happy one, but I knew it was unrealistic. But at the same time, helping these people might also further help me and the kids as we escaped. If I saved a dozen or two people, and we all ran in different directions, then the odds of us three making it out of here went up… at least in my perspective.

  It seemed each rope had roughly ten people connected to it. So I stepped forward, one of the ropes that was connected to the wagon. The same rope connected to Lujic and Ginny.

  The moment my knife touched the rope, however, my heart sank as the truth hit me like a slap on the face.

  I’d not be able to cut all the ropes.

  It took nearly all my strength, while moving the blade as quickly as possible, to cut the rope. It took far too long, and was far too loud.

  “What’s she doing?” someone whispered, and I bit back harsh words.

  “Shush!” was all I allowed through my lips.

  “Renn…!” Lujic though didn’t seem to care to heed my warning. His shock had been not just real, but vivid. And loud.

  “Quiet!” I hurried over to Lujic and Ginny, who were both quickly sitting up. I kneeled down next to them and quickly went to pull the rope off their ankles.

  The moment I grabbed the rope though, I realized another truth.

  I’d not be able to just slip their legs free. Whatever kind of method they used to tie the blasted stuff made it wrapped so tightly around their legs, even the kids’ scrawny ones, made it as firm as iron.

  “Renn!” Ginny nearly sobbed as she reached out for me. I ignored her attempt to wrap me in a hug as I kept focused on the ropes. Since I couldn’t just tug their legs free, I immediately went to cutting at it.

  “She’s going to get us killed,” someone said flatly nearby.

  “Cut mine too!” another said, a little too loud.

  “Quiet, they’ll hear,” I whispered harshly as I freed Ginny’s leg. Lujic had stood and moved his leg upward, resting it against the wheel of the wagon, to give me a better angle at his.

  I was able to get Lujic’s free quicker, for some reason. Maybe the rope had already been frayed a little. I had only needed to cut into it a little bit for it to snap and untangle.

  The moment his leg was freed, and his foot touched the ground, he and Ginny rushed forward and wrapped their arms around my waist.

  Going still, I for a few long heartbeats didn’t know what to think or say… as the two kids squeezed me with their meager strength.

  Blinking blurry eyes, I took a deep breath and patted Ginny on the back. “Come on. Let me go now,” I asked gently.

  “Me next! Cut it already!” one of the men nearby had stood and shouted at me as he approached. He only made it a few feet before he stumbled, falling to his knees, and someone behind him also fell. The rope connecting them had impeded the first, and got the second dragged behind him.

  “No! Me!” A woman stood up, pulling another woman up with her as they hurried over.

  “Wait,” I raised the hand with the knife, not to point at them but to ask for patience… and silence, but it was too late. Before I knew it half the group had awoken and stood, hurrying over towards the three of us. Each asking to be freed, most doing so while pushing the others aside.

  “What’s going on over there!”

  My blood went cold at the new voice. One that had carried not just over the now noisy group of captured people, but the wind and rustle of leaves. Even the noise of the nearby tents… which suddenly grew quiet.

  “Come on!” A man stepped closer, but didn’t wait for my response or my actions. He simply reached out and grabbed at my knife.

  Reflexively pulling my hand back, and stepping backward, I flinched and dropped the knife the moment his hand wrapped around the blade. He grabbed it and took it from me, and hurriedly crouched over to go about cutting himself free.

  If he had cut his hand on my sharp knife, something I couldn’t imagine not doing, he didn’t show it.

  “Share you bastard,” another man stepped forward and grabbed at the man’s shirt. And before I knew it the people around us grew noisy and chaotic. Men started pushing. Women shouting. Those more timid, or not wanting to get hurt in the chaos, had stepped back as far as their ropes would allow… cowering down to the ground.

  “Let’s go!” I grabbed Lujic and Ginny and turned.

  I had wanted to try and help them. But if this was how it was going to go, then there was no need for me to risk ourselves any more than I already had!

  “Alarm!” A woman’s voice shouted from the trees, and I bent a little as to pick the kids up because of it.

  Wrapping my arms around their waists, I carried the two into the nearby forest. I already knew which direction I wanted to run. I had searched the path out before it had gotten dark enough for my attempt at rescue. We were going to head the opposite direction of the nearby road, since it led to an even denser forest with far more hills. A perfect place to run and hide.

  “Renny!” Ginny shouted my name as I carried them away. I didn’t stop. I wasn’t past more than a few trees before I heard people shouting. Orders being barked. People being hurt.

  As I ran with all my might, I did my best to ignore the sounds of screams. Of men and women. People being hurt. Maybe even killed.

  Because of my actions.

  Squeezing the two little lives I carried, I hardened my heart and stopped paying attention. I only focused on running.

  Running and surviving.

  Nothing more.